September 10th 2025 Minutes
Minutes are in DRAFT FORM until approved at the following meeting.
SCOTHERN PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the September Meeting of Scothern Parish Council
Held in the Methodist Church, Wednesday 10th September 2025 at 7.30pm
Present: Cllr J Atkins, D Canton, R Creaser, J Johnson (Chair), M Unwin, S Watt Jones
In attendance: L Brooks-Sleight (clerk)
206/2025 Apologies for Absence
Received with reason from Cllr B Patchett, accepted.
207/2025 Representatives Report
None received
208/2025 Public Participation
None present
209/2025 Declarations of Interest
None received
210/2025 Minutes of last Meeting
The minutes of the July Council Meeting held on 9th July 2025 were approved as a true & correct record. Proposed & seconded. Resolved
211/2025 Clerks Report
• AGAR 2024/25 – email received for further information on the variance in staff costs from 2023/24 to 2024/25
• Grange Park/Ajet drainage report – no reply from WL on the ditches. The report was also sent to Mark Foster, Lindum Homes, who replied - I will forward this to our technical people and ask them for their conclusions. I do apologise re the ditches; it feels a farcical situation. If you achieve any leeway with WLDC, as previously agreed we would be happy to help.
• All SPC gov.uk email passwords have been changed for security & compliance
• Outdoor Play completion Certificate completed & returned
• All NB keys have now been received from previous councillor along with Scothern Neighbour Plan files.
• Bus No.43 issues have now been resolved, and the new timetables are at St Germains, Bottle & Glass and can now be viewed in the Scothern News.
• Street cleaning and drain/gulley cleaning have been requested due to a build-up of straw at the side of the roads
• A request to re-assess the footpath west side of Sudbrooke Rd for weeds/surface – reply from LCC, this will be treated commencing 22nd Sept
• PC Website – LALC’s Webmaster- is spending 15mins going over the website and will contact any updates/suggestions when completed. No obligation to proceed with any changes. Scothern has 1hr 43mins of website maintenance time remaining.
212/2025 Grant Funding Requests 2026/27
Applications were received from SRC for cutting the playing field grass up to a max.30 cut - £3075 and from St Germains PCC for grass cutting in churchyard up to 10 cuts & 1x weed spraying - £717.50. Both applications were discussed and approved under the power to maintain open spaces and burial grounds - Open Spaces Act 1906 ss.9-10. Proposed & seconded. Resolved
213/2025 Lindum Homes – Nettleham Rd Development
Proposed Street options were presented for approval, the PC approved West Thorne Drive and Swynford Close as the 2 new street names. Proposed & seconded. Resolved
214/2025 Grange Park
a. The report from the survey on the trees for their condition and risk management from Watson Lindsey Arboriculture was sent prior and received. No current issues recorded, only the 2 dead trees that the PC were aware of and already instructed the contractor to remove. No further action at this time.
b. Information was presented from a concerned resident re: overhanging trees on their garden and could they be cut back. The PC discussed this and asked Cllr Unwin to look at the trees with the Grange Park working work at their next meeting.
c. Following the request from the Grange Park working group, 3 quotes to purchase 2kg Yellow Rattle Seeds were received- Boston Seeds £560+vat; GFP Agriculture/Belmont Seeds £450+vat; Wildflower.co.uk ££466.66 +vat. It was approved to purchase from GFP/Belmont Seeds for £450 +vat. The PC approved for the clerk to purchase the freezer bags and 25kg sharp sand, approx. cost £4 bag, up to £5 in value with the PC debit card. Proposed & seconded, Resolved
215/2025 Cemetery Car Park Tree Survey
A quote to survey the trees around the car park and cemetery for safety and management, from Watson Lindsey Arboriculture was received for £425 and approved. Proposed & seconded Resolved
216/2025 War Memorial
St Germains PCC received notification from the DAC – the faculty would be granted if the 150mm concrete base was stone/granite and the PCC requested the PC also pay the faculty fee.
a. Draper Memorials quoted a max. £500 extra for a granite base.
b. The faculty fee cost of £342.60
The council discussed both quotes and approved to pay for the granite and the faculty fee at a total cost of £842.50 out of the £1000 in the earmarked reserves. Proposed & seconded. Resolved
217/2025 Play Area
a. Annual Play area inspection – was received, no current safety issues but some equipment is showing signs of wear and age. No immediate action required due to plans to replace equipment if grant funding is successful.
b. An updated quote from Outdoor Play UK was received for the double swings, 3x flat seats and an inclusive seat, +installation £6160+vat if installed at the same time as the other approved equipment and to remove existing equipment and prep the area with turf estimated at £2800. After a discussion it was approved to accept the updated quote of £6160+vat for the swings Proposed & seconded, Resolved And to obtain another quote for the removal and preparation of the area. The estimated cost of all the new play equipment for Stage 2 & 3 is £30,000. The Communities Facilities Grant Funding request has been submitted to WLDC for £21,000 and if successful, the PC will pay £9,000 from the earmarked reserves.
c. A new sign was approved to purchase for the new, younger play area to be installed on the railing at an estimated cost of £33 and a new sign to replace the old one on the wall with updated contacted details at an estimated cost of £33. Both were approved to be paid out of the earmarked reserves. Proposed & seconded, Resolved
218/2025 Communication Strategy
An updated report was circulated from the informal meeting and noted
219/2025 LALC Internal Audit
The new contract for 2 years & fees for a standard audit £225 for 6hrs was approved. Proposed & seconded. Resolved
220/2025 Scothern News
The new format of the September issue was received with positive comments from residents with a few suggestions noted. The current editor was unable to assist this the issue, Cllrs Watt Jones & Johnson agreed to assist in the editing. Deadline for any articles must be received by the 14th of each month and sent to the printers on the 18th.
221/2025 Finance
The monthly accounts for payment and the corresponding bank statements up to 31/08/25 were approved as a true & correct record, bank balance £85,532.06. Cllrs Johnson & Creaser were nominated to authorise the online bank payments. Proposed & seconded. All payments made in August were checked and approved. Resolved
222/2025 Village maintenance
a. Unable to find a business to quote for the notice board repairs. Clerk to contact other businesses for quotes
b. The position was discussed and approve to position the new notice board on Dunholme Rd to the right of the bus shelter.
c. Quotes were received from NBB online of 3 different styles and prices of recycled benches and it was approved to purchase a heavy duty, 3-seater bench costing £510+vat to replace the old, broken bench near the younger play area. Proposed & seconded. Resolved
223/2025 Emergency Plan
A tabletop exercise has been arranged with the LRF on Monday 6th October. The village hall was suggested for the venue due to the building being named as an Emergency Hub. The SRC are charging £44 for the 2hrs hire. The PC raised concerns and queries whether there would be a charge in an emergency and if so, who would pay. The question will be raised on the 6th October. It was approved to pay the £44 hire cost. Proposed & seconded. Resolved
224/2025 Remembrance Day
It was approved to the purchase of a wreath for Remembrance Sunday for £25inc p&p under Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972. Proposed & seconded. Resolved
225/2025 To receive reports/updates
a. Community Speed Watch – Cllr Creaser sent the speed data prior, and it was noted
b. Police – Cllr Canton read the latest crime statistics
c. Scothern News – update was earlier in meeting
d. Village flooding – no updates
e. Lindum Homes – West Thorne Grange – no new updates
f. Village maintenance issues – no current issues
g. Best Kept Garden Comp – Cllr Johnson to place advert in Scothern News and on Facebook with the winners and a report, after the Produce & Flower Show
226/2025 Highways
a. Current issues sent to Cllr J Smith, no updates received to date.
b. The request to make Church St ‘one way’ from Sudbrooke Rd was discuss and decided to contact Cllr J Smith for advice
c. Highways Group – Cllr Creaser attended a group meeting in Nettleham with other councils with the main issues were speeding, parking & reducing speed limits, and is happy to attend the next meeting to receive and discuss report from the groups meeting in Nettleham
d. Road Traffic Order – Level Crossing a day closure – a notice has been placed in the Scothern News
227/2025 Planning
To receive any decisions and discuss applications received from WLDC
Ref: WL/2025/00739 - Barlings Solar Farm – land off Dunholme Rd, full planning Solar Farm.
Comments submitted - Scothern Parish Council would like to register the following observations as a consultee on the Barlings Solar Farm. - neutral.
We agree that Green Renewable Energy is the way forward and in favour of solar farms/offshore wind farms, but they need to be in the right places - on roofs tops, car parks, industrial buildings not on good agricultural land. There would be loss of land for farming that produces food, which would them lead to an increase in the cost of food having to be brought in/imported - which wouldn't be good for the environment.
The site is situated between Scothern and Dunholme and will require about 4 miles of underground cabling along Heath Rd, along the A46 to South of Nettleham. This seems like there would be a lot of disruption and a negative impact on the environment, traffic & wildlife to get to the grid connection south of Nettleham. The PC would like to suggest alternative sites are sought, closer to the grid connection, substation that would be far more suitable, less disruption and less harm to the environment.
Flood Risk - Scothern has suffered in the last 2 years from flooding in the centre of the village with surface water running off the land, into the village. The beck along Main Street and the Northing Lane pumping station can't cope with the current level of water. How would the surface water be prevented from running off the land towards the village of Scothern?
Will the Public Rights of Way be protected? There are two, very much used public footpaths, currently across the countryside fields, that run straight through the planned sites.
Will the current hedgerows and trees be protected?
Impact on the Landscape Character - Scothern is a rural village, surrounded by farmland. After the forty 'temporary' years, who will remove all the concrete structures from the site back to the farmland? And what impact will these concrete structures have on the land after forty years?
Access to the site - the Parish Council would like to ensure the route to the development is from the A46 as stated and not through the village either from the A158 or Nettleham Rd (Scothern to Nettleham). This is for the safety of pupils from Elison Boulters School on Sudbrooke Road and the narrow road and sharp corners on Nettleham Road, which would be a dangerous situation for residents.
The developers have assured the Parish Council that the sub-station will only serve the Barlings Solar Farm as there is no capacity for another site to use it, can WLDC also assure this is correct information?
The developers have indicated that there will be approximately £20,000 community benefit fund. Scothern Parish Council would like to lead the group managing this funding if the development is successful and approved and would like confirmation in any agreement.
Ref: WL/2025/00570 – land off Nettleham Rd, full planning 49 dwellings. WLDC granted with conditions 21/07/25
Ref: WL/2025/00670 – to render a gable end, 30 Townsend Farm, Craypool Lane WLDC refused 21/08/25
228/2025 LALC Training Scheme
Cllr Watt Jones is booked onto the new councillor induction on the 16th Sept – core training. The clerk requested approval to attend the Preparing for Internal Audit on the 19th Sept – core training and Handling Difficult Situation 23rd Sept for a cost of £35. All were approved. Proposed & seconded. Resolved
229/2025 NALC Local Government Pay Agreement 2025
The recommended new pay scale and back dating the clerk’s salary to April 2025 was approved. Proposed & seconded. Resolved
230/2025 SLCC Membership
The clerks request to join the SLCC Full Clerks Membership at a cost of £190pa but split between Willingham PC with each council paying £95 was approved under the power of The Local Government Act 1972 s 143 (1) (b). Proposed & seconded. Resolved
231/2025 Correspondence for information (sent prior)
• LALC – E-news 17/7/25 1/8/25 29/8/25
• LCC Town & Parish Newsletter July 29/7/25 & August 27/8/25
• NALC Bulletin 21/8/25 & 3/9/25 & 4/9/25
• WL Summer Events 7/8/25
• LALC Training bulletin 1/8/25 & 5/9/25
232/2025 Agenda items for next meeting and any updates/points from members
233/2025 To consider the exclusion of the public and press in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to
meetings) Act 1960 s1 (2) due to the confidential nature of the items to be Discussed none
The date & time of the next Meeting of the Council – 8th October 2025 at 7.30pm
The Chair closed the meeting at 9.25pm