Annual Parish Meeting 2025

 Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on Tuesday 20 March 2025 at the Methodist Church, Chapel Street, Ruskington, NG34 9DX at 6.30pm.

District and County Cllr R Wright had sent apologies as he was out of the county on Council business.

Approximately 30 members of the public were in attendance.

Representatives of the following agencies and groups had information stands in the community room: Ruskington WI, OneYou Lincolnshire, Sleaford Rural Sector Neighbourhood Policing Team, All Saints Parish Church, South Lincs Church, Ruskington Methodist Church, Ruskington Parish Council, Ruskington Community Library, Witham Archaeology, and Ruskington Area Veterans’ Group. 

Before the meeting opened, attendees were encouraged to visit the information stands and talk to the representatives from the groups. Information on Ruskington Parish Council, its recent achievements, activities, and projects was available, and Councillors were present to answer questions on Council business, and to hear public comments, concerns, and ideas for the village. Council’s Annual Report for 2025-2026 was available.

Complimentary refreshments, donated by Ruskington Co-op, were served.

The Chairman of Council opened the meeting at 6.35pm.

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

The Chairman offered a warm welcome, and thanked Becky Gulliatt and the Methodist Church for use of the venue and their help before and at the event; the guest speakers from the Water and Flood Team at LCC, the stall holders and attendees, and Ruskington Co-op for their donation towards the refreshments.

2. To receive recommendations for Lincolnshire County Council following the Section 19 investigation into flood events in Ruskington.

Matthew Harrison (Flood and Water Manager at LCC) and Ryan Davies (Senior Flood Officer at LCC) spoke about LCC’s awareness of the flood risk in Ruskington, the recent flood events that had directly affected the village and recognised the long-term impact of flood events on residents.  LCC had a responsibility to investigate the causes of flooding and to provide risk management guidance and recommendations. They worked at strategic level with other agencies such as the Internal Drainage Boards and the Environment Agency, who were responsible for the Beck and adjacent water courses, plus landowners. Mr Harrison spoke about Section 19 flood investigations, answered questions on this, and advised that LCC could make recommendations to reduce flood events but under the Flood and Water Management Act, it had no influence on other agencies. LCC looked at wide catchments areas when investigating flooding, had to consider where the flood water would go, and advised that solutions could not cause flooding elsewhere. Mr Harrison reported that a meeting with the Parish Council had recently been held, followed by a walk around the village to visit the locations where flooding had occurred. Flood events were increasing in frequency and everyone should be prepared.

Mr Davies (Senior Flood Officer at LCC) provided a summary of the work which Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) was currently progressing in collaboration with Stantec and partner agencies. This is detailed below: -

1.  Hydraulic modelling and feasibility study

In co-ordination with the Environment Agency, LCC had commissioned Stantec Ltd to undertake hydraulic modelling and feasibility within the hydraulic catchment influencing Ruskington. The goal of this project was to ascertain what, if any, proportionate and feasible opportunities existed to help alleviate the flooding realised within Ruskington by those relevant RMAs (including private third parties) and / or in partnership as part of a wider flood alleviation scheme.

For the avoidance of doubt, monies had been set aside by LCC to progress this project up to detailed design (assuming that a feasible and cost-effective solution could be identified).

In terms of project delivery, this could be broken down into three phases-

Phase 1 – Inception. This phase consists of a review of existing information and hydraulic model to determine what, if any, further information (e.g., surveying) or work to the existing hydraulic model is required to ensure the robustness, accuracy, and reliability of it. As part of Phase 1, a site walkover was undertaken on Tuesday the 13th of May 2025 with representatives of Ruskington Parish Council also being present. The purpose of this walkover was to enable colleagues at Stantec to gain a better understanding of the location, not only to assist general awareness but also to help inform any subsequent surveying work to ensure the hydraulic model reflects reality insofar as was reasonably practicable. The current estimated completion date for this stage of the project was by close of play July 2025.

Phase 2 – Revision of hydraulic model. This phase consisted of the undertaking of surveying identified in Phase 1 alongside the updating of the hydraulic model, as required, combined with comparison with observed data as part of the model validation process. Following completion of Phase 1, a better understanding with respect to indicative timescales for this phase of the project would be gained.

Phase 3 – Optioneering. Utilising the outputs of Phase 2, possible betterments would be implemented into the hydraulic model and assessed for their efficacy combined with a high-level cost analysis. Once a preferred, or a series of preferred measures had been identified, the project could then progress onto detailed design, including detailed calculation of cost-benefits and overall cost of delivery. Currently, it was not possible to provide any indicative timescales with respect a completion date for this phase of the project.

2. Jetting, cleansing, and CCTV of highway drainage assets

In co-ordination with highway colleagues, the Floods and Water team had also commissioned the undertaking of jetting, cleansing, and CCTV of all highway drainage assets within Ruskington through Ajet Drain Services Ltd.

Works at Ruskington were programmed to progress once on-going works at Leasingham were completed. Note that works on-site may not immediately follow the completion at Leasingham as this would be subject to both Ajet’s and road space availability. Currently, LCC were engaging with Ajet to agree a start date and further clarification would be provided in due course.

Due to the size of the work area, this programme would be progressed in successive phases to minimise disruption to the road network. It was important to note that whilst this piece of work would not directly address flooding from watercourses it would, nevertheless, help to ensure that the road drainage network could function as intended.

Following the presentation, several questions were also asked of the Flood and Water Team, and a summary of these can be found below: -

A question was raised regarding underground rivers / pipes. At the time, there was some uncertainty with respect to the assets concerned but LCC now understood that the enquiry was with respect to groundwater. LCC could confirm that the implications of saturated ground would be factored into the model and had reiterated this with Stantec.

Concerns were also raised regarding the condition of watercourses, one adjacent to the playing field and the other somewhere on the way out to Anwick. With respect, the watercourse adjacent to the playing field, LCC could confirm that officers of the team would arrange an inspection and engage with the relevant parties as required. In terms of the watercourse on the way to Anwick it was wondering if any further details regarding the exact location of concern could be provided. Following which, LCC would then engage with those relevant parties as required.

Finally, comments were made regarding riparian landowners. A while ago, LCC had produced a leaflet which provided a high-level overview of riparian rights and responsibilities, and LCC were currently reinvigorating a programme of work that was looking to address such concerns (insofar as reasonably possible) at both a local and national scale. Currently, the forward programme of work for this project is being determined internally with a completion date of end of May 2025, following which LCC would be happy to provide an update.

LCC were keen to receive local knowledge on flood events, and issues with drains, ditches and culverts which would be used to inform the investigations.

The Chairman thanked the Flood Officers, and they left the meeting.

3. To receive the notes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on 12 March 2024.

Action: The members of public agreed that these were an accurate record of the meeting held on 12 March 2024.

The Chairman signed the minutes.

4. To receive the Chairman’s Annual Report for FY 2024-2025.

Copies of the annual report were available at the meeting and would be available on the Council’s website after the meeting. The Chairman showed highlights from the report in a PowerPoint presentation and spoke of some of the achievements over the last year;  the value of Horseshoe Hollow as a future nature reserve and as a flood plain; the renovation of the parish office to provide office units for local businesses, of which half were now let, and the children’s competitions to design new village entrance signs and anti-dog fouling posters, all of which were now in place.  Cllr Ditch also spoke of future plans such as an ash tree die-back action plan, possible Green Flag status for Horseshoe Hollow, the renovation of the pavilion with plans to improve car parking, the s106 contribution following a development of housing, and reported that as NKDC had confirmed they had no plans to build housing at Hillside, the play area could now be improved.   Please see Appendix A.

The Chairman introduced the RFO.

5. To receive a Financial Report - Miss Kirsty Sinclair (RFO).

The RFO gave a brief overview of Council’s finances for the previous and current year, spoke about the precept, expenditure and income, and invited questions. No questions were raised.

The Chairman thanked the RFO.

6. To receive questions from the public regarding Council business between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, and to receive ideas for future village projects.

The Chairman completed his PowerPoint presentation (please see Appendix B) and invited questions and suggestions for improvements and projects. Comments included relocating the five fruit trees from Elmtree playing field, which the Chairman advised was already underway; issues with the carparking at Parkfield playing fields and clashes with a football team, and planning for a proposed biogas plant in Anwick, which a member of the public said they were unaware of until they had seen the protest signs about this on lampposts in Anwick. Another member of the public, who had handed out leaflets about the biogas plant prior to the meeting, also raised their concerns about the biogas plant and Council’s responses.  The Chairman advised that enlarging the parking at Parkfield was awaiting planning permission and spoke about the need to increase the biodiversity net gain in the area and the use of Hexpave to allow the grass to grow through. The Chairman advised that the proposed biogas plant had been included on agendas and minutes, that Council’s comments and concerns had been submitted to LCC and changes had already been made to the proposed plans as a result.  A member of public suggested that residents could attend council meetings and read the agendas and minutes, which were in the public domain, to find out what was happening with planning and other matters.  It was also noted that the biogas application was in a pre-application stage of consultation and the plans to date had been scrutinised by the Environment Committee and Council with further comments and questions returned to LCC and NKDC. These comments were also in the public domain.

A resident thanked the Council for all its hard work and commitment to the village and its residents.

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

Cllr Waldeck presented information on the District Council’s achievements over the year and plans for the upcoming year. Please see Appendix C. Paper copies of the report were available at the meeting. Cllr Waldeck answered questions and agreed to feedback to NKDC suggestions to improve the traffic management at the household waste recycling centre in Sleaford.  Copies of the NKDC report were available at the meeting.

The Chairman thanked Cllr Waldeck.

8. To receive the Annual Report on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council from Councillor Wright, and an update on changes to local government, if available.

County Councillor Wright had been unable to attend the meeting and had sent apologies. He had provided a brief report prior to the meeting which the Chairman read out. Please see Appendix D.

The Chairman thanked everyone for their attendance and closed the meeting at 8.05pm.

Date:                                                                                                Signed:                   

                                                                                                          Chairman of Council

Appendix A - RPC Annual Report 2025

Appendix B - APM 2025 Presentation

Appendix C - NKDC Annual Report 2025

Appendix D - County Councillor Annual Report 2025