Minutes and Agendas 2025

HELPRINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL 

helpringhamparishcouncil@gmail.com 

helpringham.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk 

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CLERK’S NOTES FOR PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY 12th NOVEMBER 2025 

PRESENT: 

Councillors: Geoff Hotchkin (Chair), Julie Frizzell (Vice-Chair), George Frizzell, Steve Waterfield 

Clerk/RFO: Judy Pittock 

Cllr David East, John Pittock 

NOT PRESENT: 

Cllr Mark Robinson 

TEN MINUTE PUBLIC FORUM 

No members of the public were present. 

115/26 WELCOME REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN 

The Chair welcomed the councillors to the meeting. 

116/26 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE 

Apologies were received from Cllr Mark Robinson and it was resolved to accept them. 

117/26 COUNCILLOR VACANCY 

A letter of resignation had been received from Cllr Chris Taylor due to him moving away from the village. The council extended their thanks to him for the service he gave to the parish during his time on the council. The clerk will notify NKDC Elections team of the vacancy. 

An application for the existing councillor position had been received from Mr John Pittock. Mr Pittock left the room whilst this was discussed. It was unanimously resolved to co-opt him on the council noting that Mr Pittock must declare an interest and not take part in any matters relating to the clerk’s Terms of Employment or appraisals. Mr Pittock returned to the meeting and accepted the position. He duly signed the Acceptance of Office form and was given forms to complete for Declaration of Pecuniary Interest and Dispensations and GDPR Security Compliance. The clerk will email the relevant Council Guides to him and will liaise with him to organise the relevant training. 

Mr Pittock was cordially welcomed to the council.

There is still one vacancy to be filled and will be advertised once the relevant notice has been received from NKDC. 

118/26 SIGNING OF THE MINUTES 

It was resolved to accept the Clerk’s notes of the last Parish Council Meeting held on Thursday 2nd October 2025 as true and correct minutes of the meeting. 

119/26 DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST & DISPENSATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOCALISM ACT 2011. 

Cllr Pittock declared an interest item 124/26.5 – discussion of staff salaries in preparation of the draft budget. 

120/26 REPORT FROM COUNTY and DISTRICT COUNCILLORS 

Cllr Jackson had submitted a report which is attached here. 

Cllr East informed the council about the increased service now provided by the Call Connect bus fleet which should bring more services into rural areas and also about the Lets Talk Lincolnshire website which holds information that parishioners may find useful.

121/26 CLERK’S REPORT 

To discuss the following items presented by the Clerk. 

• Christmas tree PAT test – confirmation had been received that this had been carried out on 23/10/25. Clerk to request a copy of the certificate and any liability insurance held. 
• Grants 2025/26 – it was agreed that information should be put on the Parish Council Facebook page. Applications should be received by 30th November 2025 for discussion at the meeting to be held on 11th December 2025. 
• Bin and seats – these have not yet been installed. 
• It was resolved to adopt the IT policy presented by the clerk and for the clerk to contact Parishes Online to set up a new email address for the clerk to ensure compliance with AGAR Assertion 10. The current email address will continue to be used until the new address is confirmed. 

122/26 POLICIES FOR REVIEW 

It was resolved to adopt the amendments made to the Standing Orders and the new document will be uploaded to the Parish Council website. 

123/26 PLANNING APPLICATIONS 

The following planning applications and decision notices were noted or discussed: 

• 25/1235/PNH 4 Chapel Lane, Helpringham - planning was required and has been approved. 
• 25/1122/PNAGR Erection of agricultural building on land south of North Drove, Helpringham Fen – NKDC resolved to confirm that prior approval was not required for the application. 
• 25/1219/FUL 7 residential units, Thorpe Latimer Farm – although the Parish Council supports the proposed development it was resolved to comment to the planning authority that there are concerns about potential road safety issues for vehicles entering and exiting a road that currently has a 60mph speed limit and therefore requests that a road safety audit is carried out and signage improved. 
• 25/1220/LBC 7 residential units, Thorpe Latimer Farm – listed building consent – no comments were made. 
• 25/1266/FUL Change of Use at The Maltings, Station Road, Helpringham (previous approved application has lapsed) – the Parish Council resolved to support this application. 

124/26 FINANCE 

124/26.1 It was resolved to accept following documents presented by the RFO for the period 1/4/25-12/11/25: 

Click on link to view Bank Reconciliation 

Click on link to view Actual v Budget Figures

124/26.2 It was resolved to approve payments presented at the meeting. It was also resolved that as there were only two bank signatories present, Cllr Julie Frizzell should authorised payment to herself. 

 124/26.3 The following receipts since 2/10/25 were noted: 

124/26.4 The following Direct Debit payments made since 2/10/25 were noted: 

124/26.5 DRAFT BUDGET 2026/27 

• At 8.05pm it was resolved to move into closed session to consider confidential matters in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960. In accordance with regulations any public and press are required to leave the meeting at this stage. No members of the public or press were present but the clerk and Cllr Pittock left the room whilst staff salaries were discussed in preparation for 2026/27 budget. Cllr Julie Frizzell took notes. It was resolved that the clerk would be awarded a rise in salary to SPC21 from 1/4/26 with a proposed increase to SPC26 following completion of the CiLCA course. The clerk and Cllr Pittock re-joined the meeting at 8.15pm. 
• Discussion was held about the current cemetery fees. It was resolved that the fees for residents would remain unchanged. Fees for non-residents would be increased to be double those for residents from the date of the meeting. The revised fees will shown on the Parish Council website here. 
• The draft budget for 2026/27 presented by the clerk/RFO was discussed and amendments made. The revised copy will be presented for adoption at the meeting to be held on 11th December 2025. 

124/26.6 CIL FUNDING 

Discussion was held about the allocation of the current balance of CIL funds £2671.14. It was resolved that the clerk should get quotes for the cost of following so that further discussions can be held: 

• Refurbishing the plaque on the Remembrance Memorial; 
• Repairing or replacing the double gates on the Hale Road cemetery; 
• Repairing the railings on the High Street cemetery. 

125/26 CEMETERY 

Cllr George Frizzell reported that there had been one interment into plot I33 since the last meeting and that ERBs 288 and 289 had been purchased for plots I33 and I34. The three memorials for plots I37, I38 and L24 are still ongoing. 

Discussion was then held about a complex case relating to an interment of Ashes that Cllr George Frizzell had been working on, the matter will be carried over to a future meeting once a resolution has been found. 

126/26 HIGHWAY MATTERS 

The following Highway matters were noted: 

• FixMyStreet ref 2853416 24/8/25 – Bollards on Station Road. 16/9/25 update – work issued to delivery gang – ongoing. 
• Vicarage Road – patching programme is due to take place from 25/11/25 with surface dressing due to be done between May and September 2026. 
• Proposed TRO Highgate/Station Road junction – public consultation finishes on 14/11/25. 
• Road closure – North Drove for replacement mains water pipe by Anglian Water from 17/11/25 to Feb26. 

127/26 MATTERS AFFECTING THE VILLAGE/CORRESPONDENCE 

To discuss correspondence received and other matters affecting the village: 

127/26.1 Village Matters: 

• Speed awareness – carried over to the next meeting. 
• Reservoir – posters received have been received which will be put on the noticeboard. It was noted that Anglian Water now have a visibility on Facebook with regards to the reservoir project. 

127/26.2 Correspondence: 

28/10/25 HAVCS Annual Statement of Accounts 2024, report and grant application – discussion carried over to the next meeting. 

Citizens Advice grant application – discussion carried over to the next meeting. 

3/11/25 Avian Flu confirmed near Donington and Swineshead – noted. This information has been shared on the village Facebook page. 

4/11/25 NKDC Town and Parish Council Sport Survey – Cllr Julie Frizzell will complete this. 

128/26 Date and time of the next meeting – Thursday 11th December 2025 commencing at 7pm 

It was resolved to start meetings from December to March at 7pm. 

MEETING DATES 2026 

All meetings will be held in the Memorial Hall, Helpringham. 

• 14th January 2026 
• 15th February 2026 
• 11th March 2026 
• 8th April 2026 
• 13th May 2026 
• 10th June 2026 
• 8th July 2026 
• 12th August 2026 
• 9th September 2026 
• 14th October 2026 
• 11th November 2026 
• 9th December 2026