May 2025 Open Meeting Minutes
MINUTES of
RAUCEBY PARISH OPEN MEETING
Held at Rauceby Village Hall, Main Street, South Rauceby
21 May 2025
The meeting opened at 7.00pm.
Present: Vice-Chairman Mr M Ireland, Cllr J Clarke for NKDC, 6 Parish Councillors, 1 Member of the public, Clerk.
1. Apologies were received from Cllr R Wright of LCC, Cllr A Hagues of NKDC, Cllrs S Enstone and M Froggatt and Mr T Ireland, a member of the public.
2. Minutes of the last (May 2024) Parish Open Meeting was distributed and approved by the meeting and signed by the Chairman.
3. Matters arising from the minutes:
Speeding in the village: a full report is given in the Chairman’s report at the end of these minutes.
4. Reports from visiting representatives were given:
From Cllr R Wright (LCC): Cllr Wright presented a report, attached to these minutes, that embraced the issues of Lincolnshire.
From Cllrs Hagues and Clarke (NKDC): Cllrs Hagues and Clarke presented a report attached to these minutes.
5. The Chairman’s Report of Parish Council activities since the last Open Meeting is attached to these minutes.
6. The Financial Report for 2024/25 was distributed and questions invited regarding the contents. A copy of the report is attached to these minutes. No questions were asked
7. Matters of local interest:
None were raised.
8. The meeting was concluded at 7.20pm
Report from County Cllr Wright for Rauceby Annual Open meeting
The county council started the year, yet again, not receiving the level of funding requires, to manage all of the services it delivers, to the standard it would wish.
Decisions had to be made on priorities, from the spring budget round and whilst other services are equally important, more focus had to be on road repairs and improvements, not just potholes, but bypass and junction improvements across the county, including the North Hykeham relief road, which had been given approval by the previous govt.
Service under constant pressure include Adult Social Care, Children’s Services, Special Educational Need, School Transport, to name but a few.
However the Council had a plan to manage these to its best ability which was both costed and within the budget available.
The County Combined Authority came into being, bringing all the councils of Greater Lincolnshire together as one body working together, just waiting for the May 2025 elections to become the Mayoral Combined Authority. The inaugural meeting took place in the Chapter House in Lincoln Cathedral, symbolic of centuries of democracy having taken place there.
Locally as your County Cllr, covering not just North & South Rauceby, but also Cranwell, Byard’s Leap, Brauncewell, Leasingham and Ruskington, I have taken up issues for many residents personally and also for the parish council. Things do not always happen quickly – this is a very large county we live in and priorities may sometimes lie elsewhere, but I have pushed for road repairs and also flood resilience measures where possible.
It is also true that when sometimes unreasonable or impossible requests are presented to me, I haven’t hidden behind ‘I’ll see if it’s possible’ and have been upfront in limiting expectations of the improbable. I believe that’s the fairest route to take.
I’ve been given the honour of representing you again for another term, however long that is, with Local Government Reorganisation on the cards and I will do the best I can to serve the community.
Cllr Richard Wright
12/05/25
Report from Cllr Hagues for Rauceby Annual Open meeting
NEW SCHEME AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT FARMING BUSINESSES IN LINCOLNSHIRE
To support farm businesses in navigating challenges such as increasing financial pressures, changing regulations and workforce challenges, Business Lincolnshire has launched the Lincolnshire Farm Support Programme, delivered by Savills. The programme supports farmers with resilience and offers guidance with exploring diversification. The support is only available to farm businesses where the main source of income comes from farming.
APPLY NOW FOR VETERAN BADGES
Former service personnel in North Kesteven who have not yet had their Veterans Badge are invited to step forward to receive it at a celebration in June. The Council champions the roll of everyone who contributes to HM Forces, through its Armed Forces Day activity in June. On Monday 23rd June there’ll be a public flag raising in Sleaford’s Market Place at 10.30am. Later veterans will be celebrated and presented with badges on recognition of their service, with a special focus on the 80th anniversaries this year of Victory in Europe (VE Day) on May 8th and the ultimate end to the Second World War, Victory in Japan (VJ Day) on August 15th. Badges are presented to anyone who has served in the British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force or Merchant Navy at any time and for the duration, as regular, reservist or on National Service now receive their badges automatically, out there are many whose service ended prior to this and may not yet have one. District veterans of any length or type of service, from any period, wishing to apply for a badge to be presented- can email – or anyone acting on their behalf- can email Armedforces@n-kesteven.gov.uk or call their Partnership Team on 01529 414155 BEFORE FRIDAY MAY 16TH.
POLICE PRIORITY SETTING
Lincolnshire Police want to work together to make our county the safest place to live, work and visit. As Part of Lincolnshire Police neighbourhoods’ teams work, they look at the issues affecting their communities and set some agreed priorities for the work they undertake often in conjunction with partners on a quarterly basis. To enable and support this work, they have a survey where Councillors, Parish Councillors and the community can all contribute towards informing the priorities set. Please can we ask that you share these details within your communities, so if there are concerns in your community the police can consider these with the feedback in the surveys. The police are keen to encourage an increase in responses, as they have a better understanding of what is important in you and your communities.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
The Council frequently has employment opportunities currently advertised. To find out more please visit the North Kesteven District Council’s jobs page on the website. They include five new apprenticeships available – on the apprenticeship webpage.
FANTASTIC FORUM HELD
The NK Parish and Town Council Forum took place on Thursday April 10th and welcomed Clerks and Members from Parish and Town councils across the District to NKDC Council Chamber. They heard from the Leader and the Chief Executive about Local Government Reorganisation, alongside Planning updates including the National Planning Policy Framework and Planning and Infrastructure Bill which was introduced to Parliament in March 2025. Information about the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and projects undertaken within North Kesteven and future opportunities, was shared too. The event also provided an opportunity for attendees to network with colleagues from other councils. The feedback was positive, and NK are already starting to plan the next event.
SURVEY WORK TO BE CARRIED OUT
Anglian Water is writing to landowners and other key stakeholders ahead of further technical and ground survey works within the early stages of shaping its proposals for a reservoir. While it involves some activity on the ground, this second phase of survey work is not a sign of construction starting. The survey work will take place at different times from late spring through to early autumn and will be progressed by Anglian Water in accordance with the agreed approach with North Kesteven District Council (under Anglian Water’s permitted development rights) and by engaging with landowners to request access. In some places a small Anglian Water team will conduct site visits, and in other locations. Anglian Water will undertake ground investigations including boreholes and trial pits to understand more about the land and soil factors to consider. A works compound will be set up on land off Mareham Lane to support the surveys. Disturbance to any species or habitats will be avoided wherever possible, and land worked on will be reinstated after. Anglian Water is planning for further consultations to take place between 2026 and 2027. The proposals when finalised will be submitted to the Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for consideration under the Development Consent order process.
Chairman’s Report for Year 2024/25
The May AGM allows us to look back over the past year to reflect on work carried out by the Parish Council. As usual, this can only be achieved through the dedicated support of our Parish Clerk, Parish Councillors and local volunteers, so I would like to start by recognizing their contribution.
Firstly, I would like to thank the other 8 councillors who give their time freely and actively participate in parish matters. As a newly appointed Chair, special thanks go to Mark Ireland, who as current Vice-Chair, and previous Chair, has continued to provide wise counsel.
As a parish we are supported by our District and County Councillors, Andrew Hagues, Jim Clarke and Richard Wright, who I would also thank for their time and contributions.
We continue to use the services of Jeff Earl to cut the grass in various village locations, which contributes to the village looking well maintained. We again thank Jeff for his excellent service.
Finally, I must also thank our Parish Clerk, Ian Grady, who continues to administer our Parish Council business with such dedication and professionalism.
Over the year we met on 6 occasions and addressed issues such as planning, speed monitoring and general village business – I will aim to cover a few of the highlights.
Key Activities During the Year
* Gigabit Broadband Project Completion:
The Rauceby Gigabit Project successfully concluded in November 2024 with no residual financial liabilities to the village. Whilst the installation was largely complete in April 2024, it was not until all households who had committed to upgrade had done so, could we be certain that there was no outstanding claim on the village. I would again like to extend my thanks to everyone who supported the project, in particular Mark Ireland, John Gasson, Jeremy Dent, Simon Dachtler and Wendy Sycamore at Openreach.
* Emergency Planning Initiative Launched:
An Emergency Planning/Leadership Team is being formed to address potential local crises (e.g., flooding, power outages) – with support from the Lincolnshire Resilience Forum. In the event of an emergency, the Emergency Leadership Team would provide local knowledge and support for the emergency services. We are still looking for volunteers – please get in touch if you are interested. Once the group has been formed, there will be a kick-off meeting and ultimately training provided by the Resilience Forum team.
* Speed Monitoring and Traffic Safety:
Speeding in the village is a long-standing issue which has already been subject to several initiatives in previous years including road marking improvements, improved signage and the installation of white gates on Rauceby Drove which have already made a significant improvement. At the last AGM, speeding was again raised in respect of Thorpe Drove and via County Cllr Wright’s report. We have been working with the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership to organise a traffic survey across the village to understand to what degree we still have a problem, and if so, where. This process has taken some time, in part since it cannot be carried out during inclement weather, and is now scheduled to be completed by the end of May this year. In parallel we applied for grant funding via the Rural England Prosperity Fund for two permanent speed indicator devices but were sadly unsuccessful. The Parish Council has now approved in principle the purchase of a single speed monitoring device from our own funds. Working with the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership and the results of the traffic survey will determine the best installation location.
* Litter Picking Initiatives:
Two successful village litter picks were again organised by Councillor Gillian Enstone (October 2024 and April 2025). These were again well supported and resulted in the collection of a considerable amount of rubbish, as well as providing a welcome opportunity for volunteers to gather at the end over tea and cake.
* Village Asset Maintenance:
Each year there is a survey carried out to assess the condition of village assets and determine if any repairs are necessary. During the year, repairs have been completed on village benches and bus shelter guttering, a damaged dog waste bin was replaced, and the village sheep signs are under review for refurbishment. A new grit bin has also been installed at the entrance to the village hall. We have just completed the asset review for 2025 to allow us to prioritise works for the coming year.
* Planning & Community Engagement:
During the year, where possible, we have encouraged participation in heritage and design strategy consultations. Ongoing updates to Parish Council policies, including GDPR compliance and financial regulations have been completed. Reviewing planning applications is a significant part of the Parish Council’s role, whether for tree works or full applications, with a total of 19 applications having been reviewed last year.
* Financial Management:
Annual audit and precept processes have been completed. Parish finances remain stable, with a current account balance of £17,198.81 (as of end of financial year). Efforts are underway to establish online banking with Lloyds Bank to improve financial management.
End