July 2025

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting of Ropsley & District Parish Council held at Ropsley Hall on Monday 21st July 2025.

Public Forum

There were no members of the public in attendance.  Members resolved to suspend the Standing Orders to allow the meeting to commence at 7.15pm

In Attendance

Councillor Ward (Chair), Councillor Marshall (Vice-Chair), Councillor Hughes, Councillor Campbell, Councillor Louth, Councillor Vaughan,  Mr Andrew Jones (Clerk & RFO), Councillor Martin Hill (LCC),Councillor Sarah Trotter (SKDC)

The Chair opened the meeting at 7.15pm

1. WELCOME REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN (25/19)

The Chair welcomed Members to the meeting and thanked them for their attendance.

2. APOLOGIES:  TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND TO RESOLVE TO ACCEPT REASONS GIVEN (25/20)

No apologies for absence were received.

3. DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AND REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION (25/21)

No declarations of pecuniary interest or requests for dispensation were made.

4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (25/22)

               Councillor Marshall proposed that the Clerk’s notes of the Parish Council meeting held on 19th May be approved as a true record, which was seconded by Councillor Campbell.

Resolved: The minutes of the meeting held on 19th May 2025 were approved and duly signed by the Chairman.

5. DISTRICT AND COUNTY COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS (25/23)

Councillor Hill reported that there had been a change of Council since his last attendance.

The Battery Storage application at Aisby has been abandoned permanently although there were still a considerable number of solar farms either approved or applied for. This fact was substantiated by Councillor Vaughan who produced a map showing the number and location of local applications.

The Ropsley Quarry has been granted a two year extension with the conditions that they only use certain roads and update the public footpath.

Surface dressing has happened on a number of local roads.

Councillor Hill is to have a meeting to discuss possible traffic measures with the Local Highways.

Councillor Trotter spoke about the local council reorganisation meetings and the proposals made. No decision for a couple of years.

There had also been three SKDC councillors who had defected to Reform from the Conservatives.

SKDC had issued a Housing Survey and Consultation document which is on-line to be completed.

Grantham is to hold a Thatcher Fest in the autumn which will feature a number of events.

There is to be a change in bin collection days and this will be published when the details are known.

As reported, Lincolnshire Police requires additional funding as it is close to bankruptcy and they are meeting with the Secretary of State to obtain emergency funding.

6. CLERKS REPORT (25/24)

Councillors noted the contents of the Clerk’s Report with regards to actions from previous minutes.

The Clerk is to review and update the Policies and Procedures and forward them to the Chairman for signature prior to their approval at the next meeting.

Action: Clerk to update the Policies and Procedures for approval

7. FINANCE (25/25)

7.1         Members noted income received as follows:

7.2         Councillor Ward proposed that the following payments be approved, which was seconded by Councillor Marshall.

Resolved: To approve the payments as listed.

7.3         Councillor Marshall proposed that the June bank reconciliation be approved, which was seconded by             Councillor Campbell.

Resolved:  To approve the June bank reconciliation.

7.4         Members noted the budget monitoring statement showing expenditure and income against the 2025/26 budget to date. 

8. PLANNING (25/26)

8.1         To consider the following planning applications received since the last meeting:

8.1.1      S25/1176 Install electronic communications apparatus to existing telecommunications installation at Ropsley Village Hall

8.1.2      S25/1136 Installation of 2 wooden telegraph poles – 9 Wood End Ropsley

8.1.3      S25/0943 Submission of details for various plans as detailed in the planning application S24/0236 re the extension to Ropsley Quarry

8.2         To note the following planning decisions:

There were no planning decisions since the last meeting

9. HIGHWAYS (25/27)
   1. The Clerk had written to Councillor Hill re the advisory 20mph speed limit and yellow lines request, and he will submit this to LCC.

The results of the Facebook poll re possible speed bumps showed that 51% disagreed with their installation.

The possibility of installing flashing Smiley face speed signs was discussed and the Clerk is to contact LRSP for a quote.

Action: The Clerk to contact LRSP for a quote

9.2         The Clerk had not had a response from LCC re the removal of the grass triangle on Braceby Road and he is to chase LCC.

               Action: The Clerk is to chase LCC re a response.

9.3         The speed bumps possibility is addressed in 9.1 above.

9.4         The parking problems were discussed again, and this had been raised by residents to the SKDC and Lincolnshire Police who were to arrange a meeting with various parties.

9.5         The Clerk reported the overgrown hedges on Humby Road had been reported to the Highways and these had now been cut. However, the trees around the 30mph signs need attending to and the Clerk to report this.

               Action: The Clerk is to report the overgrown trees near the Humby Road 30mph sign to LCC

10. CEMETERY (25/28)

10.1       The Clerk had received a quote of £375 + VAT from Crimson Kings to remove the dead wood from some ash trees in the cemetery which overhang the footpath and graves. It was agreed that this be accepted and also to ask them if they could transport the logs already cut to Councillor Vaughan’s property for splitting and selling.

Action: The Clerk to contact Crimson Kings

11. COMMUNITY UPDATES (25/29)

11.1       A Christmas Tree group has been set up to plan the Christmas tree and lights and this will meet in the autumn.

               Action: To ensure that this item is on the agenda for the next meeting  

11.2       There had still be no response from SKDC re the storage container and it was decided that the Clerk contact them again. Councillor Trotter to provide a SKDC contact.

               Action: The Clerk to contact SKDC re the siting of the storage container.

11.3       The 2025 calendars has produced a profit of £184. Councillor Campbell had received a number of photos for the 2026 calendar and so it should be fine.

11.4       The Community Emergency Plan was discussed, and it was agreed that the Clerk would look at this and amend to include our Parish details and the forward to Councillor Marshall for her input. This would then be sent out to the Council and discussed at the next meeting.

               Action: To discuss the Emergency Plan at the next meeting following work carried out by Councillor Marshall and The Clerk

11.5       As noted in item 5 above, the number of solar farms was discussed following the map distributed by Councillor Vaughan.

11.6       The local government reorganisation plans were discussed with Councillor Hill and Councillor Trotter (item 5 above), but no conclusion would be reached until at least 2027.

11.7       It was decided to post the SKDC Housing and Planning Survey on Facebook for residents to complete if they wish.

               Action: Councillor Marshall to post the Housing and Planning Survey onto Facebook

11.8       The watering of the Coronation Orchard was discussed, and it was thought that it would be a good idea to purchase a 1000 litre IBC to store the water near to the trees to aid the watering. Councillor Louth is to look into obtaining one of these.

               Action: Councillor Louth to source an IBC

11.9       The next newsletter will be produced October/November and so all submissions should be forwarded to Councillor Marshall

               Action: all articles for the Autumn newsletter to be submitted by the end of September

11.10     The gift for Barry Buxton following his retirement is to be sourced by the Chairman

               Action: Chairman to source retirement gift

11.11     Heather and Roger Charles are retiring from maintaining the four Flower Boxes. It was decided to hold at Volunteer’s evening in October where we could present them with a retirement gift, This will be finalised at the next meeting.

               Action: Ensure Volunteers Evening is on the next agenda

12.         PARISH COUNCIL VACANCY (25/30)

12.1       There is still a vacancy on the Council and The Clerk is to advertise the position on tall of the notice boards.

               Action: The Clerk to advertise the vacancy on all the notice boards

13.         CORRESPONDENCE (25/31)

13.1       Members noted all general correspondence circulated for information since the May meeting.

14.         DATE OF NEXT MEETING (25/32)

14.1       The date for the next meeting was set for Monday 8th September 2025 at 7pm at Ropsley Hall.

               The Chair closed the meeting at 9.11pm.