2026 Minutes

Minutes of a meeting of Deeping St Nicholas Parish Council held on Monday the 27th of July commencing at 7pm in Deeping St Nicholas Parish Church, Main Road, Deeping St Nicholas.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Present

Andy Croyle, Anna Spencer, Louise McGuinness, Nicholas Watts, Trevor Jackson and Suzanne Chappell

County Cllr Raymond Condell

3 members of the public

Clerk: Mrs A Harrison

In the Chair: Louise McGuinness

Public Forum

By request of the Chair, this was moved to after item 3 on the agenda.

AGENDA

21. To resolve to Co-opt Nicky Mansellas-Cooper to the vacant seat for Tongue End Ward.

Members resolved the co-option and Ms Mansellas-Cooper joined the meeting.

22. To receive and approve reasons for absence.

Reasons for absence had been received from Sharon Hall and District Cllr Bryan Alcock.

Members resolved to approve the absence of Ms Hall.

23. 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.

There were none.

Public Forum

Mr Barrett congratulated Trevor Jackson on his election onto the Parish Council.

 He questioned Mr Mitchell’s wording on his resignation letter, (published in the Minutes of the May meeting), and stated that it was disrespectful to the public.

 As Chair of the Wind Farm Committee, Mr Barrett asked about the shed that was acquired by the Good Neighbour Scheme through funding via the Wind Farm, and intimated that this was fraudulent.

The Chairman advised Mr Barrett to follow the Council’s complaints procedure.

 Mr Barrett stated that he no longer wished to be involved with the Community Speed Watch and that he was returning the radar gun, Hi-Viz vests and signage as they belong to the PC.

Mr Barrett left the meeting. 

Mrs Croyle congratulated Trevor Jackson on his election and stated that it was one member of the public that instigated the recent election along with the consequential costs associated with it. 

The Chair advised that when the PC receives the invoice for the election, it will be publicised.

24. To approve the Minutes of the Annual Council Meeting held in May.

Proposed by AC and seconded by SC it was resolved to approve the Minutes and the Chair signed them as a true record.

25. Matters arising from the Minutes, (not included in this Agenda).

CSW - Regarding a safe location to operate from in Hop Pole, SC asked whether there had been a reply received from the Bluebell.  The Clerk replied that sadly there hadn’t.

 TJ confirmed that he now has a contact number.

26. To resolve Committee membership for the new members and the Playing Fields Committee.

a. To discuss plans for a MUGA at Littleworth. 

It was resolved that Trevor Jackson and Nicky Mansellas-Cooper would become members of the Playing Fields Committee but there would need to be at least one more member to be able to elect a Chair.  After this, discussions regarding a MUGA at Littleworth can take place within the Committee and submitted to full council for approval.

27. To decide on an appropriate memorial for Rob Jarvis.

AC stated that he’d received a telephone call from a lady called Jo at ESP who, after learning of Rob’s passing, would like to contribute towards a memorial.

Members resolved that a bench with a commemorative plaque would be the best option and to ask Rob’s family with regards to their preferred location of the bench.

ACTION: AC will go back to the family and Jo from ESP

28. To resolve whether to subscribe to the Civic.ly Asset Management App at £19 per month.

As the Playing Field Committee is still short on Members it was resolved to move this to the next meeting.

It was agreed that this could not go ahead until membership of the Playing Fields Committee has been decided.

ACTION: Clerk to add this to the next meeting agenda.

29. To receive the Clerk’s Report on matters outstanding and correspondence.

TJ confirmed that the interactive speed sign at Hop Pole has been repaired and reinstalled on the new post.

 LCC Highways will be removing the original post in due course.

Cllr Condell gave further details regarding Local Government Reform (LGR).

 There will be an election next May for members of the 4 new unitary councils.  

 Once elected, these new members will shadow the existing Cllrs for a year before taking over in May 2028.  

 Existing Cllrs will serve an extra year.

30. Highways Matters

a. Community Speed Watch.

Equipment has been returned to the Parish Council.

It was agreed that SC will take responsibility for the equipment, to carry out checks in Hop Pole, once a suitable location is confirmed.

b. To discuss and resolve the issue of graffiti in the bus shelter(s).

AC advised that he notified by Peter Squires, (who cleans the bus shelters), of graffiti in the bus shelter at the top of New Road.  

 He is going to try to remove it with graffiti remover, if that doesn’t work, he could paint the inside with a graffiti resistant paint.

 Another option could be to encourage graffiti in the bus shelters, but with certain restrictions.

It was resolved to monitor the situation and to see whether it can be cleaned off.

c. To receive an update on the road at Hop Pole.

AS advised members that she has been monitoring the issue and data has been forwarded to LCC Highways.

 An LAB report, (Land Assessment and Boundary), was carried out last week and we are awaiting the official report from LCC.

d. To discuss the new and the old interactive speed signs.

TJ advised that the data can be downloaded onto an App.  Each download will overwrite the previous one.  This information can then be sent to the RSP, (Road Safety Partnership).

 TJ offered to do this once a month.

 SC offered to work with TJ and to forward the information to the RSP, Cllr Condell and the Clerk.

Members agreed to seek advice regarding implementation of the passing place on Campain’s Lane.

ACTION: Clerk

SC spoke regarding issues at Carrington Drive

 Pot holes are horrendous and they have been highlighted by Highways.  

 Hedges have been cut right back as far as they can be, almost down to the stump.

 A heating oil company has advised a resident that if the hedges get any worse, they won’t be able to deliver.

 Dangerous dip at the entrance to Carrington Drive reported on FixmyStreet.

SC advised that she had received complaints from residents of Haywain and Hay Barn Road regarding parking.

 It was agreed that this is a civil matter and should be reported to FixmyStreet and the Police in an emergency.

Residents of Campain’s Lane are requesting a 10mph speed limit.

Deeping end of Hop Pole, the foliage/trees need to be cut back.

TJ offered to take on the job of keeping the batteries charged up on the older interactive speed signs.

 SC and TJ will ensure that a risk assessment is carried out.

SC mentioned a post on social media that was calling for signatures on a petition for speed bumps to slow the traffic through Hop Pole, although at the time of the meeting it hadn’t gained much support.

 Wait to get the data from the interactive speed signs.

AC advised of a complaint regarding the width of the footpath along the Main Road, but again, that would be LCC Highways and should be reported on FixmyStreet.

31. Finance Matters

a. To receive the Bank Reconciliations for May and June

The bank reconciliations were received and signed by the Chair.

b. To receive the Summary/Budget Report 

The report was received with thanks.

c. To approve Invoices for Payment (separate sheet)

NW proposed, AC seconded and it was resolved to approve payments of £6,336.98 Net, made up as follows: -

£1,107.21 Insurance Premium for 2026/27

£660.00 Printing of the Summer edition of the Village News

£2,130.00 Grass Cutting of the Playing Fields and Churchyard

£300.00 Grant donation to the Gardening Club

£3,334.77 General running costs including bus shelter cleaning, staff wages, data protection fee, ink and paper, bank charges and telephone costs.

AC advised that the Council’s main notice board by the Triangle on New Road, was resurfaced a year or two ago with cork tiles, but sadly they have shrunk and curled up at the edges.

AC proposed that a single piece of foam board might do the trick, at a cost of circa £26

NW seconded the proposal and it was resolved to go ahead with the repair.

ACTION: Andy Croyle

32. Planning Matters:

a. To receive the report of the Planning Committee and to agree the Council’s response to applications under consultation

The following report had been circulated prior to the meeting: -

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. 

Andy Croyle, Planning Committee Chair 

Anaerobic Digestor Plant, Tongue End

Environmental Impact Assessment is required.  

No decision yet from LCC.

b. To receive an update on S106 monies.

AS advised that there was no update available so this item will be moved to the next meeting.

Action: Clerk

33. Village Hall CIO: To receive an update following a meeting of the VH Committee.

AC advised that 3 members had met with the developers to discuss the plans, which showed a number of issues.  Changes were agreed and we are awaiting the updated plans.

 Once the plans have been updated, these will be brought to Council for approval.

 Worked with Tim Wall regarding funding for the furniture, etc for the hall.  Circa £20K 

 Once the hall is built there will be more interest in the running of it.

 Meetings are ongoing, some via telephone, or 1-1.

 Nicholas Watts, Suzanne Chappell and Nicky Mansellas-Cooper expressed their interest in being a part of the Committee.

34. To receive an update on the Tongue End rewilding project.

AC stated that he’d received a call from Ric Chapman a couple of weeks ago regarding access to the bank account but nothing since.

Action: Clerk will circulate the email to members.

35. To receive the latest online Police Report.

The report showed that there were no crimes reported in May 2026.

36. To receive reports and updates from members on any other Community groups and to resolve any requests.

On behalf of the Gardening Club, AC stated that the planters are all looking lovely despite the lack of rain.

AS gave an update on the reopening of Littleworth station, which will be more of a Halt with a couple of shelters and an automatic ticket system.

 To enable and facilitate this we need to put together a feasibility study.

 A basic feasibility study was carried out in 2013 but we require a more detailed one to move forward.

 The cost for this will be Circa £40K

 The cost of the station will be circa £30M

 There is a new fund in Lincolnshire that Councillors can put forward to projects.  The whole fund is £290K but has stipulations, i.e., separate bank account, benefit to the community and spent within 12 months.

 SLC doesn’t have a bank account but an option could be for the Parish Council to administer the funds and keep them ringfenced for the project.

AS proposed that the Council administer the funds for the station, AC seconded and all agreed.

37. Agenda items for the next meeting, set for the 28th of September in the Primary School.

Interactive Speed Signs – update

Rewilding Project – Tongue End

Playing Fields Committee

Community Speed Watch

Civi.cly Asset Monitoring system

S106 Monies

A resignation letter from Andy Croyle was read out by the Chair.  This will come into effect after the September meeting.

Meeting closed at 20:52