11th September 2025 Minutes
MINTUES ARE IN DRAFT FORM UNTIL APPROVED & SIGNED AT THE NEXT PC MEETING
WILLINGHAM BY STOW PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES of the September MEETING of WILLINGHAM by STOW PARISH COUNCIL
held on Thursday 11th September 2025 at 7.30pm
Present: Cllrs D Bingham (Chairman), M Bates, Q Connell, C Devine, D Leak,
In Attendance: L Brooks-Sleight – clerk, WLDC Cllr L Mullally, LCC Cllr P Wimhurst
2025/125 Apologies for Absence
Received from Cllr Clifton with reason accepted. Resolved
2025/126 Public Participation
None present
2025/127 Minutes of last Meetings
The Minutes of the July Council meeting held on 10th July 2025 were signed as a true & correct record. Proposed & seconded, voted. Resolved
2025/128 Declarations of Interest
None received
2025/129 Representatives Report
LCC councillor Paul Wimhurst was welcomed, and he confirmed receiving issues from Willingham PC which he will follow up with highway. WLDC councillor Lynda Mullally updated the council on the Armed Forces information for the council.
2025/130 Clerks Report
• Willow Tree Grange Lane- needs further investigating
• WL Defib Scheme – on the last visit, reported difficulty accessing the defib cabinet due to the large, flowering fuchsia plant which has now being pruned.
• Summer Newsletters were delivered, S Faull has been thanked for this, spare ones to be collected to be delivered with Welcome to Willingham leaflets to new residents. Visual Print was used due to only quote received and was the same company as previous year at a cost of £190+vat for all colour copies.
• A O’Dell attended the new councillor training on the 9th Sept
• An email was received asking when the perching benching at the bus shelters are being installed in the Bus shelters
2025/131 LALC Internal Audit
Email received & the new fees were approved new fees agendas well as the 2-year deal at the same fee and same auditor. Approved. Resolved & seconded, Resolved
2025/132 AGAR 2025/26 Assertion 10 compliance
The course for the clerk to attend to gather more information has been set for next week, more information at the October meeting.
2025/133 School Trust
LALC were consulted for advice, and a letter to be sent to the charity Commission asking for details and information of the ‘charity’ is the first step, hoping to receive a reply by the October meeting.
2025/134 Highways
Cllr Wimhurst to follow up on highways issues.
Cot Gath Lane, road closure carriageway construction, 13th-17th October 8am-3pm
2025/135 Planning
WL/2025/00714 for a dropped kerb, 28 Stow RD WLDC Granted with conditions
A resident’s email regarding buildings at Park Farm were followed up with WLDC but on a visit no breach of building consent had been found. WLDC were informed that more plannings would be submitted from Park Farm in the coming months.
2025/136 Finance
The monthly reconciliation of the accounts with the corresponding Bank statements – 31/8/2025 and payments listed were approved for payment. The expected payments due before the September meeting – were made and listed below. The September payment were approved. Bank Balance 31/8/2025 - £15611.44. Proposed & seconded, Resolved
Net VAT
BACS Lea Garden Services Grass contractor July 611.90
BACS L Brooks-Sleight Salary/expenses July 519.84
BACS Visual Print Newsletter printing mins2025/115 190.00 38.00 228.00
BACS L Brooks-Sleight Salary/expenses August 519.84
BACS Lea Garden Services Grass Contractor August 611.90
DD ico Data Protection fee mins2025/141 47.00
2025/137 Local Government Pay Agreement 2025
The recommended pay increase by the Government & LALC was received & approved and agreed to backdate to April 2025. Proposed & seconded, Resolved
2025/138 Armed Forces Covenant
Cllr Mullally reported that no representative was required just that the PC knew of contacts with help & support for veterans in the area.
2025/139 Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC)
The clerks presented a letter and requested to become a member of SLCC for the extra support, resources and expert advice to support the PC at a cost of £190pa shared with Scothern PC - £95 each PC. Approved under the power Local Government Act 1972 s 143 (1) (b), proposed & seconded, Resolved
2025/140 Welcome to Willingham Leaflet
The current leaflet to be sent to all for updates at the October meeting. Cllr Devine volunteered to deliver these to new residents along with spare Summer Newsletters. Proposed & seconded. Resolved
2025/141 GDPR/Data Protection Act 2018
Invoice received & considered setting up renewal fee by direct debit from the PC bank account at a reduced rate, normal fee £52 or £47 by DD. Approved, proposed & seconded. Resolved
2025/142 Correspondence (sent prior by email)
NALC Chief Executive Bulletin
Lalc Enews
LCC Town & Parish News
WLDC Council seeks views on how its car parks are managed and operated
WLDC Help shape council tax support for vulnerable and low-income households
2025/143 Agenda Items for next meeting (by 2nd October) and to take any points from members
• Movie Magic request from the village Christmas event at St Helens Church
2025/144 To consider the exclusion of the public and press in accordance with the Public Bodies
(Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 s1 (2) due to the confidential nature of the items to be
Discussed Nothing to discuss
The date & time of the next council meeting, Thursday 9th October 2025 at 7.30pm in Willingham Village Hall committee room
The Chair closed the meeting at 8.40pm