Rainford Village Hall, Church Road, Rainford WA10 8HB
01477 884709 clerk@rainfordparishcouncil.gov.uk
Minutes of the
ANNUAL MEETING OF RAINFORD PARISH COUNCIL
held on Friday 19 May 2023 at 6pm in the Council Chamber at Rainford Village Hall
Present: Councillors: Bardsley (Chairman item 1), Bimpson, Bowden, Denton, Dodson (arrived 6.10pm), Grice, Lamb BEM (Chairman items 2 – 15), Stockton-Pugh, Turner, Whalley
In Attendance: Sally Powell (Clerk)
Victoria Swainbank (Event Co-ordinator)
4 residents
Absent: Councillor Griffiths
1. To elect the Chairman of Rainford Parish Council for 2023/24 and to receive the Chairman’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office of Chairman:
Councillor Denton proposed that Councillor Lamb BEM be elected as Chairman of Rainford Parish Council for 2023/24. This was seconded by Councillor Bimpson and carried unanimously. Councillor Bardsley handed the Chain of Office to Councillor Lamb BEM. The Chairman took his place in the chamber and read out The Declaration of Acceptance of Office of Chairman and signed accordingly.
Councillor Dodson joined the meeting
2. To elect the Vice Chairman of Rainford Parish Council for 2023/24 and to receive the Vice Chairman’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office of Councillor:
Councillor Bardsley proposed that Councillor Dodson be elected as Vice Chairman of Rainford Parish Council for 2023/24. This was seconded by Councillor Grice and carried unanimously. Councillor Dodson took her place in the Council chamber and read out The Declaration of Acceptance of Office of Vice Chairman and signed accordingly. The Chairman congratulated the Vice Chairman on her election.
3. To receive apologies for absence:
Councillors: Holden (Business), Lee (Away), Long (Away), Reynolds (Business)
4. To receive all new Councillor’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office as Councillor:
None.
5. Co-option of Members:
None.
6. To receive any Declarations of Interest from Members and update the register:
None.
7. To approve the minutes of the Annual Meeting of Rainford Parish Council held on 16.05.2022:
The minutes of the Annual Meeting of Rainford Parish Council held on 16.05.2022 were agreed as a true and accurate record, proposed by Councillor Denton, seconded by Councillor Bardsley and carried unanimously, by those members who were present.
8. To approve and adopt the Standing Orders for Rainford Parish Council:
There were no changes to the Standing Orders from 2022/23. Councillor Bimpson proposed that the Standing Orders were accepted for 2023/24. This was seconded by Councillor Stockton-Pugh and carried unanimously.
9. To Approve and Adopt the Code of Conduct for Rainford Parish Council:
There were no changes to the Code of Conduct from 2022/23. Councillor Bardsley proposed that the Code of Conduct was accepted for 2023/24. This was seconded by Councillor Grice and carried unanimously.
10. To appoint an Internal Auditor for 2023/24:
Councillor Denton proposed that Jacqueline Wilburn FCA CTA be appointed as the Internal Auditor for Rainford Parish Council for 2023/24. This was seconded by Councillor Bimpson and carried unanimously.
11. To review Committee Structures and to appoint members to serve on the under mentioned Committees for 2023/24:
As Chairman of the Parish Council, Councillor Lamb BEM is an ex-officio member of all committees.
Community Liaison
Councillor Stockton-Pugh proposed that Councillor Reynolds be appointed as the Chairman of the Community Liaison Committee for 2023/24. This was seconded by Councillor Turner and carried unanimously.
The Chairman asked which Councillors wished to serve on the Community Liaison committee.
Councillor Lamb proposed that Councillors Bimpson, Bowden, Denton, Dodson, Stockton-Pugh, Turner and Whalley are appointed as Community Liaison Committee members for 2023/24. This was seconded by Councillor Bardsley and carried unanimously.
Finance, Planning & Administration
Councillor Bardsley proposed that Councillor Long be appointed as the Chairman of the Finance, Planning & Administration Committee for 2023/24. This was seconded by Councillor Stockton-Pugh and carried unanimously.
The Chairman asked which Councillors wished to serve on the Finance, Planning & administration Committee.
Councillor Lamb proposed that Councillors Bardsley, Bimpson, Denton, Lee and Stockton-Pugh are appointed as members of the Finance, Planning & Administration committee for 2023/24. This was seconded by Councillor Dodson and carried unanimously.
Health & Safety
Councillor Turner proposed that Councillor Stockton-Pugh be appointed as Chairman of the Health & Safety Committee for 2023/24. This was seconded by Councillor Denton and carried unanimously.
Councillor Bimpson proposed that Councillors Bimpson, Holden, Lee, Long and Turner be appointed to serve on the Health & Safety Committee for 2023/24 This was seconded by Councillor Whalley and carried unanimously.
Councillor Grice apologised for not being able to sit on any committees at this time. The Chairman stated that all members understood why this was the case and Councillor Grice organised the Parkinson’s support group.
12. To review the Committee terms of reference:
Councillor Bardsley proposed that the Terms of Reference for the Community Liaison Committee, the Finance, Planning & Administration Committee and the Health & Safety committee remain the same as for 2022/2023. This was seconded by Councillor Stockton-Pugh and carried unanimously.
13. To fix the dates and times of ordinary meetings of the Council and Committees for the ensuing year:
Councillor Grice proposed that meetings of Rainford Parish Council occur on the fourth Monday of the month at 7pm, except for August when no meeting takes place and December when the meeting will be on the second Monday:
23.05.2022 27.06.2022 25.07.2022
26.09.2022 24.10.2022 28.11.2022
12.12.2022 23.01.2023 27.02.2023
27.03.2023 24.04.2022
This was seconded by Councillor Denton and carried unanimously.
Councillor Dodson proposed that meetings of the Community Liaison committee are held on the first Wednesday of the month at 6.30pm:
07.06.2023 05.07.2023 02.08.2023 06.09.2023 04.10.2023 01.11.2023
06.12.2023 03.01.2024 07.02.2024 06.03.2024 03.04.2024 01.05.2024
This was seconded by Councillor Denton and carried unanimously
Councillor Bardsley proposed that meetings of the Finance, Planning & Administration committee are held on the second Wednesday of the month at 6.30pm:
14.06.2023 12.07.2023 09.08.2023 13.09.2023 11.10.2023 08.11.2023
13.12.2023 11.01.2024 14.02.2024 13.03.2024 10.04.2023 08.05.2024
This was seconded by Councillor Stockton-Pugh and carried unanimously
Councillor Stockton-Pugh proposed that meetings of the Health & Safety committee are held bi-monthly on the second Wednesday of the Month 5.30pm, with the first meeting in June 2023:
14.06.2023 09.08.2023 13.12.2023 14.02.2024 10.04.2024
This was seconded by Councillor Bimpson and carried unanimously.
14. To Establish Working Parties:
Councillor Lamb proposed that a Rainford Christmas Fayre Working Party is established for 2023/24 comprising Councillors Denton, Dodson, Turner, Whalley, the Clerk, the Event Co-ordinator and 2 residents. This was seconded by Councillor Denton and carried unanimously.
Councillor Lamb proposed that a Village Hall Improvement Working Party is established for 2023/24 comprising of Councillors Bardsley, Bimpson, Bowden, Denton, Stockton-Pugh, Whalley, The Clerk, and The Event Co-ordinator. This was seconded by Councillor Grice and carried unanimously.
15. To appoint a Schools Liaison Officer:
Councillor Lamb proposed that Councillor Dodson is appointed as the School Liaison Officer for 2023/24. This was seconded by Councillor Whalley and carried unanimously.
Other Matters:
i. Following a query from Councillor Grice, the Chairman confirmed that if Councillor Griffiths did not attend the full Council meeting on 22.05.2023, he would cease to be a Councillor as Section 85 of the 1972 Local Government Act provides that a Councillor ceases to be a member of the Council if they fail throughout a period of six consecutive months from the date of their last attendance to attend any meeting of the Council unless their absence was due to some reason approved by the Council (s.85(1) and (2)). If this occurs there will be a vacancy for Muncaster Ward.
There being no other business, the meeting closed at 6.40pm
_______________________________
Councillor
Chairman, Rainford Parish Council 2024/25
