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 28 July 2025.

Present:  Chair:  John Giles

Councillors:  Georgina Blake, Grant Collier, Sam Ingall and Martin Ott

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

Also in attendance:  Cty Cllr Ian Carrington

1 member of the public was in attendance.

At 07:00 pm due to Cllr Copsey’s absence, the Vice-Chair, Cllr John Giles took the Chair and welcomed everybody and opened the floor for the public forum.

Public Forum, including reports from County and District Councillors.

Cty Cllr Carrington reported that having attended the first meeting of the new Environment/Flood Committee the leader was a little disappointed that people asked lots of questions at the scrutiny meeting.  He is concerned that any recommendations from the latest flood reports will be watered down.  The Mayor has indicated that she will also be looking at flood issues.

Cllr Ott queried who might be responsible for overall water management, with the current concerns over water availability during these long dry spells.  Cllr Carrington confirmed that that was the remit of Anglian Water.  Lincolnshire was well served by numerous aquifers (a body of permeable rock which can contain or transmit groundwater) so there were currently no plans for a hosepipe ban.

New planned reservoirs would not be online for at least another 10 years.

LCC had been given the green light to complete the Lincoln ring road and it was hoped that work would be able to start late 2025/early 2026 with completion planned to be late 2028.

With no District Councillors again present, Cllr Carrington gave a quick update on the Local Government Re-organisation and that even whilst NKDC were exploring how the re-organisation might finish, they were still looking to complete as many of the ongoing projects as possible, especially housing.  It was important that any NK housing was for NK residents.

It was suggested that any review of the Neighbourhood Plan be deferred until the outcome of the ongoing review by Central Government of the National Planning Policy Framework is known.

At 7:15 the Chair declared the meeting open.

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

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

35.  Consider approval of the notes of the following meetings held at The Pavillion, Queensway, as Minutes.
a.  Employment Committee Meeting held on Friday 20 June 2025.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve the notes of the Employment Committee Meeting held on Friday 20 June 2025 as Minutes.
Proposed by Cllr Giles, seconded by Cllr Blake and approved unanimously.

b.  Ordinary Meeting of the Parish Council on Monday 23 June 2025.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve the notes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Parish Council on Monday 23 June 2025 as Minutes.
Proposed by Cllr Ingall, seconded by Cllr Collier and approved unanimously.

Page 13-2025/2026

36.  Adoption of Documents.
a.  Consider adoption of Records Retention Policy.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to adopt the presented Records Retention Policy.
Proposed by Cllr Giles, seconded by Cllr Collier and approved unanimously.

37.  Receive a report from the Chair.
Cllr Giles presented a report on behalf of Cllr Copsey.
Following recent heavy rains, it was noted that water was slow to clear from under the Station Road bridge.  The Clerk was investigating with LCC Highways to see if the additional work, following the bridge drain clearance in November 2019 was ever carried out.  Awaiting a response.
The Pavilion Committee had been informed that the wood required for the shaded area structure, planned for near the play area had been paid for and they were looking to arrange collection and storage at a nearby property.
The Speed Indicator Device, currently located at Potterhanworth Booths was an asset of the Parish Council.  A plan to move it, more regularly, around the parish was being investigated.

38.  Consider any applications for Councillor Co-Option.
No applications had been received.

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

Clerk
Contacted Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership re any pre-existing locations for siting the Speed Indicator Device, currently in Potterhanworth Booths.  Site meeting on Friday 01-Aug-2025 from 10:00am to discuss other possible locations.
Attended the Parish and Town Council Forum 10-Jul-2025 and had circulated the slides used during the 4 presentations.  The Food Waste information had been published via the Council Facebook page.
3 reported crimes showing on Police reports for Potterhanworth for May 2025, including anti-social behaviour, theft and violence.

Councillors
Cllr Blake informed everybody that for the next Sheepwash Times, she would be including thanks for the Beer Festival Committee, look towards the Autumn Festival, advertising for a new Councillor, food waste caddies and asking parents to help prevent damage to the play park.
Cllr Ott offered his thanks, on behalf of the Council, to Cllr Blake for her articles.
Cllr Collier raised a concern over the uneven nature of the surface under the roundabout swing.  The Clerk would liaise with the installation team to see if the area could be levelled and the safer surfacing re-laid.
The weeds, growing in the play area, were the hedge used to be, and around the tennis courts were a concern.  The Clerk had already taken a photo and would ask the Grounds Maintenance contractor to strim back these areas as there was no weed killing included in the contract.
Cllr Ott had obtained a map of Potterhanworth, from 1918 and was wondering if it could be hung within the Pavilion.  Cllr Giles would bring the matter to the Pavilion Committee’s attention.

40.  Financial Matters.
a.  Consider re-imbursing the cost of the purchase of new planter, and plants for War Memorial.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve re-imbursing the costs for a new planter and some flowers for £25.99.
Proposed by Cllr Giles, seconded by Cllr Ott and approved unanimously.

Page 14-2025/2026

b.  Approve payments made since the last meeting.

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

c.  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 Giles, seconded by Cllr Blake and approved unanimously.

d.  Approve the bank reconciliation for June 2025.
The Clerk reported that the Council had allocated the remaining CIL money (£1,985.00) towards the Green barn Timber invoice for the outside shading structure.
The bank accounts had been reconciled for the month of June 2025 and stood at £58,919.98.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve the bank reconciliation for June 2025.
Proposed by Cllr Giles, seconded by Cllr Collier and approved unanimously.

e.  Consider applying for a Lloyds Bank Corporate MultiPay card, via Unity Trust Bank.
Unity Trust Bank do not currently offer a debit or credit card, but they facilitate the use of a Lloyds Bank Corporate MultiPay card.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve the Clerk/RFO applying for a Lloyds Bank Corporate MultiPay card, via Unity Trust Bank.
Proposed by Cllr Giles, seconded by Cllr Ott and approved unanimously.

f.  Consider making a donation, using s.137, to the Royal British Legion, for a Poppy Wreath for Remembrance Sunday (09-Nov-2025).
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve obtaining a Type G wreath and donating £100.00 to the Royal British Legion under s.137.
Proposed by Cllr Collier, seconded by Cllr Blake and approved unanimously.

g.  Consider the insurance quotes for the Potterhanworth Playing Fields (Trustees) / Pavilion cover, due to expire 31-Aug-2025.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to moving to Gallagher Insurance.  Either with the 3 year Long Term Agreement, if the Council one could be added when that was due for renewal in May 2026.  If not, one year cover and look to join both policies at a later date.
Proposed by Cllr Giles, seconded by Cllr Blake and approved unanimously.

h.  Consider the need, and cost, of moving Potterhanworth Parish Council to a gov.uk domain for emails for all Councillors and Clerk.
The Clerk advised the Council of the changes in the Smaller Authorities' Proper Practices Panel (SAPPP), formally the Joint Panel on Accountability and Governance (JPAG) and new Assertion10.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve the Clerk getting the free .gov.uk email address via Parish Online as Council considered that the Clerk having a .gov.uk covered the requirement at 1.47 of the relevant SAPPP.
Proposed by Cllr Collier, seconded by Cllr Blake and approved unanimously.

Page 15-2025/2026

i.  Consider the quotes received to refurbish the 6 benches.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve the quote of £500.00 from R Rich.
Proposed by Cllr Collier, seconded by Cllr Blake and approved unanimously.

41.  Planning Matters.
No planning notifications had bene received.

42.  Correspondence.
a.  LALC e-news 20/06/25.  Circulated 23-Jun-2025.
b.  LCC Town and Parish Council Newsletter.  Circulated 01-Jul-2025.
c.  Parish and Town Council Forum – 10 July 2025.  Circulated 01-Jul-2025.
d.  LALC AGM (03-Jul-2025) agenda and documents.  Circulated 01-Jul-2025.
e.  LALC Training Bulletin.  Circulated 02-Jul-2025.
f.  LALC e-news 07/07/2025.  Circulated 07-Jul-2025.
g.  NSK Parish Council Briefing Session (Police) 16-Sep-2025.  Circulated 07-Jul-2025.
h.  NKDC Food Waste Recycling A5 Leaflet.  Circulated 10-Jul-2025.
i.  NKDC Parish and Town Council Forum slides.  Circulated 17-Jul-2025.
j.  Parish Online free .GOV.UK email address.  Circulated 17-Jul-2025.
k.  NK Parish and Town Council Newsletter – July 2025.  Circulated 18-Jul-2025.
l.  Live and Local Funding.  Circulated 22-Jul-2025.
m.  Environment Agency works update.  Circulated 25-Jul-2025.

43.  Playing field facilities and car park drainage.
a.  Receive an update on the facilities planned for the playing field.
Various funding streams were being investigated with regard to improvements to the playing field facilities, fire-proof storage for Parish Council historical documents and car park drainage.

b.  Consider any quotes received regarding car park drainage works.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to defer this matter to see if it could be incorporated into the funding bids for play area/playing field improvements.
Proposed by Cllr Giles, seconded by Cllr Ott and approved unanimously.

c.  Consider quotes for the Annual Inspection of the play area and equipment.
Council considered three quotes received from HAGS, Wicksteed and Online Playgrounds.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve HAGS to carry out the Annual Inspection.
Proposed by Cllr Collier, seconded by Cllr Giles and approved unanimously.

d.  Consider the replacement of missing safer surfacing tiles under play equipment in the play area.
Following a Facebook appeal, the missing tiles had been returned and would be refitted in due course.  It was noted that an area under the tiles had sunk, leaving the area very uneven.  The Clerk would contact the installation team to see if they could come back to reinstate the levels.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve the purchase of 10 x bags of pegs to help secure the tiles going forward.
Proposed by Cllr Ingall, seconded by Cllr Blake and approved unanimously.

e.  Consider the cost to send Cllr Collier on the proposed Play Area Operational Inspector & Maintenance Course.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve the cost of £215.00 for Cllr Collier to attend the Play Area Operational Inspector & Maintenance Course.  Date and venue to be confirmed.
Proposed by Cllr Giles, seconded by Cllr Ott and approved unanimously.

44.  Committee and Working Groups.
a.  Consider the appointment of an additional Councillor to sit on the Employment Committee.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve Cllr Blake (current Reserve Cllr) to be a permanent Member of the Employment Committee.
Proposed by Cllr Giles, seconded by Cllr Collier and approved unanimously.

Page 16-2025/2026

b.  Consider setting up working groups to cover Social Village Events and Play Park Renovations.
Cllr Blake raised the idea that funding could be investigated from the Live and Local Funding correspondence which was circulated to all Councillors 22-Jul-2025.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve Cllrs Copsey, Blake, Ingall and non-Cllr Ami Clarke to look at social village events and Cllrs Copsey, Ott, Collier and Blake and non-Cllr Ami Clarke to look at play area/playing field improvements
Proposed by Cllr Giles, seconded by Cllr Ott and approved unanimously.

45.  Meeting dates.
a.  Next meeting of the Employment Committee is planned for Monday 22-Sep-2025.
It was confirmed that the Clerk was not required to attend.
b.  Next meeting of the full Council is planned for Monday 29-Sep-2025.

46.  To resolve to go into closed session in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act  1960, as amended by Section 100 of the Local Government Act 1972 to discuss the following matters.
a.  Clerk contract matters – salary.
b.  Clerk contract matters – pension.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to go into Closed Session to discuss the matter listed above.
Proposed by Cllr Giles, seconded by Cllr Blake and approved unanimously.

This part of the meeting closed 8:55 pm.

The meeting continued in the absence of press and public at 8:55 pm.

(Not for publication by virtue of section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the items being of a confidential nature.)

Confidential Minutes.

a.  Clerk contract matters – salary.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to note that the Local Government Service Pay Award for 2025-2026 had been released, effective from 01-Apr-2025.
Proposed by Cllr Giles, seconded by Cllr Collier and approved unanimously.

b.  Clerk contract matters – pension.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to note that in accordance with the Clerk’s contract, from August, pension payments would be made.
Proposed by Cllr Giles, seconded by Cllr Collier and approved unanimously.

The meeting closed at 9:00 pm

Signature:  Original Signed

Printed Name:  Cllr Sarah Copsey

Date:  29 September 2025

~ END ~

Page 17-2025/2026

Page intentionally
left blank

Page 18-2025/2026