Seascale Parish Council DRAFT

Chair Person; Lizzie Mawson

http://www.seascaleparish.com/.

Minutes of the Extra Ordinary Meeting held on 18th March 2026 in the Library Link Seascale.

S1/26 Present;

Lizzie Mawson chair LM, David Moore vice chair DM, Zoe O’Hanon ZO, Bran Harvey Chadwick BHC, Ken Mawson KM, Jane Coltman, JC, Brenda Parsons BP, Catherine Harvey Chadwick CHC.
In attendance; Mary Bradley Supporting Clerk
3 members of the public

S2/26 Requests for dispensations and declarations of interests

None

S3/26 Exclusion of Press and public

S4/26

Item S4/26 to be moved to part 2 as commercially sensitive.
Proposed LM seconded ZO

S5/26 Sign off of 24/25 accounts with consideration of auditor’s report -MB

MB presented the auditor report and high- lighted the amendments required to the AGAR section 1 and section 2 . She referred to section 3 and the external auditor’s covering letter.

a) Section 1 proposed to be accepted
Proposed LM seconded DM – all in favour

b) Section 2 proposed to be accepted
Proposed LM seconded DM – all in favour

The AGAR form will now be displayed on the notice board and placed on the web site for 30 days. A copy will be in the library for anyone wishing to view a hard copy during opening hours.

C) consideration of section 3 – the majority of the recommendations were now in place. We still need a better solution for reconciling accounts at meetings due to them being online and the date of the meetings means that there is no end of month statement available. MB is addressing this with MW.

d) Compliance for 25/26 audit – MB said that she felt confident that the last 6 months were compliant. She and MW would check April to September again.

S5/26 Consideration of impact on expenditure for 2026/27

a) A revised expenditure budget had been circulated. A revised figure for the mowing contract has been included but will be finalised after this evening; the clerk’s salary had been increased to 10 hours but no NI or pension had been included, and this may add to the deficit; a £500 allowance for the agreed training for Cllrs had also been added.

b) The likely out turn from 2025/26 and potential reserves had been circulated but there still needed to be some adjustments e.g. items such as the Hearts of Community and income and expenditure related to Reece needs to be included.

c) Allocation of reserves in 2026/27 – MB reported that she and Michael were still working on this, but they needed a bit more clarity on likely commitments for asset requirements. Aiming to bring this to the May meeting for discussion.

d) MB reported that she was trying to ascertain known expenditure for Items requiring additional funding e.g. Library, where grant funding would be required for May meeting.

e) BP asked about a loan for the playpark / foreshore area several years ago and if it had been paid back. It was confirmed that there had never been a loan, but a letter of comfort had been provided to facilitate funding bids. This had not been called on and was normal practice.

S6/26 Invoices for approval

1. Moore Auditors £3,235.50
2. Mary Bradley £1,487.85 + £301.65 (auditor) £1789.50
3. Michael Warmoth £95.40 +£174.90 (auditor) £270.30
4. WF Cascade – toilet rolls £165.60
5. Insurance renewal subject to S4/26b £413.00

Proposed to make these payments; Proposed LM seconded CBH – all agreed

S7/26 Promotion of Clerk/RFO Vacancy still needs to happen as no one to date has shown any interest. BHC to place on Indeed. Agreed to extend closing date to 30/4/26.

S7/26 Next full meeting of Council 1/4/26

Part 2 Members of the public left.

S4/26 Award of Tender for Mowing 2026-2028 ( 3 years)

a) MB circulated an analysis of the 3 tenders submitted and confirmed the 4th interest had not tendered.

b) The tenders were discussed in detail.

c) Proposal to award the tender to Arborscape Environmental Services Ltd
Proposed by LM, seconded by ZO 5 in favour, 1 abstention due to knowing the company, 1 against as felt it didn’t reflect VFM.
MB will now follow this up.

d) Insurance renewal is due 23rd March 2026. Agreed to renew this as it will take some time to ensure new company are meeting obligations and we need to find a buyer.
Proposed DM seconded JC – all approved.

Meeting closed at 20.10.