Minutes 2025

Leasingham and Roxholm Parish Council

Minutes of an ordinary meeting of Leasingham and Roxholm Parish Council held at the Community Building, Spring Lane Playing Field on Monday 10 February 2025.

Present:  Chair:  Jenny Bailey

Councillors:  Angie Adams, Callum Chambers, Colin Hibberd, Linda Melloy and Steven Milligan.

Also in attendance:  District Councillors Jim Clarke and Andrew Hagues.

In attendance:  Mr Eddie Findlay, Clerk to Leasingham and Roxholm Parish Council

No members of the public were in attendance.

Prior to the meeting, the Chair, Cllr Jenny Bailey gave a precis on the life of Cllr Susan Waring, who sadly passed away last month after a short illness.

A minutes silence was held.

At 7:04 pm the Chair thanked declared the meeting open.

13.  To receive apologies for absence and reasons given, i.a.w. Local Government Act 1972, Sch 12, para 40.
The absence of Cllr Arnold was noted.

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

15.  Public Forum and reports from District and County Councillors.
No members of the public were in attendance.

On behalf of Cty Cllr Wright, who was unavailable, D/Cllr Hagues informed the  meeting that the Mayoral Elections, planned for Thursday 01-May-2025, would also involve the Lincolnshire County Council Election.

D/Cllr Clarke reported that the new Chief Executive, Kath Marriott, had recently taken up post and was settling in well.

A £6million programme of works designed to reduce energy use, make homes warmer and tackle climate change has been completed on 205 homes by North Kesteven District Council, with the promise of more to come in future.

Tree planting scheme had been extended to 17-Feb-2025.

16.  Notes of the ordinary meeting of Leasingham and Roxholm Parish Council held at the Community Building at the Playing Field on Monday 13 January 2025 to be approved as Minutes.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED that the notes of the ordinary meeting of Leasingham and Roxholm Parish Council held at the Community Building at the Playing Field on Monday 13 January 2025 be approved as Minutes.
Proposed by Cllr Milligan, seconded by Cllr Adams and approved unanimously.

17.  Consider any applications for Councillor Co-Option.
No further applications had been received at this time.

18.  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

i.  The Health and Safety Policy still requires review by the Clerk.

ii.  The bench purchased using Neighbourhood Planning Team monies had been installed just outside the play area.

Councillors.

i.  Cllr Hibberd reported that he had unfortunately missed the deadline to submit comments in support of the Sleaford Neighbourhood Plan, following the presentation at

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the last meeting by Sleaford Cllr Oates.  He was impressed by the breadth of the information displayed in the presentation booklets and was most pleased to see the Leasingham Neighbourhood Plan point on maintaining a ‘Leasingham Gap’ was mirrored in the Sleaford Neighbourhood Plan.  The Clerk would see if it was possible to submit late comments.

ii.  Cllr Bailey had been approached about the possibly of having a traffic warning chevron sign affixed at the bend where the wall is continually struck.  It was currently being rebuilt again.  The Council would ask but as the property was Grade II listed it might be a barr to such a sign being allowed.

19.  Financial Matters

a.  Approve payments made since the last meeting.

No payments have been made since the last meeting.

b.  Approve the payments of invoices etc. as listed on the Payments to be Authorised sheet.

Action:  The Council RESOLVED to approve the Payments to be Authorised.
Proposed by Cllr Chambers, seconded by Cllr Molloy and approved unanimously.

c.  Approve the bank reconciliation for January 2025.
At the end of January, the bank accounts stood at £43,376.74, which included £17,425.27 on behalf of the Community Benefit Fund and £5,228.55 of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), leaving £20,902.92 as Council money.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to approve the bank reconciliation for January 2025.
Proposed by Cllr Adams, seconded by Cllr Chambers and approved unanimously.

d.  Consider any Community Benefit Fund Grant applications.

One grant application had been received.

Action:  The Council RESOLVED to approve a grant of up to £100.00 towards the cost of the two Villager of the Year trophies and voucher.
Proposed by Cllr Hibberd, seconded by Cllr Chambers and approved unanimously.

e.  Consider the circulated Grounds Maintenance 1 Year contract extension.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to approve the Grounds Maintenance 1 Year contract extension.
Proposed by Cllr Adams, seconded by Cllr Hibberd and approved unanimously.

f.  Consider the purchase of a VE Day 80th Anniversary Flag.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to approve the purchased of a 5’x3’ flag from Newton Newton Flags Ltd, at a cost of no more than £30 (inc) VAT.
Proposed by Cllr Adams, seconded by Cllr Hibberd and approved unanimously.

g.  Consider the cost for ongoing payments for Microsoft Office 365 and McAfee anti-virus software.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to approve the ongoing payments for both Office 365 and McAfee anti-virus software.
Proposed by Cllr Melloy, seconded by Cllr Chambers and approved unanimously.

20.  Planning Matters.
None received to date.

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21.  Correspondence.

a.  NKDC Newsletter.  Circulated 20-Jan-2025.

b.  NKDC Heritage Strategy: Have your say!.  Circulated 20-Jan-2025.

c.  LALC e-news and Training bulletin.  Circulated 03-Feb-2025.

d.  LALC e-news.  Circulated 10-Feb-2025.

22.  Emergency Plan.
a.  Shed discussion.
Cllr Hibberd raised a concern of pallet access into the shed, if trying to store a bulk bag of sand.  The entrance was slightly raised and the area in front was soil and may not allow for a pallet trolley to negotiate the entrance.  Also, the door width might hamper certain standard pallet sizes.
Standard UK are CHEP/Blue/Red pallets are 120cm x 100cm.
Euros are 120cm x 80cm.
The door opening is 106cm, and back to front measures 116cm so it is assumed the CHEP pallets will not fit and the Euro may fit, by manoeuvring, so, when ordering 1 ton bags, we may have ask if they can be put on a Euro.
Cllr Bailey had seen a Euro pallet inside the shed when ordering and believed these could be requested when ordering sand.  Failing that, a spare bag maybe required to transfer the delivered sand from outside to inside.

23.  Consider a course of action with regard to moles in the play area and sports field.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to not consider any action at this time.
Proposed by Cllr Chambers, seconded by Cllr Adams and approved unanimously.

24.  Receive the Play Area report from Wicksteed.
Mr Anderson was working through the report and taking the suggested actions on things such as loose/corroded fastenings.
The perished swing seat highlighted page 19 had a current cost to replace of £102.00 (ex-VAT) and the rubber spring cover on page 22 had a cost to replace of £108.00 (ex-VAT).  Council had set aside £800.00 in the budget for FY 2025/2026 and Mr Anderson would monitor until then.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED note the Play Area Report.
Proposed by Cllr Chambers, seconded by Cllr Milligan and approved unanimously.

25.  Consider the concept of a printed newsletter for the Leasingham and Roxholm and how it might be managed and by whom.
Cllr Adams did not wish to manage a new printed newsletter and from this people she had spoken to, it was felt the work involved would far exceed the perceived need.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED not to take the project forward as a Parish Council endeavour, but would consider appropriate support if a local group wished to take the pursue the matter further.
Proposed by Cllr Adams, seconded by Cllr Milligan and approved unanimously.

26.  Confirm the date of the next meeting.
The next meeting date was confirmed as Monday 10 March 2025.

27.  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.  Staff contract matters – salary.

b.  Staff contract matters – Clerk appraisal.

Action:  The Council RESOLVED to go into Closed Session to consider the items above.

Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Milligan and approved unanimously.

This part of the meeting closed 7:55 pm.

Cllr Adams left the meeting at 7:55 pm.

The meeting continued in the absence of press and public at 8:00 pm.

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

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Confidential Minutes

a.  Staff contract matters – salary.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to approve that the Clerk would move up 1 Spinal Column Point and the other two employees would receive a 5% increase on their hourly rate.
Proposed by Cllr Hibberd, seconded by Cllr Melloy and approved unanimously.

b.  Staff contract matters – Clerk’s appraisal.
Action:  The Council RESOLVED to note and agree the Clerk’s appraisal.
Proposed by Cllr Chambers, seconded by Cllr Milligan and approved unanimously.

The meeting closed at 8:00 pm.

Signature:  Original Signed

Printed Name:  Cllr Jenny Bailey

Date:  10 March 2025

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