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 09 June 2025.

Present:  Chair:  Steven Milligan

Councillors:  Jenny Bailey, Angie Adams and Linda Melloy

Also in attendance:  NK District Councillor Jim Clarke

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

2 members of the public was in attendance.

At 7:00 pm the Chair declared the meeting open.

60.  To receive apologies for absence and reasons given, i.a.w. Local Government Act 1972, Sch 12, para 40.
Cllr Chambers and Cllr Hibberd were unable to attend and their reasons were made known to the Council.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve the reasons for absence for Cllr Chambers and Cllr Hibberd.
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Melloy and approved unanimously.

Cllr Arnold’s absence was noted.

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

62.  Public Forum and reports from District and County Councillors.
D/Cllr Clarke urged people to, where possible, keep an eye on those individuals that they are aware are alone to help combat loneliness.  Loneliness and Awareness Week is from 09-Jun-2025.
VJ Events planned in and around 15 August 2025 can apply for funding from NKDC (up to £500).
Business Energy and Resource Grants are available, along with Small Business Grants and Flourishing Communities Grants.
The A15, between Cranwell and Ruskington, there would be up to 4 weeks of night time closures, starting 30-Jun-2025 (7pm to 6am).
D/Cllr Clarke left the meeting at 7:15 pm to attend another Parish Council meeting.

Andrew Dearing, on behalf of Busy Bees provided an update on the proposed plans to extend the availability of places with a new building, as discussed last year.
A pre-application with NKDC highlighted that they would need to liaise with Sport England over the use of the now defunct Bowls Green area and
Building costs, for the preferred eco-friendly unit had soared to around £500,000, so possibly something to similar to the current Community Building was now being investigated.
He also wished to convey a number of minor issues that she would like addressing in due course.
Ceiling seepage was problem, with brown drip marks appearing overnight, meaning they need to wash the walls.  The flooring needed some attention, following the floor repair.
The Clerk would contact the company who installed the building to request an additional check and ideally an underside check following the recent floods.
Some additional drainage could be considered to keep the outside clear of water, draining it into the bowls area.
A folder, with a sheet to write ‘snags’ in could be provided.

63.  Notes of the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council held at the Community Building at the Playing Field on Monday 12 May 2025 to be approved as Minutes.
Action:  Council RESOLVED that the notes of the Annual Meeting of Leasingham and Roxholm Parish Council held at the Community Building at the Playing Field on Monday 12 May 2025 be approved as Minutes.
Proposed by Cllr Adams, seconded by Cllr Melloy and approved unanimously.

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64.  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 Handyman had reported some damage, in and around the play area and field, where some white plastic chairs has been taken from the old bowling green area and smashed around the play area.  Items had been thrown into the roof of the Community Buildings.  All damage had been cleared.
ii.  The Clerk had received correspondence from a resident with regard to an accident in the play area.  The matter would be discussed under Closed Session.

Councillors.
i.  Cllr Milligan had received concerns over the overgrown nature of the hedge/bushes along the left hand side of  B1209 (Sleaford Road) on the corner, heading into the village.  Large vehicles were straddling the centre line to clear the branches and causing vehicles heading to ward the A15 to mount the kerb to prevent collision.  The property owners had failed to respond to correspondence on this matter.  Cllr Milligan would raise the matter on Fix My Street.
He also mentioned that the sequence of the football club cutting the pitches and the Grounds Maintenance contractor doing the surrounds meant there was occasional y clear defined line of grass.  The situation would be monitored.

65.  Financial Matters.
a.  Approve payments made since the last meeting.

Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve the payments made since the last meeting.
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Adams and approved unanimously.

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

Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve the Payments to be Authorised.
Proposed by Cllr Adams, seconded by Cllr Melloy and approved unanimously.

c.  Approve the bank reconciliation for May 2025.
At the end of May 2025, the bank accounts stood at £73,576.47 which included £17,425.27 on behalf of the Community Benefit Fund and £ 5,225.55 of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), leaving £50,922.65 as Council money.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve the bank reconciliation for May 2025.
Proposed by Cllr Adams, seconded by Cllr Bailey and approved unanimously.

d.  Consider the Internal Auditor Report at Section 1, the Annual Internal Audit Report in relation to the Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2024/25 Form 3, page 3.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to accept the Internal Audit Report at Section 1 of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2024/25 Form 3, page 3.
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Melloy and approved unanimously.

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e.  Confirm acknowledgement of Section 1, the Annual Governance Statements in relation to the Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2024/25 Form 3, page 4.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to continue to a sound system of internal control and verbally answered all the Assertions as YES at Section 1, the Annual Governance Statements, page 4.
Proposed by Cllr Adams, seconded by Cllr Bailey and approved unanimously
The Chair and Clerk signed the form.

f.  Consider the Accounting Statements, Section 2, in relation to the Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2024/25 Form 3, page 5 and the explanation of variances.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to accept the figures at Section 2 – Accounting Statement for 2024/25, on the Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2024/25 Form 3 and explanation of variances.

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

g.  Consider the purchase of an External Hard Drive for independent, safe storage of Council electronic documents etc.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to defer the matter as Cllr Chambers had suggested an encrypted device and he was not present at the meeting.
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Melloy and approved unanimously.

h.  Consider the purchase of Webmaster minutes from LALC to allow for a re-structuring of the website layout.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to approve purchasing 10 hours of WebMaster time from LALC to re-structure the website layout.
Proposed by Cllr Milligan, seconded by Cllr Bailey and approved unanimously.

66.  Planning Matters.
a.  None receive at present.

67.  Correspondence.
a.  LCC Town and Parish Council Newsletter.  Circulated 30-May-2025.
b.  NKDC Planning – response to 23/1286/DISCON query.  Circulated 02-Jun-2025.
c.  June NKDC Newsletter from Cllr Hague.  Circulated 03-Jun-2025.
d.  LALC Summer Conference Programme.  Circulated 03-Jun-2025.
e.  Play area accident email.  Circulated 09-Jun-2025.
f.  LALC e-news.  Circulated 09-Jun-2025.

68.  Villager of the Year launch.
It was being considered that the presentation of the Villager of the Year be moved from Christmas, to the Summer.  Possibilities were at the Horticultural Society Event, at the Village Hall which was believed to be in September.

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69.  Emergency storage shed update and agree on Village flyer.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to agree the layout of the flyer (prices for printing to be obtained) and the storage shed to be filled with the equipment.  Sand would need to be purchased and then barrowed in to a second container within the shed.
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Melloy and approved unanimously.

70.  Confirm the date of the next meeting.
The next meeting is planned for Monday 14 July 2025.

71.  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.  Consider the terms of contract for the hiring of the Community Building by Busy Bees.
b.  Consider the terms of contract for the hiring of the Playing Field and Community Building by Leasingham Junior Football Club.
c.  Play area accident.
Action:  Council RESOLVED to go into Closed Session to consider the items above.
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Adams and approved unanimously.

This part of the meeting closed 8:05 pm.

The meeting continued in the absence of press and public at 8:05 pm.

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

Confidential Minutes.
a.  Consider the terms of contract for the hiring of the Community Building by Busy Bees.
The Council had entered into a 5 Year Long Term Agreement with Busy Bees, dated Jul-2024 (expires 310Aug-2029).
Action:  Council RESOLVED to maintain the current rental charge for the next 12 months.
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Adams and approved unanimously.

b.  Consider the terms of contract for the hiring of the Playing Field and Community Building by Leasingham Junior Football Club.
Action:  Council RESOLVED that due to the rental payment for season 2024/2025 still being outstanding Council would give Leasingham Junior Football Club until 31-Jul-2025 to make the payment.  If payment was not received authority to access the Community building would be rescinded and would remain so until such time as payment was received
Proposed by Cllr Bailey, seconded by Cllr Milligan and approved unanimously.

c.  Play area accident.
The Clerk briefed the Council on the accident.  The safer servicing installed underneath was that provided by the provider and the Clerk would investigate to ensure compliance, although the annual independent inspection carried out by Wicksteed showed no areas of concern on the said equipment.

The meeting closed at 8:30 pm.

Signature:  Original signed

Printed Name:  Cllr Jenny Bailey

Date:  14 July 2025

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