22 September 2026 - Environment & Estate Committee
Notice of a meeting of the Environment & Estate Committee
Dear Sir/Madam,
I hereby give you notice that a meeting of the Environment & Estate Committee of Ruskington Parish Council will be held on Tuesday 22 September 2026 at 6.30pm at Ruskington Parish Office, High Street North, Ruskington, NG34 9DY. A public session will commence at 6.30pm and members of the public and press are welcome to attend and may ask questions or make short statements to the Committee at this time. Due to the venue, please contact the Clerk in advance of the meeting for this to be arranged. Alternatively, you may submit a question or short statement to the Clerk in advance of the meeting.
All Councillor Members of the Environment and Estate Committee are summoned to attend for the purpose of considering and resolving upon the business to be transacted at the meeting, as set out hereunder.
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Signed: K. H. Locke Clerk to the Parish Council |
K. H. Locke |
Date: 16 September 2026 |
Agenda
1. To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Parish Clerk prior to the meeting.
2. To receive declarations of interest and consider applications for dispensations in relation to DPIs. Disclosure of Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests is to be in accordance with the Localism Act 2011. The need for Disclosure is to be based upon agenda items or at any suitable time during the Meeting when it becomes apparent to a Member.
3. To approve the notes of the Environment and Estate Committee meeting held on 30 June 2026 as accurate Minutes.
4. To receive an update on the budget and expenditure for the Committee to date.
4.1. To consider the fees for the allotment plots from 1 October 2027 to 30 September 2028 (currently £40.00 per plot with a £50.00 refundable deposit for new allotment plot holders).
4.2. To consider the purchase or part purchase of textbooks required by the Environment Caretaker to undertake a Formal Tree Assessment course, to the cost of £138.00.
4.3. To consider the purchase of seed for the churchyard at a cost of £108.00.
5. To receive the following reports – (for information only)
5.1. Clerk’s report
5.2. Environment Caretaker’s report
5.3. The Ash Dieback Survey report
5.4. The Memorial Headstone Inspection report (July 2026).
6. To receive an update on the renovation of Parkfield pavilion including the upgraded CCTV provision.
6.1. To receive/ consider the 30 year management plan for Parkfield playing fields as a condition of the planning application for the pavilion renovation, if available and agree any actions and expenditure.
7. To consider the proposed changes to the Horseshoe Hollow management plan, 2026, and agree the date for its next review. The changes include:
7.1. The fire risk addendum
7.2. The proposed landscape changes
8. To consider the proposed plan for the three entrances into Horseshoe Hollow (expenditure previously approved by Council for the 2026-2027 budget) and agree any actions and additional expenditure required.
9. To consider Council applying to NKDC for nature reserve status for Horseshoe Hollow and agree any actions and expenditure required for recommending to Council.
10. To consider the changes to the Churchyard management plan 2026, to include the fire risk addendum, agree the date for its next review and any actions and expenditure required for recommendation to Council. (The plan also has to be approved by the PCC).
11. To reconsider the best Christmas trees for the brackets on the High Street, (the proposed artificial trees were not designed to be hung from brackets) and agree any actions and expenditure for recommending to Council.
11.1. To consider the caretakers visiting the Christmas tree supplier to specify the limitations on size of trees.
12. To consider any requirements for the community garden including the installation of electricity for events and agree the actions and expenditure for informing the budget for FY 2027-2028.
13. To receive an update on the proposed conservation area for Ruskington village centre and agree any actions or expenditure for recommendation to Council.
14. To consider the car parking at Parkfield playing fields and the condition of the car park and agree any actions and expenditure for recommending to Council.
15. To consider any health and safety matters that have arisen since the last committee meeting and agree any actions and expenditure required.
16. To consider any planning applications received from NKDC since the Council meeting was held on 8 September 2026.
a. Notification of Receipt of Planning Application
Planning Application Reference: 26/0915/HSC
Proposal: Storage of liquified Propane - maximum of 34 tonnes - one bank of 5 tanks
and 2 banks of 6 tanks
Location: Wood Farm Poultry Farm Wood Lane Ruskington NG34 9SH.
Comments to be returned to NKDC by 9 October 2026.
16.1. To note any planning applications approved by NKDC (for information only).
16.2. To consider any planning applications from NKDC or LCC received after the agenda was published.
17. To consider the Council’s storage requirements, proposed solutions and agree any actions and expenditure for recommending to Council.
17.1. To consider the expenditure for a new 20m x 10m community shed for storing emergency plan and event equipment to inform the budget for FY 2027-2028.
17.2. To consider the requirement for a storage unit at Parkfield and agree its location, actions, and any expenditure for recommending to Council.
18. To consider any environment and estate management projects, maintenance, and equipment requirements for informing budget for the 2027-2028 fiscal year.
19. To review the following policies and documents and agree review dates and any amendments for recommendation to Council:
19.1. Allotment Policy
19.1.2. Allotment Tenancy Agreement from 1 October 2027 – 30 September 2028
19.2. Health & Safety Policy
19.3. Cemetery Regulations
19.4. Salting & Gritting Policy
20. To resolve whether to exclude the public and press, in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, to discuss the following staffing and legal matters below. Should this resolution be passed, members of the public and press will be required to leave the meeting. The meeting will end, and a further meeting of the Council will be convened immediately.
21. To consider the Environment Caretaker’s request for permission to carry out his dissertation studies in Horseshoe Hollow between February 2027 and September 2027.
22. To consider the requirement for a new cemetery and agree any actions and expenditure for recommending to Council.
23. To consider ways to support Ruskington Village Hall and the Village Hall Management Committee.
24. To consider / confirm the date for the next scheduled Committee meeting as Monday 30 November 2026 at 6.30pm at the Parish Office.
24.1. To consider the requirement for any additional meetings or working party meetings.
End of agenda.