Annual Parish Meeting 2024

 Ruskington Parish Council

Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on Tuesday 12 March 2024 at the Methodist Church, Chapel Street, Ruskington, NG34 9DX at 6.30pm.

Approximately 30 members of the public were in attendance.

Information on Ruskington Parish Council, its activities, and projects, and becoming a councillor were displayed, along with flood awareness and flood prevention information.  The public consultation for 2024 was available to complete. Councillors were present to answer questions on Council business and projects and to hear public comments, concerns, and ideas for the village. Council’s annual report was available. The Environment Agency were present to hear residents’ flood concerns and share information. Refreshments, donated by Ruskington Co-op, were served.

The Chairman of Council opened the meeting at 6.32pm.

1. Welcome and opening address – Cllr O Ditch (Chairman of Council).

The Chairman offered a warm welcome, introduced the guest speakers and explained the housekeeping.

2. To receive the Chairman’s Annual Report for 2023-2024 from Cllr O Ditch.

The Annual Report had been circulated prior to the meeting and paper copies were available at the meeting. Cllr Ditch gave a PowerPoint presentation sharing extracts from the annual report including a finance report, committee updates, the office renovation progress, and agreed projects for 2024-2025. This was followed by a questions and answer session which included a question concerning the slow process of the office renovation and traffic and highways matters. Cllr Ditch advised that the parish council were not the authority for highways matters but Cllr Wright would be able to answer these queries later in the meeting. 

3. To receive the notes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 13 June 2023.

Action: The notes of the meeting were approved as accurate Minutes.

4. To receive the Annual Report on behalf of North Kesteven District Council (NKDC) from D/Cllrs R Wright and M Waldeck, if available.

Cllr Wright introduced himself and praised the hard work of the council and councillors and then explained the responsibilities of NKDC (including bins, housing, business units) and gave an update on NKDC business over the last year. 

• NKDC was recognised as being the best districts in the UK for recycling, aided by residents putting the items in the correct bin.
• Council houses were being assessed and retrofitted as required at a cost of £98-100 million.  
• NKDC had 137 business units in the district, most of which were used as starter units.
• The development of Sleaford Market Place was under discussion and consultation on this had begun in 2011.
• The council tax for 2024 -2025 had been agreed and would equate to a Band D property paying £189.45 for the year, £4.95 more than in the 2023/24 financial year.

The full report would be displayed on the Parish Council website once available.

5. To receive the Annual Report on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council from Cty/Cllr R Wright, if available.

Cllr Wright explained the role of the county council, including highways, education, school transport, adult social care and children’s services (which nationally was rated as outstanding) and gave an update on council business for the last financial year, including the negative effect of the flood events and rainfall on the road surfaces. The full report would be displayed on the Parish Council website once available.

There followed an opportunity for the public to ask questions regarding district and county council matters. One question raised was the speed limit variations on Lincoln Road (40-50-30mph) between Dorrington and Ruskington. Cllr Wright advised that the speed limits were legal requirements that met the conditions of the road and built environment. Other questions included the poor condition of High Street South and parking and driving on the pavement on High Street South. Residents were advised that these were police matters and should be reported so action could be taken.

6. To receive questions from the public regarding Council business between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024, and to receive ideas for future village projects.

Questions had been raised and answered following the Chairman’s presentation.

7.  Guest speakers – Rachael McMahon and Stephanie Lynes - from the Flood Resilience Team at the Environment Agency (Lincolnshire & Northamptonshire).

The Environment Agency (EA) representatives gave a presentation on the Storm Babet and Storm Henk flood events, the known data, and advised that until all the information from the flood investigations were known strategies for flood prevention could not be explored. The EA focused on strategies to mitigate the damage caused by flooding and encouraged people to attend the flood mobile when it visited Ruskington Co-op carpark on 10 April 2024. Residents had the opportunity to ask questions and to talk to the EA representatives at the end of the meeting.

8. Demonstration of how Horseshoe Hollow acts as a flood defence for Ruskington – Mr Andrew Doughty (Council’s Environment Caretaker).

Mr Doughty had been unable to attend the meeting but had offered to demonstrate how Horseshoe Hollow functioned as a flood defence, at the parish office, on request.

The Chairman closed the meeting at 8.05pm.