December 2025 Minutes
Date of meeting: 18 December 2025
Date signed: 08 January 2026 217-202 5 Signature:
North Scarle Parish Council
Minutes of an ordinary meeting of North Scarle Parish Council held at the North Scarle Village Hall, South Scarle Lane on Thursday 18 December 2025 at 7:00pm.
Chair:
Cllr Kate Ward
Present:
Cllr Robert Cobb, Cllr Paul Munnelly and Cllr Ben Wray
D/Cllr Chris Goldson
Also Present:
Eddie Findlay (Locum Clerk) and Anna McArthur (new Clerk/RFO)
11 members of the public were in attendance.
The meeting opening with the first item at 7:00pm.
930.
1.
Apologies for Absence. To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Clerk prior to the meeting, in accordance with Local Gov. Act 1972, Sch 12, para 40.
Cllr Houghton was unable to attend, and their reasons were made known to the Council. Action: Council RESOLVED to approve the reasons for absence from Cllr Houghton. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Wray and approved unanimously.
930.
2.
Declarations of Interests. To receive declarations of interest and to consider dispensation applications in relation to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.
None declared at this time.
931.
3.
Notes of the meetings to be approved as Minutes.
a.
Ordinary Meeting of North Scarle Parish Council held on Monday 17 November 2025.
Action: Council RESOLVED to approve the notes as Minutes. Proposed by Cllr Cobb, seconded by Cllr Ward and approved unanimously.
932.
4.
Public Forum. General discussion. MOP 1 – raised a query on outstanding road works on Wesley Way with the surface being eroded significantly. Following the recent ‘walk round’ it was felt that whilst this did not currently meet the ‘urgent’ criteria, but if people wished to continue to report it via Fix My Street then it may be re-considered in due course.
933. 5.
Consider any applications received for Co-Option as a Parish Councillor. No further applications had been received for the two remaining vacancies at this time.
934.
6.
Receive reports from District and County Councillors.
Cty Cllr Woodruff was unable to attend but had sent in a report as follows; Following a ward round on the 02-Dec-2025, several issues were raised.
•
From the contractor photos received 16 road defects have already been repaired.
•
Ref the HGV signage, as the signs are only advisory and there are already some present in the village, Lincs Road Safety Partnership feel more signs may not make a difference, so they are looking at enforcement options for next year if the local traffic calming policy moves forward.
•
Highways are still investigating the drainage issues.
•
Yesterday he was informed that to change the verge around the school to hardstanding now sits with the mayor. He will speak to the mayoral team to investigate and keep everybody updated.
•
Thanks to everyone this year, for your efforts and support, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.
D/Cllr Goldson had met with the Quarry owners, specifically about Mill Dam and bringing those plans forwards as much as possible. They seemed receptive to this idea and would consider it along with any financial implications that might have before a final decision was reached. Local Government Reorganisation was moving forward with the District Council’s plan submitted by the required deadline. Local Plan call for land was now circulated for the next review of the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan.
Date of meeting: 18 December 2025
218
935.
7.
Receive a report from the Chair. 1) Clerks.
a. This will probably Eddies last meeting. Huge thanks to Eddie who stood in at the 11th hour to support the PC on an interim basis and try to keep us all legal and professional.
b. Welcome Anna. Anna has joined us and will be our new permanent Clerk. She and Eddie are currently working on a hand over process, and she will take control in due course. Anna is an experienced Clerk and acts as Clerk for other Councils, so she is very capable of keeping this rabble in check.
2) Jubilee Garden
a. Thanks to Sam Booth for Jubilee Garden area, what an amazing transformation.
b. Noble Foods staff had offered to maintain this for us but just needed it bring back into shape first. It is hoped Anna will be able to speak with Noble Food regarding their volunteers to keep on top of this during the spring.
3) Parish Council Rules
a. It has become clear that some Councillors are finding the current set of rules and procedures somewhat challenging. Councillor Cobb has expressed concerns that progress on certain matters seems slower than expected, especially when it comes to financial decisions or spending and this can sometimes give the impression that the Parish Council lacks commitment or is intentionally delaying projects.
b. However, it is important to emphasise that this is not the case. The Council is fully committed to all ongoing projects and initiatives. The apparent delays are a result of adhering strictly to the financial regulations and rules that govern our operations. These regulations are in place to ensure transparency, accountability, and good governance in all Council activities.
c. To address these concerns, the Council will be discussing with Anna and Eddie how best to manage these issues. The aim is to establish a clear and efficient process that allows the Council to operate as swiftly as possible while continuing to comply with all necessary rules and guidelines. By doing so, we hope to minimise unnecessary delays and ensure the smooth running of Council business.
4) Success Stories.
a. Those that follow the Council will know that October was the first meeting of the new Council. At the same time, we were hit with some unexpected issues such as the Cemetery Shelter in the Cemetery that needed immediate attention on safety grounds. The Heritage Room Lease was still being re-negotiated, stolen Solar Panels and major issues that we were made aware of by the handy man. All of these have been successfully dealt with, and I want to pass my sincere thanks to the rest of the team who have worked hard to bring these issues to conclusion.
b. Councillors will update us on where we are with individual projects later.
5) Council Responsibilities.
a. I think it’s fair to say that some of us were shocked when we learnt what the Council is actually responsible for and what absorbs what is YOUR MONEY.
b. Not only the Cemetery, but the Church Yard is the responsibility of the Parish Council to maintain, such as grass cutting, trimming hedges and trees, pest control, waste management, street lights, as well as building maintenance.
c. As an attempt to help you understand what your money is spent on, we have left some blank Budget Planner sheets at the front to give you an idea of the kind of things that we need to budget/Plan for. Not all will receive an allocation and some that do receive an allocation will not be spent but it is your money, and you have a right to know where it goes.
6) Precept. 2026-2027
a. From the beginning, the new PC always said that it wanted to be totally transparent and honest with its residents as we work on your behalf. While we are obviously very keen to tell you the good news stories, it also means that occasionally we will need to pass on the bad news.
b. Sadly, this is one of those times.
c. Upon review, it has become apparent that previous precepts were not subject to sufficient research or scrutiny. Notably, the precept for the financial year 2025-2026 experienced an unexpected and unexplained reduction of 4%. This decision has unfortunately resulted in a number of negative consequences for the parish.
The lack of a well-considered approach to precept calculation has led to a decline in the overall appearance of the village, as essential services and maintenance have suffered from insufficient
Date of meeting: 18 December 2025
Date signed: 08 January 2026 219-202 5 Signature:
funding. Furthermore, there has been inadequate provision for future overheads, with critical areas such as preventative maintenance and long-term planning being overlooked. As a result, a significant shortfall has emerged in the budget, leaving what can only be described as a 'black hole' that must now be addressed to ensure the sustainability and improvement of the village amenities and services..
d. We have begun work already to have a more accurate precept for submission in January taking into account some of the unexpected projects that we were not planning for such as the repairs to the Cemetery shelter.
e. There is therefore a likelihood of a significant increase in people’s council tax for 26-27. Your council tax bill lists a few of the things that you pay for, e.g. Police commissioner etc etc. These monies you pay are allocated into a general pot, that you hope will be value for money. The parish council item on that bill is the only money that will come exclusively back to you, 100%. It must rise, if only to catch up on where it should be.
f. For too many years areas of the village of PC responsibility have not had sufficient funding and we want to begin to rectify this, confident that this will bring significant improvements to the village & the community.
936.
8.
Receive reports from Councillors, and the Clerk with regard to Correspondence received and other matters. i. NKDC Parish and Town Council Newsletter. Circulated 22-Nov-2025.
ii. LCC Notification of temporary traffic regulation. Circulated 22-Nov-2025.
iii. NKDC Planning, notice of decision relating to 25/1082/VARCON Birch Lea Wigsley Road North Scarle. Circulated 28-Nov-2025.
iv. Autumn Budget 2025 and information from HMRC for employers. Circulated 28-Nov-2025.
v. LCC Town and Parish Council update. Circulated 28-Nov-2025. vi. Central Lincolnshire – Local Plan Call for Sites 2025. Circulated 18-Dec-2025.
937.
9.
Financial Matter.
a.
To consider and approve the payments made since the last meeting.
E.ON Next
DD
£
123.77
LALC Training Scheme (Inv-16396)
NW-0015
£
60.00
Tesco Mobile
DD
£
13.00
Totals
£
196.77
Action: Council RESOLVED to approve the list of payments made since the last meeting. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Wray and approved unanimously.
b.
To consider and approve the payments set out on the Accounts for Payment Sheet.
LALC Locum Charges North Scarle Inv-16574
NW-0016
£
1,644.14
NKDC Heritage Rooms Inv-IN00069433
NW-0017
£
104.16
Village Hall hire (various dates)
NW-0018
£
120.00
HMRC PAYE Mth 9 475PJ001067112609
DD & NW-0019
£
472.60
Locum Clerk expenses (printing)
NW-0020
£
18.35
Totals
£
2,359.25
Action: Council RESOLVED to approve the list of payments set out on the Accounts for Payment sheet. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Cobb and approved unanimously.
c.
To consider and approve the bank reconciliation for end of November 2025.
Action: Council RESOLVED to approve the bank reconciliation for end of November 2025.
Balance per bank statement on 30 November 2025
£
Current Account
£
4,217.41
Reserve Account
£
19,081.91
Net bank balances on 30 November 2025
£
23,299.32
RECONCILES TO RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT AS FOLLOWS:
£
Balance brought forward on 31 March 2025
£
23,669.27
Add: receipts in the period
£
20,398.27
Less: payments in the period
£
20,768.22
Closing balance per receipts and payments account
£
23,299.32
Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Cobb and approved unanimously.
Date of meeting: 18 December 2025
220
d.
Consider engaging a Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils (LALC) appointed Internal Auditor for FY 2025-2026.
Action: Council RESOLVED to approve appointing a Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils (LALC) appointed Internal Auditor for FY 2025-2026. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Cobb and approved unanimously.
e.
Consider the cost to replace the stolen solar panel for the Speed Indicator Device (SID) on School Lane.
Following a review of the Council insurance policy, Cllr Cobb had confirmed with Zurich that the theft of the solar panel and the damage caused to the SID was covered under the current policy. Action: Council RESOLVED to approve returning the SID back to Elan City for service and repair, before re-installing it. Additional tamper proof fixings would be ordered. Proposed by Cllr Cobb, seconded by Cllr Ward and approved unanimously.
f.
Consider engaging an External Payroll provider to manage salary/HMRC & Pensions.
To mitigate any future concerns over salaries, pensions and tax payments, and in case of any unforeseen business interruption, it was felt prudent to engage an external payroll provider. They would calculate salary payment, and amounts owed to HMRC and any pension provider for Council to action. Action: Council RESOLVED approve appointing Harmony Business Support Services. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Munnelly and approved unanimously.
g.
Consider any quotes received with regard to the purchase of a suitable container for storage.
Potential locations on the car park for a 20ft storage container would be circulated via social media and NKDC Planning would be contacted to check whether planning permission was required. Action: Council RESOLVED to approve the quote from Cleveland, for no more than £2,300.00 (inc. VAT), subject to obtaining planning permission (if required). Proposed by Cllr Cobb, seconded by Cllr Wray and approved unanimously.
h.
Consider a review of the current Parish Council Insurance Policy.
Cllr Cobb reported that following correspondence between himself and Zurich a number of the ambiguous wording issues had been clarified. The current policy is valid until 31-May-2026 so new policies would be investigated nearer the time
i.
Consider a review of Financial Regulations (new model version released May 2025) to suit North Scarle Parish Council and adopt for future use.
The current version were from 2020 and had been superseded twice by the National Association of Local Councils. The Locum Clerk had presented the latest (May 2025) version, amended to suit North Scarle Parish Council, which the Council were happy to adopt. Action: Council RESOLVED to adopt the amended May 2025 Model Financial Regulations which would be reviewed in April 2026, ready for the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Cobb and approved unanimously.
j.
Consider setting a budget to purchase tools as requested by Handyman.
A request would be promulgated on social media by Cllr Wray, to see if anybody had spare tools which could be donated for use by the Handyman. A list would be published. Action: Council RESOLVED approve a budget of up to £200.00, for items not received via donation. Proposed by Cllr Cobb, seconded by Cllr Ward and approved unanimously.
938.
10.
Planning Matters.
a.
25/1423/VARCON – Application to remove condition 4 (occupancy) of planning permission 93/0677/FUL - Extend dwelling and erect storage building at Four Ways School Lane North Scarle.
b.
25/0744/FUL – erection of detached commercial unit for PEC Forklifts at Unit 4, Bridge Farm. Approved by NKDC 17-Dec-2025.
Date of meeting: 18 December 2025
Date signed: 08 January 2026 221-202 5 Signature:
939.
11.
Heritage Room.
a.
Receive an update with regard to the Lease between NKDC and North Scarle Parish Council.
The new lease had been received and the extended 7 year time frame was acceptable to the Parish Council. Action: Council RESOLVED accept the 7 year lease from North Kesteven District Council for the Heritage Room. Cllr Ward and Cllr Munnelly signed on behalf of the Parish Council, and a member of the public signed as witness, along with the licence to sub-let. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Munnelly and approved unanimously.
b.
Consider the electricity meter upgrade to the Heritage Room as per Eon letter.
Action: Council RESOLVED that due to ongoing concerns with Smart meters possibly over-reading they would not pursue the upgrade at this time. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Cobb and approved unanimously.
940.
12.
Consider the request from the Village Hall regarding potential tree maintenance. Action: Council RESOLVED that due to a number of urgent Council matters that required financial input, it was unable to commit funds to assist at this time. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Cobb and approved unanimously.
941.
13.
Consider the request from the Cricket Club, to allow them to lay a mains electrical supply to the Club House. Action: Council RESOLVED approve the request from the Cricket Club. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Munnelly and approved unanimously.
942.
14.
Receive an update report on the Cemetery Shelter. Repair quotes to be considered under Closed Session. In light of the clarification of wording/cover that might be available through the Council insurance policy, it is believed that that the structure is covered, and if so, then that might affect the type of quote that might be accepted.
943.
15.
Consider appointing a Councillor as a Banks Charity Trustee. Cllr Wray volunteered. Action: Council RESOLVED appoint Cllr Wray as the Council’s Banks Charity Trustee. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Munnelly and approved unanimously.
944.
16.
Receive an update report on the Emergency Plan from Cllr Cobb. Recent updates to the Lincolnshire Resilience Forum Emergency Plan model document meant a review of the current North Scarle version was required. Cllr Cobb had received the updated template and would work through transferring the data across and filling in any information gaps as required. Assistance in any form would be appreciated. A further update would be included on the next agenda. This could then be adopted by the Parish Council.
945.
Consider a course of action with regard to Pest Control within the Cemetery and Church yard. Action: Council RESOLVED to approve the quote from Pete Kirk, to attend the Church Yard, at £20.00 a visit, to remove the mole problem and Cllr Ward would discuss a similar issue with him for the Cemetery. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Wray and approved unanimously.
946.
18.
Playing field bridge update. Receive an update. The Clerk had contacted the Environment Agency who had confirmed that the bridge was NOT an EA asset. Action: Council RESOLVED defer this item to the next meeting. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Munnelly and approved unanimously.
947
19.
Consider attendance at training events, as detailed in the LALC Training Bulletin. No Councillors requested any training at this time.
948.
Public Forum. General Discussion for items just discussed. No further discussion points were put forward.
Date of meeting: 18 December 2025
222
949.
Future Council Meetings.
a.
Resolve to agree a date for the next ordinary meeting.
Action: Council RESOLVED approve Thursday 08 January 2026 as the date for the next Ordinary Council Meeting, starting at 7:00 pm. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Cobb and approved unanimously.
b.
Consider Council meeting dates for 2026.
Action: Council RESOLVED to set the following dates; Thursday 08-Jan-2026, Thursday 05-Feb-2026, Thursday 19-Mar-2026, Thursday 23-Apr-2026 and Thursday 21-May-2026. Thursday 21-May-2026 would be the date for the Annual Parish Meeting and the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Cobb and approved unanimously.
950.
22.
To resolve to move into closed session in accordance with the public bodies (admission to meetings) act 1960 due to the confidential nature of the business to be discussed in relation to the following matters:
a.
Heritage Room – Tenancy Agreement with the Post Office update.
b.
Staffing Matters – Consider a course of action with regard to previous salary payments.
c.
Staffing Matters – salary/pension review.
d.
Cemetery Shelter repair quotes.
Action: The Council RESOLVED to go into Closed Session to consider the items above. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Wray and approved unanimously.
This part of the meeting closed 8:40 pm.
The meeting continued in the absence of press and public at 8:45 pm.
(Not for publication by virtue of section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the items being of a confidential nature.)
Confidential Minutes.
a.
Heritage Room – Tenancy Agreement with the Post Office update.
Action: Council RESOLVED to approve the Parish Council/Post Office lease, as per the previous version, subject to approval by NKDC. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Wray and approved unanimously.
b.
Staffing Matters – Consider a course of action with regard to previous salary payments.
Action: Council RESOLVED that this matter had been satisfactorily explained and required no further action was required. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Wray and approved unanimously.
c.
Staffing Matters – Salary/pension review.
Action: Council RESOLVED to note the request from the Handy man with regard to his pension contributions which would be passed onto the newly appointed Payroll Provider to action. Proposed by Cllr Ward, seconded by Cllr Wray and approved unanimously.
d.
Cemetery Shelter repair quotes to be considered.
As per minute ref: 942. page 221, in light of the clarification of wording/cover that might be available through the Council insurance policy, it is believed that that the structure is covered, and if so, then that might affect the type of quote that might be accepted. Action: Council RESOLVED defer this item to the next meeting. Proposed by Cllr Cobb, seconded by Cllr Munnelly and approved unanimously.
The meeting closed at 9:00 pm.
Signature:
Printed Name:
Date:
08 January 2026
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