3 March 2026 - DRAFT Estate Management & Planning Committee
Ruskington Parish Council
DRAFT Minutes of an Estate Management and Planning Committee meeting held on Tuesday 3 March 2026 at the Parish Office at 6.30pm.
Please note, these are draft minutes and subject to amendment.
Present: Cllr M Trolley (Chairman of Committee), Cllr O Ditch, Cllr S Hislop, Cllr D Conway, Cllr Cunningham.
Also in attendance: Kathryn Locke (Clerk to Council)
Apologies: None.
No members of the public were present.
The Chairman opened the meeting at 6.30pm and welcomed the delegates.
1. To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Parish Clerk prior to the meeting.
All Committee members were present.
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.
- Cllr Hislop declared an interest on agenda item 6.1 (planning application 25/0529/FUL) due to the nature of their employment.
- Cllr Cunningham declared an interest in agenda item 6a (planning application 25/1553/FUL) as he lived in the vicinity of the property.
- Cllr Conway declared an interest in agenda item 6c (planning application 26/0226/HOUS) as he knew the applicant.
3. To approve the notes of the committee meeting held on Tuesday 20 January 2026 as accurate Minutes.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to approve the notes of the meeting held on Tuesday 20 January 2026 as accurate Minutes. Proposed by Cllr Trolley, seconded by Cllr Ditch and approved unanimously.
The Chairman signed the Minutes.
4. To consider recommending to Council a conservation area to protect, preserve and enhance the historic core of Ruskington, following a meeting with the Conservation Officers at NKDC on 16/2/2026 – Cllr Hislop.
Cllr Hislop had written a detailed proposal for a conservation area for Ruskington village centre based along the High Street. The Clerk had sent this to the Conservation Officers at NKDC with an enquiry about the process to create a conservation area. On 16 February 2026, two Conservation Officers from NKDC had met with Cllr Hislop, Cllr Cunningham, Cllr Sheldon and the Clerk and walked around the village centre. The Conservation Officers had provided a draft map to show a potential Conservation Area for Ruskington which included a wider area than originally proposed by Cllr Hislop. The Conservation Officers considered that Ruskington had buildings of significant architectural and historic interest which would justify the designation of a conservation area, and they would be keen to support the project in principle. NKDC would lead on the project, would prepare all the information and conduct the public consultation. There would be no cost to the Parish Council, but Council could share publicity and information.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council that a conservation area be considered for Ruskington village centre. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr Ditch and approved unanimously.
5. To receive an update and recommendations from the Pavilion Project Working Party meeting held on 24 February 2026 – Cllr Conway.
A report from the working party meeting had been circulated prior to the meeting. (Please see Appendix A) and Cllr Conway gave an overview.
5.1. To consider the specification for the pavilion renovation project as recommended by the Pavilion Working Party to inform the plan for Building Control.
The specification was considered in detail including the opening of the serving hatch in the kitchen. It was agreed that a bi-fold serving window and a press button “up and over” hatch be installed. Amendments were made as required.
5.2. To consider the draft tender documents to recommend to Council at its meeting on 10 March 2026.
Cllr Conway and Cllr Cunningham had met with the Clerk on 26 February 2026 to revise the tender document following the recommendations of the Pavilion Working Party. This had been circulated prior to the meeting and was reviewed in detail. Revisions to the document were agreed. Cllr Ditch shared his expertise on kitchen equipment and suggested the installation of a suitable combination oven, incorporating high speed impingement technology, with convection and microwave options. Options for the external serving hatch were also considered and a bifold window that could be secured open with a button operated “up and over” external hatch for security was agreed as being more practical than a window that opened inwards over the counter. The use of volunteers to help with the project was discussed in depth and although it was thought that volunteers could help at the end of the project with painting or decorating, the use of volunteers was otherwise considered inadvisable due to the management and supervision of the volunteers by the successful contractor, volunteer availability, the required risk assessments, checking of qualifications, checking of the completed work, and the Committee also considered that individuals should be fairly paid for any work conducted. If individuals did want to volunteer their time or to donate items to the project, they should contact the Clerk for this to be considered by Council.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend the tender documents to Council following any revisions agreed at the meeting. Proposed by Cllr Conway, second by Cllr Hislop and approved unanimously.
5.3. To consider the next steps for the pavilion project.
The Committee agreed the following:
- The revised tender documents to be recommended to Council at its next meeting on 10 March 2026.
- A Working Party meeting to be arranged for Monday 16 March at 2pm on-site at the Pavilion, to discuss, for example, the location of electrical sockets, and the dates for the tender process to be agreed.
6. To consider any planning applications received from NKDC since the Council meeting held on 10 February 2026.
a. Planning Application Reference: 25/1553/FUL
Proposal: Change of use of garden building to dog grooming parlour.
Location: 25 St Clements Road Ruskington Sleaford Lincolnshire NG34 9AF
Comments to be returned to NKDC by 5/3/2026.
Action: The Committee had no objections to this application.
b. Planning Application Reference: 26/0119/HOUS
Proposal: Erection of a single storey rear extension
Location: 15 Westbeck Ruskington Sleaford Lincolnshire NG34 9GU
Comments to be returned to NKDC by 5/3/2026.
Action: The Committee had no objections to this application.
c. Planning Application Reference: 26/0226/HOUS
Proposal: Erection of a two-storey side extension
Location: 36 Hurn Close Ruskington Sleaford Lincolnshire NG34 9FE
Comments to be returned to NKDC by 20/3/2026.
Action: The Committee had no objections to this application.
6.1. To consider any planning applications received since the agenda was published.
a. Application Reference: 25/0529/FUL (Amended plans/ new information)
Proposal: Change of use to dog exercise paddock, siting of a storage container for
use as a welfare and storage facility and creation of parking area and upgraded
access
Location: Land Off Sleaford Road Ruskington Sleaford
Revised red line boundary and associated updated plans.
Comments are to be returned to NKDC by 19 March 2026.
Action: The Committee had no further comments for this application.
7. Review of Council’s Health & Safety.
The Caretakers and Clerk had raised a couple of H&S concerns, including the use of ladders to erect the Christmas trees on the business premises on the High Street, and the wearing of appropriate PPE.
Action: The purchase of a ladder with a platform to be recommended to Council at a cost of approx. £1,000. A “tick list” for PPE to be included on all risk assessments.
8. To confirm the date of the next scheduled Committee meeting as Tuesday 2 June 2026 at 6.30pm.
Action: The date and time were confirmed as 2 June 2026 at 6.30pm. A meeting before this was to be held on Wednesday 8 April 2026 at 6.30pm at the Parish office.
8.1. To consider if another pavilion working party meeting was required before 2 June 2026.
Action: A Working Party Meeting had been agreed in agenda item 5.3., above. (A Working Party Meeting to be arranged for Monday 16 March at 2pm on-site at the Pavilion.)
9. To resolve whether to exclude the public and press, in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, to discuss the legal matter below.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to exclude the public and press to discuss the legal/insurance matter below. Proposed by Cllr Cuningham, seconded by Cllr Ditch and approved unanimously.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 7.52pm. The meeting re-convened at 7.52pm.
10. To consider the collapse of guttering and advice from Council’s insurer.
The Clerk gave an update on an incident and advised that this was now being dealt with Council’s insurance.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 8.09pm.
Appendix A: Report from a meeting of the Pavilion Project Working Party on Tuesday 24 February 2026 at 10.30am at Ruskington Parish Office.
Present: Cllr Conway (Lead for the Pavilion Project), Cllr Sheldon, Cllr Hilsop, Cllr Cox, Cllr Cunningham, Kathryn Locke (Clerk to Council)
Cllr Conway opened the meeting at 10.33am
1. Apologies.
Cllr Ditch.
2. Declarations of interest on any items on the agenda.
None declared at any time.
3. To receive an update on the pavilion project.
Cllr Conway presented a brief overview of the project and his involvement as the lead of the project and working party as appointed by the Estate Management and Planning Committee. The project was almost at the tender stage. Dr Cotter had advised that the 30-year environment management plan would be available by mid-March 2026.
4. To consider the architect’s plans and agree any amendments for Building Control for recommending to the Estate Management & Planning Committee on 3 March 2026.
The plans had been circulated prior to the meeting, were available at the meeting and were discussed. The serving hatch, the need for separate changing facilities for match officials and separate male/ female changing facilities in the external changing room were considered. Recommendations included keeping the serving hatch opening as it was at present (rather than up and over) as this would not impact on the use of the kitchen workspace. Hooks and a chair to be made available in the external access disabled toilet so it could be utilised as an official’s changing room, or a female changing room, if required. Using a stud wall to create a separate female changing area in the changing room was thought useful until the changing rooms could be renovated. Heating and provision of the hot water for the pavilion would require research and costing if gas was not to be used. Advice to be sought from the supplier of the solar panels situated on the changing room roof to see if these would cope with a café. Under-floor heating and ground source heat pumps were considered for further investigation.
5. To consider the specification for the pavilion renovation for recommending to Council on 10 March 2026.
This was considered at length with item 4, above, and suggestions were made. Items included high quality CCTV cameras, sockets, a commercial kitchen, durable, non-slip flooring with a long quarantine, space for a large wall hung TV, a Merrychef oven, and a dishwasher.
6. To consider the draft tender documents for recommending to Council on 10 March 2026.
Cllr Conway had circulated draft tender documents to the committee prior to the meeting, and these were available at the meeting. It was agreed that Cllr Conway, Cllr Cunningham and the Clerk would meet at 2pm on Tuesday 26 February 2026 at the Parish Office to discuss and make revisions for presenting to the Estate management and Planning Committee at its next meeting on 3/3/2026 for further review.
7. To agree the date and time for the next working party meeting.
A further meeting was not considered a requirement at this time.