May 2025 DRAFT Minutes - Ordinary Meeting
TALLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held in the Village Hall on Wednesday 28th May 2025 immediately after the Annual meetings.
Present: Chair Cllr P Sagar, Vice Chair Cllr J Smith, Cllr J Knox, Cllr R Sorrel, Clerk N Smith and 4 members of public.
Minutes
Public Forum (The Public Forum does not form part of the meeting of the Parish Council)
No points raised.
Cllr Sagar opened the normal Council meeting.
020/25. Chair’s remarks: Cllr Sagar announced that Cllr J Brocklebank had resigned from the Council as she had moved away from the village. The Clerk read out a short message received from Cllr Brocklebank thanking the Council for the opportunity to contribute to village life.
There are now 3 vacancies on the Parish Council. Those interested in becoming a Councillor can find further information on the Tallington website.
As mentioned in the Annual Parish Meeting, the Post Office service in the Village Hall would end on 24th June due to Adele’s retirement.
021/25. Apologies for Absence and reasons given: C Cllr A Baxter and D Cllr V Smith sent apologies due to half-term holidays, D Cllr R Trollop-Bellew no apologies received.
It was resolved to accept the apologies and change future May meeting date to miss half-term.
022/25. To receive any Declaration of Interest: None declared.
023/25. To agree and sign minutes of Parish Council Meeting held on 12th March 2025: The minutes were approved as a true and accurate record and signed by the Chair.
024/25. Matters arising from above minutes not on Agenda: None
025/25. Finance: Council had received –
Precept of £9,250
VH&PFA grant of £6,300
VAT refund of £878.85
SKDC Community Cleaner grant £463.32
Payments were made for –
MG maintenance £1,404.50
Playing Field wall repairs £8,105
Clerk Expenses £280.67
Community Cleaner £419.63
Pump hose £242.88
AquaSacs £456.00
Internal Audit(IA) £285.60
It was resolved to accept payments as presented.
The Clerk mentioned that interest on the Hinckley & Rugby account had changed from 3.6 to 3.4%.
The IA had shown that best practice should include a regular Bank Reconciliation. This can be done at a meeting by 2 councillors checking Invoices against Bank Statements. The process to be set up for a future meeting.
Grants for Village Hall and Church carried forward to July meeting.
Cllr J Knox left meeting at 19:56 to attend another meeting.
026/25. Budget: A formal Parish Council Budget will be drawn up for discussion at the January 2026 meeting.
Items requiring maintenance during this year are the Notice Board on Bainton Road, as water has warped the pin-board. The external wooden frame needs varnishing. Cllr R Sorrel has refurbished the other 2 boards recently and volunteered to see what was required to fix.
Action: Cllr Sorrel
027/25. Planning: No planning applications received. The weekly Planning Update from SKDC is circulated to all Councillors for information.
028/25. Reports from District and County Councillors: D Cllr V Smith had sent a report.
- LCC now led by Reform with a Reform Mayor for Lincolnshire.
- Local Plan house building target have been changed.
- Mallard Pass new owners anticipate commencing build in Spring 26.
- SKDC bins in colour to promote issues/organisations.
- Tallington now have 30mph rounders on the main road at village entrance.
Full report attached below.
029/25. Clerk’s report:
- an email had been received from a visitor to Red House Paddock concerning the effect of the heat on the new saplings.
- Details of work proposed to the Maxey Cut had been circulated to councillors. - Year-End and Internal Audit preparation work meant that the Clerk far exceeded her agreed hours in April and May. The Clerk also requested that her weekly hours be increased from 3.5 to 5 to allow for all the work now required to ensure the Council meets its statutory obligations. A detailed timesheet to be kept for review at each meeting.
It was resolved to accept the weekly hours increase.
The Clerk also mentioned that the IA had shown a need for a Contract and Review, training plan and proper Payroll processing. These will be set up over the next few months.
030/25. Multi-Agency Meetings (AW, EA, NR, LCC, IDB): There had been a MAG meeting on 28th May.
- NR had refused to allow LCC permission to do drain clean when the Rail Crossing was closed on 17th May, as they say LCC had not sought the correct
permissions. LCC currently trying to establish facts and circumstances and
agree forward actions
- LCC to install gully traps along the Main Road over the next few months.
- AW unable to commit a start date for work on the three areas marked in Blue on the Main Road
- EA replaced the Flap Valve on the river bank earlier in May. TPC have requested a mesh filter and a penstock gate be installed to keep the valve clear of debris.
- There are yellow markings on the river bridge but no details of meaning.
Action: Cllr J Smith to investigate further.
- LCC Highways do not have a date for replacing the Casewick culvert pipe.
- TPC still have not received an official copy of the Section 19 report from LCC Flood & Water team.
- The EA email re Maxey Cut works has raised a debate as to where the MC starts.
Is it at the Water Fall upstream towards Copthill, or at the road bridge, or is at the footbridge near the fish pass??
- TPC have given feedback to EA re erosion near Water Fall since the self set trees have now been removed.
- The EA visited the village in May 2025 to review various issues on the river.
Cllr J Smith attended.
031/25. Millennium Green path works/ Footpath No 4.: Cllr J Smith suggested a purchase of daffodil bulbs to be planted on the MG. Suggested budget of £400. Donations would be very welcome.
Action: Cllr J Smith to get further detailed bulb costs. These will not be
available until September - October.
032/25. Trees/Wild Flowers: The saplings are being affected by the hot weather. Volunteers welcome to water them. A review will be done in Autumn to see if any trees have not survived and will need to be replaced.
More rabbit burrowing occurring on cleared bank.
Action: Cllr J Smith to arrange a visit from a ferret man.
The trees on the Stamford end of MG are being smothered by undergrowth. Unable to use mulching mower due to grass length.
Action: Cllr J Smith to investigate buying a Strimmer to add to the MG equipment.
033/25. SK UK Shared prosperity fund: there is a new round of funding for projects over £5k. TPC have no projects of this value planned and will not be applying.
034/25. Website & Email changes: Legal requirements are changing which mean the Council need to purchase a .gov domain and use email addresses on that domain. This is to guard against cyber-attacks and FOI requests. There will be a new Assertion on the 2025/26 AGAR covering this. The Council website is supported by LCC on a .gov domain. An IT Policy will be drawn up.
The Clerk had obtained 3 quotes for an annual domain maintenance. Parish Online quoted £312, Cloud Next £120 and NetNerd £83.99 per year. There could be a first-year grant of £100 available to cover costs.
It was resolved to use NetNerd for the domain.
Action: Clerk to get further details from NetNerd. Cllr J Smith to write up concerns.
035/25. Marking VE Day 2025: The VH&PFA committee were not interested in running a commemoration event due to lack of volunteers.
036/25. Dates of Next TPC Meetings: Wednesday 16th July 2025, Wednesday 17th Sept 2025
The meeting closed at 20h45.