2026 Minutes

DRAFT Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 9 April 2026 at 7.00pm at North Thoresby Village Hall, The Square, North Thoresby, DN36 5QL

Present:                              Chair                                Cllr Colin Goodwin

                                             Vice-Chair                      Cllr Keith Butters

                                                                                      Cllr Emily Bakes

                                                                                      Cllr Terry Aldridge (appointed)

                                                                                      Cllr Daniel McNally (appointed)

                                                                                      Cllr Tony Townsend

Also Present:                    Acting Clerk                   Mrs Binal Sawjani via Zoom

                                             Members of Public      5

                                             District/County             Cllr Terry Aldridge

                                                                                      Cllr Alex McGonigle

                                             Apologises:                    Cllr Paul Rickett

Item 0726/01 Welcome to the meeting: Chair opened meeting at 19.00 and welcomed councillors, public and district councillor. Council in the new community room

Meeting opened to the public:

• Update from the History society regarding the community project and thanked District councillor for the grant of £1,000  
• The thanks extended to the parish council and everything that has been achieved in the last year
• Parishioner asked if we could look into relocating a bin outside the village hall or look to purchase one or get a grant for one – refer to the next meeting
• Parishioner asked if we had purchased St George, Lincolnshire and the Union flag – this was discussed and look into the cost and approve next meeting.

Public Session 19.07

Chair invited Cllr Alridge to speak

• Attended Planning conference
• Planning committee meeting application for 14 houses on Tetney Lane should have been rejected
• Attended Patients Panel
• Cllr attended the ‘Pop-in’ event at the village hall where potholes was mentioned

Chair invited Cllr McGonigle to speak:

• Objection North Ray Solar and will continue to attend the meetings
• Cllr has taken the time to see the pot holes that need repairing – two potholes are really bad two in this village – Cllr advise to the parishioners is to post on https://fixmystreet.lincolnshire.gov.uk and then copy cllra.mcgonigle@lincolnshire.gov.uk with reference number and he will ensure it is on the fix list. If your car is damaged again same process and then explain the damage to the vehicle
• Full council budget 4 million allocated to road repairs and a further 2 million pledged year on year
• Council grant fund as a county councillor – there is an increase in allowances – for projects in the area
• Cllr explained the Local government reorganisation (LGR) in England which is the process of replacing two-tier county and district councils with single-tier unitary authorities to simplify governance, improve service delivery, and enhance accountability will have consequences for parishes

Item 0726/02 To receive declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and to consider any requests for dispensations: None – Cllr Aldridge asserted that he would not comment on and any planning application including Ray Solar as he is on the local planning committee.

Item 0726/03 Coopt new councillors: Chair explained that we are actively seeking new councillors and if any of our parishioners are interested, please email the chair or clerk. This will remain as an agenda item.

Cllr Tony Townsend has applied to be a councillor and has been interviewed and application was accepted and coopted onto the council. The application and paperwork has been received. Clerk will register with East Lindsey Council. New councillor to join the council. Proposed, seconded and RESOLVED

As we have recruited a new councillor we are quorate and the appointed councillors step down from their duties to council. If you are district or county councillor you are welcome to the meeting. Council would like to extend their thanks for stepping in and helping out the council to Cllr Aldridge, Cllr McNally and Cllr Rickett

Cllr McNally left 19.11

Meeting continued after County and District Councillors 19.37

Item 0726/04 Apologies for absence: Cllr Rickett accepted

Item 0726/05  To approve the draft notes as minutes of the last meeting held on the 13 January 2026: RESOLVED to adopt and sign the notes as accurate minutes. They were dated and signed by the Chair.

Item 0726/06  Chair’s Report:

• Chair would like to thank council for the flowers for his mother’s passing and acknowledge the other bereavements in the parish
• Parishioner let council know about a bike left on an lamppost at the end of the last meeting – bike has been removed
• Lots of flooding issues coming into the New Year due to heavy rainfall and as we did not have March meeting all has been cleared at the end of Ludlow Road
• There was a request for a sleepout for The Great Tommy Sleepout in March to raise funds in support of our veteran community.
• Bridge update – still awaiting approval from the landowner

Item 0726/07 Training:  Training available to all Staff and elected Members and clerk recommends councillors to view training schedule. No training taken

Item 0726/08 Parish Matters To receive updates from in respect of:

1. Village Hall
   1. Propose that the community room back into use seconded and RESOLVED
   2. Social soup alteration to the kitchen and get hid and slide ovens and larger island the village hall is under the parish council but the group have a grant – proposed that we defer and ask for more information. As a grant has been allocated ca a group undertake this work? How do we check? Can they gift it to the Parish thereafter? Or does the project need to be undertaken by the parish and then can be used by community. Seek advice on both options defer to next meeting.  
   3. Ownership of village hall – There are no title deeds for the village hall and council would need to apply for processionary title. The evidence required is that you need to show that the hall has been maintained for 12 years at attain a title absolute. There are records going back to 1929 prove that parish council has been maintaining the hall. Propose that heck with planning office East Lindsey and explore outcomes seconded and RESOLVED and then defer to next meeting.
2. Community room update - as agreed having meeting in the community room floor done, urinal removed, artwork completed, games tables and benches all covered by the grant. Small amount of snagging and another coat of paint. Congratulations to the PC for the completion of the room. Breakdown of budget see below table. Propose that rest of budget to be spent on replacing the digital locks on all the doors, doorbell on the front and a security camera seconded and RESOLVED.
3. Grant application updates
   1. Community Room balance has been paid and noted as income
   2. YMCA - Youth Club applied to set it up and they were unsuccessful and Louth round table – fund for a year defer to next meeting
   3. Table tennis table donated for the village
   4. Northern Power grid energy power scheme grant to apply for as the village hall can be classed as safe place – defer to next meeting
4. Community Neighbour scheme and emergency plan – as minuted c iv propose grant to be applied however this still needs volunteers for the scheme
5. North Ray Solar Farm Community Liaison Group – PC have been contacted by total energies a community liaison group to give the public the right information – discussion how to proceed and proposed that Chair and Vice Chair to join the group and represent the parish seconded and RESOLVED
6. Boiler service and maintenance – boiler did not work emergency repair £96 and the advised that needed a new oil pump Cost £276 and now have a yearly boiler service. Proposed, seconded and RESOLVED
7. Grass cutting contract
   1. New contract £4,250 which is a 5% increase Proposed, seconded and RESOLVED this will be a rolling contract and will concentrate on the play park
   2. Parish council agreed apply for Parish cutting agreement and has been approved. This will give us an refund on the grass cutting. Proposed, seconded and RESOLVED
8. Pump track – this is for the younger parishioners use. Discussions around how we cater for the younger parishioners. Propose that we apply for grant and report back next meeting and hire pump track for to see the interest we have among the young parishioners this is cost around £900 seconded and RESOLVED

Item m Highways was brought forward as Cllr McGonigle needed to leave – see below

Cllr McGonigle left at 20.46

1. Clerk appraisal – noted that this was conducted on 13 January by Vice-Chair and propose that clerk is added to the bank authorisation. To resurrect the pension scheme as it has been terminated by previous councils as the employment has continued. Clerk is happy to review position in the Autumn once the audit and annual governance for 2025/26 and previous two year AGAR’s have been closed
10. Bank authorisation approve clerk to be added Proposed, seconded and RESOLVED
11. Cyden homes update – on website and noticeboard
12. Named beneficiary will ongoing matter; defer to next meeting.
13. Highways – issue on Dickinson Lane and solution would be to have a centre post with steel mirror - highways do not fund these and Cllr has agreed to personally purchase and donate this to the parish. The erection and maintenance will be on the council thereafter.

10. Planning Applications:

02567/25/RVC Section 73 application to vary condition no. 1 (approved plans), condition no. 2 (Construction Method Statement), condition no. 4 (Surface Water Strategy), condition no. 8 (Local Area for Play), condition no. 10 (Landscaping), and remove condition no. 11 (Footpath Link) as imposed on reserved matters reference N/133/01856/18 relating to the erection of 13 no. dwellings on site of an existing dwelling which is to be demolished, construction of vehicular access and an internal access road and provision of a play area (Outline planning permission reference N/133/01980/14 for the erection of up to 25 no. dwellings, granted on appeal 28/10/2026). No objection

00245/26/FUL Planning Permission - Extension and alterations to existing garage to provide additional living accommodation and alterations to existing dwelling. Gingerbread House 36 Highfield Road North Thoresby Lincolnshire DN36 5RT – No objection

Item 0726/10 Correspondence: To receive and dispose of correspondence received since the last meeting:

• Information for the parishioners regarding volunteering information from East Lindsey please email clerk for further information
• Traffic notices have been posted on the noticeboard and website
• Precept information acknowledgment has been received
• Approached by Utterby Parish Council to use our litter equipment for a litter pick – proposed, seconded and RESOLVED
• Since the beginning of the year several emails received by residents regarding the weather and excessive rainfall and causes of flooding, traffic and potholes. These have been discussed referred to Highways. Advice to parishioners is to post on fixmystreet with photos and they will be logged.
• Correspondence from charity that are happy to distribute DO NOT KNOCK signs for residents is happy to send to the parishioners – to post of social media
• Parish renewal notice – defer to next meeting
• Information received from Pkf Littlejohns regarding Annual Governance Accountability Review for 2025/26
• Cyden Homes update is on website and the minutes
• Charity The Great Tommy Sleepout asking permission to have sleepout on 28 March covered in Chairs report
• Lincolnshire Emergency Planning and Business Continuity Service had sent message asking if Village Hall can be on their list for use as a rest centre in the event of an emergency. Proposed, seconded and RESOLVED.

Item 0726/11 Dates of next meeting: To note the date of the next meeting: 27 May for the Annual Parish Meeting and the full council meeting Proposed, seconded and RESOLVED.

Item 0726/12 Financial matters:

1. To note bank balances on bank statements as of January 2026 £28,110.37
2. To note income – Room Hire £438.00 Community Room Grant £8,441.11
3. To authorise the signing of orders for payment for previous months

Meeting ended 21.05