13 October 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 13 October 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: 8 October 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 ordinary meeting held on 8 September 2026.
4. To receive the District and County Councillors’ reports – for information only.
5. To receive an update on councillor vacancies and co-option to Council.
5.1. To consider the co-option of an eligible candidate to Council.
6. Financial matters (Information previously circulated).
6.1. To approve the payments made and consider the invoices for payment received since the meeting held on 8 September 2026.
6.2. To consider /approve the bank reconciliation for September 2026.
6.3. To receive a financial report for September from the RFO.
6.4. To appoint a new bank signatory following the resignation of a councillor.
6.5. To consider an allotment fee of £45 per plot, plus a refundable deposit of £75.00 per plot for from 1 October 2027 to 30 September 2028 as recommended by the Environment and Estate Management Committee. (Currently £40 per plot plus a refundable deposit of £50.00 per plot.)
7. To consider Council’s committees and committee membership
7.1. To consider membership of Council committees, a requirement to set a maximum number of councillors for each standing committees, and the need for training to promote informed decision making at committee and council meetings.
7.2. To consider the future of the Events Committee and the formation of this as a Working Party until the Christmas Market has taken place.
7.2.2. To appoint members to the Events Committee or working party, as required.
7.3. To consider the request from Cllr O’Hara to join the Recreation Committee. (Cllr O’Hara is a member of the Lions JFC).
8. To receive an update on the Community Emergency Plan – Cllr Ditch
8.1. To consider the appointment of members to the Community Emergency plan
8.2. To consider ways to recruit volunteers to the emergency plan committee and for volunteering in emergencies.
9. To consider /approve the following policies and consider any amendments recommended and agree the review date.
9.1. Allotment policy from 1 October 2027 – 31 September 2028 as recommended by the Environment and Estate Committee.
9.1.2. Allotment Tenancy Agreement from 1 October 2027 – 31 September 2028 as recommended by the Environment and Estate Committee.
9.2. Health and Safety policy as recommended by the Environment and Estate Committee.
9.3. Cemetery Regulations as recommended by the Environment and Estate Committee.
9.4. Salting and Gritting policy as recommended by the Environment and Estate Committee.
9.5. Vexatious Complaints and Correspondence policy as recommended by the HR Committee
9.6. Training and Development Policy as recommended the HR Committee
10. To receive the Clerk’s report (for information only). Circulated prior to the meeting.
11. To receive an update and consider any recommendations from the Environment and Estate Management Committee following its meeting on 22 September 2026 and agree any actions and expenditure.
11.1. To receive an update on the pavilion renovation and note the revised quote for the project.
11.2. To consider the amendments to the churchyard management plan to include a fire risk addendum) as recommended by the Committee and approved by the Parochial Church Council (PCC).
11.3. To consider the amendments to the Horseshoe Hollow management plan to include a fire risk addendum and proposed landscape changes as recommended by the Committee.
11.4. To consider the expenditure of up to £4,000 to purchase a new shed for the storage of caretaker, event, and emergency plan equipment for informing the budget for FY 2027-2028. (This will replace the current community shed which is no longer fit for purpose.)
11.5. To consider any recommendations to improve the car parking Parkfield.
11.6. To consider the quotes for an iso-container for Council storage to be located at Parkfield playing fields and agree any actions and expenditure.
11.7. To receive an overview of planning matters (previously circulated) and consider any planning applications and notice of approved applications received since the agenda was published.
12. To receive an update and consider recommendations from the Recreation Committee following its meeting on 6 October 2026.
12.1. To consider the regulations for the use of the 4G pitch, as recommended by the Committee, for displaying at the pitch and agree any actions and expenditure.
12.2. To consider the application form and terms and conditions for hiring the 4G pitch, as recommended by the Committee.
12.3. To consider the quotes received for installing a sterile strip around the perimeter of the 4G to prevent vegetation growing underneath the surface and lifting the carpet and agree any actions and expenditure.
12.4. To conder the recommendation to allocate up to £600 for the purchasing and installation of a controlled access system for the 4G pitch. (Information circulated.)
13. To receive an update and consider recommendations from the Events Committee following a working party meeting held on 8 October 2026.
13.1. Christmas Market and consider any actions and expenditure required.
13.2. To consider the requirement for parking marshals and road closure marshals for the Christmas market and agree any actions and expenditure.
13.1.3. To appoint other councillors to roles for the Christmas Market.
13.2. To appoint a councillor to supervise the laying of the wreaths in the Garden of Remembrance shelter on Remembrance Sunday (8 November 2026).
13.2.1 To consider erecting the Union flags and Tommie silhouettes on the processional route between the Church an d the Garden of Remembrance and erecting the Tommie silhouettes at the on the main routes into the village (Pleased note that poppies for lamp posts are no longer available.)
14. Correspondence: (For correspondence not requiring a motion or financial decision, please see the Clerk’s report.)
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 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.
17. To consider giving permission to the Environment Caretaker to carry out his dissertation studies in Horseshoe Hollow between February 2027 and September 2027. (As recommended by the Environment & Estate Committee.)
18. 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.
19. To consider the recommendation from the HR Committee regarding sick pay for staff not employed on local government contracts.
20. To receive notice of employment law changes, requiring employers to strengthen their duties to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace (in person, online, and by a third party. This builds upon the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023), and agree any actions and expenditure.
21. To receive a report from Cllr Ditch following attendance at a Village Hall Committee meeting, consider any support for the Village Hall and agree any actions and expenditure – Cllr Ditch.
22. To review the Code of Conduct, councillor conduct when liaising with external groups and members of the public, mentoring for new councillors, and a reminder that parish councils are apolitical. - Cllr Ditch.
End of agenda.
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