2025 Minutes

THESE ARE DRAFT NOTES OF THE MEETING AND WILL BE RATIFIED AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING

DRAFT Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 3 September 2025 at 7.30pm

at North Thoresby Village Hall, The Square, North Thoresby, DN36 5QL

Present:                              Chair                                Cllr Colin Goodwin

                                             Vice-chair                       Cllr Kieth Butters

                                                                                      Cllr Emily Bakes

                                                                                      Cllr Paul Rickett (appointed)

                                                                                      Cllr Terry Aldridge (appointed)

Also Present:                    Acting Clerk                   Mrs Binal Sawjani

                                             Members of Public      14

                                              District/County             Cllr Terry Aldridge

                                             Apologises:                    None

Item 0725/14 Welcome to the meeting: Chair opened meeting at 18.59 and welcomed councillors, public and district councillor. Council had invited Architect from Cyden Homes to answer questions from the parishioners. The Beanlands Development can accommodate 198 homes. Ongoing works and development will be reported to the parish at each meeting. Steve will coordinate this information with the site manager especially if it is disruptive for the community. Parishioners expressed issues regarding noise, signage, times of work starting and finishing and the contractors being generally considerate.

Left the plans for the parishioners which will be available for viewing.

Meeting opened to the public:

• Horticultural show signs with event schedule for two weeks from meeting date – prosed, seconded and RESOLVED
• Could the parish consider a flagpole in village square – defer to next meeting
• Footpath from football pitches  – its on private land deem it unsafe – does it become public after a certain number of years, concerned as its part of football field, has been taken away as the private owner have a concern over safety issues  for the footpath. Opportunity to raise funds from Cyden Homes or fundraiser. Investigate and report back for the next meeting.
• Flooding drainage near station road in July types of drains have collapsed can we get the drainage report and published for parishioners.
• 251 bus is a heavily used service for residents and students Stage coach are aware can parish call and see if there is a solution. Report back next meeting.
• Bridge proposal there may be District fund available that the parish council could apply for in order to undertake this project

Proposed, Seconded and RESOLVED to continue for another 10 minutes with the public session

• Discussion regarding the bridge continued and insurance, public liability and ownership and fundraising

Public Session 38 mins

Item 0725/15 To receive declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and to consider any requests for dispensations: None

Item 0725/16 Apologies for absence: None

Item 0725/17 To approve the draft notes as minutes of the last meeting held on the 4 August 2025: RESOLVED to adopt and sign the notes as accurate minutes, with amendment to add the Clerks name during welcome. They were dated and signed by the Chair.

Item 0725/18 Chair’s Report:

• Approached Quickline to offer full fibre via a government initiative rural communities. Keep in touch with the company as this can only happen once they have a certain number of homes in an area.
• School trip for North Thoresby Primary Academy for the donation for school trip to West Welsh coast propose we donate £1,000 towards the trip, seconded and RESOLVED.
• Parishioner emailed the Chair regarding noise and smell from factory on the South Side A16 will refer to Environmental Health for an assessment. It transpires that two councillors had visited this parishioner – update next meeting. Plus explain that the no entry sign is the wrong way on the approach to the home.

Item 0725/19 Training:  Training available to all Staff and elected Members and clerk recommends councillors to view training schedule. Clerk requested training for Internal Audit. Proposed, seconded and RESOLVED.

Chair invited Cllr Alridge to speak: 19.04

• Will be attending the planning meeting on behalf of his ward in September

Chair asked if Cllr Ricketts had any comments: 19.04

• No comments – explained that this is a time for training for the councillors

Item 0725/20 Parish Councillors Reports: None

Item 0725/21 Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) 2024/25: Forms: Internal audit complete and forms need to be signed and sent to the external auditors. It was RESOLVED to adopt and forms signed by chair and clerk/RFO. Sent to the external auditor 4 September 2025. Internal auditor has recommended and interim audit to ensure council meets AGAR deadlines 2025/26. Clerk proposed we used the same auditor from LALC proposed, seconded and RESOLVED.

Item 0725/22 Parish Matters To receive updates from in respect of:

1. Village Hall matters
   1. Hall hire issues – renters have made a mess during a recent rental. Need to be robust when hiring out the hall and perhaps look at booking system – refer to next meeting
   2. Electricity supplier –  our current energy have advised council of an increase of the standing charge to £2.85 per day or £1,040 Per year. We have 2 suppliers one to the village hall one to the public toilets. Savings of up to £2,080  can be made by changing to suppliers who do not have a standing charge or a much lower standing charge. Proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to change supplier
   3. Water supply to toilets – with the current community room project in the village hall we could take a water supply to the public toilets from the village hall then apply to remove the meter and save a standing charge. Proposed for further investigation, seconded and RESOLVED.
2. Community Room
   1. Refurbishment of community room and grant – we have been awarded £16,882.22 for a complete refit – ongoing project for the council
   2. Community room hire pricing  - discussion around use of the room and it was proposed any organisation outside of the parish would be current charges  but not for charities or not for profit organisation or villagers. RESOLVED village groups, parishioners and charities may use the community room free of charge.
   3. Volunteers – Three parishioners have volunteered request more names
3. Benches and play park – Go local shop has been operating the collect and return the dice and counters which has been working and will report back on monthly basis
4. Update shipping container – proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to purchase a shipping container £2,500 for the budget will report back next meeting to the purchase price.
5. Cyden Homes (15 minutes) – as above in the minutes
6. Street naming and numbering – name considered and not approved as they were not the ones that have been researched by village History group. Parishioner to send names to the clerk who will coordinate and report back next meeting.
7. Emergency Plan
   1. Volunteers – names have been forwarded need to approach for next steps
   2. Newsletter – to be posted on the noticeboard and website
8. Christmas Tree 2025 – the village events committee to supply as we have not planted one this year and will review next meeting to propose purchase in January 2026
9. Highways – to create a poster and news story to let parishioners know that they can inform highways of any issues with road, potholes and road signs to https://fixmystreet.lincolnshire.gov.uk/
10. Grass cutting LCC Parish Agreement Scheme – Parish bill is £4,000 per year and the scheme allows for three cuts a year which will make a saving for the PC. Proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to sign up to the scheme.
11. Grant funding – proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to look at as many grant application that the council are able to apply for and report back next meeting.

Item 0725/23 Policy Adoption: To receive, consider and adopt revised and updated Code of conduct and Recording and Filming Meetings Protocol proposed, seconded and RESOLVED. 

Item 0725/24 Planning Applications: None

02567/25/FUL Planning Permission - Erection of 13no. bungalows with the construction of vehicular access, internal access roads and the provision of a water attenuation basin – discussed and comments to be made to the planning department

Item 0525/25 Correspondence: To receive and dispose of correspondence received since the last meeting:

• Freedom of Information request has been sent and after further enquiries and consultation with various agencies we will need to have an internal review. The process has been initiated and date will be set.
• External auditor has informed that we are second in their queue of outstanding AGAR’s for 2023/24 and will keep us posted. Chased for 2024/25 AGAR and informed that this will be sent tomorrow.
• Copied on many messages to external auditor by parishioner. No response needed. This showed the parish that there are documents in this parishioners possession that council has no sight of and this matter has been reported to the police. We are awaiting their outcome. Consultation and advise on this matter is still ongoing.
• Warm welcome campaign – consider this community room as part of this space and initiative. This was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED
• Freedom of Information regarding Live Local has been responded to and available on the website
• Northern Powergrid have confirmed cheque sent to the parish in December which we have not received and they will reissue
• Lincolnshire consultation post story and information for parishioner on noticeboard so people have their say
• Clerk receives lots of information that could benefit parishioners from IT support to events it was proposed to share with Cllr for social media posts and website stories, seconded and RESOLVED.

Item 0525/26 Dates of next meetings: To note the date of the next meeting: 6 October 2025 at 7pm

Item 0525/27 Financial matters:

1. To note bank balances on bank statements as on July 2025 - £31,245.24
2. To note income - £462.50 from 309’s and £647.50 from Kelly Harris - Live Local event
3. To authorise the signing of orders for payment for previous months

Meeting ended 21.16