Minutes for Parish Council Meetings 2026-27

Minutes of the Barrowby Parish Council Meeting held on Monday 14th September 2026 at the Reading Room, Church Street, Barrowby at 6:45pm

Public Forum (6:45pm – 7pm) There were 3 members of the public present. 

Meeting started 7pm 

Councillors in attendance:

Michael Brown, Paul Brown, Phil Cupit, JP Durand, Nigel Eaton (Chair), Jo Footitt, Tim Lees, Anna McConnell-Good and Hugh Staunton

Officers in attendance:

Claire Vink (Parish Clerk)

District and County Councillors:

District Cllr Robert Leadenham

1. WELCOME (26/059)

Cllr Eaton welcomed members and members of the public to the meeting. 

2. APOLOGIES (26/060)

Cll Whittington and County Cllr Richard Litchfield apologies were NOTED

Cllr Bosworth emailed her resignation from the Council on the 14th September. Cllr Bosworth was thanked for her 40+ years of service to the parish and the Council. She was invited to continue to attend the meetings as a District Councillor.

3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST (26/061)

a) No declarations were made. 

b) No dispensations were made.

4. MINUTES (26/062)

It was RESOLVED to approve and sign the minutes from the Parish Council meeting on 13th July 2026. There was 1 abstention

Variation to the order of business

It was AGREED to bring forward agenda item 7, as there were visiting representatives were present. Item 7 was therefore considered before agenda item 5.

5. ARCHERY REQUEST – PONY PADDOCK (26/063)

Concerns raised over liability to Council, who will ensure safety requirements such as backstop are in place, access through Allotments. Cllr Lees to take the lead to ensure Health and Safety requirements are satisfied. Vote: 5 approve 2 against. Approved in principle pending Health and Safety checks. ACTION: Cllr Lees to engage with Archer to confirm arrangements and check set up. Clerk to contact Council Insurance

6. REPORTS (26/064)

a) Verbal update received from local government representatives:

District Councillor Leadenham: 

i. Verbal update regarding the pause of the LGR (Lincolnshire reorganisation). Currently under review.

ii. SKDC apologised for taking the council tax early in August and for any difficulties and distress this may have caused residents.

iii. There have been issues with bin collection in the district due to short numbers of refuse workers.

iv. Cllr Leadenham has attended the Armed Forces Careers Day at Belton Woods. 

v. Cllr Leadenham to attend a brief on the new National Planning Policy and will update. Cllrs offered training with LALC regarding this. Cllrs Cupit, Durand, Eaton and Lees asked to attend. ACTION Clerk to register the training.

vi. Community speedwatch training dates discussed. Cllr Leadenham to confirm.

County Councillor Litchfield: An update was given by the clerk. A successful walk about with a representative from LCC Highways had taken place in the summer with the Clerk and Cllr Lees. Areas visited included: 

i. Grange Paddock. This has come to the top of the resurfacing list. Due to a discussion around the speculative planning LCC have paused this work. 

ii. Low Road opposite Coop: A drop curb to support access for a disabled resident was approved and should be completed before Christmas. Extension of the footpath from the Lowfields entrance to this drop curb will be considered by LCC.

iii. Bridge across to Dysart Road. LCC Highways to address issue of barrier height with National Highways. Changing the barrier height will require closure of the A1 which may be the reason there has been a reluctance to pursue this by National Highways. 

iv. Blocked drains on Casthrope Road, Low Road and Morris Road: LCC Highways to look into this matter

v. Drainage at the Reading Room: Water run off from the Reading Room onto the Highway is not permitted however there should be the option to connect to a nearby drain.

vi. Rectory Lane unofficial laybys: LCC Highways supportive of installing barriers to block the laybys. This should reduce fly tipping near the A52 / Rectory Lane junction and restore the verge. ACTION: Clerk to liaise with owner of the field to determine if there is a possible entrance to the field by the A52.  

b)    Verbal update received from the Parish Council Working Groups. Of NOTE: The Flower Group were thanked for all their efforts with watering over the challenging summer months and keeping the village looking welcoming.  20’s Plenty: while there has been very little activity and interest in this group, it will remain active for the consideration of new Cllrs. 

7. ARMED FORCES COVENANT (26/065)

Presentation of the principles of the covenant was received from representatives from D Nichols SKDC and P Dury NKDC. The Parish Council listened to the new proposal that it would form part of a hub of councils providing signpost support for members of the armed forces and veterans. Cllr Eaton and Cllr Footitt volunteered to head the programme with support from the Clerk and Cllr Leadenham. Council voted with 3 supported, 5 abstained requesting more information about the level of commitment and work required. Cllr Leadenham agreed to host a presentation at the next Belvoir Ward meeting. Date to be confirmed ACTION: Clerk to attend Dispersed Military Families Symposium to gain further insight.

8. MAJOR PROJECTS PROGRAMME AND CONSULTATION ANALYSIS (26/066)

a) The reports on the Major Projects Programme and Community Consultation Analysis were NOTED.

b) It was agreed to progress as follows:

i. 3G pitch with Football club as lead. It was RESOLVED to approve investigating feasibility for either a full sized 3G pitch or a smaller pitch pending Football Federation support and use of S106 outdoor space money from the Low Fields developments.

ii. Cllrs to look at different models of operation of similar venues to the Pavilion and Lowfields such as Great Gonerby where the land is Parish Council but the Memorial Hall and Football pitches (including a7 aside 3 G pitch) are run by volunteer committee, Harlaxton where the bowls and Sport and Social Club are run by volunteer committee, Long Bennington and Bourne. ACTION: Cllr Cupit to investigate operating models at Bourne and Long Bennington, Cllr Footit to investigate Harlaxton.

iii. The Buildings and Assets committee will progress decisions on the future use and design of the Pavilion and Lowfields 

iv. It was RESOLVED to approved the Parish Council Staff progress significant refurbishment and maintenance plan for the Reading Room and to apply for grants to support this.

v. It was RESOLVED to approve amendment of the S106 money to remove the word ‘new’ from the Community Facilities award to allow greater scope of use within the village.

9. GRANT OPTIONS (26/067)

a) It was RESOLVED to approve application for the following grants:

i. LCC Divisional Grant to purchase and install a book exchange outside the Reading Room. It was RESOLVED to approve  Edusentials Outdoor Book Library @ £719.99 inc VAT and delivery with the additional costs of installation to be confirmed.

ii. LCC Strategic Fund to purchase 3xSpeed Indicator Devices (SIDs) in a coordinated application with Sedgebrook and Denton Parish Councils to create a network of SIDs across the parishes

iii. Arnold Clarke Community Fund application of up to £2500 towards replacement of 2 x Defibrillators. 

b) ACTION: Clerk to work with necessary grant bodies to progress applications.

10. PLANNING (26/068)

There was no further update regarding planning beyond the EOM on the 7th September at the time of the meeting. It was NOTED that Cllr response to emails was still causing delay in responding to important issues. ACTION Clerk to clarify use of personal devices to check Parish Council emails. It was NOTED that no documents relating to the Parish Council should be saved to a personal device. 

11. NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN (26/069)

An email from Emma Whittaker, SKDC was NOTED providing the update on the Neighbourhood Plan. The consultation has now ended. A confidential draft of the examiners findings will be shared for basic factual errors. Once approved, the final report will be published finalising the examination. If basic requirements are met, a referendum will be called.  

12. SKDC COMPLAINTS (26/070)

A verbal update regarding the finalisation of the SKDC investigation into the complaints submitted by Parish Council was received. The final report from Weightmans was NOTED. ACTION: Cllr Leadenham to request a mediation meeting with SKDC and Parish Council to discuss the report. ACTION: Clarification that SKDC consider this to be the final report. ACTION: Once confirmation has been received publication of an appropriately redacted report in line with transparency requirements to be considered.  

13. LANDSCAPING DEVELOPER COMMITMENTS (26/071)

a) A verbal update regarding a meeting at the CoOp with Kevin Kendal, Head of Property at Lincolshire CoOp was NOTED. A written update from Mr Kendal regarding the actions required to rectify the planting was outstanding at the time of the meeting

b) It was RESOLVED to approve a shorter leaflet to the residents of the Morris Road estate detailing what they should expect from Platform Housing, their management company. It was RESOLVED to approve a maximum budget of £50 for printing. ACTION: Clerk to work with Cllr Durand to create leaflet. 

14. MILL ROW FLOODING (26/072)

A verbal update was received regarding ongoing conversations with the Land Owner of the field adjoining the Lowfieds via the Mill Road path. Enquiries as to responsibility and viable options to mitigate the flooding are continuing.

15. COMMITTEE MINUTES (26/073)

a) None to note

16. FINANCE (26/074)

a) It was RESOLVED to approve the July and August 2026 bank reconciliations 

b) The income for July and August 2025 was NOTED

c) It was RESOLVED to approve the payments list.

d) The external auditors report was NOTED. There were no matters arising. Publication of the required conclusion-of-audit notice was confirmed. It was RESOLVED to approve payment for the audit. Parish Council Staff, in particular the RFO were thanked for all their work.

e) It was RESOLVED to approve awarding the 3.3% national pay award for all Parish Council staff, effective from 1st April 2026, including any back pay due.

f) It was RESOLVED to approve Crimson King as a preferred supplier for arboricultural works.

g) It was RESOLVED to approve quote from Crimson King to trim the hedges on the Village Green and Lowfileds path where Parish Council have responsibility.

h) It was RESOLVED to approved Inspire Plus’s request to host the Grantham School Football event at Lowfields. It was RESOLVED that there would be no charge for this event. Football club to lead. There were 2 abstentions.

i) It was NOTED that the first draft of the Budget was due in October with final submission in January. All committees and Working Group to finalise their requests within this timeframe.

17. CLERKS REPORT (26/075)

The work of the Parish Council Staff was NOTED in the Clerks Report. There was no delegated spending in the timeframe.

18. CAPTURE OF FUTURE ISSUES FOR DISCUSSION / AGENDA ITEMS (26/076)

Review of Budget 

Restarting Parish Council Surgeries

Community Speed Watch

19. DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING (26/077)

Monday 12th October 2026 at 6.45pm in the Reading Room for the Parish Council Meeting

Cllr Staunton handed his resignation to the Chair with immediate effect. Cllr Staunton was thanked for all his efforts on the Parish Council, particularly with RAGs.

The meeting closed at 9.44pm

BARROWBY PARISH COUNCIL FINANCE REPORT JUNE 2026: 

Members noted the following income in July/August:   

Members approved the following expenditure in July/August/September 2026: