2026 Minutes

DRAFT MINUTES

BIGBY PARISH COUNCIL 

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING

HELD ON TUESDAY, 5th MAY 2026

CHAIR – COUNCILLOR H. AUKLAND

PRESENT: Councillors – H. Aukland, D. Cowling, R. Eyre, C. Gandy, L.Mair, B. Orr and W. Pinney

Also in attendance: -

Mrs. A. Hannath – Clerk to the Council

Cllr. J. Bean – LCC

Cllr. P. Morris – WLDC

1 member of the public

BUSINESS TO BE TRANSACTED

1. To Elect the Chairman for the Ensuing Year.

It was resolved that Cllr. H. Aukland be elected as Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

Proposed: Cllr. B. Orr Seconded: Cllr. D. Cowling 

2. To Elect the Vice Chairman for the Ensuing Year.

It was resolved that Cllr. L. Mair be elected as Vice Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

Proposed: Cllr. B. Orr Seconded: Cllr. D. Cowling  

3. a) TO CONSIDER APPLICATIONS FOR CO-OPTION TO THE COUNCIL.

It was resolved that  Rachel Eyre be co-opted to the Council.

Proposed: Cllr. H. Aukland Seconded: Cllr. C. Gandy

4. Notice convening the meeting.

Taken as read and approved

5. To Receive Apologies and Reasons for Absence

None

6. a)  To Record any Declarations of Interest by any member of the council in respect of the agenda items listed below.  Members declaring interests should identify the Agenda Item and the type of interest being declared.

None

b)  To Note any Dispensations given to any member of the council in respect of the Agenda Items listed below.

None

c) To Confirm that all members have reviewed and updated their Register of Declared Interests, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and pursuant to the Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012. 

Done

7. To Receive any Correspondence including Police Reports (for information only).

None

8. To Receive an Update on any outstanding issues from the Clerk.

None

9. To Receive any Questions from Members.

None notified

10. To Receive any Questions from Members of the Public

None

11. a) TO RECEIVE AND APPROVE THE MINUTES, AS CIRCULATED, OF THE MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, 17th MARCH AND 31st MARCH 2026

It was resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 17th and 31st  March, 2026 having been circulated should be taken as read and approved.

Proposed: Cllr. D. Cowling Seconded: Cllr. C. Gandy

12. ACCOUNTS 

a) To Receive the following Financial Report and Approve the Accounts for Payment: as at 31st March and 27th April 2026 (Statement of accounts enclosed)

*Added since the publication of the agenda

It was resolved that the accounts for payment listed above and the Statements of   Accounts be approved.

Proposed: Cllr. B. Orr Seconded: Cllr. C. Gandy

13. ANNUAL AUDIT – YEAR ENDING 31st MARCH 2026

a) To affirm the independence of Mr R Dixon as Internal Auditor, and that he has no interest, financial or otherwise, with any member or officer of the council.

It was resolved that the appointment of Mr. R. Dixon as the Independent Internal Auditor should be affirmed

Proposed: Cllr. B. Orr Seconded: Cllr. D. Cowling

b) To receive the internal auditor’s report for the Fiscal Year 2025/26 and to consider implementation of the recommendations.

There were no recommendations, but an error in the transfer of figures for the Accounting Statement was identified and has now been rectified.

c) To note the receipt of the Internal Auditor’s completion statement for the Fiscal Year ending 31 March 2026. 

Noted

d) To complete the Statements of Assurance and Assertions required from Members. (Section 1)

Completed

e) To receive and approve the Receipts and Payments Summary and Accounts for the Fiscal Year ended 31 March 2026. 

Proposed: Cllr.H. Aukland Seconded: Cllr. D. Cowling

f) To approve the Accounting Statements for the Fiscal Year 2025/2026    (Section 2)

Proposed: Cllr. B. Orr Seconded: Cllr. H. Aukland

g) To certify that Bigby Parish Council is exempt from a limited assurance review under Section 9 of the Local Audit (Smaller Authorities) Regulations 2015

Proposed: Cllr. H. Aukland Seconded: Cllr. B. Orr

h) To approve the Council’s Asset Register. 

Proposed: Cllr. B. Orr Seconded: Cllr. L. Mair

i) To authorise payment of the Auditor’s invoice following completion of the internal audit for the Fiscal Year 2025/26. 

It was resolved that the payment of the Auditor be authorised.

Proposed: Cllr. H. Aukland Seconded: Cllr. D. Cowling

14. a)TO RECEIVE CONFIRMATION FROM THE CLERK OF THE INSURANCE RENEWAL WITH EFFECT FROM 1st JUNE 2026   (YEAR 3 OF A 3 YEAR AGREEMENT

The Clerk advised that the initial price received had gone up by £55.00.  She queried this price and there was no movement.  However, a review of the sums insured, eg Noticeboards, was £16,000 – now reduced to £4000, brought the renewal price down to £196.71.  A saving of almost £100.00

Noted

15.       PLANNING APPLICATIONS AND DECISION NOTICES

Members are reminded that applications can be received after the deadline for the publication of the agenda. The clerk will forward any further applications to you before the meeting for your consideration.

The Clerk has received the following information from the Enforcement Officer for WLDC.

For your information a planning enforcement notice was issued to the Landowner on the 29th April 2026 regards the private way at Bigby Hill.

The notice seeks only to attack the private way / farm access and the hardstanding at the top of the hill near the woodland. The private way that has recently been developed.

16. TO DETERMINE THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE VILLAGE HALL COMMITTEE AND THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE  (Committee Chairman to be determined at the first meeting of each committee)

It was resolved that the following members should be appointed to each committee.

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE (3 members)

Councillor B. Orr  Councillor R. Eyre   Councillor L. Mair

VILLAGE HALL COMMITTEE (All councillors)

Councillor H. Aukland   Councillor D. Cowling  Councillor R. Eyre  Councillor C. Gandy  Councillor L. Mair  Councillor B. Orr                                                                                   Councillor W. Pinney                                                                                        

Proposed: Cllr. D. Cowling                       Seconded: Cllr. B. Orr

17. TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM COUNCILLOR BEAN ON COUNTY COUNCIL MATTERS

• Councillor Bean advised that LCC is to set up a ‘Discretionary Budget’ to be used to fund small projects for Parish Councils.
• He was asked if he had any information regarding the flooding at the end of Smithy Lane. It was agreed that the Clerk would check that the issue has been reported to ‘Fix My Street’. If yes, the reference number will be sent to Cllr. Bean.
• Cllr. L. Mair queried the lack of street lighting on Bigby High Road in the vicinity of the Pingley Park exit.  Cllr. J. Bean to meet with him on site to see the issue for himself.

18. TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM COUNCILLOR MORRIS ON DISTRICT COUNCIL MATTERS

• Councillor Morris advised that a decision by central government is due in July regarding the reorganisation of Local Government in Lincolnshire.
• An update on the purchase of RAF Scampton by WLDC is due in the next few days.

19. a) TO CONFIRM RENEWAL OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF LALC IN THE SUM OF £182.60.

Noted

20. TO DETERMINE MEETING DATES FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL YEAR

The Clerk advised that the dates are very much provisional this year as there will, hopefully, be a new Clerk in place soon, who may well wish to do things a little differently.

It was resolved that the provisional Meeting Dates provided by the Clerk be approved

Proposed: Cllr. B. Orr               Seconded: Cllr. H. Aukland 

The meeting closed at 7.19 pm

Signed ……………………………………………….

Chairman

Tuesday 7th July, 2026