2025 Parish Council Meetings

Notes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held in the Chapel, Chapel Lane, Little Hale on Tuesday 7th January 2025 at 7.36 pm.

Present: Parish Cllrs S Poulton, J Stapleton, P Ireland, E Hill and Jenkins, NKDC Cllr Collard and three members of the public and Mrs D Scott (Clerk).

Prior to the meeting the members of the public present discussed their concerns and suggestions about the recent flooding. They also suggested the installation of speed limit reminder signs.

1/25 Welcome – Cllr Poulton welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2/25 Apologies for absence – Mrs Scott apologised for her lateness. Cllr A Key (LCC) and Cllr S Tarry (NKDC)

3/25 Declarations of Interest and Applications for Dispensation – none

4/25 Notes of the previous meeting, on 5th November 2024 – approved and signed.

5/25 Finance 2024-25

1. Mrs Scott shared the financial statement. It was noted that the donation of £72.42 had been made to ShockSleaford from the defib restricted fund as agreed. The balance in the bank was £5,050.61. Mrs Scott explained that, of that, £2,083.94 was restricted to specific projects. Cllr Poulton checked the statement against the bank statement and signed off the reconciliation. Mrs Scott would be submitting the VAT claim.
2. Payments including Clerk £182.05 (November and December, including expenses. (reimbursement of travel, stationery etc), HMRC £41.40 (mth 10 due 19/2/25), were approved.
3. Banking

• It was noted that all Councillors had completed their sections of the online mandate form and the process was underway by Lloyds
• Bank charges – it was noted that most Parish Councils were in the same position and LALC’s advice was that all banks would be introducing charges in the near future, so moving might not be worth the effort.

6/25 Clerk’s Report and Correspondence, previously shared by email.

1. Newsletters from LALC, LCC, NKDC, EA – noted.
2. Updates from Cllrs Tarry and Collard – noted and promoted on the website. Cllr Collard also drew the meeting’s attention to recent correspondence about the Beacon Fen Solar Farm’s current ‘targeted consultation’ which would close on 19th January. Councillors and residents were urged to look at the website https://www.beaconfenenergypark.co.uk/ as the cable route appeared to cross both Great Hale and Little Hale Fens.

(Cllr Collard left the meeting)

3. FOI Request – it was noted that the Clerk had received an FOI request, asking for any contact the Parish Council had had with Stream Bioenergy. Mrs Scott had replied to say that there had been none.
4. Lloyds Bank Statements – noted.

7/25 Draft Budget 2025-26. Mrs Scott had shared the draft budget for discussion, along with the calculator and tax-base information provided by NKDC. It was noted that the tax-base had increased slightly, effectively meaning that the precept would be shared between the equivalent of 80.81 Band D properties in 2025-26, compared to 80.67, for the current year. The draft budget, including the new Cemetery grass cutting costs, as previously agreed, and the LALC subscription, amounted to £3,394. Mrs Scott provided calculations for Precepts £3,200, £3,300 and £3,400. After discussion, the Precept of £3,300 was agreed, meaning an average Band D Council Tax increase of £6.13 per annum. Mrs Scott to submit the forms to NKDC.

8/25 Policies for approval

1. Risk Management Policy – It was agreed that the LALC advice be adopted.

9/25 Policing Update – Engagement session - after discussion it was agreed that Mrs Scott submit the usual request for a more visible police presence.

10/25 Highways Matters

1. Flooding – It was noted that the last 48 hours had been challenging with heavy rainfall and Mr Pocklington was thanked for his work on pumping the water away from the dyke behind the phone box. It was not clear how much of the water had been able to flow through the repaired culvert since the lamppost had been removed, but it was felt that although the water in the dyke behind the properties had kept flowing this time, the culverts downstream were the next pinchpoint. It was noted that even since the removal of the lamppost the water in the dyke behind the phone box had not dropped to its previous level even in very dry conditions. Other contributory factors were believed to be the more efficient drainage of the fields upstream, off Burton Road, causing water to overflow the dyke and come over the Parva House grounds and other properties to the west of Main Road, rather than through the culverts. Cllr Ireland pointed out that the levels in the South Forty Foot directly affect the levels in the Helpringham Beck but not the village dykes. When the levels were high in the Beck, the clapper at the end of the Little Hale dyke from Pump Lane prevented the water flowing into the Beck. He advised that south of the Beck there were 200 acres of farmland under water. It was noted that the Police had helped with closing the road and AW had been pumping into a tanker to ensure that their pumping station on Main Road was able to continue. Mrs Scott to contact Parva House to inform them of the water levels and potential blockage of the culvert on their land. Cllr Poulton to draft a letter to EA.

(Two members of the public left the meeting). After discussion, it was agreed that Mr Pocklington be reimbursed for the cost of the fuel to keep the pump running for the benefit of the properties in that area. Cllr Poulton to ask for a receipt, Mrs Scott to arrange the reimbursement.

2. Willow Grange – It was noted that NKDC had confirmed that the work had been completed.
3. Fen Road, in the village, formal notification had now been received that the work would take place later this month. Residents would be advised of temporary road closures.

11/25 Streetlights - Cllr Poulton had spoken to residents close to the site of the removed lamppost. They had been in favour of replacing the lamppost for safety and security reasons. Mrs Scott to make the formal request to NKDC.

12/25 Broadband – It was noted that the system seemed to be working well, with only minor downtimes.

13/25 Planning Matters

1. Planning Application 23/1021/FUL Development of a photovoltaic solar array (49.995MW export capacity) with associated grid corridor works, access improvements and ancillary development. Land South of Little Hale Drove Little Hale Fen – as previously removed, this had been refused by NKDC. It was suspected that the applicant was likely to appeal
2. Travellers on Little Hale Fen – ref Enforcement Notice issued by NKDC 19th January, to take effect from 20th February, compliance with conditions within 13 months maximum – no update.
3. Planning Application 24/1265/FUL Erection of 99MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and associated infrastructure Land Lying to The South of Little Hale Drove Little Hale Fen Sleaford NG34 9BG – It was noted that the Parish Council had not been formally consulted on this matter, possibly an omission on NKDC’s part, but Councillors endorsed  LCC Highway’s response regarding the formalisation of passing places and asked that all HGVs followed the advisory route through the village. It was suggested that collaboration between the developers of the Solar Form (if an appeal was made as locally suspected and successful) and the BESS could mean shared use of the access direct from the A17, saving the village from many HGV movements. Councillors were also concerned about the impact of extra HGV movements through the village on the new road surface on Fen Road and that proper fire precautions be included in the conditions, if the application was approved. Mrs Scott to submit comments to NKDC.

14/25 Planning Inspectorate

1. Ecotricity, Heckington Fen - Solar Park – no update.
2. Anglian Water – proposed Reservoir – updates were expected.
3. Beacon Fen North Solar Farm – as discussed earlier, further information about a targeted consultation was available on the project’s website: www.beaconfenenergypark.co.uk

15/25 CIL Funded Projects – Gateway signs - Cllr Poulton shared images and costings for gateway signages. The custom village signs proved prohibitively expensive but Councillors asked for further details of low maintenance ‘gates’ made from UPVC/Plastic for longevity. Cllr Poulton to confirm costs and contact Highways about sizes and permissions.

16/25 Defibrillator – As above, the donation had been made to Shock Sleaford who were understood to be working with the farmer on the plan to install a new Defib on the Fen.

17/25 Pump Lane – It was agreed that a working party to clear the dyke be arranged at the next meeting.

18/25 Bus Shelter Working Party – Cllrs Poulton and Stapleton to agree a date once the weather improved.

19/25 King’s Portrait. Mrs Scott reported that she had delivered the Portrait to Mrs Clash, her Parva House contact, and it would be installed at Parva House once the refurb work was completed in the Spring.

20/25 Parish Council Communications - Website – statistics were noted. Newsletter – Cllr Poulton shared his work on the next newsletter, which would include updated information about the defib and a request for interests in Defib/First Aid training.

21/25 Matters for the next meeting – usual annual standing items, Flooding, Solar Farm, BESS and Fen Road updates.  Councillors were keen to have a VE Day event in the village, more information at the next meeting.

22/25 The Dates of Meetings for 2024-25 – as agreed, 4th March, at 7.30 pm and 8th May at 7.45pm, after the Annual Parish Meeting at 7.30pm                                                   

The meeting closed at 9.40 pm.