2026 Minutes

SKILLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL
Grantham, Lincolnshire
Councillors:   Neville Clark, Bronwyn Hedley, Roseanne McKee, Stuart Millington, Joanne Selby 
Parish Clerk:  Pamela Harrison (Mrs), 45 Newton Way, Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, Grantham, Lincs.  NG33 5NP   
Telephone:  07707 104187   email:  clerk.spc@gmail.com

Notes of the Parish Council Annual General Meeting held on Wednesday 7th May 2026 at the Methodist Church.         
Present:  Cllrs N. Clark, B. Hedley, R. McKee, J. Selby and B. Green (SKDC).
In Attendance:  Mrs K. Millington, Miss T. Seager and Mrs P. Harrison (Clerk).
Open Forum:  Mrs Millington asked about the lack of planning permission regarding some gates into the paddock.
1.       Apologies for absence:  Cllrs S. Millington, C. Vernon (LCC) and D. Bellamy (SKDC). 
2.      Co-option of new Councillor:  Miss Seager was proposed by Cllr Selby and seconded by Cllr Hedley and was duly elected.  She will sign the various papers in due course.
3.      Election of:      
         3.1    Chair:  The Clerk took the Chair.  No-one was willing, at this point, to take the position of Chair.
         3.2    Vice-Chair: Cllr Selby was proposed by Cllr Hedley and seconded by Cllr N. Clark and unanimously elected.  Cllr Selby will sign a Declaration of Acceptance of Office.  
4.       Notes of meeting of the Parish Council on 13th April 2026:  Agreed and signed into minutes.  
5.       Councillors’ Declaration of Interest: None 
6.       Review of:
          6.1     Standing Orders                      6.2    Financial Regulations                           6.3    Appointment of Internal Auditor
          6.4    Terms of reference and appointment of Councillors to the Planning Committee
          6.5     Register of Fixed Assets                                                          6.6     Risk Management
          6.7     GDPR  -  New Councillors will receive a GDPR Security Compliance checklist, which should be completed and returned to the Clerk.
          6.8     Code of Conduct                                                                     6.9      Complaints procedure
          6.10    Disciplinary Procedure (to be reviewed every four years).
          6.11    Grievance Policy (to be reviewed every four years).             6.12    Health and Safety Policy.    
          6.13    Accounts held with Virgin Money Store and MMBS and the signatories to these accounts
          6.14    Subscriptions to other bodies                                         
         The above policies and documents were all discussed, reviewed and signed.  The new versions will be circulated.
7.     Determining the dates of ordinary meetings of the full Council.  The schedule was circulated and agreed.  It will be displayed on the Notice Board and on our website. 
8.     Insurance for the year to 31st May 2027:  We have a long-term (3 year) agreement for this insurance.
9.     Matters arising from the minutes: 
           9.1    12.24/11        Community Orchard:  This has now been completed.  A sign is needed.
           9.2    03.26/9.2       Fishwell Close drains:  Cllr Vernon will be asked to chase this.
           9.3    04.26/10        Tree stump on The Square:  Cllr Green suggested a Rowan tree as a replacement for this.  It was unanimously agreed and will be planted on Saturday 9th May.
           9.4    04.26/OF       Cllr Bellamy sent information regarding a SP6 Community asset.  It will be forwarded to the Councillors.    
           9.5     04.26/OF        Memorial plaque on the green.
10.     Planning applications:
           10.1        S226/0373    Skillington PC:  Section 211 notice to reduce Sycamore tree and two Hazel trees back rom wall.                                                                                                                 Work allowed.                              10.2        PL/0012/26  Skillington Quarry, Lane to east and west of Skillington Road, Colsterworth: Variation  of planning permission S18/2237 New conditions to which a mineral site is to be subject to amend                                                              condition 9 (hours of operation)                                                                                                                                                                                                 Comments needed by 7.5.26.
           10.3        S26/0459     Mr P Lord, Cotswold Farm, Crabtree Road:  Extension to an existing wood chip storage building.                                                                                        Comments needed by 27.4.26.
           10.4         S26/0309    Mrs P Harrison (Skillington Parish Council):  Change of use of agricultural field to extension of cemetery and formation of surfaced footpath.                      Comments needed by 5.5.26.
           10.5             Any other planning applications.
  11.   Cemetery:                                             
           11.1     Cemetery shed:  Corrugated sheets are needed.  Quotes will be sought.
           11.2     Cemetery extension:  Planning permission is being sought at the moment.
           11.3      Any maintenance or other matters arising:  None.
   12.   Payments and Accounts:                    
           12.1      Bank Balances as at 25th April 2026:  Virgin Money a/c: £4507.23 after invoices paid.
                        Melton Mowbray Business 100 Day Notice a/c: £12429.69.
           12.2     Income received in April: 
           Date of Receipt               Name                                                   Details and notes              Total Amount
           08.04.26                        SKDC                                                    Annual Precept                  5470.00
          
          12.3      Invoices due for payment at the end of April:
Date and Name                                           Details                                               Date & Minute No. of Approval                                                                         Total Amount
Colsterworth and District Parish Council    Community Cleaner: April 2026 (inc. emptying 5 dog bins @ £2.50 p/bin/month).  6.10.14 Page 2091 Item 8.6        180.61
BDG Mowing                                              Village mowing 9 and 22.4  LCC mowing 14.4                                                         5.10.25 Page 2346 Item 8.1        366.00
Zurich Municipal                                          Annual Insurance                                                                                                      Per budget                                  241.00
Community Heartbeat Trust                        Replacement of defibrillator battery                                                                          S137                                            360.00
N. Clark                                                       Grass seed for the Cemetery                                                                                    S137                                             82.00
          12.4        The annual accounts will be submitted for audit.
13.   Clerk’s Report:   
         13.1       The Clerk and Cllr Hedley have completed the Internal Audit.
         13.2        Paddock:  New procedures have been discussed for future new applications.
         13.3        TRO – Anglian Water will be closing Lords Lane between 8th and 10th June, also Stonepit Land, 40 metres from The Square from 9th to 11th June.    
14.   Matters to be discussed at this meeting:   
         14.1        The fallen walls – this is in progress.  Quotes are being sought.
         14.2        Gates into the Paddock – it is thought that planning permission has not been applied for, for some of the entrances into the paddock.
         14.3        Benches:  A resident has donated some fence treatment, to apply to the wooden benches.
         14.4        Speed awareness – Colsterworth PC has equipment to loan.  Cllr Seager volunteered to go and see how this process worked, with a view to having training.
         14.5        IT policy:  This will be sent round, plus an agreement for Councillors to sign.
         14.6      Confidentiality:  A discussion was held regarding the village WhatsApp group.  It was agreed that only useful information (ie: flooding procedure etc) would be agreed by Councillors, before being posted.  
15.  District and County Councillor’s Reports: 
         Cllr Green stated that due to the imminent Council elections, they were in purdah, so there was very little information to be passed on.     
16.  Any matters arising at the discretion of the Chairman: 
        16.1         Cllr Clark volunteered to keep the Cemetery hedge watered over the summer.
        16.2         Cllr Hedley has requested that the Clerk send the Councillors a copy of the Nolan Principles.
        16.3         Cllr Seager was concerned the A1 was closed on Friday. Lorries are not following the proper diversion.
        16.4         The Clerk was asked to email Cllr Vernon regarding the Emergency Plan and Fishwell Close drains.
        16.5         Cllr Selby asked that the information regarding the Local Plan Policy SP6 community facilities mentioned by Cllr Bellamy at the last meeting.
The meeting was closed at 8.20pm.

The next meeting of the Parish Council will be held on Monday 1st June 2026 at 6.30pm.  It will be held at Skillington Village Hall.

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