2025 Minutes

Welbourn Parish Council
NOTES OF WELBOURN PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
HELD ON WEDNESDAY 8 JANUARY 2025
IN THE WELBOURN VILLAGE HALL AT 7.30 p.m.

Not Present

1. Chairman’s welcome
2. Acceptance of reasons for absence 
2.1 Apologies were received from District Councillor Lucille Hagues due to poor weather.
3. Declaration of interest in any matter on the agenda – None declared.
4. Notes of meeting held on 13 November 2024 to be approved as minutes. Proposed by Cllr Spedding and seconded by Cllr Stark. 
4.1 Resolved: That these be accepted as minutes of the meeting. 
5. Parish Clerk’s Report 
5.1 A new electoral register has been published by North Kesteven District Council (NKDC).
5.2 George Kane convened a meeting of the Emergency Plan Steering Group on 4 December 2025.
5.3 Councillor Marianne Overton has informed the Parish council that there is a Cluster Group meeting for Parish Councillors to be held on 21 January 2025 (venue to be confirmed.) 
5.4 The Parish Clerk has received a Freedom of Information Request from Jayne Bond, from Anwick, asking whether Welbourn PC has had any interactions with Stream Bioenergy. There have been no such interactions, and a response will be sent to that effect. 
5.5 Villages Plant advise that there will be a coppicing event on Saturday 18 January 2025 at Castle Hill. 
6. Public Forum 
6.1. There were no members of the public present, but the Parish Clerk said that a Parishioner had expressed concern about the number of vehicles and heavy lorries accessing Fen Bay Services causing damage to the road surface at Moat Lane and North End. 
7. County and District Councillors update 
7.1 Cllr. Overton (arrived circa 8.30 pm) is very concerned about the proposed Leoda Solar farm at Leadenham which extends into Welbourn Parish. The proposed scheme extends over 2400 acres. She is urging all residents to fight the proposals. There is a protest meeting to be held against solar farm developments at the Venue Navenby, on Thursday 16 January 2025 at 5 pm. There are petitions which residents can sign. She stressed that it is important to fight the development of the proposed solar transfer station at Navenby. NKDC will decide on the planning application. Councillor Overton continues to have grave misgivings about the devolution plans creating a Greater Lincolnshire Combined Mayoral Authority. She is concerned that this new layer of Government will diminish local decision making and representation as District Councils could be phased out. 
8. Current and future maintenance responsibilities 
8.1 A builder needs to check the stability of the chimney stack at Welbourn Forge and provide quote for remedial work for further consideration by the Parish Council. 
As this is a Listed Building a grant may be available from North Kesteven District Council (NKDC) to fund this repair work. 
8.2 Action Point: The Parish Clerk to arrange for suitable quotes.  
8.3 An ivy growing on the left-hand side elevation of The Forge and is dislodging the roof tiles. 
8.4 Action Point: The Parish Clerk will ask the local handyman to give a price for arresting the growth and removing damaging parts of the ivy plant. 
9.5 Contractors have been requested to provide estimates to clear the brash on the village hall side of the pond and the eastern end of the pond. Two quotes have been received with a further quote in the pipeline. 
8.6 Resolved: That the Parish Clerk and the Chair decide on the most appropriate quote when all quotes received and instruct the preferred contractor.  
8.7 DCR were called out again to fix a failed heating pump to the underfloor heating at the village hall on 28 November 2024. The annual service for the air source heating has been booked for 22 January 2025. A repair to leaking joints within plantroom and a top-up of the antifreeze in system will be carried out at the same time. 
8.8 Resolved: This is noted by the Council 
8.9 The Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) are currently carrying out a survey and inspection of all gullies, drains and culverts in the village. LCC has promised to fill in dangerous potholes on Moat Lane and once conditions dry out, it will carry out a proper patch repair to the damaged road surface. 
8.10 A Councillor expressed concern about the high-water level flowing in the beck at the bottom end of Hall Orchard Lane following the heavy rain on 6 January. 
8.11 Action: Parish Clerk to investigate and arrange remedial action if possible. 
9. Planning Matters to consider and discuss: 
9.1 Planning Application Reference: 24/1346/HOUS
Proposal: Removal of conservatory and erection of a single storey side extension.
Location: 28 High Street Welbourn Lincoln Lincolnshire LN5 0NH 9.2 Application reference: 24/1328/TCA
Description of works: Lift the crown on the roadside in highlighted area on
plan for a clearance of 5.2m. Reduce the lower limbs by 2m.
Location: Welbourn Place, 1 Moat Lane, Welbourn. 9.3 Application reference: 24/1386/TPO
Description of works: T1 - Sycamore - Radial reduction of southern crown
by a maximum of 2m. Crown lift on southern side to give clearance of 5.2m. Removal of deadwood (exempt from application but included for completeness)
Location: Welbourn Place, 1 Moat Lane, Welbourn.
9.4 Resolved: The Parish Council supports these applications even though the deadline for comments has passed. 
10. Notifications of Planning Decisions: 
10.1 Application Reference: 24/0904/HOUS
Proposal: Erection of breeze block structure surrounding a newly installed fuel storage container (retrospective)
Location: 14 The Green Welbourn Lincoln
10.2 Approved by North Kesteven Planning and noted by the Parish Council. 
11. Finance Report: - From the Responsible Finance Officer (RFO): - To review bank balances, invoices paid since last meeting since, items to be paid before next meeting and quarter end report: -
11.1 Accounts value (2 January 2025):

11.2 Bank reconciled:    £0 discrepancy.
(N.B. The bank statements were crossed checked against the above balances by Cllr. Huntsman.) 
11.3 Payments made since 13 November 2024

11.4 Income received since last meeting: 

11.5 Expected payments before the next meeting (12 February 2025): 

11.6 Quarter 3 Budget Comparison – Responsible Finance Officer 
•    Total budget: £29,148.60
•    Anticipated budget spend: £21,861.45 (09/12)
•    Actual budget spend: £22,041.38 (0.8% Over Budget)

•    N.B.£1,054.04 Spent on FCC project, this is a capital expense and has not been included in the comparison.
•    N.B.£9,782.44 Spent on RPF project, this is a capital expense and has not been included in the comparison.
11,7 Resolved: The items 11.1 – 11.6 be noted and approved by the Parish Council. 
12. To consider and approve the precept to NKDC for 2025-26 – RFO
12.1 The RFO presented the proposed precept demand for financial year 2025-2026 to the Parish Council and requested authorisation. The precept is based on the budget agreed at the previous meeting (13th November 2024) – The net Precept demand is £30,305.26 and will be received on 01/04/2025. 
12.2 Resolved: That the RFO be authorised to submit the Welbourn Parish Council Precept to NKDC without delay. 
13. Springwell Solar Farm – to decide whether a response from Parish Council to the formal consultation is required. 
13.1 The Parish Clerk advised the Council that the planning application for the proposed Springwell Solar had been accepted by the Government Planning Inspectorate on 18 December 2024. The Council can submit its views on the development to the Inspectorate between 15 January 2025 and 17 February 2025.  
13.2 Resolved: That the Parish Clerk arrange to send a letter to the Inspectorate with the same wording as described in Item 9.2 of the 13 November 2024 minutes. 
14. North Kesteven Rural England Prosperity Fund – Cllr. Bighi 
14.1 Cllr. Bighi reported that following on from his reports in September 2024 (Item 15.1) and November 2024 (Item 16.1) all outstanding items have been purchased and paid for. Residents will see the new benches, picnic tables etc installed around the village when the weather improves. The NK Rural Prosperity Fund grant of £7,079 has been received into the Parish Council’s bank account. The VAT element which had been paid on these purchases will be reclaimed by the RFO from HMRC. 
14.2 Resolved: That the Parish Council note this and thank Cllr Bighi for his hard work in securing the grant funding. 
15. Portfolio Holders Updates 
15.1 Cllr. Stark advised that she had agreed updated employment contracts with the Parish Clerk and the Responsible Finance Officer. 
15.2 Cllr. Cross said that he had been advised earlier on in the day of the proposed Leoda Solar Farm. Local farmers are being offered huge financial incentives to offer up their land for solar farm projects which is causing great local concern.  
16. Agenda items for the next meeting: update Standing Orders; update Financial Regulations.

Signed ……………………………………………….  Date…………………………….
Chair
(Meeting closed at 9.05 pm.)

Next meeting:
Wednesday 12 February 2025
Future Parish Council Meetings in 2025:  All meetings to commence at 7.30 pm

Copies to: Parish Councillors, County & District Councillors, Parish Council Web Site.