September 2025 DRAFT Minutes
HECKINGTON PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Staffing Committee meeting of Heckington Parish Council held on Thursday 4 September 2025 at 8.30pm in the Parish Council Chambers, St Andrews Street, Heckington.
1) Chair’s Welcome (SC/25/010)
2) Public Forum (SC/25/011)
3) Councillors present (SC/25/012)
Councillor O’Connor, Chair
Councillor Gower
Councillor Wright
4) Apologies (SC/25/013)
None
5) 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 (SC/25/014)
None
6) Minutes (SC/25/015)
a) Councillor Gower proposed that the Clerk’s notes of the Staffing Committee Meeting held on 26 June
2025 are accepted as a true and accurate record of that meeting. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Wright, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
7) General Matters (SC/25/016)
a) Staffing Panel
Members agreed that the Staffing Committee will function with three members. Councillor Wright proposed that the Staffing Panel can be any two of the three members of the Staffing Committee. Councillor O’Connor seconded the proposal, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
b) Caretaker Email
Councillor Wright proposed that the Caretaker is issued with a gov.uk email account. The proposal was seconded by Councillor O’Connor, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
c) Provision of an Apple iPhone
Councillor Wright proposed that the Apple iPhone is repaired at a cost of £40.00 and a protective case is provided at a cost of £13.00. The proposal was seconded by Councillor O’Connor, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
d) Mobile contract
Councillor Gower proposed a monthly contract with Lyca Mobile at a cost of £5.00 per month. The proposal was seconded by the Chair, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
d) Caretaker’s equipment requirements
Members took advice from the locum Caretaker Mr Wright and Mr Rogers, the Parish Council’s health and safety advisor from Worknest in relation to the following items.
i) The Chair proposed the purchase of a new compressor at a cost of £60.00 that will not require annual servicing. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Wright, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
ii) The Chair proposed the purchase of an ATV weed sprayer at a cost of £109.99. The current knapsacks are not compliant with health and safety legislation and don’t have the required capacity. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Gower, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
iii) Members noted that the Parish Council had approved the purchase of a 7.24m+ ladder at a cost of £262.99 from Screwfix. The Clerk reminded members that a jet washer for cleaning the playgrounds has also been approved by the Parish Council and these purchases will be ratified at the September meeting of the Parish Council.
iv) Councillor O’Connor proposed the purchase of a selection of nuts, bolts, screws and nails at a cost of £50.00. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Wright, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
v) Councillor O’Connor proposed the purchase of a drill box kit at a cost of £50.00. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Wright, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
vi) Councillor O’Connor proposed the purchase of a trolley board up to a cost of £60.00 to facilitate movement of the Portaloo for weekly cleaning. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Wright, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
vii) Councillor O’Connor proposed the purchase of 4ft Shelving units for the COSHH cupboard, lighting and a padlock up to £200.00. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Wright, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
Members agreed to sell any items that are surplus to requirement following the purchase of new.
The Clerk informed members that figure within the budget head of Caretaker and Village Maintenance will need to be reviewed to ensure that the budget sub-headings fall within budget in terms of percentage spent against the budget as follows:
|
Budget Head |
Current |
Change |
New |
|
Business Rates Village Green |
550.00 |
|
550.00 |
|
Village Maintenance |
3500.00 |
(1750.00) |
1750.00 |
|
Caretaker Equipment, Repairs & Servicing |
3000.00 |
1750.00 |
4750.00 |
|
Caretaker Supplies inc PPE |
500.00 |
500.00 |
1000.00 |
|
Diesel |
1500.00 |
|
1500.00 |
|
Petrol |
500.00 |
|
500.00 |
|
Trees/hedges |
1500.00 |
(500.00) |
1000.00 |
|
Other |
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
11,550.00 |
|
11,550.00 |
The Chair proposed that the budget is put on the September agenda for approval by the Parish Council.
f) Members agreed to defer the agenda item relating to quotes for servicing of the electric vehicle as these are still pending.
8) Finance (SC/25/017)
a) Staffing budget review for 2026/27 (view to making recommendations to the Finance Committee and Parish Council).
i) Caretaker equipment, repair and service budget head
The Clerk expressed her concern about the running, service and repair costs for the Nilfisk mower; since 1 April 2025 these costs have amounted to £1770.58, excessive for a 2-year-old machine. The locum Caretaker explained that the new Stiga mower would need to be loaded onto the trailer for transport for village-wide mowing, as it is not designed for road use and a push sweeper could be purchased for between £3-4k to fulfil this requirement. The Nilfisk could be sold on for approximately £20k, service charges would be minimal, and the machines could be repaired in a timelier manner as there are local UK stockists and repair centres, unlike the Nilfisk brand.
The Chair proposed that this item is added to the September agenda for the Parish Council. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Wright, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
Action: Locum Caretaker to obtain prices for a suitable walk behind sweeper.
The locum Caretaker suggested the purchase of a multi-tool to replace the current strimmer (2), leaf blower and hedge cutter; the tool has an extension pole which reduces the risk of injury to employees eliminating the need for ladder use.
The Chair proposed that the purchase of a new multi-tool is added to the September agenda for the Parish Council. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Gower, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee. It was agreed that surplus items could be sold.
ii) PPE
The Chair proposed expenditure of PPE up to a value of £350.00 to cover the purchase of a safety harness, a hard hat, working gloves, eye protection, waterproofs, coveralls, wellington boots, a winter coat and steel toe-capped boots. Dust masks and latex gloves will fall within a separate budget head. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Wright, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
iii) Locum Cover
The Chair proposed a new budget sub-heading under salaries for locum cover. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Gower, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
iv) Training, staff travel and expenses budget heads.
The Clerk explained that travel is paid as part of the salary and suggested that this budget head is merged with the Salaries; mileage is generally minimal. Members agreed to discuss this further in closed session.
v) New budget heads
Members agreed to discuss this further in closed session.
|
Budget Head
|
2024/25 Actual (NET) |
2025/26 Budget as of 4 Sept 2025 |
Current expenditure as of 4 Sept 2025 (NET) |
Predicted expenditure at year end |
Proposed budget 2026/27 |
|
Caretaker Equipment (new), Repairs and Service |
2,780.35 |
3,000.00 |
4239.43 |
6,000.00 |
6,000.00 |
|
Caretaker Supplies (inc PPE) |
1,001.55 |
500.00 |
739.15 |
1,000.00 |
1,000.00 |
|
Staff Training |
1,476.00 |
2,000.00 |
2283.00 |
2,400.00 |
2,500.00 |
|
TOTALS |
5,257.90 |
5,500.00 |
7,261.58 |
9,400.00 |
9,500.00 |
The Chair proposed the budget figures per the last column of the above table. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Gower, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
9) Date and time of the next meeting
Members will publish the date of the next meeting in due course. This was not agreed.
10) Closing Comments from the public
None
At 21.28pm, the Chair proposed that the meeting is moved into closed session to discuss the items listed on the agenda as detailed below, in accordance with the Public Bodies Act 1960. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Wright, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
11) Closed Session
a) Salary review 2025/26 further to the announcement of the Local Government Pay Agreement for 2025/26. The Chair proposed that the Local Government Pay Agreement is implemented. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Wright, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
b) Members discussed the salaries budget for 2026/27 including NI and pension contributions including locum cover leading to population of the final column of the table below.
c) Members discussed the budgetary allocation for the use of professional services and legal services leading to population of the final column of the table below.
|
Budget Head STAFFING |
2024/25 Actual (NET) |
2025/26 Budget |
Current expenditure as of 2 Sept 2025 (NET) |
Predicted expenditure at year end |
Proposed budget 2026/27 |
|
Salaries (inc staff travel) |
44,753.21 |
61,953.00 |
26,992.62 |
62,500.00 |
70,000.00 |
|
NI & PAYE |
8,085.26 |
8,000.00 |
9,108.63 |
18,000.00 |
20,000.00 |
|
Pensions |
3207.83 |
3,000.00 |
2,414.50 |
6,000.00 |
7,000.00 |
|
Locum Cover |
12,640.27 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
10,000.00 |
|
Staff Travel |
25.10 |
540.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
Professional and Legal Services |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
5,000.00 |
|
TOTALS |
68,711.67 |
73,493.00 |
38,515.75 |
86,500.00 |
112,000.00 |
d) Clerk’s overtime
The Clerk informed members that at the end of the week commencing Monday 29 August 2025, she had accrued 49 ¼ hours overtime and asked to convert 37 ½ hours into one week’s annual leave. The Chair proposed that this is accepted. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Wright, and the motion was passed unanimously by resolution of the Committee.
e) Private and confidential staffing issues
Members discussed private and confidential staffing matters. There were no resolutions.
The Chair closed the meeting at 22.23pm.