Committee Minutes - 1 April 2026 - 31 March 2027

Ruskington Parish Council

Minutes of an Environment and Estate Committee meeting held on Tuesday 22 September 2026 at the Parish Office at 6.30pm.

Present:  Cllr M Trolley (Chairman of Committee), Cllr P Cunningham (Vice-chair of Committee), Cllr O Ditch, Cllr D Conway, Dr Sheena Cotter.

Also in attendance: Kathryn Locke (Clerk to Council), Andrew Doughty (Environment Caretaker)

Two members of public were in attendance: A newly co-opted Councillor observing the meeting, and the Chairman of the Village Hall Management Committee who had been invited by the Clerk.

At 6.31pm the Chairman welcomed the delegates and members of the public and invited comments and questions from the public.

The Chairman of the Village Hall Management Committee advised that they were attending the meeting in relation to agenda items 14 and 22, below, relating to the car park parking at Parkfield and the Village Hall and the current situation regarding the governance of the Village Hall.

The Chairman opened the meeting at 6.39pm.

1. To receive and accept apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Parish Clerk prior to the meeting.

Cllr Sheldon had been unable to attend the meeting and had sent valid apologies.

Cllr Hislop was not present at the meeting and had not sent apologies.

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to accept Cllr Sheldon’s apologies. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr Trolley and approved unanimously.

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.

None were declared at this time.

3. To approve the notes of the Environment and Estate Committee meeting held on 30 June 2026 as accurate Minutes.

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to approve the notes of the meeting held on 30 June 2026 as accurate minutes. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr Conway and approved unanimously.

4. To receive an update on the budget and expenditure for the Committee to date.

A report was not available. However, it was noted that the financial information was available in the RFO’s financial report from the Council meeting held on 8 September 2026.

   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).

The high allotment water bills and costs for skips to remove items from the allotments at the end of a tenancy were discussed.  

Action: The Council RESOLVED to recommend to Council that the fees for an allotment plot remained at £40.00 per plot, but the refundable deposit to be raised from £50.00 per plot to £75.00 per plot from 1 October 2027. The RFO to be asked for their recommendation before this was presented to Council at its next meeting. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr Conway and approved unanimously.

   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.

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to approve the expenditure of £138.00 for the required textbooks if the library could not supply copies. Proposed by Cllr Conway, seconded by Cllr Trolley and approved unanimously.

   4.3. To consider the purchase of seed for the churchyard at a cost of £108.00.

The Environment Caretaker explained the requirement for the purchasing of wildflowers seeds.

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to approve the purchase of wildflower seeds at a cost of £108.00 to aid the naturalisation of the closed churchyard.  Proposed by Cllr Ditch, seconded by Cllr Cunningham and approved unanimously.

5. To receive the following reports – (for information only)

   5.1. Clerk’s report (Please see attached.)

This had been circulated prior to the meeting. No questions were raised.

   5.2. Environment Caretaker’s report

This had been circulated prior to the meeting and the Environment Caretaker answered questions.

   5.3. The Ash Dieback Survey report

This was the first survey report undertaken of the ash trees owned and managed by the Council. The report, written by the Environment Caretaker following his survey, had been circulated prior to the meeting. Photos to show the condition of the trees were shared on the screen. Some ash trees along the central hedge and footpath at Parkfield playing fields would require work within the year.

Action: The Clerk to obtain quotes for the tree work required for informing the budget for FY 2027-2028.

Another ash die-back survey to be undertaken in 2027.

   5.4. The Memorial Headstone Inspection report (July 2026).

The phase one inspection report had been circulated prior to the meeting. All work to make safe the identified headstones, plus three additional headstones had been completed by 18 September 2026.

6. To receive an update on the renovation of Parkfield pavilion including the upgraded CCTV provision.

Information on the pavilion had been shared in the Clerk’s report. Cllr Conway advised that the gas supply would need to be reinstated for heating and hot water purposes as solar panels and ground source heat pumps were not considered viable. This decision was queried and it was noted that the gas pipes and wastewater pipes ran beneath the area proposed for the overflow car park. It was noted that  a radar key would not be required for the external access toilet as this was not a dedicated disabled toilet and would be locked and unlocked at set times.  Cllr Cunningham gave an overview of an onsite meeting with Global Vison on 18/9/2026. (Please see attached report.) Additional cameras for the exterior of the Changing Rooms had been discussed with the contactor to capture the proposed storage units on the north side of the changing rooms. Quotes regarding installation of an upgraded system had been obtained and circulated prior to the meeting but had arrived too late for inclusion on the agenda. There was no requirement to remove the current CCTV system during the renovation works. The Clerk advised that all the CCTV cameras on the Village Hall belonged to Council.

Action: The quotes for the upgraded CCTV cameras to be considered by the Finance Committee for informing the budget for FY 2027-2028.

   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.

Dr Cotter and the Environment Caretaker had been working on this, but it was not yet completed. New hedging would be obtained at no cost to Council, but there would be costs (not yet known) for the future cutting of the hedge and removal of the top layer of nettles and roots from the spoil heap and then to seed with the prescribed seed mix.   The Environment Caretaker was meeting with a contractor on 24/9/2026 regarding a quote for flail cutting the hedge.

Action: Dr Cotter to complete the management plan, with the assistance of the Environment Caretaker, by the end of October 2026 for submission to NKDC Planning.

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

The management plan had been circulated prior to the meeting and the Environment Caretaker explained that due to the increasing frequency of hot weather and drought conditions, the inclusion of the fire risk addendum and the proposed change to the landscape by planting additional alder trees had been added. There was no requirement to inform the Environment Agency as no work was being conducted within 8m of the Beck. The work to improve the entrances to Horseshoe Hollow was also mentioned at this time. The Caretakers were due to commence the project in October 2026, and the budget had previously been approved by Council. Cllr Ditch mentioned that National Lottery Funding of up to £20,000 was available to improve green spaces such as the inclusion of nature trails and elevated board walks.

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend the revised management plan for Horseshoe Hollow to Council, including the fire risk addendum and the proposed landscape changes. The plan was to be reviewed in 2027. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr Ditch and approved unanimously.

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. 

The plans had been circulated prior to the meeting. The entrances had been discussed in agenda item 7, above. No further actions or expenditure was required at this time. Dr Cotter asked if there would be any opportunities for the Ruskington Scouts to volunteer as part of their Nature Badge requirements.

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to approve the plans for the three entrances. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr Trolley and approved unanimously.

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.

The Environment Caretaker advised that the Council had to formally request a power from NKDC to delegate an area as a nature reserve to enable the process to commence.

Action: The Committee RESOLVED that the Clerk, with assistance from the Environment Caretaker would apply to NKDC to request power to delegate Horseshoe Hollow as a nature reserve. Proposed by Cllr Trolley, seconded by Cllr Conway and approved unanimously.

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).

The plan, which had been updated to include a fire risk addendum had been circulated prior to the meeting.

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council the amended plan for the management of the closed churchyard. The plan was to be reviewed in 2027. Proposed by Cllr Ditch, seconded by Cllr Conway and approved unanimously.

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.

The Environment Caretaker reported on the issue with the trees last year and on the poor quality of the sample artificial tree and advised that they were not designed to be displayed at an angle. The 45 degree angle of the brackets caused the branches to close with the slightest force, such as the wind.  The Clerk advised that, following a conversation with the supplier, the Christmas trees they had supplied in 2026 had been Nordman Fir rather than the usual Norway Spruce which were larger and heavier, but Norway Spruce trees were available again this year.  The approved budget for the Christmas trees was £2,000.

Action. The Committee RESOLVED that the usual Norway Spruce trees be ordered for 2026. Proposed by Cllr Trolley, seconded by Cllr Ditch and approved unanimously             .

   11.1. To consider the caretakers visiting the Christmas tree supplier to specify the limitations on size of trees.

The supplier had agreed that the Caretakers were welcome to select the larger trees required but it was not possible to select the individual trees for the brackets.

Action: The Committee agreed that the Caretakers could visit the supplier to inspect the trees if required.

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. 

To enable events to take place in the community garden only one new raised bed would be installed between the sensory garden and the perennial flower bed. The Environment Caretaker had submitted a report and costs for the electrical work and this had been circulated prior to the meeting. Although the caretakers could undertake the preparatory groundwork, at an approximate cost of £339.96, an electrician would be required to conduct the electrical work.

Action: The costs for the electrical work to be obtained for consideration by the Finance Committee to inform 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.

NKDC had advised that work on the conservation area was likely to commence in autumn 2026. However, no update was available at this time.

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.

Inconsiderate and nuisance parking at the Village Hall car park, Parkfield car park and the surrounding roads was recognised and complaints were being received. This was especially evident when football matches and football training were taking place. Reports of abusive language and behaviour from motorists were also noted.  Due to legislation, the village hall was unable to moneterise its carpark. To try to resolve matters, a football team and the Parish Council had been invited to the next Village Hall committee meeting on 26/9/2026. Cllr Ditch was attending this on behalf of the Parish Council.

The cost of an overflow car park and resurfacing the current car park and installing parking bays was not possible without increasing the precept (which the Committee did not want to do), obtaining sponsorship and funding from local stakeholders, for council to organise the marshalling of event car parking and charge for event parking, to only allow disabled parking on the carpark, to remove the grass (owned by the Council) and brambles on the Village Hall area of the carpark and install improved drainage to create additional parking spaces.

Action: The Clerk to invite a football club to a meeting with members of the Committee and the Village Hall representatives, to discuss parking issues and solutions before the Council meeting on 13 October 2026, if possible.

15. To consider any health and safety matters that have arisen since the last committee meeting and agree any actions and expenditure required.

The poor condition of Parkfield car park was noted, including two potholes and crumbing and missing concrete at the entrance to the Village Hall car park.  

Action: The potholes on Parkfield car park to be filled in by the Council’s caretakers. Also, the inefficient soak away drain would be filled in, with gaps left at either side for drainage. Quotes to resurface the car park and install an improved drainage system to be obtained. Marked parking bays were also required to improve parking.

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 Applications

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.

The committee had the following comments which the Cleek would submit to NKDC on behalf of Council:

• The applicant/property had no authority to hold LPG.
• There was no mention of fire protection, such as installation of appropriate fire extinguishers and no water supply coupled with the distance to the nearest residential property (as the crow flies) being only 0.6 miles.
• The Council questioned why it had been asked to comment on this application after the deadline for public comments has passed.

If the above comments were addressed, and NKDC Planning has no concerns, then Ruskington Parish Council had no objections to this application.

   16.1. To note any planning applications approved by NKDC (for information only).

No applications had been received after the agenda had been published.

   16.2. To consider any planning applications from NKDC or LCC received after the agenda was published. 

The following notice of an application approved by had been received since the agenda was published.

   a. Application Reference: 26/0901/HOUS

Proposal: Extension to dormer on front elevation

Location: 78 Sleaford Road Ruskington Sleaford

17. To consider the Council’s storage requirements, propose solutions and agree any actions and expenditure for recommending to Council.

Storage for council equipment and event items was required, and it was noted that the current community shed was in a state of decay.

   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.

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council expenditure of up to £4,000 to purchase and install a 20m by 10m shed (and base) for informing the budget for 2027-2028. Proposed by Cllr Ditch, seconded by Cllr Trolley and approved unanimously.

   17.2. To consider the requirement for a storage unit at Parkfield and agree its location, actions, and any expenditure for recommending to Council. 

The location of a storage container for the north side of the Changing Rooms had been approved by Council. This would be located alongside the storage container being installed by the Lions JFC once they had obtained planning permission.

Action: The Caretakers to cost the creation of a concrete base. Although this was expected to share a base with the container installed by the Lions JFC, a line of engineering bricks to be installed through the centre of the base to demark ownership of each area. A quote for a container was also required.

18. To consider any environment and estate management projects, maintenance, and equipment requirements for informing budget for the 2027-2028 fiscal year.

Projects put forward included:

• The new shed and its base
• The car parking improvements
• The pergola/canopy for the outside seating area at the pavilion and picnic tables and chairs
• Completion of the pavilion renovation, furniture and equipment
• The sterile strip around the 4G pitch (although Cllr Trolley reported that the manufacturer had stated this was not an essential requirement if the grass was kept short around the perimeter of the pitch)
• An upgrade to the caretakers’ power tools
• New noticeboards for the cemetery and allotments as these were in a state of decay.

Action: To obtain quotes for the above, plus any other proposals put forward, to inform the next Committee meeting.

19. To review the following policies and documents and agree review dates and any amendments for recommendation to Council:

   19.1. Allotment Policy

The Clerk raised a couple of questions about the policy, and the Committee agreed the required amendments to answer the questions.  

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend the policy to Council following a couple of agreed revisions. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr Trolley and approved unanimously.

   19.1.2. Allotment Tenancy Agreement from 1 October 2027 – 30 September 2028

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend the agreement to Council following a couple of agreed revisions to ensure the agreement matched the allotment policy. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr Trolley and approved unanimously.  

   19.2. Health & Safety Policy

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend the policy to Council following an amendment proposed previously proposed by Cllr Ditch to include a tick box for PPE requirements at the end of the policy. Proposed by Cllr Trolley, seconded by Cllr Conway and approved unanimously.

   19.3. Cemetery Regulations

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend the policy to Council without amendment. Proposed by Cllr Ditch, seconded by Trolley and approved unanimously.

   19.4. Salting & Gritting Policy

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to recommend the policy to Council without amendment. Proposed by Cllr Ditch, seconded by Cllr Cunningham and approved unanimously.

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 and staffing and legal matters below. 

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to exclude the public and press to discuss the staffing and legal matters below. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr Trolley and approved unanimously.  

The Chairman closed the meeting at 9.07pm. The members of public and Dr Cotter left the meeting. The Environment Caretaker stayed in the meeting for agenda items 21 and 22 below to enable him to contribute to the discussions. The meeting was reconvened at 9.08pm.

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.

Action: The Committee RESOLVED to approve the Environment Caretaker’s request to carry out his dissertation studies on Horseshoe Hollow between February 2027 and September 2027. Proposed by Cllr Ditch, seconded by Cllr Trolley and approved unanimously.

22. To consider the requirement for a new cemetery and agree any actions and expenditure for recommending to Council.

The only available land known to be suitable for burials was land on the east side of Fen Road. A former plot of land on Westcliffe Road would only be suitable for the interment of cremated remains due to the height of the water table. The Clerk had attempted to re-open the dialogue with the landowner.

Action: The ownership of the land off Fen Road to be sought.

The Environment Caretaker left the meeting at 9.19pm.

23. To consider ways to support Ruskington Village Hall and the Village Hall Management Committee.

Council was currently supporting the Village Hall by sharing its social media posts. Cllr Ditch, Cllr Conway, Cllr Sheldon, the Clerk and RFO had met with the Chairman and Vice-chairman of the Village Hall committee when the governance issues were first raised.

Action: The outcome of the Village Hall’s correspondence to the Charities Commission regarding its governance was required before this could be considered further.

24. To consider / confirm the date for the next scheduled Committee meeting as Monday 30 November 2026 at 6.30pm at the Parish Office. 

It was requested that an alternate date at the beginning of December be agreed.

[Post meeting note: Wednesday 3 December 2026 at 6.30pm at the Parish office was a possibility.]

   24.1. To consider the requirement for any additional meetings or working party meetings.

No additional committee meetings or working party meetings were required at this time.

The Chairman closed the meeting at 9.38pm.

Clerk’s Report for the Environment & Estate Committee meeting on 22 September 2026

Actions from the Committee Meeting held on 30 June 2026.

Min ref 4: The Environment Caretaker has met with Dr Cotter and supported with the creation of the 30 year management plan for Parkfield playing fields.

Min ref 5: The memorial bench for the late Queen Elizabeth II (approved by Council) was delivered to the Parish office on 17/9/2026. A member of public (a former chairman of Ruskington Parish Council) will be contributing 50% of the agreed costs.

Min ref 6: RSM conducted the annual cut and collection of the grass at Horseshoe Hollow on Thursday 6/8/2026 (an earlier than usual date for the cutting). The cuttings have been left in two heaps in an out of the way place in the Hollow, as directed by the Environment Caretaker. This was the first time RSM has cut the Hollow and they completed the work as requested and to a very high standard.

Min ref 6.2: The five free fruit trees and the free “Isaac Newton” fruit for the community orchard/garden have been requested from the Woodland Trust, and their response is awaited.

Min ref 7: One 4ft pre-lit artificial Christmas tree had been ordered but was considered to be of poor quality and unsuitable for inserting into brackets. These trees they are designed for upright use only. (Agenda item.) Quotes for the Christmas trees have been obtained from the usual supplier. They advise that the trees last year would have been heavier than usual as they were Nordman’s rather than the usual Norway Spruce.

Min ref 8: The Environment Caretaker will be attending the next tree inspection training in December 2026 in Horncastle. There is a required reading list. (Agenda item.)

Min ref 10: The Conservation officer at NKDC has been asked for an update on the conservation area for Ruskington and the response is awaited. NKDC were due to start the process in autumn 2026.

Min ref: 13. Council appointed the recommended pavilion renovation contractor at its meeting on 14/7/2026.  Cllrs Ditch, Cunnigham and Conway and the Clerk met with the contractor and his team on Tuesday 2 September 2026. Please see the report from this pre-works meeting. (Agenda item.)

Other business:

Parish Office:

• All business units at the rear of the Parish Office continue to be let.
• The Buildings’ Caretaker has repaired and painted the blue office gates and is painting the village benches as the weather permits.

Safety inspections:

• PAT testing of all Council’s portable electrical appliances was conducted on 7/9/2026 by Imp Electrical.

• The five yearly electrical condition assessment of the changing rooms was undertaken by Imp Electrical on 7/9/2026. Report awaited.)
• The Clerk will be organising the annual inspection of the two air conditioning units which is due in October 2026.

Utilities:

On 14/9/2026 Corona Energy advised by letter that the electric meter readings for the Parish Office, Pavilion/Changing Rooms and Public Toilets on Church Street will be moving onto the Market-wide Half-hourly Settlement (MHHS). Bills will change from meter readings to Half Hour data. As Council has AMR meters fitted there are no actions required to facilitate this change.

Environment:

• One tonne of sand/grit has been requested from LCC to top of Council’s grit bins. This is supplied at no cost to Council. The gritting policy is an agenda item for review.
• The Parish Caretaker has been asked to focus on litter picking and keeping the cemetery and Garden of Remembrance and office yard clean, tidy, debris, and litter free.
• The Environment Caretaker has submitted a separate report.

Cemetery:

• William Kent Ltd (memorial stone masons) conducted the work to make safe the identified headstones in Sleaford Road cemetery during w/c 7/9/2026, plus work to an unsafe headstone that was paid for by the grave owner.
• The Buildings Caretaker and Clerk identified three additional headstones that required urgent work to ensure they were safe.  The Clerk, using their delegated powers of emergency expenditure, authorised William Kent Ltd to undertake the work, with the knowledge of the Chairman of Council and the RFO. This work was completed on 11/9/2026.

Pavilion Renovation:

• Renovation of the pavilion is expected to commence on 12 October 2026.

• A meeting with the CCTV engineers took place on 18/9/2026. Cllrs Ditch and Cunningham and the Clerk were in attendance.
• The Lions JFC have been advised that secure (locked) storage is available in the changing rooms building for all items that cannot be stored in the external pavilion storeroom. They have been asked to relocate all their items inside the pavilion by 30 September 2026 and to remove all notices and boards from the exterior of the pavilion.
• Council will need to move its own items into the changing room building too. (Long term storage is an agenda item.)
• The Ruskington Athletic FC have agreed to remove all their possessions from the changing room building on 18/9/2026. They have not applied to use the facilities for the 2026-2027 season.

Environmental Report – September 2026

Andrew Doughty

Introduction

The overarching theme of the previous couple of months since the last EEC meeting is probably heat and lack of rain, at the time of writing this, the last significant rainfall that I have recorded was 11.9 mm on the 12th of June. In total I have recorded 118.5 mm since the 9th of January this year which includes the 23 mm which Storm Goretti dropped in January. To put this into perspective, Storm Babet in October 2023 dropped 96 mm of rain in 48 hours. The Environment Agency finally added official drought status to Lincolnshire on the 10th of August, although we have been in physical drought conditions for weeks.

On the evening of the 17th and early hours of the 18th of August we finally received 9.5 mm of rain, that means that we went for 62 days without any significant rainfall, by significant I mean to register on my gauge.

We have also seen regular temperatures over 30 °C during June and July, with June setting repeated highest June temperature records with Lingwood, Norfolk recording 37.7 °C, and the fifth heatwave of the season in August.

It has been a very dry year so far, the aquifers which feed the Beck have dropped again this year to the point flow has almost entirely stopped, with large dry patches within the Beck through the High Street. Similarly to the flood events, this is new characteristics of the watercourse. The Beck never dried up like this, even during hot summers, and bear in mind that I have lived in the village since I was 3 years old.

The vegetation in the Beck channel at Horseshoe Hollow is managing to hold back enough water to sustain the plant life around the banks, and in recent weeks I have seen some interesting species whilst working there, such as the Small Skipper butterfly (Thymelicus sylvestris) and the comically named Waisted Beegrabber (Physocephala rufipes), both enjoying the patch of field scabious near the bridge.

Elsewhere within the village, plants and grasses are suffering. It is taking considerable effort to keep plants and newly planted trees alive. Even the self-watering containers on the village signs are having to be refilled regularly, whereas usually they can be filled once and left for the season. I, for one, will be glad to see the return of the rain.

Wildfires became a theme for this year too, as of the 10th of August over 23’359 ha of land has been burnt in the 72 largest fires of more than 30 ha, for some perspective on the size of this area, Horseshoe Hollow is 1.98 ha. As of the 16th of August, a total of 1132 fires were reported by the fire service across the UK this year.

I am somewhat reluctant to call them wildfires as wildfires tend to usually only be started by lightening strikes, which we certainly have not had any, grass does not spontaneously combust, there is usually a human agent of ignition be it accidental, negligence or arson. It is something I respond to on a local level later in the report.

Trees

Responsive work

I have responded to two tree failure incidents within the village since the last EEC meeting, neither were RPC owned trees, but presented an immediate danger to the public. The first was a Sycamore which shed half of its crown, which then became dangerously hung up in neighbouring trees and blocked the footbridge between Poplar Close and Hillside. This was dealt with as quickly as possible (despite various Facebook commentaries), and the waste was left on the field for NKDC to process and take away, which has now been done. The second incident was a failed Willow on Beck Close, which had fallen across into the road. I cut back everything I could reach with the equipment I have which made it safe for passing vehicles and pedestrians and left the arisings in the understory for NKDC to remove. NKDC have since been and cut the tree right back and have since carried out some work on other trees in their ownership along Beck close.

A second problem tree at Beck Close was a Willow which overhung the playground, I have carried out work several times to reduce it back from the playground but was limited to what I could remove because of height. Recently the tree had lowered more, and I had planned to take the opportunity to cut it right back, however, Kirsty had managed to successfully contact NKDC, and they came out quickly and cut the tree back to its base.

The tree was not NKDC’s but grew in the Willow copse across the Beck within the property of the farm. All of the Willow in there is overstood and has great potential for further failures. I might be dreaming here but it would be an ideal land acquisition for RPC with a view to manage that copse as a willow coppice wetland, the channel dynamics of The Beck at that point sees a high bank of approximately 2 metres in height on the housing side, and a very shallow bank of no more than 40 cm on the copse side. This would be an ideal flood alleviation point, if of course it was approved by the Environment Agency.

ADB Survey

I completed the initial ADB survey on the 7th and 10th of July of RPC’s 53 Ash Trees. The report for this has been circulated. As a brief conclusion, 62.3% of the Ash trees over the two sites of Parkfield and Horseshoe Hollow show symptoms of ADB. However, 73% of the trees are in the health classes of HC1 and HC2, which is good. This means that ADB has had a minimal impact on those trees so far. I have prepared a list of proposed works to some of the trees, which is within the report. This does not all have to be done at once, but Council should be prepared to begin a programme of works based on a priority basis outlined within the report.

Tree Works Season 2026/2027

I have drawn up my schedule of tree works for the coming season, which begins in October, the notable jobs on the list are as follows; starting with the garden of remembrance, these are recommended works from the NKDC tree survey, which I plan to complete before Remembrance Day. Felling 1 Prunus from the central rose bed, which has been deteriorating from disease for a few years now, I recommend replanting with a suitable medium sized tree. Reduction of another Prunus in the border to clear from BT lines, and a crown lift and sucker removal on the Horse Chestnut, this has a TPO, and I will apply for permission for the works prior.

There is destaking and formative pruning in Elmtree, formative pruning of several trees in the cemetery, some felling work and ADB work in Parkfield, and in Horseshoe Hollow, there is formative pruning and destaking, continuation of works along the footpath from Lincoln Road and felling of tree 0DF2, a small Ash which is heavily infected with ADB (see ADB report).

Also scheduled in is the vegetation clearance of the ditch at Parkfield which is addressed in another section.

This season I will bring in a stump grinder to deal with several stumps around various sites.

Alongside this is a comprehensive list of other tree works.

All completed major tree works are recorded and records available on request.

Horseshoe Hollow

I am ready to submit the request to NKDC to delegate RPC powers to designate Horseshoe Hollow as a Local Nature Reserve. I have a draft of the request which I will ask the Clerk to submit on my behalf to the relevant recipients at NKDC. This should be a straightforward governance procedure as RPC owns the land. The draft is made using the template used by other parish councils for this purpose. I have collated all other required documents to accompany the request.

The entrance refurbishments are scheduled to begin on October 5th, with associated tree work and vegetation clearance carried out first. Full RAMS have been produced with regard to the Manor Street entrance as there is an 11 kV line that runs beneath the work site. I have had a site visit and liaised with National Grid who will be attending to mark out the exact path of the cable before work commences.

Once the Entrance refurbishment is complete and the delegated powers are in place, I will be ready to start the initial consultation stages with Natural England. I’ll update about this as we go through it.

RSM Maintenance undertook their first cutting of Horseshoe Hollow on Thursday 6th of August. I was on site and was very impressed with the professional standard of the workmanship and the equipment. It is, by a long stretch the best cut and collect we have had done there. I highly recommend their services.

I have produced a report which addresses concerns about fire risk and adaptions to the management plan I can make to mitigate this risk as much as possible. It has also provoked me into thinking about the larger scheme, and I have changes to the overall landscape which I would like to propose, this is also detailed in the report titled Proposed Changes to Horseshoe Hollow.

Churchyard

I met with Reverend Al Jenkins on the 15th of July to discuss the new management plan for the naturalisation of the churchyard, (management plan included in meeting folder). It was well received, and the plan was accepted by the church. It involves new mown areas where naturalisation has not been successful due to certain species of grasses not responding to the Yellow Rattle, this gives greater concentration to the areas which are doing well and will prevent the spread of the unresponsive species to those areas. I have recommended we apply seed this autumn to the north side, and if there is enough to the south side too. The cost is within the plan and would like this committee to consider it.

As with Horseshoe Hollow, there has been concerns of fire risk this year, and I have provided the following addendum to add to the management plan which will lay out changes to when the grass is cut in the event of drought years to mitigate risk.

“Fire Risk Mitigation

The cutting date is stipulated as mid to late August in the management plan, however, during drought conditions as seen in 2025 and 2026, this date can be brought forward if local conditions can be deemed to present a fire risk.”

The churchyard seed collection was largely unsuccessful this year, due to plants going over to seed earlier than usual, I have collected some, but not as much as previous years. Seed will need to be purchased anyway as mentioned above and would like to ask the committee to agree to this so they can be ordered in time for autumn sowing.

The churchyard grass was cut over Monday 10th August and Tuesday 11th of August and has been cut to follow the new management plan.

Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) – BNG area Parkfield

I have been assisting Dr Cotter with some fieldwork for completing this management plan which is a requirement of the planning permission for the pavilion refurbishment and overflow car park. Ongoing, and as the named land manager for the project, I will be carrying out the work required to fulfil this plan. Once the management plan is complete, it will detail the work needed including costings, and I will keep this committee informed of the progress of the work I plan to do or have done.

Memorial Inspection – Cemetery

The Buildings Caretaker  and I completed Phase 1 of the memorial inspection at the cemetery, the full report is in the meeting folder.

11 memorials have been classed as dangerous. The Buildings' Caretaker and I met with Kent’s Memorials at the cemetery where they agreed with our findings. Kents have provided a quote for repairs, and I believe this has been agreed and will proceed. I understand it is a lot of money to find and would advise that a budget is put aside for these inspections. Phase 2, which is the second field, will be carried out soon, but I do not predict that there will be many repairs required in there. The inspections should be repeated in 5 years’ time, as per ICCM guidelines, and I suggest that council plans for this financially.

Ditch Work – Parkfield

After assessing the ditch in Parkfield, it is not feasible to dig it out any deeper as the point where it empties into the field drain would become lower than the field drain bed, this means that water would flow up the ditch from the field drain. The ditch itself is not in bad condition, and in my opinion just requires vegetation clearance rather than excavation. A more detailed report is included in the meeting folder.

Earthwatch Europe – Great UK WaterBlitz

The Great UK WaterBlitz is a citizen science project to test the water quality of water bodies around the UK, it is a biannual event and is part of the global FreshWater Watch programme.

I signed up for this out of private interest and have taken samples today from The Beck, I will let council know of the results once I receive them.

Other Matters

I have removed the 3 Buddleia trees from the Beck Wall in the High Street on the 17th July as requested by Councillor Cunningham.

Storage concerns have been addressed recently, and I have had input regarding the location of the Lions storage container with regards to our BNG area at Parkfield. I have also summarised the issues around storage in the report titled Storage Considerations, which is available to read in the meeting folder.

The artificial Christmas trees idea has not gone favourably for me. After ordering one, I have discovered that they are designed to stand upright which means that at the 45° angle that they would be in the brackets, the lower branches easily fold back closed. The one I ordered also looked very spartan, and I think the cost would be considerably more than I anticipated to purchase ones that are of a satisfactory quality. This needs more investigation, and as time is no longer on our side I think we will have to stick with the real trees for this coming Christmas. I do recommend that Steve and I should visit the suppliers before the order is placed this year to specify the size of tree which we would be more easily able to install, as last years trees were far too big.

End of report.

Report from meeting with Global Vision on to discuss the upgrade of the Pavilion CCTV on 18 September 2026 at 10.30am.

Present: Conor McGill (Global Vision), Cllr Cunningham (Vice-chair of the Environment & Estate Committee and member of the Recreation Committee), Mrs. Kathryn Locke (Clerk to Council)

Outline of the meeting:

• The quote dated 26 August 2026 was available. (£1,320 incl VAT for 6 x 4MP Fixed Turret cameras.)
• The plans for the renovation of the office were available and reviewed. It was noted that suspended ceilings were to be installed but that the loft remained accessible.
• The current location of the monitor and screen were reviewed, and it was not considered necessary to change this location (within a locked cupboard)
• An external walk around the exterior of the pavilion, changing room and village hall took place to note the current locations of the CCTV cameras and to consider if extra cameras were required. It was not known how many of the cameras on the Village Hall building belonged to the Parish Council.
• It was considered that additional cameras were required for the changing room building to view the new storage containers.
• The CCTV system in the pavilion could manage up to 8 cameras (six cameras were currently in use.)
• The need for high resolution images was discussed as essential to provide clarity of images, even from distant footage.
• The need for the CCTV footage to be viewed from the Parish office was an essential requirement.

Actions:

Renovation:

• The current CCTV to remain in place during the renovation works.
• Any wires for the new CCTV to be installed in the loft/roof space.

Global Vison to

• provide an updated quote for 6 x 4MP Fixed Turret cameras [£1,320.60 incl VAT] *
• provide a quote for 8 x 4MP Fixed Turret cameras [£2,074.80]
• provide a quote for 8 x 6MP Fixed Turret cameras [£2,338 incl VAT]
• make another site visit with a proposed camera so the images could be viewed

The Clerk to

• confirm which of the CCTV cameras on the village hall building belonged to RPC. **
• arrange a date with Council and Global Vison for the proposed upgraded camera images to be viewed on site

Council to

• Consider the CCTV requirements and agree the expenditure.

Post meeting notes

*Quotes

Quotes from Global Vision were received on 21/9/2026. They all include the cameras, camera junction box, and labour (installation & commission).

** CCTV cameras on the Village hall building

All three cameras on the exterior of the Village Hall belong to the Parish Council. The monitor is within a secure cupboard inside the Village Hall. Footage can be viewed from the Parish Office.