2025 Minutes

Scopwick and Kirkby Green Parish Council

Clerk’s Contact Details:

Village Hall, Brookside, Scopwick. LN4 3PA.

07872 943179 | clerkscopwick@gmail.com

https://scopwick.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/

The minutes of the full Council meeting of Scopwick and Kirkby Green Parish Council, held on Tuesday 25th November 2025 at 7:00 pm. The meeting was held in Scopwick Village Hall. These are notes of the meeting until approved by the Council as a true record.

Present: Cllrs M Williams (Chair), J Flett (Vice-Chair), P Baumber, O Davies, P Frost, C Kerrigan and D Nelson; and Parish Clerk - J Sargent. 

There were two members of the public in attendance.

Public Forum

Resident 1, along with other residents, have been using the Church in Kirkby Green to host coffee mornings, the resident wanted to establish who the owner of the Church is, who would be responsible for public liability insurance, maintenance and the bills. The resident queried whether the Parish Council had any responsibility towards the Church and expressed concern that the building would fall into disrepair if it is not used. 

Cllr Davies advised that the Church is owned by the Parishioners, it is held under church law by the Vicar. The Parish Parochial Council of the Church in Kirkby Green ceased to exist as no one was willing to stand as its Church Warden or its Treasurer, which are two key features to retain ownership of a Parish Church.

The PCC of Scopwick have written to the Bishop confirming they are unwilling to have the Church sold, as the Church Commissioners were unwilling to define the safety of the World War I and World War II memorials inside the church, and were not able to guarantee the area of the Churchyard that has been there for more than a thousand years. Cllr Davies advised it could still be used as a Church, however, there didn’t seem the interest and confirmed that it is covered by the PCC’s insurance. 

The Clerk confirmed responsibility is not with the Parish Council.

Cllr Baumber recommended putting information in the noticeboard detailing the responsibilities and contact details for the Church and PCC. 

Resident 2 commented on the beauty of the Church and the importance of its role in the community’s history. The resident commented on the value of meeting socially for many attendees and would like to host an exhibition in the Church on its history in the Spring. Cllr Davies advised that there were some soldiers buried in the graveyard who fought in the battle of Winceby in 1643 for the Parliamentarians. 

North Kesteven District Councillor

Cllr A Bailey was not in attendance and no written report was provided. 

Lincolnshire County Councillor

Cllr R Kendrick was not in attendance but provided a monthly report circulated with Councillors via email. 

With no further matters, it was resolved unanimously to move into formal session.

67. Welcome from the Chair of the Parish Council

Cllr Williams opened the meeting welcoming everyone, thanked Councillors for their attendance, reminded Councillors to turn phone off or on silent and of emergency exits.

68. Apologies for absence.

None received. 

69. Declarations of Interest.

Cllr Baumber declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 16. Cllr Baumber requested an update on the other solar farm projects and associated proposals. Cllr Williams confirmed the Springwell update would be moved to the end of the meeting. Cllr Frost advised a planning application on item 11 was a neighbour but had no pecuniary interest. 

70. To approve as a correct record the minutes of the full Council meeting held on Tuesday 30th September 2025.

With no matters arising, it was resolved unanimously to accept the minutes as a true and accurate record.

71. To approve the record of accounts for:

a. September

b. October

With no matters arising, it was resolved unanimously to accept the accounts submitted for consideration. A copy of the Accounts Report included as an attachment to the minutes. 

72. To receive the bank reconciliation for:

a. September

b. October

The Clerk provided the bank reconciliation to keep Councillors up to date with the financial status of the Council, for information purposes only. A copy of the bank reconciliation is included as an attachment to the minutes.

73. To receive an Income and Expenditure Summary for the second quarter of the financial year for:

a. Treasurers Account

b. Reserves Account. 

c. Combined Accounts

The Clerk provided a summary of the Treasurers and Reserve Accounts for the second quarter of the 2025-26 financial year, for information purposes only. No questions were raised. A copy of the summary is included as an attachment to the minutes.

74. To receive a Budget Review for the second quarter of the financial year.  

The Clerk provided a budget review for the second quarter of the financial year to keep Councillors up to date with where funds are allocated within the budget, for information purposes only. No questions were put to the Clerk. A copy of the budget review is included as an attachment to the minutes.

75. Financial Planning 2026-27, to consider:

a. A draft budget.

b. Precept request.

c. Draft earmarked reserves budget.

The Clerk provided a draft budget and examples of precept calculations to consider for a balanced budget. 

Cllr Frost expressed concern with the high expenditure on the draft budget which would require a significant increase in the precept. The Clerk advised reviewing each allocation to adjust the expenditure. 

Cllr Nelson queried the end of year forecast figures and suggested deferring until after the Q3 review has been completed. The Clerk advised that the current end of year forecast suggests the reserve allocations will not meet the requirements set in the financial regulations, and therefore the reserve allocations should be increased based on the current year average monthly spend. 

The Clerk noted not including a quote for tree maintenance for £3,600.00 and a request from the PCC to increase their grant to £2,000.00. To accommodate these would require a further increase in the precept request. 

Cllr Baumber advised that the Parish Council have previously considered the budget at a separate Budget Meeting and recommended more time be allowed to consider the budget. The Clerk confirmed advice from LALC that a separate Budget Meeting would be informal; all financial transactions must be considered at full Council. 

Cllr Nelson suggested that the Council could call an extraordinary meeting to consider the budget. The Clerk advised it would not meet the criteria for an extraordinary meeting. Cllr Kerrigan suggested bringing the January meeting forward. It was resolved unanimously to move the January meeting to Tuesday 13th January 2026 in Scopwick Church and defer considering the draft budget and precept request.

76. To receive reports: 

a. Village Hall Committee 

Cllr Flett reported that the orchestra that was very well attended and the Sleaford guitar ensemble raised over £250.00 for the Air Ambulance. The Hall has seen a large number of bookings, including Shine Mental Health and the Quality Care Commission for their training events. Blankney Hunt Ball was also held in the Hall. The piano has been repaired and the taps in the kitchen have been replaced.

Upcoming events include a charity coffee morning on Thursday 4th December in aid of Salvation Army, Richard Durrance is performing on Friday 12th December, a craft fair on Saturday 13th December and a quiz that evening. The warm-up to Christmas will be on Monday 15th December - a free event with mulled wine, entertainment and snacks. 

Cllr Davies added that the winter craft fair was held in the Village Hall, which was a well-attended, village social event.

b. Playing Field Committee 

Cllr Nelson confirmed receipt of the RoSPA safety report, which highlighted some areas for maintenance; some items in the play trail are becoming dilapidated and other items such as rotten logs have been removed. Cllr Nelson has contacted the original suppliers of the play equipment for quotes on replacing the items and will consider applying for grant funding. 

c. Community Speed Watch

Cllr Frost advised no roadside sessions were carried out over the winter and confirmed that the new pole is in place, ready for the new radar speed sign to go up. 

LCC have not included the proposed new speed limit for Scopwick on the agenda for their committee meeting in December. Cllr Frost to write to LCC to raise the issue again. 

d. Environmental Report

Cllr Davies reported a dead tree that needs to be removed and to notify NKDC’s Tree Officer. The repair works to the drain on Main Road look set to be completed on Friday 28th November. The Contractors will look to reseed the green where their machinery has been stored. The Clerk confirmed receipt of an email from LCC confirming the Contractor would restore the green. 

Cllr Flett requested a litter pick throughout the parish in February to tidy up the village ahead of the daffodil weekend and has been advised against installing solar panels on the roof of the Village Hall. 

e. The Chair

Cllr Williams reported on receiving a query from a resident in Digby regarding the new property development on Heath Road over concerns about Rowston Water Recyling Centre and whether it had capacity to take on flows from the new development. An application in Digby had been refused as the WRC did not have capacity for the proposals. The Clerk contacted Anglian Water who confirmed that the Rowston WRC would take on the Heath Road development. Rowston WRC is included within Anglian Water’s business plan as a named growth scheme with investment delivery planned between 2025 and 2030. The planning condition at Heath Road requires confirmation from Anglian Water, that sufficient capacity is available at the WRC before the development is occupied. Cllr Williams suggested being mindful of this decision when considering future planning applications. 

f. The Clerk

No report provided. 

77. To receive notification of any planning permissions, refusals, withdrawals, or amendments.

a. Application 25/1307/HOUS | 25 Beckside, Scopwick

b. Application 25/1308/LBC | 25 Beckside, Scopwick

c. Application 25/0766/VARCON | Land Adjacent to 1 Vicarage Lane, Scopwick - Notice of Decision: Approved.

The Clerk confirmed all planning notifications had been circulated via email, with responses where relevant sent to NKDC. 

Cllr Nelson expressed concern about the height on the proposals on application 25/1307/HOUS and that it could overlook the neighbouring property’s garden. Cllr Nelson noted that the easter elevations were not available on the District Council’s planning portal and suggested requesting a reduction in height. The Clerk to submit. 

78. To consider previous Parish Council comments submitted to NKDC on planning applications 20/0820/FUL and 20/0777/FUL, including options to acknowledge the new evidence and to add a clarification note on the minutes from 2020, adding an editorial note to the website.

The Clerk contacted both NKDC’s Monitoring Officer and LALC for advice. NKDC MO’s recommended following LALC’s advice, which was to acknowledge the residents concern, new evidence - if available and the resulting discussion to be recorded in the minutes which may alter internet search results. 

Cllr Nelson and Cllr Davies suggested no evidence had been provided. Cllr Frost suggested taking a pragmatic approach, acknowledging the works have been carried out which may improve drainage. 

Cllr Baumber asked for clarification on the editorial note. Cllr Williams confirmed the previous minutes from the meeting in 2020 cannot be altered, however, an editorial note could be added to the minutes on the Parish Council’s website to acknowledge that LCC have carried out a Surface Water Drainage Rehabilitation Scheme on Main Street.

The Clerk advised the Parish Council could resolve to include an editorial note to say the property may not be responsible for flooding issues as LCC have carried out a Drainage Rehabilitation Scheme.

Cllr Davies queried whether the Parish Council could then be liable if a flooding event occurred in the future, if the editorial note gave assurances to future residents. The Clerk suggested that using ‘may’ as advised by LALC, gives the Parish Council degree of ambiguity. Cllr Davies expressed concern of the precedent it would set and suggested the Parish Council not get involved any further. 

Cllr Williams suggested providing information to conclude this item to avoid further debates, acknowledging that works have been carried out.  

Cllr Baumber suggested acknowledging that works have been carried out and make no further comment. Cllr Baumber rejected the idea that a planning comment made by a Parish Council would affect property values. The Clerk confirmed that LALC advised Parish Council minutes enjoy a degree of protection as they are an accurate record of a meeting (qualified privilege applies), and comments made were about planning matters, which are legitimate public interest discussions. As long as the record is accurate and not malicious, the Council’s legal risk is minimal. The disclaimer included in the LPA submission strengthens the Parish Council’s defence as it makes clear that the Council was not asserting fact but expressing a planning opinion.

LALC also advised that it is very rare for minute or planning comment to have a measurable impact on property value. The property has since been granted permission and LCC have carried out a Surface Water Drainage Rehabilitation Scheme, so it’s unlikely any long-term reputational damage would occur.

Cllr Davies suggested noting that the Parish Council welcome the improvement works to the drains but suggested there is no evidence to confirm the works have resolved any flooding issues. 

Cllr Williams suggested including a statement to conclude this issue. 

The Clerk recommended including ambiguity in the statement, the Parish Council could not state definitively that the works will resolve flooding issues.

It was resolved by majority to include the below on as an editorial note on the relevant minutes from 2020. The Clerk arrange and contact the resident. 

Editorial note on the relevant minutes from 2020:

The Parish Council remains committed to reducing the risk of flooding in Scopwick and Kirkby Green and welcomes the Surface Water Drainage Rehabilitation Scheme undertaken by LCC to improve surface water drainage. 

The Parish Council acknowledges that the minutes from the 2020 caused concern, works carried may mitigate any future risk. 

79. To consider purchasing duck warning signs for the village green. 

Cllr Frost circulated costs of £121.00 for temporary warning signs with Councillors prior to the meeting, after LCC rejected installing additional signs. Cllr Frost suggested deferring until a later date when the budget has been decided. 

Cllr Flett suggested asking the art group to create some new signs. Cllr Baumber suggested to keep it in mind when something is offered to the Parish Council from benefactors such as Blankney Estates and a landfill tax. It was resolved unanimously to defer.

80. To consider using .gov.uk email address to be compliant with the criteria for the external audit. 

The Clerk advised the annual costs will be £100.00 and the Parish Council will be marked as non-compliant by the external auditors. It would also increase security. It was resolved unanimously to include to in the 2026-27 budget.

81. To receive an update for the kerbing project around the village green. 

Cllr Kerrigan circulated the update from LCC via email, which stated that the works are planned for April 2026. Cllr Kerrigan to follow up closer to the time. 

Cllr Williams advised the update on Springwell will be moved to the end of the meeting, to allow for Cllr Baumber to depart ahead of the update. 

82. To receive and update on:

a. Solar Farm Proposals including: Springwell Solar Farm, Fosse Green Energy, Leoda and Coleby.

b. Navenby Substation

c. Battery Storage, near Navenby

Cllr Williams advised the NSIP for Fosse Green is live, meaning residents can register as ‘interested parties.’ The Leoda application is not as far along. No developments are expected on the Navenby Substation until March, as discovery works will have to be undertaken for archaeological excavations. The Coleby and Navenby BESS are with NKDC, and no updates are expected until the new year. 

Cllr Williams advised that all the proposals are reliant on the Navenby Substation receiving planning permission and suggested that more proposals could follow if the substation is approved. 

83. To consider a request from a resident to not reinstate a footway light located on a BT pole inside the property boundary of 95 Main Street, Scopwick.

The Clerk advised this is a footway light, not a streetlight, which is inside the property boundary. LCC asked whether the Parish Council would support this request, as it is the last light out of the village. 

Cllr Baumber suggested the property owner liaise with BT on the location of the pole, which could be removed from the property, but the Parish Council consider the safety of residents using the footpath.

Cllr Williams expressed concern over the precedent this would set as a light further along was removed recently. 

It was resolved unanimously to not support the request from the resident.

84. To consider policies for adoption:

a. Communications Policy 

b. Complaints Procedure 

c. Public Service Charter 

d. Risk Register 

All policies were circulated with Councillors prior to the meeting. 

Cllr Kerrigan requested confirmation on PAT testing for Council equipment. The Clerk confirmed this was being carried out annually. 

Cllr Frost noted that the Risk Register did not cover wider village risks, but examples provided were outside of the Parish Council’s responsibility. 

It was resolved unanimously to adopt all policies tabled for review.

85. To receive a record of previous resolutions and action points.

The Clerk provided a record of previous resolutions and action points that were ongoing and complete.

86. To confirm the date of the next meetings as Tuesday 27th January 2026.

It was resolved unanimously to hold the next Full Council meeting on Tuesday 13th January 2026 in Scopwick Church.

Cllr Baumber left the meeting at 9:08pm.

87. To receive an update on Springwell Solar Farm.

Cllr Williams advised that the planning inspector is to make their final recommendations to the Secretary of State by 9th January 2026. The decision will be made public at some point in January but suggested that it could be another 2 years before they break ground, however, it’s unlikely that any works will go ahead until the Navenby Substation is in place. 

Cllr Williams closed the meeting at 9:10pm.