March 2026 Minutes
Minutes of a meeting of Deeping St Nicholas Parish Council, held on Monday the 23rd of March 2026 at 7pm in Deeping St Nicholas Primary School, Main Road, Deeping St Nicholas.
Present
Parish Council Members: Deborah Croyle, Andy Croyle, James Mitchell, Anna Spencer, Nicholas Watts, Sharon Hall and Suzanne Chappell
Clerk: Mrs Harrison
County Councillor: Raymond Condell
Members of the Public: Reverend Erica Crust
Vicky Cayley (Chair - Tongue End Nature Space Committee)
In the Chair: Deborah Croyle
Public Forum
Cllr Condell
Budget increased by 2.9%
£119M road budget with a change in the way we repair potholes. They will now be cut and filled rather than just filling the hole and patting it down, which is only a temporary measure. This will give a proper sealed edge to the repair.
Balfour Beaty, the Contractors, have doubled the number of gangs in Lincolnshire – from 19 to 42
LGR is going ahead and all information is on the LCC website if anyone wants to comment on the bids.
Elections will go ahead next year for the new Unitary Council and the newly elected councillors will shadow the existing councillors until May 2028.
Cllr Condell will be holding a surgery on Wednesday 25th March from 2.30 – 4.30pm at Vine House Farm
Erica Crust
180th Anniversary of the Church and Parish of Deeping St Nicholas
St Nicholas House has 365 window panes, one for each day of the year.
The Church has been open every single day for the past 3 years, and for the month of August anyone can have space in the Church to setup a display. No limit and doesn’t have to be manned. There is scope for every group or organisation to have a display in the Church.
Contact Erica or the Secretary for details or more information.
AGENDA
76. To receive and approve apologies for absence.
At the time of the meeting, apologies had been received for Rob Jarvis, James Mitchell and Nicky Mansellas-Cooper.
Members resolved to accept these apologies.
The Clerk advised that at the time of the meeting she had also received apologies from County Cllr Ingrid Sheard and District Councillor Jim Astill.
The Clerk made members aware that Kayleigh Montgomery has not attended the last 3 meetings and has not submitted apologies for any of her absences. In fact, there has been no communication from her at all during the past 7 months.
Members confirmed that Kayleigh would cease to be a member of the Parish Council.
Action: Clerk to advise Democratic Services to start the recruitment process.
77. To receive Declarations of Interest, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 being any pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on Member’s Register of Interests and to resolve any dispensations.
There were none.
78. To resolve to approve the notes of the meeting held on the 26th of January 2026 and for the Chair to sign them as a true record.
Members resolved to approve the notes of the last meeting and for the Chair to sign them as a true record.
79. Matters arising from the Minutes, (not included in this Agenda).
There were none.
80. To receive the Clerk’s Report on matters outstanding and any correspondence.
The Clerk’s report had been circulated prior to the meeting.
The main updates were: -
A claim has been submitted to the Council’s insurers for the damaged Interactive Speed sign
NatWest Bank Account Mandate to change signatories is just awaiting Nicholas Watts’ signature
It was confirmed that the 2 trees that will need to be removed for the Littleworth Park improvements, don’t have TPOs on them.
81. To receive a report from the HR Committee and to resolve any recommendations therein, including the new Whistleblowing Policy.
Members resolved to approve the Whistleblowing Policy.
a. To resolve to approve the Committees’ Terms of Reference
It was agreed that the individual Committees would consider the Terms of Reference and to bring any amendments to the next meeting in order for them to be formally adopted.
b. To resolve to approve the updated Asset Register
There were a number of amendments to the circulated list which the Clerk will make.
The Chair suggested that photos of all the PCs equipment be taken, to keep alongside the Register to make identification easier.
The Clerk advised Members of a new Asset management App called, ‘Civicly’ which has been developed for Parish Councils by Starboard Systems who provide the Scribe accounting software. Someone would take a photo of the item, upload it to Civicly which will automatically record the location, (including what3words), description and condition of the item. This would then replace the Asset Register on Scribe which would only require the total figure for the AGAR.
Action: Clerk to find out the cost.
c. To resolve to approve the Risk Register
As the Chair of the HR Committee was not present, it was agreed that this item will be brought to the next meeting.
d. To resolve to adopt the Training Policy
Members resolved to adopt the Training Policy.
Action: Clerk to add the Training and Whistleblowing Policies to the website.
82. Finance Matters
a. To receive the Summary/Budget Report and Bank Reconciliations for February and March 2026.
The Reports and Bank Reconciliations were circulated prior to the meeting.
The Clerk explained that she had provided a more detailed Summary report, as this is the last quarter of the financial year. This will assist Committee Chairs in reviewing their expenditure during the past year, compared with the Budget.
b. To resolve to approve payment of invoices received since the last meeting.
Members resolved to approve payments from the 27th of January to the 18th of March of £4,315.53, which included the usual monthly payments.
83. To receive a report from the Ward Member for Tongue End and to resolve any requests therein.
A paper copy of a brief report was circulated and tabled at the meeting, and the main points were: -
Applied for three grants in total to help and support the village
Hoping to get enough parishioners available to attend the Speed Watch training at the Woodlands Hotel in Spalding.
Rewilding Project
The notice board still has not been erected
400 sapling trees are now mostly in place.
Moving of the wood chips continues
The Committee has an appointment at the bank to open a new account.
84. To receive a report from the Planning Committee.
As usual the committee has not met since the last meeting; applications have been circulated by email to gain committee member’s responses. I summarise below applications received since just before the last meeting, the responses obtained from those councillors who replied, and any relevant notes.
|
Application no & status |
Location Reason |
Response/s |
|
|
H03-1030-25 Amendment received Approved |
7 Everard Road Tongue End Demolition of garage conversion & erection of side extension |
No problems Nor with the amendment |
|
|
H03-0048-25 Undecided |
Land off Littleworth Drove (near Campain’s Lane) Rural exception site of affordable housing comprising 24 dwellings. |
As discussed at meetings 22-7-24 & 27-1-25. Amendments made. |
|
|
H03-1218-25 Undecided |
Lonsdale House Main Road Detached 4 Bay Garage |
No problems (unanimous) |
|
|
H03-0104-26 Undecided
|
Land adj Poplar Kennels, Poplar Farm Erection of two holiday lodges |
No problems |
|
|
H03-0175-26 Undecided |
Park Farm Banks Drove Erection of grain store |
No problems |
|
|
H03-0097-26 Undecided |
Station Yard Main Road Siting of 2 V Signs |
A couple of reservations over size and colour but not enough to object |
|
|
EIA/07/25 Decision issued
|
Grange Farm, Tongue End
|
Anaerobic digestion plant, associated infrastructure |
This has been sent directly to Lincs County Council, SHDC have been informed. |
|
Confirmed that an Environmental Impact Assessment is required This is application H03-0410-16 resurrected from ten years ago. |
|||
|
H03-1042-25 Undecided |
Home Farm Littleworth Drove Modification of S106 agreement * |
As presented at meeting 24-11-25. |
|
There is no suggestion of omitting the Village Hall, costed at £1.2m. |
|||
85. To receive a report from the Playing Fields Committee and to resolve any requests therein.
There have been no meetings, so there was no report and no update for this meeting.
86. To receive a report from the Highways & Footpaths Committee and to resolve any requests therein.
Request that the response to Cllr Condell’s email asking for ideas for the Volunteer service be for the pathways and drains to be cleared along the Main Road.
After reporting on Fix My Street, a man came to look and said it was fine, but it was a dry day.
Pete Squires of Albany Garden Services complained about the mud on the roads too.
Action: Clerk to respond to Cllr Condell’s email.
87. Community Speed Watch.
No reports have been received since the last meeting.
Hop Pole: Paul Barrett has agreed that the Blue Bell be the chosen safe place.
Need to get permission from the owners of the site.
Volunteers required for Hop Pole.
Action: Clerk to put a post on Facebook.
A further two locations were suggested: -
East Reach Farm entrance
Little Bell Farm driveway
Paul Barrett has offered to come and assist once the training has been completed, as he doesn’t currently have a group of volunteers to carry out surveillance in DSN.
It was agreed that Suzanne will liaise with Nicky to get all the volunteers onto the same course.
88. To receive reports and updates from Community Groups and to resolve any requests
Gardening Club
Over 1,000 plants for 22 planters to go in once the daffodils have been cut back.
GNS
There have been no Chatter Natter events due to illness.
Transportation to hospital and doctors’ appointments have continued.
Village Fete will be held on June the 6th and with Cllr Jarvis being unwell at the moment, the PC will need to take the reins if and when required.
89. To discuss the Pride of DSN Awards for the APM set to take place on the 27th April 2026
SHDC Officers will be coming to speak about the new Wheeled Bin Service and to answer any questions.
Members were reminded to make nominations for the PoDSN Awards.
90. To request agenda items for the Annual Council meeting, set for the 26th May 2026.
Terms of Reference
Risk Register
Meeting closed at 20:09