December 2019 Minutes EOM
HECKINGTON PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting of Heckington Parish Council held in the Council Chambers, St Andrews Street, Heckington on Friday 13th December 2019 commencing at 1800hrs
Attendance:
(Vice)Chairman - P/Cllr Mr R Woods
Councillors – Mr T Atkinson, Mr D Couzens, Mr R Doughty, Mr A Garlick, Mr R Higgs, Mr M Jones, Mr M West
County Councillor – Apologies received
District Councillors –Mr S Ogden
Minute Taker – Clerk, Ms J Hudson
Police Representative – None present
Press Representative – None present
Members of the Public – 2
1. Chairman’s Welcome and Opening Remarks
i. The Vice-Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and informed the meeting that the Chairman was not able to attend.
2. To receive apologies for absence
Apologies were received and accepted from C/Cllr Mr B Young, D/Cllr Mrs S Tarry and P/Cllr Mrs J Palmer. It was noted that P/Cllr Mr R Kemmett was not in attendance.
3. To receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011
i. Cllr Mr R Higgs declared an interest in item 6, although dispensation was given in advance to allow him to update the meeting with information.
4. To consider any written requests for dispensations received at or before the start of the meeting.
i. None received
5. To discuss vacancy for Heckington Parish Councillor
i. To discuss and consider additional election expenditure for the issue of polling cards – estimated at circa £1,500
Following notification from NKDC that the required number of electors in the Parish had requested an election, current Councillors were informed that nominations for candidates were now being invited and that an election date had been set for 23rd January 2020. In the event of a contested election, NKDC required to be informed as to whether the Parish Councillors wanted poll cards to be issued to all qualifying electors. The Clerk informed the meeting that polling cards are optional and not mandatory, and that during the 2016 election (where poll cards were issued at the additional expense of £1,260.56) the overall voting turnout was 24.4%. It was commented this low turnout figure did not justify the additional expenditure.
Proposed by Cllr Mr T Atkinson, seconded by Cllr Mr R Higgs
Vote results – unanimous
Resolved - NOT to incur the additional expenditure required for the issue of polling cards
6.
i. To update on correspondence sent from HPC re application 19/0606/FUL – development of Heckington Manor
ii. The meeting was informed that there had been a further delay in the decision making process, due to additional documents and reports having been added to the application. The Clerk had written to NKDC Planning to ascertain the situation and make specific enquiries into an independent report by Aspinall Verdi which detailed whether the development was likely to return a financial profit. This report had been commissioned by NKDC and Parish Councillors commented that this may have been an unnecessary use of public money. The Clerk confirmed that a Freedom of Information request had been made to ascertain the cost of this report, which would be passed to Councillors once known. The Planning Department had also indicated that a formal decision was not due to be made until the New Year.
7. To confirm the date of the next meeting as the Precept meeting to be held on Monday 20th January 2020
Date confirmed.
8. To resolve to go into closed session in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960
Item not required.
Meeting concluded at 6.16pm