Agendas and Minutes 2026

Public Forum

9 members of the public attended.

• Update requested on the TRO for parking restrictions in the village, especially outside the school and on the Church St/ Main Rd junction.  POST MEETING – Clerk found LCC email confirming the proposal had been split in two and was scheduled to be heard by LCC Highwats Committee on 7 September- Councillors and resident advised.
• Concerns raised regarding lorry volumes – noise and safety.  Why are they not using A1 and back to LB from Gonerby?  Discussed efforts made by resident to improve matters and co-operation from Maritime.  7.5tonne restriction mentioned – can it be sought via LCC?  MN confirmed Parish Council wholly behind the residents and actions taken – engaging County Councillor, Meeting with Roseland on 13 August. Speed watch (2 in August).   ACTION AT, please keep statistics on lorries as part of the data. AT advised the last two sessions monitored 266 and 287 vehicles with 10 speeding in the earlier session and 7 in the second.  Residents asked to feedback into Clerk any data/ details ahead of meeting on 13 August with Roseland.

Meeting commenced at 7.22pm

Present

Mark Newton (MN) Chair, David Kelly (DK), Mick Walker (MW), Paul Wood (PW), Daryl Walton (DW), Steven Maxwell (SM), Andy Taylor (AT) and Carole Lee (CL).  Martin Wright (Clerk). 

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Apologies for Absence

Geoff Fearn GF (Vice Chair), Martin Rose (MR), John Leventhall (JL), County Cllr Ken Bamford (KB)

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Declarations of Interest.

To receive Disclosable Pecuniary Interests in accordance with the Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012. 

PW regarding all planning matters given position on SKDC planning Committee

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Minutes & Matters Arising from Previous Meeting 1st June 2026

Matters Arising

It was RESOLVED that the minutes be signed as a true record.

JL has written to the developers to seek financial support for new speed sign at south end of village.

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County Council Report

Written report received given holidays.  Key points read out by Chair and detailed below.

LCC Updates. Key updates on LCC business are now consolidated centrally and available here.

Highways Portal. Work is progressing on a new initiative to allow councillors to access live updates fed from Fix My Street. This will make it easier to track issues reported.

Local Updates

Updates on known issues are being progressed through the respective Parish Council chairs and Secs.

All new issues that are proposed for LCC intervention should be logged in the PC meeting minutes and shared with Cllr Bamford. They will then be updated in this report at the next meeting.

Thank you for your selfless service and continued vigilance in our community, we need everyone’s eyes and ears to help ensure our area remains a safe and well-cared-for place to live.

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District Councillor Report

Local Government Reorganisation

Parish Councils are not impacted.  Elections will take place next May as planned.

Unitary Council will replace the District and County Councils.

Lincoln City expands to include parts of NKDC and WLDC.  Balance of NKDC and WLDC will join SKDC/ Boston BC/ ELDC and SHDC in a new unitary authority called Lincolnshire Council.  Lincolnshire Council will have just shy of 600,000 residents compared to c. 200,000 in the city.

The new structure comes into play in May 2028 with elections for the new unitary authorities taking place in May 2027.

No changes to the existing two unitary authorities in north Lincolnshire.

Aim to save money in the long term.  MN commented upon a figure of £42m over 3 years that was mentioned in SKDC’s presentation which was attended by MN and Clerk.

A legal challenge to the proposal is only likely if all impacted District/ Borough Councils agree.

Similar changes are proposed within Derbyshire/ Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

Existing councillors have their terms extended until the new Council comes into play in 2028.

Travellers Site – no update

SKDC DD error – DDs due to be claimed around 1 August were taken 3 days early.  Error within SKDC accepted but communication could have been better.

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Planning

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• Applications
• S26/1157 – M Potts – Residential development of 9 bungalows on Valley Lane.  The application is in the form of a Permission in Principle, so is high level and only looks at three key areas and not the detail, which is covered in a formal planning application.  Prior to the meeting a draft response had been circulated to all councillors.  The response was supportive of the type of retirement bungalows on a suitable site within LB but expressed caution over the location/ use of the land and amount of development.  Equally referred to previous planning refusals on the site, which remain relevant.  Acknowledged SKDC’s position on residential planning – tilted balance and advised that if SKDC were minded to approve there were significant highway/ pavement/ access/ noise and rural impacts to resolve.  One councillor objected to the draft response to SKDC but was approved by the balance.
• S26/0845 – Mr Alan Johnson – replace existing brick wall with a new brick and metal railing wall at 5 Church Street – No Objection
• DMMO 446 – Alleged public right of way along Moor Lane to Valley Lane, Long Bennington – Comments were made about the route being a well used route by many walkers for many years.  ACTION Clerk – liaise with Geoff for any records/ history he can share.

• Approvals
• S26/0844 – Luke Vinter – Single storey extension at 33 Riverview, lawful use or development certificate.
• S26/0270 – Geoff Fearn – Demolition existing barns and build two dwellings to the west of Sewstern Lane

• Refusals - None
• Planning Appeals/Withdrawals          

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Memorial Gardens – Discussion regarding tidying, especially borders/ beds and hedge.

Clerk confirmed he had met KB in the garden along with MR/ DK and AT

Positive meeting and KB was happy to make a proposal to LCC with the benefit of quotations.  Quotations obtained and to be analysed and provided with comment ACTION Clerk.  One quotation includes a proposal for an oak archway entrance to the garden and councillors were positive regarding the concept.

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Speeding/ vehicle noise on Main Road

Covered within the public session

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Dog Fouling/ Vandalism at Witham Meadows

SM advised that MR had replanted the damaged sapling and put in a new stake.  Time will tell if this works.  Difficult to understand motivation but has happened in other areas of the village and feeling was we need to keep trying to improve areas and cannot let vandalism win.  Also need to consider how we manage with the container in due course.

Dog fouling at Witham Meadow was raised by a resident who subsequently revisited the site and cleared it.  The same issue occurs in other parts of the village, and it was suggested we seek two new bins – Witham Meadow and Church Street, near Church.  If necessary, with an initial supply of poo bags provided.  Caution as those who let it happen may not change their ways.  ACTION Clerk- liaise with PW regarding a contact at SKDC for bins.  Councillors, aware SKDC are reluctant to provide more bins as they have to do the collections.

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Bus Shelter Renovation

Clerk reported all completed and general agreement that it looks so much better.  LCC have provided the grant monies in full to cover the costs.

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Confirm continuation of Policies.

Five policies reviewed.

Disciplinary – no changes and confirmed

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion - no changes and confirmed

Complaints – LALC have updated and minor alterations highlighted in email to Councillors.  New version approved.

Code of Conduct – Not previously in place but agreed by all Councillors.  JL had previously reviewed and suggested it also needs to be shared with sub committees of the Parish Council.  ACTION Clerk – liaise with JL over PFMC and VHMC sharing/ buy in.

IT Policy – again a new one.  We are proposing to use the LALC version.  ACTION All Councillors – please use your Long Bennington Parish Council email address.  All Parish Council data must be kept secure and unless in the public domain should not be kept on personal devices.

ACTION CLERK show on website records reviewed/ updated

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Chairman’s and Clerk’s Report

Chairman – no report

Clerks report as previously circulated. 

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Finance

Councillors were referred to the attached schedule of invoices for payment totalling £5,464.60. 

RESOLVED – to pay the invoices. ACTION Clerk to arrange payment.

Clerk advised: -

• Change to CCTV invoice which was on the July list from Allsecure from £480 to £240, both incl VAT after discussions.  Councillors agreed Clerk could move forward this year the proposal for the Wi-Fi Bridge to improve the camera feeds from the Bowls Club.  ACTION Clerk
• Renewal of NFU Tractor Insurance.  Premium is down very slightly from £38.21 per month to £37.64.  Councillors approved but ACTION Clerk refer to PFMC regarding the level of cover etc, being ok.
• Renewal of Campaign to Protect Rural England membership £60 by DD around 21/10/26.  Councillors agreed to continue.

Monthly financial reports were provided – no questions raised.

AGAR for 2025/26 completed and approved by External Auditors.  The necessary publicising on our website has been done.

Resolved to approve Community Cleaner hours worked and payment.

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Reports

Playing Fields Management Committee – Some damage to benches but were in a bad state anyway.

FA Final 5% due to be paid shortly.

MUGA scoping in course.  DK plus two other PFMC committee members to start the process this week.  Cost could be a little less than originally thought.  S106 monies to be used and balance from grants hopefully.

Village Hall Management Committee – All works and grants tidied up now.  Next project is new radiators and grants will be sought to fund.

Community Emergency Response Team – MR was unable to attend but CERT courses being run by LCC and SKDC and we have attendees.  University of Lincoln doing a survey regarding CERT and MR has offered to be questioned.

Road Safety – 2 community speed watch sessions in August.

Police Report – no report

Footpaths & Streetlights – No report

Witham Meadow – Still waiting for a date from RAF, but the people providing the container are relaxed about a payment / deposit.  SM to remain in contact and review.

Balfour Beaty guys still keen to be involved when we have a date for the container to be brought in.

Communication – ongoing repost the invitation on Facebook – ACTION CLERK

83 residents now signed up.

First newsletter issued.

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Correspondence

Councillors referred to attached list of correspondence received during the last month.

No further comments raised.

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Items for next agenda and Parish News Report.

Our Neighbourhood Plan is out of date this year and out of date in many areas as it predates the current SKDC plan.  General feeling we should at least scope out key areas for inclusion in next plan but not progress too far.  ACTION CLERK add to future agenda.  No funding support available to help with preparation.

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Date of next meeting – 7 September 2026

Meeting Closed at 8.16pm

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