9th October 2025 Minutes
WILLINGHAM BY STOW PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES of the October MEETING of WILLINGHAM by STOW PARISH COUNCIL
held on Thursday 9th October 2025 at 7.30pm
Present: Cllrs D Bingham (Chairman), M Bates, T Clifton, Q Connell, C Devine, D Leak, A O’Dell
In Attendance: L Brooks-Sleight – clerk, WLDC Cllr L Mullally
2025/155 Apologies for Absence
All members present
2025/156 Public Participation
No public
2025/157 Minutes of last Meetings
The Minutes of the Council meeting held on 11th September 2025 was signed as a true & correct record. Proposed & seconded, voted. Resolved
2025/158 Declarations of Interest
Received from Cllr Bingham re 2025/165 planning application WL/2025/00973
2025/159 Representatives Report
Cllr Mullally - There will be a solar community fund which is given to WLDC and given out in order of need to those suffering the most with the disruption. It should be published soon from BESS.
2025/160 Clerks Report
• LALC have appointed Elaine Atkins as our Internal Auditor for the next 2 years and I have received a checklist to complete before the first visit
• The spare Summer newsletter have been delivered to Cllr Devine
• In a LCC newsletter, LCC were offering a 1 tonne of winter salt for the salt bins that the parish council own, this has been ordered free of charge. All LCC Salt bins are the responsibility of LCC and need reporting on fix my street if they need topping up.
2025/161 St Helens churchyard
A request from the PCC to cut back a yew tree near the church path was received along with a quote from HMT Landscapes £650 – after a discussion, the council asked for a further quote for comparison to be obtained for presentation at the next meeting.
2025/162 AGAR 2025/26 Assertion 10 compliance
The council were informed of Assertion 10 Digital & Data compliance, which means Maintaining an IT Policy and using a council owned domain for emails. Most councils in Lincolnshire have free websites from LCC but they aren’t supplying PC with gov.uk emails. Quotes from Parish Online & Cloud Next were received and approved to sign up with Cloud Next, 1st year free then £100pa, email: @willinghambystow-pc.gov.uk. Proposed & seconded, Resolved
2025/163 School Trust
Reply received from the charity Commission regarding the Trust Fund, the current trustees of the charity need to resolve all issues, nothing the PC can do at this time.
2025/164 Highways
Over-hanging hedges in village to be reported on Fix my Street.
2025/165 Planning
Ref: WL/2025/00974, to erect 1no. general purpose agriculture shed. Park Farm – comments to be submitted: WPC discussed this planning application and are against the planning proposed. Many residents in Willingham have submitted complaints to the Environment Agency of foul smells coming from Park Farm over the years and another shed will not help!
Cllr Bingham left the room and Cllr Bates Chaired the next item
Ref: WL/2025/00973, for a change of use from an existing farm building into a self-contained residential dwelling including demolition of an existing agricultural steel framed structure, alterations to windows, doors, addition of roof windows and the creation of new boundary walls and gates. 1 The Grange comments to be submitted: WPC discussed this planning application and are happy that only one dwelling with parking is proposed on the site rather than multiply dwellings.
Cllr Bingham returned to Chair
2025/166 PC Banking
To comply with the Financial Regulations and Audits for online authorisation of payments, the PC banking signatories were reviewed and approved to add Cllr Clifton & Devine along with Cllr Bingham & Leak. All signatories will be added to authorise online bank payments, with 2 cllrs nominated each month, following approval. Proposed & seconded, Resolved
2025/167 Finance
The monthly reconciliation of the accounts with the corresponding Bank statement – 30/9/2025 and the payments listed below were approved for payment. Bank Balance 30/9/2025 - £14,479.70. Proposed & seconded, Resolved
Lea Garden Services Grass contractor Sept 611.90
L Brooks-Sleight Salary/expenses Sept 604.18
SLCC Clerk Membership mins 2025/139 95.00
LALC Cllr training – A. O’Dell 42.00
2025/168 Welcome to Willingham Leaflet
Cllr Devine volunteered to deliver the Newsletters to new residents and along with a welcome note. A Newsletter to be produce Spring 2026 with all village information.
2025/169 Tree Management and Green Spaces Policy
The policy was received and approved. Proposed & seconded, Resolved
2025/170 Tree Survey
A quote for Tree Survey for the Health, Safety & Maintenance in the Cemetery and the Parish Field was received from Watson Lindsey Arboriculture. Only one quote received due to only specialist in the area. The quote of £407.50 was approved, proposed & seconded, Resolved
2025/171 Willingham Movie Magic at Christmas
Email received, a donation request for 2x Christmas Trees at a Christmas display in St Helens Church was approved, £50 to be donated from the Chairs allowance. Proposed & seconded, Resolved
2025/172 Correspondence (sent prior by email)
NALC Chief Executive Bulletin
Lalc Enews
LCC Town & Parish News
2025/173 Agenda Items for next meeting (by 6th November) and to take any points from members
Grass cutting tenders; Grant funding requests; Precept & Budget
2025/174 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 Chair closed the meeting at 9.15pm
The date & time of the next council meeting, Thursday 13th November 2025 at 7.30pm in Willingham Village Hall committee room