Minutes March 2026
Minutes of the General Meeting of Rippingale Parish Council, held in the Village Hall on Monday 9th
March 2026
Present: Cllr B Ross(Chair), Cllr T Creek (Vice Chair), Cllr D Warcup, Cllr A Lumb, Cllr Lambord, Cllr
Earl, County Cllr M Hill, District Cllr K Abel and Clerk L Davies.
Formal Meeting Agenda
1. To receive Apologies for Absence and approve Reasons Given.
None
2. To receive any new Declarations of Interest.
None
3. To approve the Minutes of the last Parish Council Meeting held on 16th February 2026
The previously circulated minutes of the meeting were approved as a true reflection of the meeting.
Resolved
Matters arising from previous minutes (not raised elsewhere in this Agenda)
4. To discuss and review the need to move over to a .GOV emails to come in line with Assertion 10 on the
AGAR 2026/2027.
Chris Catt has provided information on the hosting which could cost approx. £500, as this is about cyber
security and information sharing. Cllr Ross stated that currently all Cllrs have secure and independent
emails addresses away from personal addresses. The AGAR is stating that .gov emails means that
information is held within the parish’s control. Cllr Lumb raised that using one drive for documents would
also be better work practice rather that information being stored on home laptops etc. Clerk to
investigate further, as this is an ongoing project.
External & Community Group Updates:
5. County & District Council Reports – as available.
Cllr Hill advised that Anglian water has been working on East Street placing straw bales to contain the
sewerage, and monitoring has been placed. Cllr Hill raised that this Budget has been agreed with an increase if
2.99%, there was a proposal of 1.99% but this was rejected. But on the positive side there was an increase from
central government.
Cllr Abel – reiterated the budget increase. Mentioned that the food waste bins are continuing to roll out across
the county, with Rippingale receiving theirs today. Giles at SKDC has picked up the work regarding the dykes,
ditches, verge ownership to liaise with RPC. Cllr Abel stated that council house rents were due to increase by
4.99%.
Cllr Creek raised to Cllr Hill - That at the last meeting, that they had referred to the 5 Gulleys on East Street and
the fact that 3 FIXMYStreet reports had been raised since October 14th. Although Cllr Creek had received a
response before the last meeting, it still had not been done, so last week Cllr Creek asked Cllr Hill to intervene,
and the report was updated a few days later to say that the work had been scheduled. It still has not been done.
It was initially raised at the end of the growing season, and now the growing season is about to start. It still has
not been rectified despite the heaviest of the rain now being probably behind us. This is not acceptable! Cllr
Creek will keep trying to get these gulleys cleared.
Cllr Hill advised that SKDC are offering community contractor time (approx. 2 people) to help with labour works
in the village. Cllr Earl to investigate as this could help to reduce the cost to deal with the services at the JPF
storage unit.
6. Community Groups & Organisations –
a. Village Hall Management Committee –
None provided
b. Hospital Car Scheme
Just the 1 trip with 4 drivers available to action as required.
c. RGAG
Items for discussion later in the agenda
d. PCC
There is a meeting due on Thursday 12th March which, Cllr Warcup will update at next meeting.
e. Police Update
None
f.
Feast Committee
Cllr Lambord advised that a FEAST meeting is due to be held at 7:30pm on Thursday 12th March in The
Bull Inn, all are welcome to attend. Cllr Lambord, is creating a village events calendar, to ensure events
are spread out across the year. Also, the constitution has not been reviewed since 2019. Clerk to share
the existing document.
g. Jubilee Playing Field / Youth Engagement Initiative
Positive action has been going on with volunteers and Cllr Earl, who has made progress with the
electric company and has a disconnection fee which is around £1500+vat but if the trench is dug by
the PC the cost would be around £781+vat. The request to have a notice board for YETi events,
which is by the bus stop. Cost for notice board approx. £100. Cllrs agreed to send clerk map with
the location to check with highways. Vote to purchase a notice board was agreed. Clerk to confirm
board can be placed in purposed location.
Parish Matters:
7. Newsletter To discuss and review printing quotations
No action taken as yet. Clerk to liaise with editor and report back to PC at next meeting.
8. Jubilee Playing Field
a. To receive an update the SKDC Prosperity Fund grant
Cllr Earl has resubmitted the grant to SKDC and awaiting decision. Will report back to next
meeting
b. To receive an update on the Tesco Community Grant balance
Information has been sent to Tesco Community fund. Clerk to update next meeting regarding
the remaining £225.
c. To discuss and discuss annual playground inspection for insurance purposes. Quotes to have
been previously circulated.
The council discussed the different options and it was agreed to appoint The Online Play
ground company, due to the detail report provided. Clerk to instruct company to proceed with
the inspection.
9. Allotments.
a. To discuss the Allotment Water Supply moving away from mains connection to rain harvesting.
Phase 2 as per circulated.
Phase one of the trial has been far more successful than thought. The next phase will involve
cost to purchase IBC, it was raised by Cllr Lumb, who would own the IBC, this would be the
RPC. It was agreed to move forward with phase 2. Clerk to liaise with RGAG.
b. To discuss allotment agreement ahead of April 2026
Cllr Ross would like to make changes to the existing agreement, this is by request of the
community. This change will now not come into effect until 2027, as new agreement’s will be
going out the 1st April. NFA at this point. Cllr Lumb advised that LALC does have a standard
template for allotment.
c. To discuss rabbit control, RGAG have the opportunity to use ferret pest control,
as rabbits are becoming more of an issue within the allotments. RGAG as asked permission to
us a ferret pest control. This was agreed and resolved. Clerk to notify RGAG
d. To agree standard letter/email is to be sent when in breach of the tenancy agreement.
To speed up communications clerk wishes a standard letter is created, as currently clerk has to
have approval for letters. Clerk to create draft for approval next meeting
e. Plot 30 request Greenhouse & Fence
Approved – as within the range
f.
To discuss communication process and slow response times (as per RGAG email)
It was agreed to be placed as part of the Clerks new SLA, which are to be yet agreed going
forward. Clerk recommends 7 days from receipt of correspondence
i.
New Plot Holders – Response within 7 days of receipt
ii.
iii.
iv.
Plot requests - Response within 7 days of receipt
RGAG communications - Response within 7 days of receipt
Blind copying plot holders – Clerk to ensure blind copying going forward
10. Planning: To receive and consider planning applications:
a. S25/1695 Conversion of barn to 10 dwelling houses at Manor Farm – Awaiting response from
SKDC
b. S25/1685 -30 East Street - Application for reserved matters relating to access, appearance,
layout, landscaping and scale – Awaiting response from SKDC
c. S25/1654 Class Q Barn Farm: Conversion of a poultry shed into 5 dwellings– Approved
d. S25/1705 Land to the rear of 16-22 High St - outline planning application for 5 dwellings -
Awaiting response from SKDC
e. S25/1476 – 2 houses at 83 Station Street (Little Farm) - Awaiting response from SKDC
f.
To Discuss request from developer of 13 East St site to lay pipe work across the JPF to main
surface water drain from development at 13 East Street.
g. To provide an update on the meetings held between SKDC & Council regarding planning
applications.
Cllr Lumb asked Cllr Abel that the 10-house development (S25/2183) should be called in front
of the planning committee, as this is going to have a large impact on the village alongside the other
developments which will increase the houses by 12% in the village which will have a large impact on a
no sub stable village. Planning application S24/1278 (Traveller site) – member of the public suggested
that RPC enter a “Formal Complaint” via the SKDC Planning portal. Clerk to Look into. It was also
raised that S25/1272 would also need to applied to a the “formal complaint”
Other Matters
11.
a. To receive an update on National Grid proposal for a pylon route South of Rippingale (WMEL)
Volunteer Jules Jones, the surveys for the purposed route is under way, this mean we should
not rest on the route. To publish information via website & FB
b. To discuss when the meeting between the VHMC & RPC can take place
VHMC proposed to have meeting on Monday 16th March in the village hall at 7pm.Cllrs agreed
to attend if possible.
c. To receive an update on the flooding and the emergence volunteer group.
Since the last meeting the weather has dried up somewhat, so hopefully we are over the worst.
The village did not flood this year, and which is thought that this is due to the actions of the Emergency
Team. Other bodies may be inactive, and indeed in effectual, so community need to take matters in our
own hands to protect the village from flooding.
d. To receive an update on the VE80 funding
This has been submitted to SKDC, awaiting confirmation of completion
Financial Matters:
12. Bank Accounts
a. To receive an update on the JPFT funds transfer to a new bank
Transfer to Lloyd delayed due to IT error in Lloyds. Clerk to chase update
b. To discuss insurance for Trustees on JPFT – as the current cover is not considered to be
adequate to protect against the potential risks of managing a public space"
The quotes to the value of a million was agreed not to be sufficient. Clerk to increase cover to 2
million.
13. Financial Reports:
a. To receive an update of the Expenditure in Period
b. To Approve payments
Supplier
VAT
Type
Clerk
Salary
The
Clerk
X
612.50
Annual
Costs
The
Clerk
Z
54.00
Annual
Costs
The
Clerk
Z
50.00
Newsletter Warners
Group
Z
90.00
Close Session
14. Grass Cutting 2026
o To discuss and approve grass contractor for grass cutting 2026.
Various quotes have been received and it was agreed to award to Gary’s Garden as the prices
were competitive and their quality of work was of good quality.. Clerk to instruct the contractor
to commence
15. To discuss the Allotment orchard maintenance
Awaitng quotes
16. Human Resources
a. To consider whether to accept withdrawal of the Parish Clerk’s resignation.
It was agreed to accept the withdrawal of the parish clerks resignations. But the following need
to be reviewed and amended
b. To Consider a review of Parish Clerk employment documentation.
The below will now be reviewed in and created by the HR working group.
o Job description
o Appraisal process - Performance objective setting
o Training expectations
o Changes to terms of contact (changes would exclude core contract terms including hours,
pay scale, notice period, place of work base unless there was explicit agreement with the
incumbent employee)
Next meeting: 13th April 2026 General Meeting at 7.00pm in Rippingale Village Hall
Laura Davies - Parish Clerk