2025-26 Minutes

Potterhanworth Parish Council

Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Potterhanworth Parish Council held at The Pavilion, Queensway, Potterhanworth, LN4 2EA on Monday 27 April 2026.

Present:  Chair:  Sarah Copsey

Councillors:  Lee Davis, John Giles, Sam Ingall and Martin Ott

In attendance:  Mr Eddie Findlay, Clerk and Responsible Finance Officer

Also in attendance:    Cty Cllr Ian Carrington and D/Cllr Peter Lundgren

4 members of the public were in attendance.

At 07:05 pm, Cllr Copsey welcomed everybody and opened the meeting.

140.  To receive apologies for absence and reasons given, i.a.w. Local Government Act 1972, Sch 12, para 40.
Cllr Collier was unable to attend and their reasons were made known to the Council.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve the reasons for absence from Cllr Collier.
Proposed by Cllr Copsey, seconded by Giles and approved unanimously.

Cllr Blake’s absence was noted.

141.  To receive declarations of interest and to consider dispensation applications in relation to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.
None were declared at this time.

142.  Consider the approval of notes from the Ordinary meeting held at The Pavillion, Queensway, on Monday 30 March 2026 as Minutes.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve the notes from the Ordinary Parish Council meeting, held on Monday 30 March 2026 as minutes.
Proposed by Cllr Copsey, seconded by Cllr Giles and approved unanimously.

143.  Receive a report from the Chair.
It was understood that the current grant available would not even cover a very basic shelter.  The matter would be investigated further with a possible agenda item being proposed to look at allocating funds towards this on the next budget (FY 2027-2028).

144.  Receive reports from the Councillors and Clerk in relation to the minutes, other Council matters and Police Reports.
No resolutions may be passed under this item but requests for matters to be placed on the next agenda can be made.

Councillors
Cllr Ingall reported that those residents that had taken up the offer of the wheelie bin stickers along her stretch had all applied them and they were evident on the correct days.  Other Cllrs concurred with this.  Some stickers were yet to be fully delivered.

The location of the 30mph sign/zone at the Potterhanworth Fen end of the main village was right at the first property and the Clerk was asked to investigate if this was correct, or could it be moved further out from the properties.  Also, had a 20mph School Zone ever been requested.  The Clerk would contact the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership.

Clerk

•  The defibrillator agreement between Potterhanworth Parish Council and the residents at 23 The Park had been reviewed by LALC with two small amendments suggested.  These had been included and sent to the residents’ for approval.  These were a new 6.2 and a new 8.1.

•  Following the completion of the 2 day Operational Inspections of Outdoor Play Areas training, Cllr Collier was presented with his Certificate of Attendance.

•  With the switch to a new electricity plan with British Gas, they had been sent a Zero Carbon Certificate which stated that 100% of the electricity supplied by a mix of Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin and nuclear declarations.

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•  Please be advised that Karen Beilby, from Stallard Kane, has confirmed payment received from "K Orton Potter Pavilion" Wednesday 22-Apr-2026.

Email from John Giles, dated 13-Apr-2026, “I’ve spoken to both Keith and George about this.  They say that they requested the PAT testing and have paid for it.  The new certificate is displayed in the pavilion.”

•  No profiles on the website for Cllr Ingall, nor Cllr Davis.

•  1 Police incident reported for March 2026.

145.  Public Forum.  Including reports from the County and District Councillors.

Mr Wilford, from the Potterhanworth History Group had spent many months collecting, collating and scanning all the historical minutes for Potterhanworth Parish Council,, over 125 years.  These were now electronically stored on a number of USB drives and he had filed all the paper copies in folders, which along with the original Minute Books Cllr Ott had taken control off, until such time as suitable fire proof storage was available.

Making these digitally available to all, was the next step.

Cllr Carrington opened with thanking Mr Wilford for all his hard work preserving all that history.

He gave a brief update on the appeal against the Springwell Solar Farm, which was being supported by both North Kesteven District Council and Lincolnshire County Council.

Local road repairs were still being vigorously pursued and he was querying the standard of repairs and how long it now takes to action.

Cllr Lundgren gave details on the heating oil assistance, telephone scams and the launch of the NKDC Walking Festival.

146.  Financial Matters.

a.  Approve payments made since the last meeting.

Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve the Payments made since the last meeting.
Proposed by Cllr Copsey, seconded by Cllr Giles and approved unanimously.

b.  Approve the payments of invoices etc. as listed on the Payments to be Authorised sheet.

Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve the Payments to be Authorised.
Proposed by Cllr Copsey, seconded by Cllr Giles and approved unanimously.

c.  Approve the bank reconciliation for March 2026.
The bank accounts had been reconciled for the month ending 31-Mar-2026, which now stood at £27,207.08, from the following accounts; £236.04 (TSB), £2,205.34 (Unity Trust Current) and £24,765.70 Unity Trust Savings).
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve the bank reconciliations for March 2026.
Proposed by Cllr Ingall, seconded by Cllr Copsey and approved unanimously.

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d.  Note the figures at Section 2 – Accounting Statement for 2025/26, on the Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2025/26 Form 3.

Action:  Council RESOLVED to note the draft figures at Section 2 of the Accounting Statement for 2025/26, on the Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2025/26 Form 3 and the Explanation of Variances.
Proposed by Cllr Copsey, seconded by Giles and approved unanimously.

e.  Consider the purchase of a new bin for Middle Street (Cllr Collier).
Action:  Council RESOLVED approve the purchase of a free standing Topsey Royale bin from Glasdon, to replace the current, badly corroded one at cost of no more than £350.00 (inc-VAT).
Proposed by Cllr Copsey, seconded by Giles and approved unanimously.

147.  Planning Matters.
a.  26/0228/FUL – Conversion of first floor of existing building to form 3no apartments, including formation of 2no external terraced areas for apartments 2 & 3, together with change of use of ground floor of building and remainder of s1ite from B2/ B8 use to E(g) use at B And C Express Station Road Potterhanworth.  Approved by NKDC 17-Apr-2026.

148.  Correspondence.
a.  Supporting Council’s Biodiversity.  Circulated 01-Apr-2026.
b.  LALC Training Bulletin.  Circulated 10-Apr-2026.
c.  LALC E-News 10/04/26.  Circulated 12-Apr-2026.
d.  Cty Cllr Carrington, surface dressing programme.  Circulated 12-Apr-2026.
e.  British Gas Zero Carbon Electricity for Business Certificate.  Circulated 12-Apr-2026.
f.  NK Parish and Town Council Newsletter - April 2026.  Circulated 20-Apr-2026.
g.  Notification of Planning Application.  Approved by NKDC 17-Apr-2026.  Circulated 20-Apr-2026.
h.  LCC Crisis and Resilience Fund - Oil Support.  Uploaded to Facebook and Potterhanworth Parish Council website.  Circulated 20-Apr-2026.

149.  Pavilion/playing field facilities.
a.  Receive an update, if any, from Cllr Collier, on the approved Grant application MUGA project.
Work was due to start 01-Jun-2026 and expected to take between 4-6 weeks.  Cllr Ott suggested a major opening ceremony.  He was willing to help Cllr Collier and Cllr Blake nearer the time.

150.  Working Groups updates.
a.  Receive a report on behalf of the POTCOM Working Group.
Meeting Monday 11-May-2026 to discuss Live and Local, following the release of their programme, Christ Hospital have approved £500 to put on free village events for local children, during the school holidays, other possible Summer and/or Christmas events.
The craft groups are well attended.

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151.  Meeting Dates.
a.  Confirm the date of the next Council Meeting, being the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council (AMPC).
The next meeting of the Parish Council was the AMPC, planned for Monday 18-May-2026.

b.  Confirm the date of the Annual Parish Meeting (APM).
The APM was confirmed as being Tuesday 05-May-2026, starting at 7:00pm, including updates from local groups and a short presentation from Paul Drury – Lincolnshire Armed Forces Community Covenant Officer.

The meeting closed at 8:45 pm.

Signature:  Original Signed

Printed Name:  Cllr Sarah Copsey

Date:  18 May 2026

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