2025 Minutes

Welbourn Parish Council

 MINUTES OF WELBOURN PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

HELD ON WEDNESDAY 8 OCTOBER 2025

IN THE WELBOURN VILLAGE HALL AT 7.30 p.m.

PRESENT 

Not Present

1. Chairman’s welcome

2. Acceptance of reasons for absence

2.1 Apologies were received from Cllr. Troy (family emergency), Cllr. Huntsman (family commitment), and Cllr. Stark (work). These apologies were accepted.

3. Declaration of interest in any matter on the agenda – Re Item 9.2 , Cllr. Crosby pointed out that he had a distant family relationship to the applicant and would not be commenting or participating in the voting on this item.

4. Notes of meeting held on 10 September 2025 to be approved as minutes. Proposed by Cllr. Cross and seconded by Cllr. Ralph.   

4.1 Resolved: That these be accepted as minutes of the meeting.   

5. Parish Clerk’s Report

5.1 The Parish Council has been invited to attend the North Kesteven District Council Town and Parish Council Forum which takes place on Thursday 6 November 2025.

5.2 A resident has offered to provide IT training to Welbourn residents under the auspices of the Parish Council.

Action Point: The Parish Clerk will liaise with this resident with a view to offering three training sessions in the New Year.

5.3 The Welbourn Floods Working Group met on 16 September 2025. Members provided feedback on the results of culvert and ditches inspections. Letters have been sent to local farmers asking for their cooperation in keeping hedges trimmed and ditches and culverts clear. A site meeting with the Lincolnshire County Council’s Flood Risk Co-ordinator has been organised.

5.4 Reclaim Heritage has requested permission to carry out a geophysical survey of Castle Hill. This involves using ground penetrating radar. It is liaising with the Society of Lincolnshire History and Archaeology.

Action Point: Parish Clerk to advise Reclaim Heritage that the Parish Council has no objections subject to Reclaim Heritage obtaining the necessary approvals from Historic England.

5.5 The NKDC Waste & Street Scene Manager has provided publicity information regarding the introduction of the new Food Waste Recycling Scheme.

Action Point: Parish Clerk to display posters in the village.

5.6 The Parish Council has received a formal warning from North Kesteven District Council (NKDC) for failing to apply for consent to carry out works to trees in a Conservation Area. This relates to work carried out at the village pond on 30 September – 1 October 2025. The warning has been acknowledged and apologies offered for the oversight.

5.7 The yellow grit bin outside the Welbourn Manor Care Home will be replaced by LCC and relocated to the small traffic island outside the old Coop store.

5.8 NKDC has written confirming that Welbourn PC is entitled to receive a payment of £1603.71 in respect of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) payments collected by NKDC in 2025-26. There are restrictions on what this money can be spent on, and this will have to be agreed at a future meeting.

5.9 A resident has contacted the Parish Council requesting that representations be made to NKDC regarding the size of the trees in the back gardens backing on to High Street.

Action Point: Parish Clerk to contact NKDC Housing about this.

6. Public Forum – No residents were present.

7. County and District Councillors update

7.1 Cllr. Hagues had nothing further to add to her newsletter. (This can be accessed via the Parish Council’s website.) Cllr. Hagues left the meeting at 8.30 pm.

8. Current and future maintenance responsibilities

8.1 The hedges surrounding the playing field and along side the Castle Hill amenity site along the length of Beck Street require trimming back.

Action Point: Parish Clerk to arrange contractors to carry out the necessary work.

8.2 The Parish Council notice board requires revarnishing.

Action Point: Cllr. Spedding volunteered to carry out this work with materials supplied by the Council.

8.3 Action Point: Parish Clerk to report to Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) on the condition of the chestnut tree near to old telephone box and chestnut tree outside 25 The Green following concern expressed by Councillors.  

9. Planning Matters to consider and discuss:

9.1 Notification of Receipt of Planning Application

Planning Application Reference: 25/1090/HOUS

Proposal: Part conversion of garage to hobby room - Internal & external alterations and erection of timber framed carport.

Location: Grange House 9 Moat Lane Welbourn Lincoln Lincolnshire

Resolved:  Welbourn Parish Council has no objections to this application

9.2 Notification of Receipt of Planning Application

Planning Application Reference: 25/0701/FUL

Proposal: Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of 5no dwellings

Location: Stanfield 23 Crosby Lane Welbourn Lincoln Lincolnshire

Resolved: Welbourn Parish Council supports the application in principle subject to further clarification of 1) precautions taken to protect against flooding 2) capacity to dispose of sewage.

10. Notifications of Planning Decisions:

10.1 Application Reference: 25/0418/FUL

Proposal: Extension of existing churchyard to include change of use from agricultural land to burial ground.

Location: St Chad's Church North End Welbourn.

Approved by NK Planning

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 October 2025):

11.2 Bank reconciled:    £0 discrepancy.

(Cllr. Short checked these balances to the bank statements and signed these off.)

11.3 Payments made since 10 September 2025

11.4 Expected payments before the next meeting (12 November 2025):

11.5 Expected Income before next meeting (12 November 2025)

11.6 Budget Comparison for Quarter 2

Total budget: £29,203

Anticipated budget spend: £14,601.50 (06/12)

Actual budget spend: £15,079.94 (3.28% Over Budget)

Spend against budget by area:

(Excluded Capital Expenses:       Clean Courts - £4,080)

11.7 The RFO reported that grants to assist in the purchase of two defibrators and to offset the cost of the ecologist’s report had been secured. Councillors were asked to consider items for inclusion in the 2026-27 budget which will be agreed at the November meeting.

11.8 Resolved: That the Parish Council notes and approves items 11.1 -11.7 above.

12. That the Council:

a) Approve obtaining three competitive quotes for the outstanding work recommended in the Draft Ecological Survey of Welbourn Beck (22 August 2025).

b) Approve preliminary investigations by the Responsible Finance Officer / Parish Clerk into funding options to finance the work mentioned in 12.a above.

12.1 Resolved: That the Parish Council approves obtaining the quotes and the preliminary investigations into funding options referred to in items 12a and 12b above.

12.2 Resolved: That the Council agrees to displaying a sign at The Beck (Village Pond) requesting residents refrain from feeding bread to the ducks as recommended in the ecologist’s report.

13. To approve the signing of the Deed of Amendment and Declaration of Trust and The Management Agreement between Welbourn Parish Council and the Welbourn Village Hall and Playing Field Committee prepared by the Wellers Law Group.

13.1 Resolved: The Council gives its approval to signing the Deed of Amendment and Declaration of Trust and the Management Agreement referred to in item 13 above.

14. To consider whether the Parish Council wishes to submit representations to the Planning Inspectorate following the acceptance for consideration by the Planning Inspectorate of the planning application made by Fosse Green Energy.

14.1 Resolved: The Council requires that the Parish Clerk arranges to submit the agreed statement from Welbourn Parish Council to the Planning Inspectorate before the deadline date of 27 October 2025.

15. To agree and approve meeting dates for 2026.

15.1 Resolved: The following dates are agreed for 2026 with start times of 7.30 pm:

14 Jan; 11 Feb; 11 Mar; 8 Apr; 13 May; 10 Jun; 8 Jul; 9 Sep; 14 Oct; 11 Nov.

16. a) To rescind Resolution 16.2 made at the June 2025 Parish Council meeting following comments made by the Village Hall & Playing Field Committee at their September 2025 meeting.

16. b) That the Parish Council resolve to purchase from eBay an Epson Projector  (£500 approx), a trolley for the projector (£100 approx) and a 5m cable protector (£100 approx) as this is more cost effective than that agreed in June.

16.1 The Parish Clerk explained that the Parish Council had discussed a like for like replacement of the projectors at the village hall in May 2025. This was estimated to cost £2500, and the proposal was rejected on cost grounds. An alternative solution using a large screen TV was agreed in June 2025 costing approximately £1325 subject to Village Hall and Playing Field Committee (VH&PFC) approval. The proposal in 16b above is estimated to cost £700 approximately and has been agreed with the VH&PFC.

16.2 Resolved:  That a) the Council rescind Resolution 16.2 made at the June 2025 meeting; b) that the RFO / Parish Clerk be authorised to purchase the items set out in 16b. above.

16. Portfolio Holders Updates. 

16.1 Cllr Cross gave an update on the partially blocked culvert at the rear of a property in Hall Orchard Lane. The Parish Clerk had written to Anglian Water requesting an investigation. A reply has been received from Anglian Water stating that it does not own any culverts.

Action Point: Parish Clerk to write to the Witham Internal Drainage Board requesting their comments on the partially blocked culvert.

16.2 Cllr Cross expressed concern about the possible flow of rainwater running off the new driveway to be constructed at land off The Green which has already been granted planning permission.

Action Point: Parish Clerk to write to NKDC Building Control expressing the Parish Council’s concerns.

!6.3 Cllr Cross reported two footpaths within the Parish are partially blocked with overgrown weeds.

Action Point: Parish Clerk to request weed clearance of the these footpaths via FixMyStreert.

17. Agenda items for the next meeting; Budget for 2026-27.

Signed ……………………………………………….  Date…………………………….

Chair

(Meeting closed at 9.15 pm.)

Next meeting : - Wednesday 12 November 2025

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

Future Parish Council Meetings in 2026:  All meetings to commence at 7.30 pm