Minutes of Sibsey Annual Parish Meeting 29th July 2021
Minutes of the Sibsey Annual Parish Meeting
Held Thursday 29th July 2021 at Sibsey Village Hall, Frithville Road, Sibsey
PRESENT Eleven members of the public which included five members of Sibsey Parish Council
The clerk of Sibsey Parish Council was also in attendance who was present to take notes of the meeting.
Simon Spens – Representing Sibsey Village Hall Committee
Rev. Clive Todd – Representing St Margaret’s Church
ELDC Cllr Neil Jones (left at 8.16pm)
ELDC/LCC Cllr Thomas Ashton
Sibsey Parish Councillor Ian Watts welcomed everyone to the meeting and relayed that this was a meeting for the parishioners of the village and was only hosted by the Parish Council.
1. AGREEMENT FOR CHAIRMAN OF SIBSEY PARISH COUNCIL TO CHAIR THE 2021 SIBSEY ANNUAL PARISH MEETING
It was proposed by Simon Spens, seconded by SPC Cllr Angela Saxton and resolved that Sibsey Parish Council Chairman Cllr I Watts would chair the 2021 Sibsey Annual Parish Meeting.
It was resolved to bring agenda Item 5 forward in the meeting.
With no Annual Parish Meeting in 2020 due to Covid-19 it was decided by the Parish Council to honour all the village a special award for the perseverance through the past year.
In addition to this the decision, instead of an individual award it was agreed to reward four residents for their generous support and assistance to the residents of Sibsey – Karen Hayes, Carl Presgrave, Charlotte Blakey and Sue Charrington. Those who were present at the meeting were presented with certificates.
2. NOTES OF THE ANNUAL PARISH MEETING HELD THURSDAY 23rd MAY 2019 TO BE APPROVED AS THE MINUTES
After time was allocated for the notes to be read it was It was proposed by SPC Cllr Joy Ladds, seconded by Simon Spens and resolved to accept these notes as a true and accurate record and thereby signed by the residing Chairman.
3. REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS TO BE GIVEN BY INVITED GUESTS
a. Rev Clive Todd representing St Margaret’s Church
Rev Todd gave the following report:
It has been a very difficult year for the Church just as it has for everyone due to the Covid Pandemic.
I arrived officially on March 16th 2020 where I was warmly welcomed to Sibsey only for everything to come to an immediate halt due to the first lock down.
Throughout the year I have prepared Morning Worship materials and prepared a weekly sermon both of which have been posted online throughout the pandemic, and that shall continue as we receive thousands of hits on our newly revamped web pages.
The Parish Magazine has also been available online and that will also continue with an option for a shorter form to be available for those not able to access it free on the internet. A small charge will be requested to offset the printing costs.
Services have been available on most Sundays when this was permitted, although the pandemic has effectively reduced the congregation size to below 20 people. This has also meant that collections have fallen seriously, and with no fund raising being allowed the church has not been able to meet its financial commitments.
For 2020 the request from the diocese for £34,000 which goes toward paying my salary through the Parish Share system was not met, with only £3,500 being sent to the Diocese. This has been replicated throughout the Diocese leaving a £5 million pound deficit.
In order to seek to balance the books, Churches have been requested to place themselves into a variety of categories and to then pledge a finance figure which they believe they will be able to meet in the future.
Sibsey has classified itself as a Community Church and will seek to contribute £5000 this year to the Diocese together with the 3 churches down the Straight, all which will become Festival Churches, the total commitment will be £8000. As it costs £55,000 to have a Vicar, once the new system becomes operational it is likely that I will be deployed elsewhere, with the majority of Church Services being done by local people.
Baptisms, weddings and funerals will be arranged through an administrator and be shared out amongst a team of ministers appointed to the area.
However, because of a shortage of financial generosity, it is likely that there will only be 6 professional clergy to cover all of Boston Deanery. Sibsey will receive only limited Clerical support in the future unless financial contributions are increased significantly.
Thereby, if you want to have a Vicar available to work in the parish then the people of the parish will need to support the Church financially as if the Church fails to meet its financial commitments it will face potential closure.
On the positive side because Sibsey sees itself as a Community Church now that restrictions are lifting, we seek to re-open to the community. We shall be resuming the Pop in sessions in church which will need to generate income and we will begin to plan some fund-raising opportunities.
Baptisms which have been on hold are now flooding in, I have conducted several weddings and sadly many funerals though thankfully these services are now largely free from restrictions.
However due to Covid concerns, Sunday morning Church services will continue to be socially distanced, with face masks becoming optional. Holy Communion will still be restricted to one kind only and all sanitizing stations will continue to be operational.
We are having a Church Clean-up Day on Saturday everybody is welcome from 10am till 4pm. We will be deep cleansing the kitchen area so that we will be able to offer refreshments again on Sunday and for the Pop in sessions. We shall re-order and clean the choir area seeking to create a bookstall area for the community which will be free and available for all to use. The children’s area needs a complete over-haul and will not open again until adequate resources have been acquired to offer that space again. That will mean having the roof fixed in order to make it watertight. Currently we have limited resources to complete that work.
So, lots of challenges facing St. Margaret’s in the year to come, but I am sure that with the help of the Community at large, we may be able to keep St. Margaret’s open and operational into the future.
b. Representative from Sibsey Free School
There was no representation or report to be read from Sibsey Free Primary School.
c. ELDC Councillor Neil Jones
ELDC Cllr Jones reported the following:
He relayed at how amazed he was by the spirit of the village and the whole area and the generosity and support that has been generated.
Over the year East Lindsey have saved £4.1m which is being put back in for capital programs.
The strategic alliance with Boston Borough Council will aid being run better. There is consideration that South Holland in the near future being part of the coalition. Each council will be able to keep their own sovereignty but led by one administrative team.
Following the current news headlines the Nuclear Waste consultation with Theddlethorpe being considered as one of the sites, the views of East Lindsey and the County will be respected but be finally decided by Central Government.
He understands the planning concerns of the village and though like to be more active in this role but currently reside on the Planning Committee but at least having two District Councillors they are fully represented by Cllr Ashton.
d. ELDC/LCC Councillor Thomas Ashton
Cllr Ashton gave the following report:
It is a delight to work with a well-run Parish Council which helps makes things easier.
The alliance of ELDC and BBC has worked really well on the ground especially in housing policy, where they have adopted a common housing register.
The budget of £12m will be spent on Highways. There should be a sufficient funds to be able to work on the B and minority roads.
The Councillor’s Community Grant Scheme is available again this year for local projects.
e. Police
There was no representation or report to be read from the Police.
f. Reports from any other bodies
John Woulds Charity
Cllr Limb reported the following:
This is a small charity which covers help for the poor residents of Sibsey, In the past they have helped with schoolbooks, heating, mobility scooters. Anyone who would like to apply for help can do so via a written application.
Sibsey School Trust
Mr Grooby reported the following:
The Trust is there to help the school with equipment that is not supplied by Government funding. Lately all children received a tablet to aid them with the schoolwork. The Trust is also there to help children over the age of 16 with grants towards further education such as computers or books.
g. Sibsey Village Hall
Mr Spens reported the following:
The Village Hall have managed to be able to continue to remain open with continued allowed activities such as Blood Donation, Election of Local Authorities and educational needs.
During lockdown, two projects have been done, Solar panels with battery backup and drainage insulation and resurfacing of the car park.
He thanked the committee members for their hard work and contributions and please to see that many groups and activities are permitted to take place again.
h. Northlands Village Hall
There was no representation from the Village Hall in attendance though a report was read out by the residing Chairman relaying that they are hoping that activities will be able to start resuming soon. They have had great support during the past year with aid from grants to pay for ongoing expenses whilst they hall had been closed to the public.
6. SIBSEY PARISH COUNCIL CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Chairman of Sibsey Parish Council, Cllr Ian Watts reported the following:
• Thanked all that attended this evenings meeting and for the parishioners that have shown considerable community spirit in aiding residents over the past year.
• Thanked all his fellow councillors for their unbelievable support over this time. Meetings have been able to continue though via zoom. He also thanked the clerk for her extreme hard work.
• Thanked East Lindsey and Lincolnshire County Councillors for their valued support.
• The Parish Council have remained to continue to work on all the business and assets within the parish. Looking to take on more under their remit and understands that though the precept is high, they provide a good service and would like to continue to provide a good place to live.
• Highway matters is always a standard agenda item especially with the concern with speeding throughout the village. Bearing this in mind a Community Speed Watch Scheme is being looked into.
• Maintaining and possible expansion of the play areas is a project the Parish Council will continue with the reassurance that they are monitored by RoSPA.
• As a statutory body the Parish Council are asked to consult on planning applications of which there has been a fair few over the past year with two major submissions being of foremost concern – Outline erection of 80 dwellings, Land rear to Page Close and Phase 1 of Millers Walk, detailed particulars relating to the erection of 39 dwellings with associated garages which is currently being discussed. In relation to the latter anyone who wishes to make their comments known should do so directly to East Lindsey District Council.
• Stock Hill Bus Shelter will be rebuilt but a date of commencement is not yet known. With having to speak deal with both the police and third-party insurance, delays meant we had to get a new quote from the builder due to rising costs, but it will be as exactly as it previously was.
• Christmas Fayre in association with the school will be an event that they are hoping will be able to resume again this year. Unfortunately, in 2020 this was not able to take place the lights were still able to be put up on the tree and sweets had been allocated to the children of the school.
5. SIBSEY COMMUNITY AWARD PRESENTATION
The presentation had taken place earlier in the meeting.
6. FOR ANY MEMBERS OF THE PARISH TO SPEAK, ASK QUESTIONS OR MAKE ANY STATEMENTS AND TO CONSIDER ANY MATTERS THAT MAY BE RAISED
There were no speeches, questions or statements made.
There being no further business, the Chairman thanked all for attending and the meeting finished at 8.37pm.