Parish Council AGM 2019
May 6th, 2021
Minutes of the Parish Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on: 16th May 2019
Present:
Cllr Phil James (PJ – Chair)
Cllr Carol Berry (CB)
Cllr Geoff Carter (GC)
Cllr Martin Delaney (MD)
Cllr Chris Houghton (CH)
Cllr Alan Lingard (AL)
Clerk: Mike Ainsworth (MA)
Members of the Public: Eileen and Brian Dearnaley
Apologies: Wyre Cllr Susan Catterall; Wyre Cllr Paul Cartridge
cc: Parish Councillors; Joanne Porter (Wyre Council); Wyre Cllr Susan Catterall; Wyre Cllr Paul Cartridge;
LCC Cllr Matthew Salter
Meeting opened: 20:30
Meeting closed: 20:40
Agenda
1. Chairman’s Report
2. Election of Officers
3. Declarations of Acceptance of Office
4. Minutes of the AGM held on Thursday 17th May 2018
5. Matters Arising from the minutes of the 2018 AGM
6. Financial Report
7. Wyre Council Report
8. Any Other Business
Next AGM Scheduled for: Thursday 21st May 2020 at 8pm
Status: APPROVED
Chair: Cllr. Phil James
Date: 6th May 2021
1. Chairman’s Report
INSKIP-WITH-SOWERBY PARISH COUNCIL
CHAIRMAN’S ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
I started my 2017-18 report with reference to the previous 12 months being the most arduous I’d faced as a Parish Councilor of 35 years standing. I referred to it as “the most difficult, time-consuming, stressful, 12 months of Parish Council business that I can recall” to which I added “and we go forward into 2018-19 with most of those issues unfinished.”
At that point in time the Planning Inquiry into the Proposed Fracking at Roseacre Wood had recently come to a close but that into the Draft Wyre Local Plan had just begun. Thankfully, it later transpired that we could celebrate a victory in blocking the convoys of fracking traffic passing through the heart of our village on a daily basis. Then we ‘scored’ a partial victory in getting the 200 extra homes proposed for Inskip reduced to 30. So, all in all, and remember we had no help whatsoever from Wyre Borough Council on either of these issues, I think it’s fair to say we didn’t do a bad job.
But let me be clear, when I say we, I don’t just mean those who form the Parish Council. When it came to the crunch a number of villagers ‘stepped up to the plate’ and what a fine job they did! Every credit to those that campaigned against the Fracking Traffic and similarly those, particularly the Inskip Residents Action Group, that fought the Draft Wyre Local Plan. I’m not sure it’s appropriate to call for a round of applause at a Parish Council AGM but they all certainly deserve one!
Now without changing the subject I’d like to take you back again to my 2017-18 report and my closing reference to our being “a small Council in numbers, six being our total, but rarely are we able to count on all six to do their bit.”
Sadly, that situation didn’t change, and given that the six existing members were the only ones to seek re-election it seems highly feasible that the work meant for six will again fall on just five pairs of shoulders. Will members of the public again, fire the question to the Chair “Why don’t you get rid of the one that’s hardly ever here?” I sincerely hope not, but that’s beyond my control. What’s also beyond my control is the constant complaints, totally justifiable given the circumstances, from other members of the Parish council about that said member not pulling his/her weight.
For the past four years, or more, the Parish Council ‘Team’ has had to play with a person short, insofar as one member has attended on less than 50% of occasions, only 43% in fact. And that figure is based solely on the set monthly meetings. If the ‘extra’ meetings, of which there has been many, were to be taken into account then I’m certain that would fall below the 40% mark.
To use a football analogy, would Manchester City be on for winning the treble had they had to play more than half their matches with nine men? I somehow doubt it! Pep Guardiola would have soon sorted that one but with a Parish Council it isn’t that simple. It can only be resolved in one of two ways. That member dramatically improves his/her attendance and attitude thus becoming a team player or he/she puts the interests of the Parish Council and the Village first and resigns to enable a ‘real’ team player to take his/her place. To perpetuate his/her failings further would be disrespectful not just for this Council, but for the good people of this village to whom you are failing to give proper support.
As I said in closing my 2017-18 report “We are but a small Council in numbers, six being our total, but rarely are we able to count on all six to do their bit. That situation is unacceptable as it is grossly unfair on those that left to make-up the shortfall. I therefore urge any member who cannot, for whatever reason, give the requisite level of commitment to this Council, to do the honorable thing and make way for someone who can.”
Reverting to the subject of support, credit where credit’s due, and thanks must go to Ben Wallace, our Member of Parliament, for his support at both Planning Inquiries and to Matthew Salter, without question the most proactive County Councilor I can ever recall representing our community.
Closer to home thanks also to Mike Ainsworth, our Clerk, and Andrew Maxfield, our Lengthsman for their continued dedication and hard work. Finally, my heartfelt thanks to those members of the Parish Council who continue to put in that extra effort as we’re constantly forced to play with a weakened side.
Thank you
Phil James
Chairman, Inskip-with-Sowerby Parish Council. May 2019
2. Election of Officers
Cllr. Martin Delaney proposed that Cllr. Phil James should be elected to the position of Chairman of the Parish Council to server until the AGM in 2020. The proposal was seconded by Cllr. Alan Lingard and was agreed unanimously. Cllr. Phil James elected to serve as the Parish Council Chair for the year 2019/20.
Cllr. Alan Lingard proposed that Cllr. Martin Delaney be elected to the position of Vice Chair; the proposal was seconded by Cllr. Geoff Carter and was agreed unanimously. Cllr. Martin Delaney elected to serve as Vice Chair to the Parish Council for the year 2019/20.
3. Declarations of Acceptance of Office – the Parish Clerk confirmed that he had received signed Declarations of Acceptance of Office from all 6 newly appointed Councillors.
4. Minutes of the AGM held on Thursday 17th May 2018
The elected members agreed that the minutes of the AGM of 17th May 2018 were a true record and were countersigned by the Chair Cllr. Phil James.
5. Matters Arising from the minutes of the 2018 AGM – none.
6. Financial Report
6.1. In line with previous years the Parish Clerk reported that the income, expenditure, and year-end balances for the previous 4 years were:
2015/16
Income: £11,521.20
Expenditure: £11,686.00
Year-end balance: £8,849.46
2016/17
Income: £11,836.10
Expenditure: £10,558.86
Year-end balance: £10,126.70
2017/18
Income: £20,229.01
Expenditure: £12,102.16
Year-end balance: £18,253.55
2018/19
Income: £10,995.88
Expenditure: £8,873.24
Year-end balance: £20,376.19
6.2. In addition to the report in previous years, and in line with the Transparency Code for Smaller Authorities, MA also reported:
• Details of public land and building assets owned by the Parish Council:
o Carr House Green Common, an area of open land at Carrs Green, Inskip covering 60.37 acres, purchased in 1955 for the sum of £5. A number of commoners have rights to graze this land;
o Bowling Green and Pavilion on land leased from Wyre Council by the Parish Council;
• Details of all items of expenditure over £100 – appended;
• It was also confirmed that the Annual Governance Statement, end of year accounts, and audit reports would also be published on the website in due course.
7. Wyre Council Report – none.
8. Any Other Business – none.