2026 Minutes

Councillors present:  Paul Bakker, Alan Bowling, Richard Keeler, , Geoff Parnham, S McGrane, Avril Gregory and Laura Harrison,  Carol Markwell Cllr A Bowling took the Chair until the Election of officers. 8 members attended. Our SKDC Cllrs Elvis Stooke, Richard Litchfield & LCC Councillor Carl Edgoose-Zagorskiy were in attendance.

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Apologies: Linda Page (H) sent her apologies, these were accepted.

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Declarations of Interest; None

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Casual Vacancies: We again have three vacancies which will have been advertised, they will also be on our boards at the Open Evening. It is also go on the website.

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New Councillor to Sign Papers:  N/A

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Notes of the 13th of May 2026 Meeting: These were agreed and signed as a true record, proposed by G Parnham sec R Keeler Unan.

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Clerks Progress Report: Everything was covered under items in this agenda.

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Finance Report No 3 2026-27: The Clerk went through the report in the detail explaining all the payments. Salaries Clerk/C/C July/Aug £1728.70, HMRC £1049.87

L&O: Grass-cutting £1156.32 VAT £192.72, Maintenance WACS £150.00, Weedkiller £24.99 VAT £4.17

Community Matters: Newsletter £1237.00 +£60.72 Vat .53p, Belton Festival/Sunnifest £ 46.72 VAT £ 7.01

Highways: £16.43 VAT£2.74. Elan City SID £3407.99 VAT £568.00

Office: Phone £9.00, Bank Charges £8.40, Training: £162.00 VAT £27.00+ Travel expenses: £29.25 to PA, Audit £252.00 VAT £42.00   Total Expenditure: £9303.17 -VAT £843.85

Income: Grant ex Cllr Edgoose-Zagorskiy £2840:00, Interest £47.99 Donation N/Letter £30.00

Known payments prior to next meeting, Salaries, Maintenance, Email Contract, Grass Cutting, S137 Payments, Office & Bank Charges, Open Evening, Plants/Bulbs . Gazebo & SID Repairs. Sign off Financial Statement 3 prop L Harrison Sec C Markwell, Cllrs L Harrison & A Gregory signed off the accounts.

Suggestion to move some of the reserves to a higher interest Account;

Moving some funds to a 35- or 90-Day Notice Account with NatWest was discussed?

At present we hold nearly £35,000 in our Reserve Account with NatWest earning now a paltry 0.85%. If we moved some to the 35day notice Acct we would be getting 2%, to the 90 Day 2.5% so more than double. It was proposed by R Keeler & sec by A Gregory that we move £25,000 leaving £10,000 readily available. This would be split by putting £15k in the 90day and £10k in the 35day account. Monies could still be accessed but we would lose some interest, but as this is unlikely to happen with the current careful management of funds.

The Clerk was instructed do the necessary transactions.

Audit has been received back with a clean bill of health, with just the known change to the original Assets figure.

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Annual review of Pay Scales for the Clerk and Community Cleaner:

As has now become the norm, the national salary increases due in April 26 have only just been agreed by the Unions and Employers. Councillors were given the updated information and agreed the Community clear move to SCP 3 this keeping in line with the national minimum wage. The Clerk would stay on SCP 16 and get the agreed hourly increase both backdated to April.

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Leisure & Outdoor:

a. Playground Safety Report: still awaiting the written ROSPA due this week.

b. Londonthorpe Amenity Area: Londonthorpe Amenity Area: Tree Work and other site maintenance to be done when weather conditions are reasonable. Hedge line outside of the area still waiting for the cutting back by Firths. Contractors were asked to stop cutting all our play-areas until we have some new grass growth. All were cutting was weeds! After the last two weeks rains cutting has recommenced. Planters a difficult year for these, L&O com to discuss alternative planting to suit the weather conditions.

c. Bridge End Grove: no reported problems.

d. Withambrook: We have received the tree survey for the trees on our land leased from SKDC, there is nothing on it that would not have been expected. What we also received is a letter informing us of a change to the “Terms of our Lease” regarding who is responsible for arranging and paying for the Survey. We intend to argue the point on this with SKDC. At present the Clerk is still waiting for Ringrose Law to supply a copy. It was lodged with Norton & Hamilton Solicitors with amendments back in 1994, the original was also lodged with them in 1980. Norton & Hamilton were taken over by Ringrose Law, who are now searching their records to try and find it. We will then take it up with SKDC. One of the Goal Posts is loose.   

The Lines on the MUGA will be done ASAP now children are back at school, as we will have to close it off to let it dry!

         Community Orchard; Still awaiting confirmation of if and how many fruit trees we will      receive. P Bakker strimmed the orchard and the Clerk did the weed spraying; we will respray  after we get some growth!

Driveway: Clerk did further work on the Drive, further cutting back the brambles coming through the fences from either side, efforts to be made to keep the growth down.

e. Hills & Hollows: Hills & Hollows: The constant danger of a wildfire has been there all summer; we were afraid if just one of the plots of land were to go up it would also endanger homes in the near vicinity. We have witnessed evidence of the use of Barbecues at the fire pits in the bottom of the valley. Repairs done to fences as required. All the trees are struggling with the lack of rain. The major ash tree on the edge of the hollow as lost a branch we may have to have it examined and possibly felled for safety reasons! Whilst there I noticed the “Field-gate” posts are loose, this may be just because of the dry weather or they have rotted out, they have been there 15 years! Job for WACS. We are looking to extend the small area of Community Orchard we have there.

f. Blessed Hugh More Site: we have not heard back about the meetings attended were we asked for amendments to the plans. Hopefully they will show that our request for part of the Community Orchard to be in our Parish.  Cllr Stooke informed us that he believed planting would begin in October, weather permitting.

 Jubilee Mount: Again; all summer as been like a tinderbox, hopefully nothing drastic will have happened by the time you read this!

g. Community Orchards: Our plans include to add to Withambrook plus at Londonthorpe & H&H’s. As mentioned elsewhere we hope to see one on the BHMS. The clerk after some chasing has been told they are looking for areas for 20 trees, which don’t actually have. This to be followed up.

h. Millennium Garden: due to the drought conditions this has not been up to the usual standard this year. Clerk & Cllr Bakker are looking to source Drought Resistant varieties of perennials for this next year!

i. Grass Cutting; Clerk paused the cutting of the grass due to the drought, all that was being cut was weeds and causing dust storms for the neighbours of our grassed areas. It has now restarted after the recent rains.

j. Future projects: Daffodil Planting around the parish, nominations for the areas to be dealt with, some will be this autumn and some in 2027.

k. Best kept Gardens final judging round first week of September

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Planning: Solar; Oasby passed, the Londonthorpe one some works noticed on the link from High Road.

Harrowby Hall: still no responses from the inspectorate re the appeal.

0337 Harrowby Farmyard new build still awaiting appeal decision.

7 & 15 Birkdale Dr; although we strongly objected along with our District and County Councillors this was passed! Our Chair A Bowling wrote to the Government on this matter getting reply which was not at all helpful, this has been shared with the residents and councillors who were involved.

0997 Padel Courts: we raised some concerns around noise, parking, lighting and accessibility of public transport. Still awaiting SK’s decision.

S26/1316 St Johns Church: new path and changes to the entrance. Also included is an accessible toilet but no building details are included in the application.  An objection to be sent to SKDC relaying our concerns re possible grave disturbances, foul water ingress into graves from the drainage system proposed. Historic England has also lodged an objection.

Bloor’s: Acoustic wall signed off by SKDC. 19 homes are now occupied; with possibly a couple more sold.

Spittlegate Garden Village: nothing further to report at this time we sent off our comments in good time.

17 Harrowby Lane application to amend plans for garage still out with councillors for comments!

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Highways: Once again, we have the problem of water constantly running down Harrowby Hill. Anglia Water have now stated twice that it’s not their water as no chlorine was found in it when tested. This is exactly the response made the last time it happened, and they then found the had a leaking pipe. Obviously; the chlorine gets washed out! We need LCC Highways to take this up for us as it is going to damage the road surface and if not sorted by the winter the road will become a skating rink!

SID’s; the new SID on Alma Park Road is now in situ, we must thank Cllr Edgoose-Zagorskiy for using his LCC Grant money to fund this. A suggestion of one on Somerby was made but until new speed limits are put in place up the hill that is not feasible.

The Harrowby Lane one has suffered damage from an accident involving a motorcycle. The post has been bent and the SID knocked off due to the plastic bracket being broken. It has stripped the wires from the solar panel. Both will have to go back to the manufacturers for repair. The Clerk as the SID/Solar Panel etc in his Garage. P Bakker assisted the Clerk in removing the Solar Panel. I now have a police incident number but no further details. Contact has been made with insurers and a claim registered, awaiting info from Evolis re sending the units back and a repair cost! Estimated cost C£800-£1000.

Motorcycle and other related ASB items: including trouble with Balaclava clad youths during the past few weeks. Youths on Motorcycles unregistered and uninsured racing around our parish. Youths, causing problems in Belton Park and the Woodland Trust on Five Gates. Police have been informed! We will work with all bodies affected.

GSSR; work progressing, Railway closed from 12:30am to 7 am each Sunday from 6th Sept to 11th October for the bridge to be push into place. A further three dates have also been added in case of delays.

AB

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Emergency Planning Team: no meetings held but this summer’s weather has thrown up some serious dangers that we could come across in the future. Such as suffering wildfires through our woodland and open spaces like the H&H.  these could easily affect nearby residential properties. Another could be arrears affected by Flash Flooding! This was again witnessed to some degree at Coxmoor Close with the storms last week. Lincs resilience Team are attending our Open Evening!

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Community Engagement:

• Newsletter: This was delivered to all addresses and businesses within the parish.
• Sunnifest: four Councillors and the Clerk attended, a useful exercise
• Belton Festival: Unfortunately, due to the damage done to the Gazebo by the freak gust of wind when we were erecting, we were unable to attend. Some members did attend in a social manner and described it as a very busy two days over 12000 visitors. Cost of parts to repair C£200 new frame £140, agreed purchase new frame.
• Council WhatsApp Group: No progress made on this yet, Cllr L Harrison said she would get something sorted to demonstrate its usefulness.
• Tom Childs Award: we have on Nomination in Sue Smith the lead on the very successful Sunnifest. Sue was proposed by A Gregory & sec L Harrison and agreed Unan.
• Local Government Reorganisation: this has been put on hold at present by the Government for a review of legality etc. we are still very much against the plan for Lincolnshire as it stands.

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YM & LH

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Employment Matters: No meetings held.

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Policies: Travel Expenses Policy re-ratified at this meeting.

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Allocated Councillors: Cllr Markwell made council aware of a possible Conservation area planning breach due to the wrong reply given by Planning. A resident has been told he does not need planning to change his roof tiles!!

Cllrs R Litchfield & Stooke both reported on last week’s non collected bin situation where both Black and Food bins were not collected. This was we are told down to staffing but they will be collected over the next few days.

Cllr Stooke mentioned he was asking for a reduction/no increase in costs for green bins as they had hardly been used this year.

Cllr C Edgoose-Zagorskiy brought us up to date on several items happening in the parish.

He was suggesting possibly Cllr Parkinsons grant could be secured for a further SID either for Somerby Hill or Sunningdale.

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Correspondence: Invite to Open Day at our normal tree supply company. LALC Clerks Audit Training Day invitation. Unfortunately, the Clerk is on leave on the date provided. He will look for other dates. All others covered within the agenda or forwarded to councillors as received.

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Matters for the 11th November 2026 Agenda: