March 2025 Minutes
HECKINGTON PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Staffing Committee meeting of Heckington Parish Council held on Monday 17 March 2025 at 7.30pm in the Parish Council Chambers, St Andrews Street, Heckington.
1) To elect a Chair for the purposes of the meeting
Councillor Tucker proposed Councillor O’Connor as Chair. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Garlick and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
2) Chair’s Welcome (Safety Announcements)
The Chair delivered the usual health and safety announcements and opened the public forum.
3) Public Forum:
The member of the public introduced himself by name as a resident of Sleaford Road. He spoke to councillors about the outline planning application 25/0165 for planning permission for 47 new homes and the Parish Council’s response to the application.
He suggested that the Parish Council should have provided evidence to support the statements that the medical centre and sewage systems are at breaking point; he suggested that the issue with the sewage system is the sanitation plant rather than the sewers infrastructure. He queried what the statement the rural nature of the village is being lost means. He referenced education and speeding; speeding is an enforcement issue which has no bearing on planning considerations. He said that the Parish Council had suggested re-siting the entrance to the development but provide no suggestions as to where this might be located. He queried why the Parish Council neither supports nor is opposed to the planning application. He went on to speak about a previous planning application for Sleaford Road. He stated that the builder, Lindum has commissioned a transport plan which is factually incorrect and biased citing injury only traffic accidents. There was further discussion about speeding and road safety. He believes the development would be safer with traffic calming measures installed on the Sleaford Road; the cost of this should be assumed by the developer. He concluded by speaking about the density of the proposed development. There was further discussion about road markings; these should be solid lines, but single white lines were alleged to have been installed incorrectly.
Action: Clerk to add to the March agenda for discussion. Clerk to liaise with the Manager for Highways West in relation to the road markings.
4) Councillors present
Councillor O’Connor, Chair
Councillor Bell
Councillor Garlick
Councillor Tucker
5) Apologies
Councillor Wright
6) To receive any reports of member’s interest, pecuniary or otherwise in relation to the agenda and any dispensations in accordance with the Localism Act 2011
None.
7) Minutes
a) Councillor Tucker proposed that the minutes of the Staffing Committee Meeting on 27 February 2025 are accepted as a true and accurate record of that meeting. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Garlick and the motion was passed by resolution of the Committee. Councillor Bell abstained from the vote as she had not been present at that meeting.
8) General Matters
a) To resolve to adopt the following policies.
i) Councillor Tucker proposed that the dignity at work policy is adopted. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Garlick and the motion was passed by resolution of the Committee. Councillor Bell abstained from the vote.
ii) Councillor Garlick proposed that the disciplinary policy is adopted with an amendment to the following: Item 5) bullet point six – Employees may be accompanied or represented by a companion-‘
It was suggested that a comma needs to be inserted after the word companion to add the third option of a suitably competent adult, other than a workplace colleague or Trade Union representative.
The proposal was seconded by Councillor Tucker and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee. Councillor Bell abstained from the vote.
iii) Councillor Tucker proposed that the equality and diversity at work policy is adopted. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Garlick and the motion was passed by resolution of the Committee.
iv) Councillor Garlick suggested an amendment to the performance improvement policy under Principles, bullet point five; -a companion, per minute reference ii) above needs to be added to this policy. Councillor Tucker proposed the policy is adopted as amended. The proposal was seconded by the Chair and the motion was passed by resolution of the Committee. Councillor Bell abstained from the vote.
v) Councillor Tucker proposed that the sickness absence policy is adopted. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Garlick and the motion was passed by resolution of the Committee. Councillor Bell abstained from the vote.
Councillor Tucker proposed that the meeting moves into closed session in accordance with the Public Bodies Act 1960. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Garlick and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
Councillor Tucker provided an update in relation to staffing matters which are private and confidential. Health and safety was discussed at length.
Actions: Clerk to ask the Caretaker not to use the grinder, at the request of the Staffing Committee, with immediate effect. Councillor Garlick will assist the Caretaker with the COSHH register and ladder amnesty and checks and removal of the carpet from the workshop due to a diesel spill.
9) To agree a date for the next meeting of the Staffing Committee.
Thursday 26 June 2025 at 7.00pm in the Parish Council Chambers, St Andrews Street.
10) Closing Comments from the public (limited to brief statements)
None.
The Chair closed the meeting at 8.30pm.