25 April 2024 Community Hub & Library Committee
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Minutes of meeting held 19:00hrs, Thursday, 25 April 2024, at the Pinchbeck Community Hub & Library.
Present: Cllr John Smith (chair), Cllr Lynne Andrew, Cllr Emma Beavis, Cllr Audrey Gregory, District & County Cllr Elizabeth Sneath, Mr Robert Smith (clerk).
Absent: Cllr Dean Roizer, Cllr Ben Sear.
Cllr Smith chaired the meeting. Cllr Smith was elected as chairman of the committee at the Parish Council meeting held 25 March 2024, minute 24.056.02. ii.
Unless otherwise stated, action points would be undertaken by the clerk.
24.01. Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Roizer and Cllr Sear.
24.02. There were no declarations of disclosable interest nor requests for dispensation.
24.03. Terms of reference as previously approved by the Parish Council.
01. Although a co-opted member of the committee, it was felt that as a long-standing committee member and both a District & County Councillor, Cllr Sneath ought to be given committee voting rights.
02. So as not to create a potential constitutional voting issue relating to parish councillor responsibilities, it was proposed to modify clause 2.2 of the committee’s terms of reference as below:
2.2 The Parish Council may appoint up to one named non-council member onto the committee with voting rights. Any other non-council member co-opted by the Parish Council onto the Committee will not have voting rights.
03. It was resolved that revised Committee Terms of Reference be put to the Parish Council for adoption.
04. It was resolved to propose to the Parish Council that Cllr Sneath be appointed as a co-opted member of the committee with voting rights.
24.04. New room charges and terms and conditions of hire now in operation.
01. These were to be reviewed in six months.
02. It was hoped that the new accounting system would provide a better understanding of the hub’s costs, providing better information for future pricing decisions.
24.05. To receive an update on recent activity.
01. Cllr Smith reported that he had been working intensively with the library volunteers, pulling together ideas.
02. A grant of £21,515.10 of Grass Roots Funding had been awarded to the hub. This was additional to the £15,000 already allocated for kitchen improvements. Cllr Smith was congratulated on his successful application.
03. A new Fire Risk Assessment would be taking place on 1st May 2024.
04. Redundant pipework relating to the old cloakroom and causing additional legionella risks had been removed.
05. A new thermometer for legionella water temperature testing was on order.
06. The installation of the Barbara Camps memorial bench was awaiting LCC (Lincolnshire County Council) approval.
07. The installation of the defibrillator was awaiting LCC approval.
08. Fitting of a new fire door by Vinci was pending.
09. Remarking of the car park by LCC was pending.
10. Parking was raised as an issue. On the evening of the meeting the carpark was full due to a football event taking place on the Glebe Field. Locking the gate was to be considered. Car parking signage was under consideration.
11. Cllr Sneath reported that her request to Highways for white lining outside the entrance to the carpark had been turned down. She would be taking this matter up again as a matter of priority.
12. Cllr Smith and the clerk would be investigating an on-line booking system for room hire.
13. Cllr Smith had put forward the hub to local NHS services, including for part of its wound care programme and other related care services. The Clinical Team had visited and were keen to progress using the Hub to help increase access to local services. Some issues were raised such as dogs being allowed in the building and some other health and hygiene issues. All these were resolvable, and discussions continue.
14. Following an issue with the building alarm the previous evening, an emergency key holder call-out list was to be considered.
15. A spring clean of the hub was taking place at the weekend. Shop items were to be moved out of the corridor.
24.06. The Committee voted not to move into closed session, as the agenda items were not considered confidential.
24.07. Hub & Library Development Strategy
01. It was resolved to adopt the document detailing the hub’s Aims and objectives 2024 to 2027 as a working document.
02. Regarding the proposed Annual Plan 2024/25, committee members were to review and come back with comments and suggestions.
03. One idea was for summer holiday activity days for children, as had been organised in previous years.
04. It was felt that the hub’s room occupancy was likely to be at less than 20%. Given this low figure, a fundamental review of all activities within the hub was underway. Procedures for cake sale events was also being reviewed.
05. Cllr Smith would initiate a position paper and consultation paper on introducing a community café within the hub.
24.08. Draft Terms of Reference for the Volunteer Steering Group.
01. There were five people currently part of this group, but it was hoped that this would be increased to 10 group members.
02. The committee wished to record its recognition of the amazing work undertaken by the library volunteers.
03. It was resolved to adopt the Terms of Reference for the Volunteer Steering Group.
24.09. Hub & library policies and procedures.
01. For reasons of hygiene and public safety, it was resolved to ratify a policy of only allowing support dogs inside the hub and library, with no dogs being allowed in the kitchen.
02. It was resolved to adopt the draft Policy on Volunteers.
03. It was resolved to adopt the draft Volunteer’s Agreement.
04. It was resolved to adopt the draft Volunteer’s Confidentiality Policy.
05. It was resolved to adopt the draft Volunteer’s Expenses Policy.
24.10. Supporting Parish Council policies.
01. It was recognised that the hub’s policies and procedures sat under an umbrella of Parish Council policies. The Council’s policies would generally have primacy. For example, any financial policies such as the Volunteer’s Expense Policy would need to be in accordance with the Parish Council’s Financial Regulations.
02. The Parish Council Safeguarding Policy was being proposed for adoption at the next Parish Council meeting.
03. Whilst around half a dozen Council policies had been produced or updated in the last three months, the introduction of further policies needed to occur.
24.11. New kitchen proposals
01. Plans for a new kitchen had been produced, further ideas were being generated.
02. It was thought important that the purposes for which the kitchen might be used needed careful consideration.
24.12. Budget arrangements.
01. Under the Parish Council’s Financial Regulations:
i. Expenditure included in the budget up to £1,000 could be approved by a committee chair in conjunction with the clerk.
ii. Expenditure included in the budget up to £5,000 could be approved by committee.
iii. Expenditure over £5,000, or for any unbudgeted expenditure, required Parish Council approval.
iv. Any emergency expenditure required discussion with the Parish Council’s chair and the clerk.
02. It was suggested that a budget for the hub should be drawn up in October 2024, to be included as part of the Parish Council’s overall budget for 2025-26.
24.13. ‘All Kinds of Everything’ Fund.
01. Proper accounting of both funds received, and its expenditure, was being put in place.
02. The committee was of the general view that the fund should not be used for charitable purposes. There were other organisations that were better suited to meet these needs. People in need could be signposted to these organisations as required. Rather the fund should be used for projects which through the hub would benefit the community.
03. Cllr Smith to draw up a draft policy.
24.14. Renewal of Hub & Library contracts.
01. A presentation was given by LCC on 15th April 2024 about plans for the County’s hubs and libraries. In summary:
i. The contract for LCC’s hard facilities management services, currently provided for by Vinci, was up for renewal in 2025.
ii. The contract for LCC’s library services, currently provided by GLL, was up for renewal in 2026.
iii. Hub & Libraries Lease renewals were due in 2026. No fundamental changes in the lease arrangements were being sought. Although increased clarity and transparency was a review objective.
24.15. Next meeting: 19:00hrs Monday 3rd June 2024.
The chair closed the meeting at 21:00hrs.