December 2025 Minutes
Notes from 15-minute public forum on 10 December 2025
There were no members of the public present.
7:00pm The Public Forum was closed, and the Parish Council Meeting began.
Minutes of the meeting of Old Leake Parish Council held on Wednesday 10th December 2025 at 7:00pm at Old Leake Community Centre.
1/12/25 To receive and accept apologies and approve reasons for absence
Present: Cllrs David Dickason, Tom Ashton, Neil Booley, Guy Bull, Matt Harrison and Paul Skinner.
Also Present: Parish Clerk Rebecca Herberts.
Apologies: Cllr Sam Wild and Community Member Walter Seekamp.
2/12/25 To receive reports from representatives on outside bodies:
a. Borough Councillors – The full report is enclosed with the minutes.
b. County Councillor – There was no report from the County Councillor.
3/12/25 To receive declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011 and consider any requests for dispensations
There were no declarations of interest.
4/12/25 Notes of the Parish Council meeting held on 12 November 2025 to be approved and signed as the minutes
It was resolved that the notes previously circulated be approved and signed as the minutes.
5/12/25 Clerk’s Report
The Clerk had nothing to report.
6/12/25 Chair’s announcements and any relevant updates
The Chair thanked Borough Councillors John Baxter and Callum Butler for their continued support and work for the Parish Council and the community during 2025.
7/12/25 To consider applicants for co-option onto the Parish Council
There had been no new applicants.
8/12/25 Financial Matters:
a. To authorise payments
It was resolved to authorise the following payments for December and January.
|
Date |
Payee/ Creditor |
Amount ex VAT |
VAT |
Total Expenditure |
|
|
Reclaimable |
Non reclaimable |
||||
|
02/12/2025 |
Staffing Costs (Salary, HMRC, NI) |
£1,278.01 |
£0.00 |
£0.00 |
£1,278.01 |
|
02/12/2025 |
Clerks Expenses (Postage, Broadband & Microsoft Package) |
£113.79 |
£0.00 |
£0.00 |
£113.79 |
|
02/12/2025 |
Haines Watts - Payroll |
£23.00 |
£4.60 |
£0.00 |
£27.60 |
|
02/12/2025 |
Cloud Next |
£49.99 |
£9.99 |
£0.00 |
£59.98 |
|
02/12/2025 |
OLCC - Youth Club Hire |
£165.39 |
£0.00 |
£0.00 |
£165.39 |
|
02/12/2025 |
OLCC - Meeting Hire |
£21.00 |
£0.00 |
£0.00 |
£21.00 |
|
02/12/2025 |
ARK ICT |
£17.20 |
£3.44 |
£0.00 |
£20.64 |
|
02/12/2025 |
BT Group |
£68.10 |
£13.62 |
£0.00 |
£81.72 |
|
|
Totals |
£1,736.48 |
£31.65 |
£0.00 |
£1,768.13 |
|
Date |
Payee/ Creditor |
Amount ex VAT |
VAT |
Total Expenditure |
|
|
Reclaimable |
Non reclaimable |
||||
|
01/01/2026 |
Staffing Costs (Salary, HMRC, NI) |
£3,394.98 |
£0.00 |
£0.00 |
£3,394.98 |
|
01/01/2026 |
Clerks Expenses |
£22.00 |
£0.00 |
£0.00 |
£22.00 |
|
01/01/2026 |
Litter Picker |
£300.00 |
£0.00 |
£0.00 |
£300.00 |
|
01/01/2026 |
Haines Watts - Payroll |
£23.00 |
£4.60 |
£0.00 |
£27.60 |
|
01/01/2026 |
OLCC - Youth Club Hire |
£217.89 |
£0.00 |
£0.00 |
£217.89 |
|
01/01/2026 |
OLCC - Meeting Hire |
£21.00 |
£0.00 |
£0.00 |
£21.00 |
|
01/01/2026 |
E.ON - Washdyke Electricity |
£453.67 |
£0.00 |
£0.00 |
£453.67 |
|
|
Totals |
£4,432.54 |
£4.60 |
£0.00 |
£4,437.14 |
b. To report bank balances
Balances in the bank were reported as of 30/11/25. Bank reconciliation and budget review were circulated prior to the meeting.
|
Bank Account |
Balance |
|
Business Current |
£59793.09 |
|
Business Reserve 1 |
£1302.06 |
|
Business Reserve 2 |
£629.07 |
c. To receive an update on the bank mandate
The mandate change remains ongoing. Research into alternative banking arrangements is continuing.
9/12/25 To note CCTV updates and image requests
There had been no new CCTV image requests. Cllr Paul Skinner made the decision to step back from monitoring the CCTV when required, and the keys were returned to the Clerk. Cllr Neil Booley offered to undertake this role when necessary. The Council resolved that Cllr Neil Booley would resume responsibility for monitoring the CCTV when required.
10/12/25 To receive a report from the Recreational Area Working Group, resolve actions and expenditure for issues raised:
a. Washdyke: Quotations are still being obtained for new play equipment.
b. Furlongs: Nothing to report.
c. Enos Wood: Nothing to report.
11/12/25 Highways Matters:
a. Receive issues requiring maintenance/repair: There was nothing to report.
b. To receive reactive speed sign data: The Clerk continues to seek the correct cable for the reactive speed sign.
c. To discuss setting up a Community Speed Watch scheme: This will be reviewed with a view to start in the New Year.
d. Cowbroads Lane: HGV restriction signs have now been installed. A resident contacted the Council to express thanks for the installation but advised that, at the time of writing, there had been no noticeable change in driver behaviour. The resident requested that local businesses whose vehicles may use the road be reminded of the restriction.
12/12/25 To note an update regarding the young people’s service provided by OLPC
a. The Clerk continues to explore funding options for the provision of a table tennis table.
b. Two incidents of damage were reported following Youth Club sessions. The Council expressed concern regarding the cost of both Youth Club sessions, particularly as the senior session has had only one attendee on most occasions. It was resolved that the Clerk would speak with the YMCA to establish whether they could support the Parish Council in increasing attendance numbers. The senior session will be reviewed in September 2026, when the current agreement is due for renewal.
13/12/25 To note an update regarding Old Main Road MUGA
It was resolved to include estimated legal fees of £1,400 in the budget for the year ending 31 March 2027.
14/12/25 To note the advertisement for the General Maintenance Contractor and agree next steps
Dates will be arranged to meet with the interested parties
15/12/25 To note an update regarding the co-op building
Following discussion, it was resolved to cancel the project and to no longer pursue the purchase of the Co-op building. The decision was based on concerns regarding the purchase cost, the significant level of refurbishment required, and the potential impact on the Parish Council’s precept.
It was further agreed that no additional expenditure would be incurred in relation to surveys or feasibility work. The Council noted that several of the proposed ideas for the building are already being delivered at the Community Centre, and that any future community needs or potential expansion could be considered there in due course.
16/12/25 To discuss a Skateboard Park
The Clerk continues to obtain quotations for a small skateboard park and will contact nearby parishes with existing installations to seek advice.
17/12/25 To consider a shelter for the Play Area on Furlongs Lane
Cllr Neil Booley informed he was still waiting to receive a quote for the shelter.
18/12/25 To discuss the mosaic in the Bus Shelter on Church Road
Concerns regarding the scale of works, backing board condition and missing pieces were noted. This matter will be reviewed further in the New Year.
19/12/25 To discuss Storage options for records/paperwork
Dates for progressing this matter will be circulated.
20/12/25 To discuss setting up gov.uk email addresses
Some of the Councillors confirmed they still needed to access their new gov.uk emails.
21/12/25 To discuss the noticeboards
Cllr Neil Booley had removed the old noticeboard. The new noticeboard had been ordered and would arrive mid to end January.
22/12/25 To discuss the Parish Council’s involvement in the Community Centre’s proposed Youth Disco and Engagement Event
It was agreed to hold the event on a Saturday evening in late February or early March 2026. Music options and YMCA support will be explored.
23/12/25 To discuss the draft budget for the year ending 31 March 2027
The draft budget was discussed at length. It was resolved to set the precept for the year ending 31 March 2027 at £70000.00.
24/12/25 Planning applications received for a decision at this meeting (All plans can be viewed at www.mybostonuk.com)
There was no planning applications received for this meeting.
25/12/25 Planning Decisions received from Boston Borough Council
|
Application Number |
Location |
Development Description |
Applicant Name |
Decision |
Decision Date |
|
B/25/0317 |
Bakkavor Meals Boston (Cucina Sano LtD) Laburnham Farm, Old Leake, PE22 9QZ |
Extension to an existing factory building to create additional production and storage area and an extension to an existing effluent treatment building |
Bakkavor |
Favourable with conditions |
28/11/2025 |
26/12/25 Correspondence received, not covered on the agenda
No additional correspondence was received.
27/12/25 Matters for next agenda
Purchase of lamp post poppies and consideration of sponsored cards.
28/12/25 Date of next meeting
The next Parish Council meeting will be held on 11 February 2026.
There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8:11 pm.
Old Leake Parish Update December 2025
Muga.-Callum arranged with the donor and a workman that the bench be sited with a base. This has now been done and it has been varnished etc. We will cover the cost of its installation. As the weather gets better an idea would be to arrange events on the site.
Hobhole settlement-We appreciate that this of concern and have been keeping everyone updated with the information the Planning Enforcement Officer has given us.We will continue to do this. Our local MP is involved as well.
Vicarage Gardens-Now all completed and looks good. The Borough Council funded this work.
Anti Social Behaviour-We are aware that George Crisp-a BBC officer is taking this forward now and the PCSO involved. Hoping this gets resolved. If we can help in anyway please let us know.
School Parking-The Primary School head and PCSO have been talking about possible solutions. We have chased Cllr Arundell for a response to a request to send traffic wardens down.
Communications- As you are probably aware some BBC meetings are screened and can be watched on you tube-Full Council, Cabinet, Planning Committee,Licencing, Scrutiny. Agendas , minutes and meeting dates are all on the BBC website. On the BBC facebook site items are posted about news and updates.
Locally we have a facebook site and post on there things of interest and also share posts on the Wrangle Community Site. It is good that the Parish Council minutes are posted in the village news.In between Council meetings we regularly contact Becca.
County Councillor communications-We have recently e mailed Becca and sent on e mails from Cllr Arundell. Things seem to be taking some time for him to reply. We have contacted the Highways manager and the protocol is still that issues have to be raised through the LCC councillor. We met Cllr Arundell when he was first elected and after talking to Becca we gave him a list of things outstanding. Some things have been added now. We have asked that he chase these up or we meet up again. The main issue is that some of our residents do not appreciate that it is LCC that control certain services and contact us or the Parish Council. We note as well concerns expressed by the Councillors that he does not attend Parish Council meetings.
We have suggested to Becca various options. The BBC leader will support us in contacting the LCC leader. We could send a joint e-mail? Another alternative is that with all issues we tell residents to contact him direct and raise their issues.
We trawled the fix my street site and made a list of all works outstanding and passed that to Becca. We chased about Southfields. We asked for an update on school bus stops etc in Commonside and Cllr Arundell is talking to Julian Crouch again. LCC say the road does not qualify for a speed limit and criteria for a bus stop not satisfied.Various updates received about Cowbroads Lane as been a delay in putting up signs.Not had an update on Lade Bank-where the resident attended a meeting.
Lincs Digital Session.Wrangle… We sent through a poster about this free event 17th January at Jackie’s coffee morning. Please support this. We set this up following some ward cases where residents could not use computer to register for Housing.
Councillor Grants. We were allocated £1000 each to fund local iniatives. We still have some left and have been talking to Becca about Parish Council projects that this would help. Getting close to closing date.
Borough Updates-
Local Government Reorganisation. Following lots of consultations, briefings and public meetings the submission from the partnership will be sent for 28th November. We will give updates on its progress. Thanks to all those who have been involved.
Funding-The Borough has been successful in being awarded various funding to cover various projects. One will involve funding being available to rural areas. Work progresses on Rosegarth and Geoff Moulder projects.
SEASONS GREETINGS…..We would like to say a big thank you to Becca for all her hard work in dealing with our many e-mails…also to all Councillors for allowing us to contribute at meetings and working together for our residents and community. We would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year.
Best Wishes,
Callum and John