14 July 2026
NOTICE OF A MEETING OF RUSKINGTON PARISH COUNCIL
Dear Councillor,
You are hereby summoned to attend a meeting of Ruskington Parish Council which will be held on Tuesday 14 July 2026 at The Winchelsea Centre at 7.00pm. Members of the public and press are welcome to attend.
All members of the Parish Council are summoned to attend for the purpose of considering and resolving upon the business to be transacted at the meeting, as set out hereunder.
Prior to the start of the meeting, members of the public and press may ask questions on items on the agenda or make short statements to the Parish Council. If you are unable to attend the meeting, a question or statement can be submitted beforehand by emailing Clerk no later than seven days in advance of the meeting – clerk@ruskington-pc.gov.uk
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Signed: K H Locke Clerk to Ruskington Parish Council |
K H Locke
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Dated: 9 July 2026 |
Public session (no longer than 15 minutes)
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 to 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 and to consider any applications for dispensations in relation to DPIs. 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 meeting held on 9 June 2026.
4. To receive the District and County Councillors’ reports – for information only.
5. To receive an update on co-option to Council.
5.1. To consider the co-option of an eligible member of the public to the Council following completion of the approved co-option process.
6. Financial matters
6.1. To approve the payments made and consider the invoices for payment received since the meeting held on 9 June 2026.
6.2. To consider /approve the bank reconciliation for June 2026.
6.3. To receive a financial report for June 2026 from the RFO.
6.4. To consider the virement of money into the training budget to enable essential staff training to be undertaken.
6.5. To consider the purchase of an additional 6m x 3m gazebo for use at Council events at a cost of £100.00.
6.6. To consider using the unspent budget from the purchase of the committee room furniture for a wall hung visual communications system for sharing agendas and information during meetings. (Up to £500.00 is available.)
6.7. To consider the recommendation of the Finance Committee following its meeting on 7 July 2026 that:
a) reserves remain unaltered
b) reserves for FY 2027-2028 to include ringfenced reserves and budget lines for approved projects and maintenance, for example play areas and play equipment.
6.8. To consider the recommendation that Council moves to the Aubergine website provider from April 2027 due to its ease of use, ability to include additional modules such as tickets sales and facility booking, and conformity with legislation, and that the costs be included within the budget setting for the next fiscal year.
6.9. To consider/ agree the following recommendation on how projects and the budget structure will function for FY 2027-2028 and onwards: A clear plan for projects and budget setting was to be made available so Committees knew what areas they were responsible for. Committees were to undertake research, consultations, and obtain costs before proposing a project to the Finance Committee to inform the initial budget setting meeting in November. Once Council had agreed the budget, Committees could then spend within their annual budget on approved projects and items without the need for further resolutions by committee or Council.
7. For the former members of the Recreation and Environment Committee to consider/approve the notes of its committee meeting held on Monday 8 June as accurate Minutes. (This former committee is now two separate committees.)
8. To consider /approve the following Terms of Reference and policies and consider any amendments recommended: -
8.1. Revised Terms of Reference for the Finance & Strategy Committee as recommended by the Finance & Strategy Committee. (Revised to include the environment and strategy elements of the committee.)
8.2. Revised CCTV policy following changes to legislation, if available.
8.3. Additional wording for the Communication policy as recommended by the Events Committee, following the installation of a noticeboard at Elmtree play area to advertise Council and community events.
8.4. Draft Flag flying policy.
9. To receive the Clerk’s report (for information only)
10. To receive an update and recommendations from the Environment & Estate Committee following its meeting on 30 June 2026. (Information previously circulated.)
10.1. To receive/ consider the updated management plan for the naturalisation of the closed church yard from the Environment Caretaker as the project enters its fifth year, and agree any actions and expenditure. (The plan will require approval by the PCC).
10.2. To receive/ consider a report on the ditch clearance at Parkfield playing fields and ratify the decision to cancel the plant hire.
10.3. To receive an overview of planning matters.
10.4. To consider the erection of telegraph poles throughout the village by Open Reach and agree any actions.
11. To receive an update and consider recommendations from the Events Committee following its meeting on 9 July 2026 – Cllr Harrison
11.1. To recruit members to the Events committee.
11.2. Celebration of Youth Day on Saturday 15 August 2026 and agree any actions and expenditure.
11.3. Christmas Market on Saturday 5 December 2026 and agree any actions and expenditure.
12. To review the Coffee with a Councillor event held every Friday morning at the Parish Office; consider the best way to advertise these at the office, and agree any actions and expenditure.
13. To consider an honorary freedom of the parish award and agree any actions and expenditure for informing the budget for fiscal year 2027-2028 – Cllr Hislop.
14. Correspondence – (For correspondence not requiring a motion or financial decision, please see the Clerk’s report.)
14.1. To consider the correspondence from Squaddie Box/ Civvie Box and agree any actions and expenditure to inform the budget setting for fiscal year 2026-2027.
15. To receive Members’ Reports – for information only. (Any items raised requiring a decision will appear on a future agenda for consideration.)
16. 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 commercially sensitive items 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.
17. To receive an update and recommendations from the HR Committee on staff health and wellbeing matters, consider ways to protect staff from harassment and intimation by members of the public, and agree any actions and expenditure required. – Cllr Bain.
18. To receive / consider the recommendation of the Pavilion Renovation Evaluation Panel regarding the preferred contractor for the renovation of the Pavilion and agree any actions and expenditure.
19. To consider making a formal claim for the s106 funding to NKDC to cover the costs of the renovation of Parkfield pavilion and the amount to be requested.
Ruskington Parish Council
The Parish Office, 7-9 High Street North, Ruskington, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, NG34 9DY
Tel: 01526 834483 Email: clerk@ruskington-pc.gov.uk
Chairman of Council – Cllr O Ditch I Clerk to the Council - Mrs Kathryn Locke I RFO - Miss Kirsty Sinclair