January 13 - Parish Council Meeting - DRAFT
Minutes of Langtoft Parish Council Meeting held on Tuesday 13 January 2026 at 19:00 in the Village Hall
Present: Cllrs. Bev Farrington (Chair), Julian Tatam (Vice Chair), Yvonne McCulloch, Kevin Payne, Richard Carter & Darren Scott
In Attendance: 0 Members of the public, Cllrs Smith and Dilks and Sarah Gresty-Parish Clerk.
Public Forum: No issues raised.
Agenda
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Apologies:
Were received from Cllr. Palmer, Valentine, Jarman, these apologies were unanimously accepted.
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Disclosure of Pecuniary Interests:
None Declared.
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Minutes of:
a) 25 November 2025 Parish Council meeting were presented as a true and accurate record of events. Proposed acceptance Cllr. Tatam, Seconded Cllr. McCulloch, Cllrs. Farrington, Carter and Scott abstain due to absence, remaining voted in favour-RESOLVED.
b) Action Tracker.
• New bench by Ash Close. LCC consent to install the bench has been received and the consent licence was signed by the clerk. Action: To order and install bench possibly by gardener.
• Container Shelving. An order will be placed next week, delivery to Cllr. Tatam’s house.
• Goal mouths work will hopefully commence w/b 26 January to repair the surfaces at both parks.
• Park Revamp project. A provisional date of 28th February 10-3pm in the village hall to invite contactors to talk to interested members of the public in helping to decide the design of the new equipment and park upgrade. Action: c/f to the next pc meeting.
• Village gates update. Unfortunately, the original company whose quote had been accepted has gone into liquidation. 2 further comparable quotes had been sourced.
1. AG without signage including delivery and installation the price £3120 (inc VAT)
2. TC £2496(inc VAT).
Action: It was resolved to relook at this in October 2026 for the 27/28 budget unless alternative funding can be found.
• Wheelchair access to EE Park. Funding would be researched for this project.
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Reports
a)County and District Councillors – Report from Cllr. Smith
Cllr. Phill Dilks
• Reform proposing £30 million savings against £865 million budget
• Council tax likely increasing by maximum 4.99% (each 1% = £2 million)
• Reform haven't fully committed to continuing 'One Lincolnshire Budget' schemes (smoking cessation, weight loss classes)
• Government committed to 3-year settlement for better planning
Funding
• Lincolnshire currently not receiving fair national share
• 'Fairer funding' could benefit county by ~£90 million/year (30% in year 1, full amount in 3 years)
• Extra £9 million from pension contribution reassessment
• Cost pressures remain in adult and child social services
Independent Achievements
• Secured £1 million Emergency Fund for flooding (hoping for top-up this year)
• Working to secure additional funding for Community Lead voluntary libraries
Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)
• SKDC bid: Join with North Kesteven and South Holland (2 county councillors per division)
• Reform proposal: One massive Lincolnshire authority (all services from Lincoln, only 14 councillors for SKDC area)
• South Holland bid: Join with SKDC and East Lindsey (would include Mablethorpe, 2 hours away)
• Government decision expected June/July
Cllr. Vanessa Smith
• Food waste bins will be starting to be rolled out in April.
• Planning items:
• Thetford farm quarry at Baston is going to LCC planning committee on 9 February. The site exit is causing most concern.
• There has just been a planning application s25/2098 put in for New Road. The original application having lapsed. There have been some bricks delivered on site.
• No further updates for at East End site and the enforcement officer. SKDC are now involving LCC.
• Ashwood Homes Development. I did attend the online session by the Developers and noted residents’ concerns.
• SKDC has given £200k funding to the all-weather pitch at Deeping to Deeping Rangers. An agreement that Deeping United get 20-25% of its use, Rangers 50% the remaining use for the community.
• And finally, Queen Elizabeth 100 birthday event, SKDC might have some funding for events.
Cllr. Farrington wanted to thank Deeping Rangers for supplying lighting for the Christmas event.
b)Police
Reports are received and circulated and made available on website/noticeboard upon receipt.
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Post of Replacement Clerk.
Proposal: Cllr. Tatam proposed offering Julie McClean the post of Clerk who had been successfully interviewed. Seconded Cllr. Carter and unanimously agreed by full Council.
Action: On receipt of appropriate references, Julie will be offered a contract of 650 hours per year (equating to approx. 12 1/2 hours per week. She will commence work on 28th January working with the present clerk in learning the post with a total handover on 1 April 2026.
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Finance
a) The Council NOTED that Income had been received in November totalling £20,000 & December totalling £5941.68. The council RESOLVED to AUTHORISE the expenditure for November totalling £5666.86 + £415.45(VAT) & December £6,678.30, £856.39(VAT) as shown on the financial report. An internal bank transfer to the savings account of 15k was made on 7th December. Proposed by Cllr. Tatam, Seconded Cllr. Carter The Financial Report and bank statement were checked by all councillors prior to the meeting and were signed by Cllrs. Tatam & Carter.
After allowing for grants received and ringfenced, the projected net free cash was £4589.90
a) Budget for 2026/27 and precept
Proposal: A Precept request of £38,100 to be submitted to SKDC. Proposed Cllr. Tatam, Seconded
Cllr. Carter and unanimous in favour-RESOLVED.
It was Resolved to set a 2026/27 Budget of £43,202 using a draw down from expected savings and reserves of £5,102 giving a precept request of £38,100. This equates to £47.52 per year for a band D council tax property an increase of £2.25 (5%).
Actions: To break down full cost of cemetery
To report and account for any grant funding separately
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Working Groups
a) Review Allocation of PC resources – Cllr. Farrington – Action: c/f to next meeting
b) Amenities
• Ground works in parks – Cllr. Farrington – item to be removed.
• Goal surface update – item covered in the action tracker above
c) Community Engagement – Action: c/f to next meeting
• Donations regarding business advertisements in the Grapevine
d) Penfield. To receive 26/27 budget – received and resolved in 25/26-86b
e) Cemetery – Report was presented
Proposal: Cllr. McCulloch proposed to proceed with the new cemetery sign purchase, Seconded Cllr. Tatam and unanimously agreed.
Proposal: To Suspend Standing Orders to cover the planning items on the agenda. Proposed Cllr. Farrington, Seconded Cllr. Tatam and unanimous in favour.
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Planning
Applications received since last meeting and any updates of existing planning.
1. Ashwood Homes proposal for 49 new homes off East End. To discuss and align a Parish council response/ next steps
Proposal to formulate a full response to Ashwood Homes from the Parish Council to include issues raised by residents.
Highways Concerns
A15 Junction:
• East End/West End four-way junction with A15 already dangerous, especially at peak times
• Cumulative residential development causing excessive pressure on A15
• Exiting from East End and West End exceptionally difficult and dangerous
Request: Install traffic lights on junction to allow safe entry/exit and crossing
A15 Street Furniture:
• A15 cluttered with numerous signs - unsightly and distracting
• Request: Developer works with Highways Authority to redesign and rationalise street furniture
New Road and Meadow Road:
• Residents will inevitably use these alternative access lanes, Request: Upgrade lanes to accommodate additional traffic from development
Cycling: Request: Developer works with Highways Authority to improve provision for cyclists
Cemetery
• Development adjacent to parish cemetery (important local focal point)
• A15 entrance dangerous; additional traffic would worsen safety
Requests:
• Small parking area for cemetery users included in design
• Green space with landscape tree planting for visual screening and tranquil buffer between housing and cemetery
2. Planning Appeal: Langtoft Stables Cross Road Langtoft No 6002075. Response: No further comments
3. S25/2364 – 24 Peterborough Road, erection of a single storey open front porch. Response: No objections.
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Correspondence was noted from the agenda
• GDPR parishioner offer of support – Action: c/f to next meeting
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To receive Items for Future Meetings
Date of future meetings: 2026. 24 Feb, 7 Apr, 19 May, 7 July, 15 Sept, 27 Oct, 9 Dec Annual Parish Meeting TBC
Meeting Closed at 21:44