2025 Minutes

Draft minutes subject to approval at the next meeting.

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Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held 19:30hrs, Monday, 23 June 2025, at The Hub, 48 Knight Street, Pinchbeck, PE11 3RU

Present: Cllr James Avery (Vice-chair), Cllr Andy Chamberlain (from 19:45hrs), Cllr Geoff Garner, Cllr Terry Moore, Cllr Peter Ruysen, Cllr Ann Savage (Chair), Cllr John Smith, Cllr Oliver Wood, Mr Robert Smith (Clerk), Ms Victoria Fear (Press - Spalding Guardian), Ms Bridie Short (Press – Spalding Guardian).

Absent: Cllr Emma Beavis, Cllr Audrey Gregory, Cllr Samantha Jeffery, Cllr Phil Tweddell.

Unless otherwise stated, actions to be undertaken by the clerk.

25.098.Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Beavis, Cllr Tweddell, District Cllr Sneath, and District Cllr Slade.

25.099.There were no declarations of disclosable interests, nor requests for dispensation.

25.100.There were no members of the public present.

25.101.It was resolved to approve the minutes of the Annual Parish Council meeting held 19 May 2025.

25.102.Cllr Savage reported that an informal meeting had been held with Lincolnshire County Councillor Ingrid Sheard who had expressed an interest in attending a future Parish Council meeting.

25.103.Clerk’s report / matters arising not on the agenda.

01.Planning comments had been submitted to the District Council (SHDC), as resolved.

02.Work on the Emergency Community Plan, was yet to be organised.

03.The application for access to Barclays with signatory changes was still in progress.

04.Application for a Lloyds payment card via Unity Trust Bank for the Admin Assistant was in progress.

05.A new baby changing unit was yet to be fitted in the men’s/disabled toilets in the hub.

06.A renewal review of the Parish Council’s insurance had started with renewal due 21 September 2025.

25.104.Financial matters.

01.It was resolved to approve May 2025 bank reconciliation & transactions (see appendix 1).

02.It was resolved to approve payments to 23 June 2025 (see appendix 2).

03.The minutes of the last Finance Committee meeting were received and noted.

04.The final internal auditor’s report for y/e 31/03/2025 was received. It was noted that there were no outstanding actions brought to the Council’s attention that required further action.

05.The annual internal audit certificate for y/e 31/03/2025 was received.

06.Considering each statement in turn, it was resolved to agree and approve responses to the annual governance statement for y/e 31/03/2025. There were no negative responses.

19:45hrs Cllr Chamberlain joined the meeting.

07.It was resolved to approve the annual accounting statements for y/e 31/03/2025

08.It was resolved to approve the explanation of variances for y/e 31/03/2025.

09.Following consideration of the independence and competence of the internal auditor, it was unanimously resolved to reappoint the Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils (LALC) as the Council’s internal auditor for the financial year ending 31 March 2026.

25.105.Correspondence.

01.After considering a young resident’s letter & response regarding dog fouling in the Parish, Cllr Avery said that he would ask for a visit from the SHDC dog warden.

02.Dates were to be agreed for councillors to attend a tour of Freshlinc.

03.Following the offer of the transfer of a community donation of £250 from Pinchbeck Baptist Church, it was resolved that it should be allocated to the Summer Family Activities for Children. The clerk would write back with an expression of thanks.

04.The Action Fraud ticket fraud awareness campaign survey was noted.

05.It was resolved to apply for UKSPF GRASSroots Grant Fund to improve the roadway to the Glebe Field, in preparation for the new PlayZone.

06.National Grid consultation on Grimsby to Walpole upgrade was noted.

07.Correspondence about flood defences at Glenside South was noted.

25.106.It was resolved to delegate power to respond to the consultation on the National Grid upgrade, Weston Marsh to East Leicestershire to a Working Party comprising Cllr Avery, Cllr Chamberlain, Cllr Savage, and Cllr Smith.

25.107.Planning applications

01.H14-0583-25: The Bell Inn 33 Church Street, PE11 3UB. Change of use to Class E – Commercial, Business and Service. It was resolved to object to the application because it was considered an inappropriate development for a conservation area.

02.H14-0573-25: 18 Crossgate Lane, PE11 3XW. Replacement dwelling. It was resolved to support the application as being in keeping with the street scene.

25.108.The Council noted the following South Holland planning decisions.

01.H14-0477-25: Pyewipe Farm, North Drove, PE11 3JF. Agricultural Store. Approved.

02.H14-0451-25: The Anglia Business Centre, Mill Green Road, PE11 3PU. Vehicle storage building. Non-material amendment. Approved

03.H14-0414-25: Land north of Wardentree Lane. 96 dwellings. Non-material amendment. Approved.

25.109.Highways matters.

01.Following discussions about weight limit restriction on Rose Lane, Market Way, and Knight Street, it was resolved to establish a Working Party comprising Cllr Avery, Cllr Garner, Cllr Moore, and Cllr Savage to canvas opinion from local businesses concerned with transport.

25.110.Committee Reports and Recommendations.

01.The draft minutes of the last Open Spaces & Assets Committee meeting were received.

02.It was resolved to appoint Cllr Jeffery as Chair of the Finance Committee.

03.It was resolved to appoint Cllr Savage as Chair of the Personnel Committee.

04.It was resolved to appoint Cllr Smith as Chair of the Community Hub & Library Committee.

05.It was resolved to appoint Cllr Moore as Chair of the Open Spaces & Assets Committee.

06.It was resolved to appoint Cllr Moore as Chair of the Cemetery Committee.

07.It was resolved to approve revised Terms of Reference for the Finance Committee.

08.It was resolved to approve revised Terms of Reference for the Opens Spaces Committee.

09.It was resolved to schedule the following meetings of the Finance Committee:

• 19:00hrs Monday, 08 September 2025

• 19:00hrs Monday, 01 December 2025

• 19:00hrs Monday, 13 April 2026

10.It was resolved to hold a Personnel Committee 19:00hrs Monday 21 July 2025.

11.It was resolved to schedule the following meetings of the Open Spaces & Assets Committee:

• 19:00hrs Monday, 07 July 2025

• 19:00hrs Monday, 15 September 2025

• 19:00hrs Monday, 08 December 2025

• 19:00hrs Monday, 09 March 2026

12.It was resolved to hold a Community Hub & Library Committee 18:00hrs Monday 9 March 2025.

13.It was resolved to hold a Cemetery Committee 19:00hrs Monday 13 October 2025.

14.It was resolved to permit the Youth Club to move from being held from once to twice a month with any additional costs being financed from grants and donations.

15.It was resolved to approve the Food Hygiene Policy for qualifying events at the Hub.

16.It was resolved to gift the disposal of up to 20 redundant Hub tables to West Pinchbeck Hall.

17.It was resolved to establish a PlayZone Steering Group Standing Committee, comprising Cllr Avery, Cllr Ruysen, Cllr Savage, and Cllr Smith.

18.It was resolved to appoint Cllr Savage as Chair of the PlayZone Committee.

25.111.It was resolved to move into closed session on the grounds of confidentiality in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 s.1(2).

21:24hrs Two members of the Press left the meeting.

25.112.To consider quotes for work.

01.Glebe Field Driveway

i.It was resolved to submit a GRASSroots application to South Holland District Council to resurface the access to the Glebe Field and new PlayZone Area.

ii.Three like-for-like quotes for resurfacing with tarmacking were to be sought.

02.It was resolved to approve the following tree works in St Mary’s Churchyard, subject to Church agreement.

i.Removal of heavily leaning willow tree @ £550.

ii.Heavily pollard declining large ash tree @ £1,850.

iii.Raise crowns around churchyard to around 2m @ £975.

03.It was resolved to replace 2 x pair of basket swing support cables with 8mm safety chain for Leaveslake Drove and Rotten Row playing fields @ £710.50 plus VAT.

04.It was resolved to approve monthly grass cutting of verge opposite the Johnson Hospital @ £45 per cut.

25.113.Parish Council land.

01.Blue Gowt Lane Cemetery

i.It was noted that entrance bollards had been installed & tarmacking of carpark completed.

ii.It was resolved to approve white line spacing at 2.85m wide per bay and 3.6m wide for disabled bay, including a 1.2m disabled access zone.

iii.It was resolved to prohibit dogs, excluding support dogs, from the cemetery.

iv.It was resolved to approve 3 x cemetery and no dogs allowed signs.

02.Glebe Field – Pinchbeck United Football Club (PUFC) Lease/Licence

i.The clerk’s email to PUFC and the signed acceptance of Howdens Game Changer Award for a new kitchen were noted.

ii.Regarding draft solicitor correspondence to PUFC the Council resolved appropriately.

03.Leaveslake Drove – SUFC Lease/Licence

i.The solicitor’s email sent to SUFC regarding Heads of Terms was noted.

04.Agricultural Land.

i.The minutes of meeting held 28 May 2025 with Longstaff were noted.

ii.Matters relating to the boundary issue at Starlode Drove were resolved appropriate.

iii.It was noted that an outstanding payment from a business farm tenant had been received. Matters relating to the tenancy were resolved appropriately.

iv.Matters relating to instructions to be given to Longstaff about land occupied by the late Mr Schofield were resolved appropriately.

v.Matters relating to next steps for tendering of the Council’s Farm Business Tenancies were resolved appropriately.

05.PlayZone.

i.The Council noted approval received for the Football Foundations’ grant offer of 75% of a total project cost of £331,923.00, which has been formally accepted by the Council.

The Chair closed the meeting at 22:12hrs.