Annual Parish Council Meeting May 2025

Key discussions and decisions from the Annual Parish Council Meeting, Wednesday, 14 May 2025, are below. Draft minutes can be viewed using this link.

Annual Parish Council Meetings are held each May and are a vital part of local democratic accountability. At these meetings the Council must complete various procedures to remain a legal entity. This includes electing a Chair and Vice Chair, confirming councillor responsibilities, reviewing key policies and, most importantly, approving the financial statements and audited accounts for the previous financial year.

Neil Farmer was re-elected as Chair and Peter Crabbe was re-elected as Vice Chair. Both accepted and signed their declarations of office for the Council year.

Public Participation and Grant Award

Two residents attended the Public Democratic Forum and spoke in support of the grant application they had submitted for the Toller Health and Wellbeing (THaW) initiative. The Council awarded a grant of £110, to be administered through the Community Land Trust (CLT).

Financial Year End and Internal Audit

The end-of-year accounts for 2024/25 were approved, along with the internal auditor’s report. The Council received a clean bill of health for its accounting with some recommendations for improvement, most of which were addressed in the meeting. The official audit document required by government, the Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR), was approved and residents will be able to view the Council’s accounts from 3 June – 14 July on the website or by emailing the clerk at: [email protected].

Monthly Finances and Insurance

April accounts were approved, with a closing bank balance of £17,559.01 as of 6 May 2025. May and June payments were approved, including the annual insurance renewal.

Policies and Procedures

Numerous policy updates were considered and approved, including Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, the Councillor Code of Conduct, and Complaints Procedure. The Council also adopted a Publication Scheme and agreed to review other key policies in upcoming meetings.

Roles and Responsibilities for 2025/26

Councillors’ responsibilities were confirmed, including appointments to working groups and liaison roles.

Highways and Rights of Way

The Council discussed Barrowland Lane repairs, with the Clerk tasked to clarify the scope of work with Dorset Council. Reports included a section of the Jubilee Trail requiring clearing and a maize crop obstructing a public footpath. Cllr Wardle will monitor the situation.

Community and Recreation

Efforts to maintain the Recreation Ground were discussed. With the current contractor unresponsive, a new contractor will be sought. The apple orchard is progressing well and there may well be some fruit this year. Four residents have expressed an interest in visiting the Beaver Project. The clerk is coordinating a list of those interested so send an email to the clerk to be added to it.

Future Meetings

Arrangements for meetings in 2025/26 were confirmed, dates can be viewed by using this link.

Next Meeting

The next Parish Council meeting: Wednesday, 9 July 2025, at 7pm at the Village Hall.