Meeting 2025

Minutes of the extraordinary meeting of Kirkby Underwood Parish Council, held in the Village Hall on Monday 21st August 2025.

Present:Chair J Ashwood, Cllr L Green, Cllr D Dodds, Cllr M Walker,Clerk,  Cllr R Birdsall & Clerk L Davies. No members of the public were present. Questions from a resident have been communicated .

Chairman’s opening remarks
252. Good evening all, welcome to the meeting to discuss the defibrillator. The purpose of this meeting is to resolve and ensure that the defibrillator is back up and running for the community, as quickly as possible. There is no need to bring up the past but a brief history of the defibrillator was given. That a previous chair had advised that the machine was part of a roll out national campaign, it was agreed that the defibrillator would be located at the village hall. 

Agenda. 

1. To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons have been given to the clerk prior to the meeting. 
253. None 

2.Parish Matters:
2.1 To review Defibrillator weekly maintenance checks. Who will take action and understand what is required each week. 
254. The clerk has been monthly checking the machine and logging with the circuit. Based on current guidelines, this should be checked a minimum of once a week for good practice. As the clerk does not live in the village it would be more effective if a resident/cllr would do the checks.Also if the machine is used, it is required to be checked and items replaced promptly. This was agreed that it made no sense.  Cllr Birdsall raised that it should not be a volunteer from the village, as this a responsibility of the council. The check is to ensure that the battery is still holding a charge, that the pads are still present and if any of the sundry items (scissors, wipes etc) have been removed. It was agreed that Cllr Green would be responsible for the weekly check, and that Cllr Walker would undertake in Cllr Green absence. It was agreed that a sign in/initialing sheet would be placed in the cabinet. Clerk to ascertain how regularly the circuit needs updating. It was resolved that Cllr Green would action the regular checks on a Weekly basis. Whereupon she will sign a weekly check sheet.
2.2 To discuss what training is required, if any.
    255. It was discussed that if the defibrillator was needed, you call 999 and the operator on the 999 call would talk you through the process. But giving people the knowledge and skills to feel confident to act, could save a person's life. Cllr Birdsall has previous contact with Lives, they offer a training course for the community. Will provide costs in the next meeting. 
2.3 To review the need to update the cabinet access code. 
256. The cabinet does not alert the clerk every time it is open, it is communicated from the EMAS that the code has been provided and that it may have been used. Then the clerk checks if the machine is usable. The code is not known in the community and there is no reason to change the code. It was resolved with no further action.
2.4 To discuss the ongoing running cost for the future, and to factor into the budget.
257. As the defibrillator was not on the PC assess register, which resulted in the budget not including the machine.  It was agreed that the clerk is to ensure that the defibrillator costs are budgeted on future budgets going forward. The running costs to cover batteries & pads. There is no longer a need to purchase child pads, as the pads are placed front & back. It is the setting of the machine that is important. The budget is under review shortly, and must include replacements for expiring as well as contingency,  if the machine is used. Action Clerk to add to the budget going forward
2.5 To discuss and review that the defibrillator is a discontinued model and to look to replace, see what grants/funding is available.
258. As the defibrillator is a discontinued model,the machine is over 10 years old and the life expectancy is 8-10 years. The machine is aging, the battery needs replacing and is showing as low. Currently awaiting the replacement of the battery from the manufacturer. The pads and battery are still  in date. It was raised in 2021 that the defibrillator was coming to the end of its life and was agreed to purchase a new defibrillator. The precept was increased to budget the £1k for a new machine, the money is still within the parish account. In 2022 it was discussed that the machine still worked and that everything was on schedule, that there was no need for action. The clerk provided costs to hire or to purchase. The hire costs were an all in cost, including machine, ongoing warranty etc at a cost £31.95 for 3 months increasing to £63.90, making a running cost of £670.95 for the first year. Cllr Birdsall has sourced a machine that uses off the self camera/car key style batteries, which are widely available in the community and not specialist batteries. Which lowers the maintenance cost and is easy to replace. The cost is £945+vat. The VAT would be reclaimed, and is within the funds available. It was resolved to purchase the machine as more cost effective. Cllr Dodds has been liaising with the Margaret Brown Trust and the Clerk had seen that the British Heart Foundation does run a grant scheme yearly in January. It was resolved that Cllr Dodds would approach the Margaret Brown Trust to apply for the grant of the Zoll AED Plus Fully Automatic Defibrillator and it was also agreed that the Lives training cost would be added to the application. If the grant was successful, the funds in the PC account would be allocated to the maintenance ofthe machine. 
3  Public Forum.
The following questions were raised from a member of the community.
1. What was the rationale behind the decision not to purchase a new defibrillator as agreed in the November meeting 2021.
 It was decided as the machine, pads & Batteries were in date no need to replace. The PC was advised as along as the battery and pads were in date, there was no further action required. 
2. Why was the decision not to purchase  a defibrillator not discussed in a public forum  given the approval of the precept to fund a replacement.
 As the equipment is in date, the oversight was raised to the public.  As the defibrillator was not on the PC assess register, which resulted in the budget not including the machine.  It was agreed that the clerk is to ensure that the defibrillator costs are budgeted on future budgets going forward. The running costs to cover batteries & pads. There is no longer a need to purchase child pads, as the pads are placed front & back. It is the setting of the machine that is important. The budget is under review shortly, and must include replacements for expiring as well as contingency,  if the machine is used.Going forward there has to be greater accountability and reviews of equipment the PC holds. Clerk to review and update PC
3. Why to date has there been no budget set aside for the maintenance of the current defibrillator I.e batteries, pads and servicing etc. All in date, see above comments and minutes. 
4. As the rate payers have already paid for a replacement defibrillator, how does the council propose to proceed to reinstate the defibrillator into the community asap.
The funds are still there and PC has resolved to purchase a new defibrillator. It was also agreed to apply for a grant. If this was successful, the funds currently held would be set aside for the maintenance of the new defibrillator. 
Next meeting: General meeting 17th September 2025 in the Village Hall.

Laura Davies 
Clerk to Kirkby Underwood Parish Council