Odstock Parish Council
The Annual meeting of Odstock Parish Council was held on 18 May
2020, online through the ZOOM app.
Present: Sally Nelson (Chairman), Nigel Start (Vice-Chairman),
Rod Poynting, Stephen Stapley, Colin Berry, Thomas Newman, Barry
Norris, Richard Parsons (Clerk) and Wiltshire Cllr Richard Clewer
and no members of the public.
Apologies: None
20/20 Annual Parish Meeting: Due to the COVID-19
Coronavirus crisis, it was not possible to hold the Parish
Meeting.
21/20 Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman:
Cllr Start proposed and Cllr Poynting seconded, Cllr Nelson as
Chairman. Cllr Nelson proposed and Cllr Poynting seconded, Cllr
Start as Vice-chairman.
22/20 Declaration of Interest: None.
23/20 Minutes of the Extraordinary OPC meeting
held on 23 March were approved and signed by the Chairman.
24/20 Delegation of Functions: LGA 1972 s101
allows for the functions of a statutory authority to be
discharged through a committee, sub-committee, officer or any
other local authority. It was unanimously agree that when
necessary, statutory functions would be delegated to the Parish
Clerk as Proper Officer of Odstock Parish Council.
25/19 Meeting Dates: 6 July, 7 September, 7
December, 8 February 2021 and the Annual meetings on 17 May 2021.
In accordance with LGA72 sch.12 s.9(1), Extraordinary PC meetings
can be called by the Chairman at any time or by any two
councillors and may be subject to LGA72 sch.12 s.10(2) requiring
three clear days notice. Meeting cancellations will be similarly
advised.
26/20 Community Initiatives:
a) COVID-19: The Chairman reported that her team of
volunteers were busy helping with shopping and ensuring that all
parishioners had been made aware that help is available while the
restrictions are being imposed.
b) Jubilee Gardens: Cllr Start will source a
picnic table and arrange for its installation within an agreed £300
budget.
27/20 Nunton Recreation Field:
a) Play Area: The Chairman reported that an order had
been placed for play equipment in the sum of £15,198.05p and
once the installers were ready to proceed, funds would be made
available to settle the invoices. The Longford Estate has agreed
to remove the old equipment and reinstate with fresh top soil,
ready for sowing grass seed.
28/20 Transport, Roads and Footpaths:
a) Wiltshire Council Highways: The Parish Steward will
continue to visit monthly and attend to any obvious needs.
b) Community Area Transport Group (CATG): The
April meeting was cancelled and future meetings will be on-line.
29/20 Planning: No new Planning Applications to
consider.
30/20 Reports and Correspondence:
a) Wiltshire Council: The Area Board meetings will be
held virtually until further notice.
31/20 Finance:
a) Annual Internal Audit Report 2019-2020: OPC’s
Internal Auditor signed off OPC’s Accounts on 13 May.
b) Annual Governance Statement 2019-2020:
Section 1 of the AGAR was considered and unanimously approved.
c) Bank Accounts: It was agreed to continue
maintaining Odstock PC's Bank Accounts with Lloyds Bank plc.
d) Staff Costs for 2019-2020: The Parish Clerk's
salary of £54.12p per week was in line with expectations.
e) Accounts for 2019-2020: OPC's Internal
Auditor had verified Odstock PC's accounts as presented. Income
of £12,645.50p for the year includes donations of £150,
Football Fees of £300, bank interest of £135.50p and the
balance of £12,060 from the precept. Expenditure of £9,246.65p
includes £3,552.90p on rents, grass-cutting and maintenance,
Grant aided spending of £500 on IT and website development, £375
contribution the cost of a footpath survey, £600 on grant
support for village groups and £4,218.75p on general
administration.
f) AGAR Certificate of Exemption: Since neither
Income nor Expenditure exceeded £25,000, OPC will not be
required to have a Limited Assurance Review for 2019-2020.
Unanimously approved and signed by the Chairman.
g) AGAR Accounting Statements for 2019-2020:
Unanimously approved and signed by the Chairman.
h) Chairman's Allowance for 2020-2021: Up to £100
will be made available to the Chairman for expenses of office.
i) Zurich Municipal Insurance Premium for 2020-2021:
The invitation to renew, for £510.65p, was approved.
j) WALC Membership for 2020-2021: Subscription
renewal of £188.63p ex VAT was approved.
k) Earmarked Reserves: OPC is carrying forward
£21,947.83p of which £13,257 is earmarked for Recreation Field
and Pavilion maintenance and £4,000 is in a Capital fund. The
remainder is a General fund balance of £4,690.83p.
l) Budget for 2020-2021: Bus shelter and Play
Area refurbishment is likely to use a substantial amount of
resources.
m) Transparency Fund Grant: OPC is carrying
forward £457 of the £1,207 grant to cover the ongoing cost of
IT, website maintenance, hosting and GDPR compliance for the
publication of OPC’s Policies and Documents.
n) Receipts: The following were acknowledged:
Wiltshire Council – First instalment of the precept –
£7,537.50
o) Payments: The following were approved:
Firstalpha Ltd – Website Development & IT BACS £600.00p
Bawden Contracting Services Ltd – Grass Cutting BACS £439.20p
Wiltshire Association of Local Councils – Subscription BACS
£226.36p
Community First Trading – Zurich Insurance Renewal BACS £510.65p
R Parsons – Clerk's salary and expenses, on account BACS £976.00p
Bawden Contracting Services Ltd – Grass Cutting BACS £439.20p
Southern Electric – Nunton Field Electricity DD £45.93p
32/20 Any Other Business (for information only):
Cllr Berry raised the issue of Odstock bus shelter maintenance.
33/20 The Next Ordinary OPC meeting is scheduled
for Monday, 6 July 2020.
The meeting closed at 8:17pm
Signed without amendment by the Chairman, Cllr Sally Nelson, as a true record on 26 October 2020.
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