2026 Parish Council Minutes of Meetings

DRAFT MINUTES OF POINTON & SEMPRINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

Held on the 3rd March at St. Gilberts School

Cllrs Present: Cllrs Christie, Keeley, Mansell, Ross and Wesley (Chair)

Present: C.Cllr Hill, D.Cllr Abel, R.Boden (clerk) and 16 members of public.

AGENDA 

Chairman’s Welcome and Housekeeping Arrangements.

26017. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION

To receive reports from outside bodies.

- Report from C. Cllr Hill. There has been a rise in the budget of 2.9% from LCC. The Fair Funding Campaign has allocated £36 million for this and the next two financial yrs.

There will be extra money for flooding on West Road and the ditch relief work.

There will be more housing built in Billingborough and Corby Glen. Grantham by-pass will be completed this year and be ready to open next year.

Billingborough is working on a speed reduction. This is built around density of development, accidents and average speed checks.

He agrees that the quality of the pot hole work is not good and the contractors will be chased up.

A resident stated that every time it rains there is a puddle outside their home. They have reported it on Fix my Street many times and it just keeps being closed. Letters have been sent since 2019.

The new footpath to Billingborough is overgrown as is the path in Queensway and the High Street.

- Report from D. Cllr Abel. Cllr Abel has been working with Tom Amblin Lightowler from SKDC regarding the ditch, with some areas needing to be dug by hand. He has also worked Cllr Turner regarding a speed reduction between Billingborough and Pointon.

There is to be a 2.99% budget increase and there will be a rent increase of 4.8% for council housing.

He will be holding a drop-in surgery at the village hall shortly. He is trying to find the ETA of the food caddies that are being rolled out.

There has been an increase in fly tipping and SKDC has CCTV on the known hot spots. The bulky waste team are running behind at the moment.

For the council there is a community cleaner grant that they may claim to help towards a handy man. The council already receive this grant.

- Questions or Points raised by residents and members of the public. To be held at the end.

COUNCIL SESSION

26018. To receive any reports of member’s interest, Pecuniary or Non-Pecuniary in relation to the agenda and any dispensations in accordance with the Localism Act 2011. No reports were received.

26019. To receive and accept Apologies for Absence. All cllrs were present.

26020. To approve the clerk’s notes for the meeting held on the 6th January 2026 and for the chair to sign. It was resolved to approve the clerk’s notes for the meeting held on the 6th January 2026.

26021. To elect a Vice Chairman of the Council and to sign the Declaration of Acceptance of Office. Cllr Wesley proposed Cllr Christie for Vice Chair and Cllr Ross seconded this. It was resolved that Cllr Christie become Vice Chair.

26022. To elect a member for the staffing committee. Cllr Keeley proposed Cllr Clarke for the staffing committee and Cllr Ross seconded this. It was resolved that Cllr Clarke is elected to the staffing committee.

26023. Clerk’s Report – To receive an update of developments between meetings. No report

26024. LALC:

a) To consider the joining of LALC for the financial year 26/27 for £192.06. It was resolved to join LALC for the financial year 26/27 for £192.06.

b) To consider the joining of the training scheme for financial year 26/27 at £130 +VAT. It was resolved to join the training scheme for the financial year 26/27 at £130 + VAT.

26025. Finances:

a) To receive the clerk’s report on payments between meetings

It was resolved to accept the clerk’s report on payments between meetings.

b) To approve the bank reconciliation and for the Vice-Chair to sign. It was resolved to approve the bank reconciliation and for the Vice-Chair to sign.

c) To discuss 3rd quarter, spend against the budget. It was resolved to accept the 3rd quarter spend against the budget.

26026.To discuss the creation of ‘Villager of the Year’ award for both a junior and senior. It was resolved to create both a senior and junior category for ‘Villager of the Year’. The winners will be announced at the Annual Parish Meeting.

26027. Policies - To review and accept the following policies:

a) Accessibility Statement. It was resolved to accept the Accessibility Statement

b) Abusive, Persistent & Vexatious Policy. It was resolved to accept the Abusive, Persistent & Vexatious Policy

c) Co-option Policy. It was resolved to accept the Co-option Policy

d) Disciplinary Policy. It was resolved to accept the Disciplinary Policy

e) Equality Policy. It was resolved to accept the Equality Policy

f) Expenses Policy. It was resolved to accept the Expenses Policy

g) Training Policy. It was resolved to accept the Training Policy

h) Grants Policy. Cllr Keeley proposed that there be a change to the Grants Policy to include that applicants can only apply once a year. It was seconded by Cllr Ross and the council resolved that the grants policy be changed.

26028. Playing Field / Play Equipment. 

a) To consider the purchase of field mats and agree a spend if good quality second hand mats become available. After discussion it was resolved that the council don’t need any extra mats at present but if any good quality second hand mats become available then they may be purchased but two cllrs must agree and the cost must be between £10-12 a mat.

b) To consider the placing of the tractor on the field and agree to arranging a RoSPA inspection for advice. It was resolved that a RoSPA inspection is carried out for advice before it is considered placing it on the field. A seat is required for the tractor and once sighted a plaque in remembrance to Cllr Greenwood be erected.

c) To consider the quotes for the play equipment and confirm the pieces of new equipment to order. It was resolved to use Streetscape for the repair of the wet pour areas and to place wet pour around the roundabout. Two springers will be also included at a cost of £7630 +VAT. The clerk is to check the measurements before confirming the order. Two seats for the seesaw will also be ordered.

d) To consider the purchase of Herras fencing rather than hiring it each month. It was discussed and resolved to purchase the Herras fencing rather than the cost of hiring each month.

e) To consider using Tidy Gardens for the next financial year (3rd year) with the view to going out to tender the following year. It was resolved to use Tidy Gardens for the next financial year with the view to go out to tender the following year.

26029. Planning matters 

a) Current

S25/1851 - Windy House, Sempringham, Lincs – Decision: Refused

26030. To discuss the date and time of the Annual Parish Meeting. It was resolved to hold the Annual Parish Meeting before the Annual Parish Council Meeting on the 5th May with a 7pm start.

26031. Date and time of the Annual Parish Council Meeting – 5th May 2026. 

It was resolved that the council go back to monthly meetings. The new dates are 7th April, 5th May, 2nd June and 7th July.

26032. Questions from the public. Members of the public asked:

Why had the precept risen when there is nothing to show for it. It was explained that the council had been left with no reserves and these were being built up.

Where are the flower tubs and why are they not being used? The tubs are currently at the chair’s yard as they weren’t been looked after and looked a mess. A member of public said he would fill and look after them.

There has recently been some fly tipping with the car being spotted as they drove away. If the village hall CCTV worked it could have captured this. D.Cllr Abel would look to see if there was a grant available from SKDC.

Had the clerk’s training been shared with her other council. Yes it has.

Has the asset register been updated and can the most recent RoSPA report be added to the website.

There was concern that the playground has had nothing done to it over the last year.

The last H&S report on the pavilion was in 2024 and no work has been completed.

The meeting closed at 8.51pm