Full Council Minutes

Minutes of the Meeting of Billinghay Parish Council held at Billinghay Methodist Church, Victoria Street on Monday 13 April 2026 at 7.00pm.

Present: Cllr Catlett – Chair, Liles (WL) Cottrell (SC) Miller (RM) Greetham (RG) Vipond (AV) Sharratt (RS)

Parish Clerk Helen Key (HK)

Public Session

3 members of the public present

3 members from Billinghay and District Swimming Pool attended the meeting to give an update on the pools progress and the use of the grant funding provided by the parish council. The members thanked the parish council for the grant provided which along with the hard work and commitment of the swimming pool committee, has meant the pool will open from 18 April 2026. Details of expenditure was provided to the council by the pool treasurer for their information to use during discussions later in the meeting.

District Councillor Lawrence, although not present at the meeting, had sent a message to the parish clerk which she asked to be relayed,  “what a fantastic job the pool team are doing with the many fundraising events, one which I attended and what a wonderful evening it was, support is still needed but I am sure they will achieve their goal”.

Councillor Liles shared a message with council that she had written, following the sad news of the passing of the previous long standing parish clerk Carol Willingham.

Minutes of the Council Meeting

1.To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Clerk prior to the meeting.

Apologies were received from Councillor Ledger

It was proposed by AV, seconded by RG, and agreed unanimously to accept these apologies.

Apologies were received from County Councillor East

Apologies were received from District Councillor Lawrence

2.  To receive Declarations of Interest under the Localism Act 2011 – being any pecuniary or other registerable interests in agenda items not previously recorded on members’ Disclosable Pecuniary and Other Registerable Interests' declaration.

None declared.

3. To receive reports from County and District Councillors.

Update received from County Councillor East. The councillor volunteer scheme documents should have been received. Awaiting details of the assistance fund. A further meeting regarding the bus petition will be held on 14 April 2026. He also enquired as to the lady that had fallen in the High Street.

4. To accept the notes from the meeting of 2 March 2026 as minutes and a true record.

It was proposed by RM, seconded by WL, and agreed unanimously that they be accepted.

5. Clerk’s Report. (Details forwarded prior to the meeting).

No points arose.

6. Correspondence

Items forwarded: NALC bulletins, LALC bulletins, Community Cinema information, LCC bus shelter grant scheme, CCLA update, Armed Forces voluntary car scheme details, Empty property details and poster, NKDC Town & Parish Council Newsletter, NKDC Garden/waste update, NKDC Parish & Town Council forum presentation link, Councillor volunteer scheme letter and nomination form, LCC Town & Parish Council update, NKDC Resignation Procedure for Parish Councillors.

No points arose.

7. Finance

a. To approve the payments made during March 2026 (list circulated to councillors prior to the meeting). See Appendix A

It was proposed by RG, seconded by SC, and agreed unanimously to approve the payments.

b. To approve the bank account reconciliation for the period ending 31 March 2026 (details forwarded to councillors prior to the meeting).

It was proposed by AV, seconded by RS, and agreed unanimously to approve the bank account reconciliation.

c. To approve the appointment of the internal auditor to complete the Year End audit of accounts and to approve the expenditure for this process.

It was proposed by WL, seconded by SC, and agreed unanimously to appoint Kirsty Sinclair to carry out the internal audit at a cost of £150.00.

d. To agree the reserves held (details forwarded to councillors prior to the meeting).

The reserves currently held on 31 March 2025, were discussed. The grant funding given to the swimming pool and the cemetery roadway resurface had both been taken from this reserve figure. Therefore, it was decided that the following will be held in reserve:

£52,000 for a future new cemetery

£9622 CIL funds not yet allocated

£15,000 for possible legal advice

£12,500 for staff cover should the clerk be on long term sick leave

£2869 for special events

£20,000 for possible new office premises

It was proposed by AC, seconded by SC, and agreed unanimously to approve the reserves held.

8. Planning Applications to consider as a Statutory Consultee (as detailed below, may include those received which required a decision before this meeting or arrived after the close of the agenda).

26/0341/FUL Proposal: Installation of new play equipment Billinghay Village Hall

It was proposed by AC, seconded by SC, and agreed unanimously to forward the following reply to NKDC planning department:

Billinghay has had a large amount of new housing, none of which has provided any new play equipment as part of the developments. However, there is S106 funding available from these developments which is there for the provision of off-site play equipment. The parish council have identified no sites suitable for siting of new equipment apart from the Village Playing Field, which already has play equipment but not enough to meet rising child population needs and varying ages.  The playing field is in easy access of a lot of the new housing developments.  The siting of the equipment will not impinge on any of the football pitches or their use. Therefore, the Parish Council very strongly want to provide the equipment identified in this application.

Planning other:

25/1589/HOUS Single storey annexe and games room 43 Walcott Road Approved

25/1602/HOUS Proposal: front porch, side and rear extensions and detached double garage. Corporals Cottage Vine House Farm Billinghay Dales Approved.

25/1551/FUL Proposal: Photovoltaic array to existing pitched tiled roofs Lincoln Cooperative Society Ltd shop and bungalow Church Street Approved.

22/0629/FUL Proposal: Change of use of land and the siting of 20 no. residential park homes Site of former Lafford High School Fen Road Amendment Details Change of description to reflect scheme is for 20 park homes not 24.

25/0945/OUT 2no semi-detached dwellings 24 Park Avenue Approved

9. LCC Highways updates None received.

10. To report on risk assessments/safety checks. Report from councillors where applicable.

Councillor Liles suggested that although the defibrillator situated outside the children’s centre is registered with the circuit profile, it may be practical to make the swimming pool aware of its close location.

The clerk will contact the swimming pool chairman.

11. To receive updates on the arrangements for the Annual Parish meeting.

The Annual Parish Meeting will start at 6pm and be held in the Methodist Church school rooms.

Billinghay and District Swimming Pool will join us for an update on the pools progress and reopening.

The clerk was asked to source the refreshments.

12. To review and approve the undernoted policies (AC forwarded prior to the meeting).

• PCD004 Code of Conduct
• PCD015 Cemetery
• PCD033 Code of Conduct

It was proposed by AC, seconded by RM, and agreed unanimously to approve the policies.

13. To Discuss the request for funding for car park resurfacing from Billinghay Village Hall.

It was explained that it is hoped the Village Hall will be to applying for funding from the lottery fund for a grant to resurface the car park. There may be a possibly that they will need further funds to supplement this.

It was discussed and the council cannot comment regarding this matter until details of the proposal are received.

14. To discuss and approve the change of use of part of the Grant Funding for Billinghay and District Swimming Pool.

Following the information given by the treasurer of the pool committee who had attended the public session. The matter regarding the grant funding was discussed. It was decided that the underspend should be returned to the parish council under the rules of the grant process.  The council were made aware that several unexpected expenses had been received by the pool committee and that further expenditure under the grant request may still be incurred once the final invoice is received but at the current time there was an underspend. It was agreed that the underspend need not be returned immediately but should be returned by 15 August 2026.

It was proposed by SC, seconded by RS, and agreed unanimously that the underspend should be returned to the parish council and returned by 15 August 2026.

15. To discuss the email received from the resident regarding the Whyche/Walcott Road junction.

The resident’s email was discussed, and it was commented that this matter had been brought to the attention of the council, on several occasions and taken up with the relevant authorities. The chairman agreed to look into the previous information/reports on this matter and then an email with findings will be sent to the resident.

16. Reports from Councillors and any agenda items for the next meeting.

JL Although not present at the meeting, asked that the council be made aware that she will be attending a meeting at county offices on 14 April 2026 regarding an update on the bus petition.

SC Asked if it was known when Church Street will be closed as signs had indicated it would close in March 2026.

Asked for contact details of Coningsby Parish Council as he is looking into costs for having the memorial illuminated. The Clerk will check these.

AV Has been investigating costs for speed signage to replace the faded and damaged ones already placed around the High Street area. These can be sourced from the community speed watch programme but to obtain full details the clerk would need to provide the membership number, the link will be forwarded to the clerk to complete.

RS Has been looking into the problems of parking outside the primary school, and this matter needs to be escalated to the county council. RS will forward the information to the clerk so this can be passed to the county councillor for putting forward recommendations.

WL Mentioned the state of the footpaths in High Street, it is understood there has been several falls, but nothing is being done. It was suggested that each problem be placed on FixmyStreet individually so that the whole area is looked at.

AC reported that the office lease will be extended for a further two years.