Meeting 2026

Members of Rippingale Parish Council are hereby summoned to attend the Meeting on 
7th January 2026 at 7.00 pm at Rippingale Village Hall, Station Street, Rippingale.

Members of the public are invited to attend. 

Councilor attendance is required at this Forum.  Matters requiring a further discussion and/or decision that do not appear on this Meeting Agenda will be considered for inclusion on the next Meeting Agenda. Please note that the meeting may be recorded and published in the press and/or on social media. Anyone not wishing to be filmed should sit on the back row of the public area and any such video of the Meeting must not include the back row. 
Following the Meeting, or prior to any Closed Session, the Chairman will open a Public Forum to last around 15 minutes for any comments resulting from the Formal Meeting.

Laura Davies, Clerk to the Council                                22nd January 2026

Chairman’s Opening remarks
    
Public Questions, Comments or Representations.  Members of the public should email the Clerk         with questions, comments or representations prior to the meeting to enable research and preparation of the appropriate response, which may otherwise be deferred to the next meeting.
Formal Meeting Agenda
1.    To receive Apologies for Absence and approve Reasons Given.  
Apologies received from Cllr K Abel, due to the short notice of the date. 
2.    To consider the co-option of the following S Earl & L Lombard
Vote was taken and approved to elect to office. Clerk to forward correct forms and inform SKDC.
3.    To receive any new Declarations of Interest.
None received.
4.    To approve the Minutes of the last Parish Council Meeting held on 10th November 2025
Cllr Creek had a few points, that needed amending before the minutes could be approved. Clerk to revise. A. Item 5 please change ‘...numbers are low on the Cllr but...’ To read ‘...numbers are low on the Council but’ B. Item 10f please indent in to agree with the formatting. 13a the notes say that the PC is awaiting a report back from the RGAG on the success of water harvesting, however the RGAG is held in doing anything until the opinions on water harvesting are received. D. Items 15 a - e Change ‘confirm submission statuses to read ‘‘It was confirmed that an objection was raised’ for every item .E. Item 16c Change 'It was questioned why this was needed. It was explained, as custodian trustees, the PC wishes to understand the working and not try and manage or change the workings of the VHMC’ to read 'It was again questioned why this was needed by a member of the VHMC. It was further explained, as custodian trustees, the PC wishes to understand the working and not try and manage or change the workings of the VHMC, in fact quite the opposite. The VHMC had agreed to this meeting a long time ago, and this will stay as an agenda item, until such time as the agreed meeting takes place.’
5.    To receive update on New councillors and their acceptance
New Cllrs have completed the relevant paperwork and SKDC have been informed of the changes. 
6.    To discuss Councillor roles
It was agreed that further discussion was required and that Cllrs would need to discuss and understand what the roles involved. To hold a working group discussion. 
•    Emergency Plan & Flood Warden Coordinator 
•    Grass Cutting & Village Maintenance
•    Row Garden Allotment Liaison
•    Key Holder: Noticeboard, Jubilee Playing Field & Portacabin
•    Police Forum Representative
•    Finance Supervisor
•    Key Holder: Jubilee Playing Field & Portacabin
•    Liaison, Rippingale Parochial Church Council (PCC)
•    Newsletter (approval from Cllr Ross)
•    Accessibility
•    Liaison, Village Hall Management Committee
•    Jubilee Playing field and play equipment
•    Flood Warden
•    Liaison, Village Contracts
•    Liaison, Feast Organising Committee

Matters arising from previous minutes (not raised elsewhere in this Agenda)
7.    To discuss and review the need to move over to a .GOV emails to come in line with assertion 10 on the AGAR. 
All Cllrs have dedicated emails, this is more cost that the parish currently does not have. Clerk advised it is to do with where the information goes once Cllrs leave the PC. 

External & Community Group Updates: 

8.    County & District Council Reports – as available.
Cllr Abel is attending a meeting to discuss the budget for flooding on the 8th January 2026, this is prior to a full meeting later in the month. Cllr Creek to email information from SKDC & AW in regards to forward information gained from recent walkabout and activities within the community.
9.    Community Groups & Organisations – 
a.    Village Hall Management Committee - 
b.    Hospital Car Scheme
Not many trips have been completed, still low on drivers.
c.    RGAG  
Report from RGAG Chair Another month of preparing for winter, harvesting remaining crops and clearing old plants and trying to improve the soil. There is another new plot holder who has taken on one of the vacant half plots. RGAG have slowed down on advertising due to committee members holidays etc but will keep putting adverts out over the autumn/ winter months to try to fill the few remaining empty plots. RGAG have cancelled our November meeting and will be having the next one as the AGM in February, this will hopefully encourage a larger attendance of members, the RGAG have encouraged members to email the RGAG if they have any queries or if they’d like to add an action to the agenda. RGAG are still making enquiries about IBC’s and once the Parish council have some feedback on water harvesting from all plot holders and will look to work with them to provide solutions. RGAG have approached Anglian water to see if they would supply any funding for water harvesting
and they currently don’t, the RGAG will be looking over the coming months for further funding
opportunities.
d.    PCC
None
e.    Police Update
None provided
f.    Feast Committee
g.    Youth Engagement Initiative Report
From R Shuttlewood 1 Information has been sent to the Rippingale News asking for assistance in setting up this initiative.  Awaiting replies from interested parties.2. Sarah Earl has volunteered who is prepared to assist RS in setting up a working group to develop this development.3. The replacement of the present structure on the playing field is the next step to improve the facilities on the field. This needs to be dispose of the building that is there at present and find suitable storage for the items which are workable and dispose of the rubbish which is still in the building. YETI are exploring avenues of replacing it with second hand units which house toilets and possible changing rooms from sources around the Cambridge area. The grant that could be taken to replace this unit needs to be confirmed.4. YETI is keen to try and develop ways that the youth of the village could contact each other about taking part in events such as football, table tennis, and other activities.  

Parish Matters:

10.    Newsletter To discuss and review printing quotations
Cllr Lumb to circulate the cost and will speak with the Editor to ensure not causing production issues. 

11.    Jubilee Playing Field
a.    To receive an update the SKDC Prosperity Fund grant 
Cllr Lumb has been working on this and is putting together the reapplication to ensure that the JPFT retains the funding. She is working on getting the 3 quotes from local firms. Looking to remove and replace with a container for storage looking at place with toilet facilities.
b.    To receive an update on the Tesco Community Grant balance.
Money has been spent out of the Parish bank account awaiting access to the JPFT bank account. Clerk to send funding information to Tesco grant with the before & after photos. 

c.    To discuss and discuss annual playground inspection for insurance purposes. Quotes to have been previously circulated.
The was vast differences in cost to inspect the playground, to ensure that the same information was being provided to be able to make an informed decision. Clerk to re send information.

12.    Allotments. 
a.    To discuss the Allotment Water Supply moving away from mains connection to rainfall harvesting.
On going
b.    To receive an update on letters to plot holders reference water harvesting 
Email has been sent to plot holders, but there was no set respond by date, re send with a responmd by date.

13.    Hedge
a.    The Pinfold Close/JPF border - Clerk to confirm when works are to be carried out
Gary’s Garden have said the work would be completed in January, weather depending.
b.    To confirm when the Hedge cutting will commence
Gary’s Garden have said the work would be completed in January, weather depending.

14.    Grass Cutting 2026 – Clerk to start preparing the tender for 2026, ahead of commencing cutting in March
Clerk has started to send out to contractors to be able to produce costings ahead of next meeting.
15.    Planning: To receive and consider planning applications: -

a.    S25/2183 – Erections of 10 dwellings on land off Brambling Walk – This has been objected to as it at the edge of the village, does not meet the neighborhood plan, on flooding, ecological and housing need. Currently this is not falling under the whole SKDC planning committee. Cllr Lumb is still chasing SKDC for a meeting while the parish’s objections are addressed. This needs to a decided at a full planning committee, which the Ward Councillor is able to call.
b.    S25/2254 – Proposed replacement of Barns with 2 story dwellings & Garages 
This development has raised questions but has been successful in the planning change.
c.    S25/2384 – retrospective application of conversation of additional artic space to office – No objections 

Other Matters
16.    
a.    To receive an update on National Grid proposal for a pylon route South of Rippingale
No update but needs to remain on the agenda to ensure prompt action if required.
b.    To discuss and provide letter in regards to the Hedge at 3 East St 
Hedge has now been cut no further action. Resolved
c.    To discuss and when the meeting between the VHMC & RPC. 
As per November’s minutes. As per the amendment requested in It was again questioned why this was needed by a member of the VHMC. It was further explained, as custodian trustees, the PC wishes to understand the working and not try and manage or change the workings of the VHMC, in fact quite the opposite. The VHMC had agreed to this meeting a long time ago, and this will stay as an agenda item, until such time as the agreed meeting takes place.’

Financial Matters:
17.    Bank Accounts 
a.    To receive an update on the JPFT funds transfer to a new bank
This is with Llloyds bank and the application is stating certain actions have been 
b.    To discuss insurance for Trustees on JPFT – as current has not been deem enough. 
18.    Financial Reports:
a.    To receive an update of the Expenditure in Period
Description    Supplier    VAT Type    Net    VAT    Total
Grass cutting    Gary Garden    S    233.33    46.67    280.00
Clerk Salary    The Clerk    X    612.50    0.00    612.50
Newsletter    Warners Group    Z    90.00    0.00    90.00

b.    To review and discuss budget 2026/2027
Cllr Creek, as a rule of thumb, the Parish Council should hold a contingency to the value of circa one year’s precept. Rippingale Parish Council’s contingency remains considerably less than this figure. The 2026/27 Budget requires further refinement; however, the Parish Council must provide the precept figure to SKDC by 16th January and the amount has to be agreed at this meeting. The forecast budget shows an income of circa £27,366 in the coming year, the majority of which is the precept. Although revenue from other streams have improved during 2025, for example the amount of revenue from the allotments, which has seen a greater take up of plots. These are relatively small in comparison to the precept. The council are proposing that the precept in the coming year is increased by an average of about £6 per year, based on a band D household.
This will increase the average household contribution from £60 to £66 per year. This is reasonable and appropriate, given that the currently spend more than is received and cannot afford to run the contingency down. This has been carefully considered but not without risk, as the council are balancing what is received against what is being asked to do by the community, whilst being open and transparent in all fiscal matters. The Council also need to build the contingency gradually back up to the recommended amount. To illustrate the precept spend, the average household contributes £66 per year, or less than 2 coffees a month, and can be allocated as follows:-

-    £26  - Administration, which covers the Clerks salary, insurance, subscriptions and memberships etc, which are mandatory.
-    £17 - Grounds Maintenance, including hedge and grass cutting, casual labour tasks on land or for the village.
-    £11 - Jubilee Playing Field equipment and tennis court maintenance, dog waste removal, vandalism etc.
-    £8 - Village activities, such as the War memorial, tree works, flooding measures etc
-    £3 - Newsletter compilation, printing and distribution.
-    £1 - Everything else
-    £0 - Your Parish Councillors, who are all volunteers, and give their time freely. 
It was propose, on behalf of the Finance Sub Committee, that this increase be agreed at this meeting, to allow our precept recommendation to be submitted.

19.    Close meeting
It was raised a member of the community that the flooding is still an issue, that Anglian water is not reacting to the issue. The flooding on Sands Court & Dovecote have been reported via fix my street, Cllr Creek & Cllr Ross, thanked them for this. Anglian water have raised that there is no issue with day to day flow of the drain and are installing flow meters to access the average and to see where things could be changed. Cllr Creek said it has been identified the pinch points, which are Grinders Lane, Dovecote & the grill at the Willows. 

Cllr Ross would also like to say a major thank you to the emergency response group, who have been clearing the dykes & drains during high rainfall, this actions of a the small volunteers is amazing work. Thank you. 

Public Responses. Items for next meeting and issues/points arising from discussion for future discussion.

Next meeting:  9th March General Meeting at 7.00pm in Rippingale Village Hall 

Laura Davies - Parish Clerk