September 2026 Draft Minutes (EOM)
DRAFT MINUTES
BIGBY PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE MEETING
HELD ON TUESDAY, 29th SEPTEMBER 2026
CHAIR – COUNCILLOR
PRESENT: Councillors –R. Eyre, C. Gandy, L. Mair, B. Orr and W. Pinney
Also in attendance: -
Mrs. A. Hannath – Clerk to the Council
1 member of the public
BUSINESS TO BE TRANSACTED
54 To Elect a Chair for the duration of this meeting
It was resolved that Cllr. B. Orr be elected to the position of Chair for the duration of this meeting
Proposed:Cllr. L. Mair Seconded: Cllr. C. Gandy
55 Notice convening the meeting
Taken as read and approved
56 To Receive Apologies and Reasons for Absence
Cllr. D. Cowling
Cllr. R. Eyre
57 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.
Cllr. W. Pinney declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Item 58 (a)
b) To Note any Dispensations given to any member of the council in respect of the Agenda Items listed below.
None
58 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.
a) Planning Application Number: WL/2026/00840: Retrospective Planning application for conversion of former brick barn into 1 bedroom holiday let.
Land off Smithy Lane, Bigby
Prior to leaving the meeting, Cllr. Pinney explained the rationale behind the application. He advised the meeting that he had undertaken some initial renovations on the former brick barn, including the cladding of the building and the removal of the roof tiles, which had been washed and then replaced back onto the building. The application before the council came about as a result of a complaint made by a member or members of the parish about the change of use of the building. Cllr. Pinney had been informed by a Planning Enforcement Officer that the parish had made a complaint and he had assumed that it was the Parish Council. He was assured that no such complaint had been made by the Parish Council.
The Enforcement Officer when visiting the former brick barn had advised Cllr. Pinney that he could not apply for change of use to a summer house, as these buildings are only allowed on a residential dwelling. He had further been advised that an application for a Holiday Let was probably the best possible application process for the change of use.
Cllr. Pinney assured the meeting that he only wants to use the renovated brick barn for his own personal use and did not currently envisage that the building would be used on a regular basis as a holiday let. Hence, the lack of designated parking and a roadway to the former stable block.
Having declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the application, Cllr. Pinney left the meeting.
Standing Orders were suspended to allow the member of public, the applicant’s partner, present at the meeting to speak.
Proposed: Cllr. B. Orr Seconded: Cllr. L. Mair
The applicant’s partner was concerned about the impartiality of the Parish Council regarding this application. She was assured by both the Chair and Clerk that this was of paramount importance given that the applicant is a parish councillor. This was the reason that the application was not formally discussed at the previous meeting, 15th September, 2026. (The application only arrived in the Clerk’s email in the afternoon.) This allowed for the proper consideration of the application by all councillors, as well as allowing residents the chance to view the application prior to the meeting. The application was listed on the agenda for the meeting, which had been displayed on all 3 noticeboards and the Parish Council’s website. Residents also had the opportunity to be present at this meeting to express their views once Standing Orders had been suspended.
The remaining three councillors considered the application. This was a difficult one to debate given the dichotomy between the application form’s designated use and the planned use described by Cllr. Pinney. The Chair, Cllr. B. Orr, advised that a decision could only be made based on the application submitted to WLDC Planning Department.
Cllr. B. Orr proposed that in her opinion this was the wrong location for a holiday let. This proposal was not seconded.
Cllr. L. Mair proposed that he could see no reason for a holiday let to not be sited at that location and that no objections should be raised to the application.
This was seconded by Cllr. C. Gandy, and as a result this became the substantive motion.
A vote was taken
The substantive motion that no objections be raised to the application was passed.
FOR 2 Votes AGAINST 1 Vote
Standing Orders were reinstated to record the above decision.
Proposed: Cllr. B. Orr Seconded: Cllr. C. Gandy
b) Planning Application Number: WL/2026/00847: Planning application for single storey rear extension. 5 Pingley Vale, Brigg
It was resolved that No Objections
Proposed:Cllr. L. Mair Seconded: Cllr.C. Gandy
c) Planning Application Number: WL/2026/00871: Biodiversity Gain Application for the creation of open mosaic habitat, other neutral grassland and mixed scrub, hedgerows and trees. Phase 2, Land at Kettleby
It was resolved that No Objections
Proposed:Cllr. L. Mair Seconded: Cllr.C. Gandy
The meeting closed at 7.25 pm
Signed ……………………………………………….
Chairman
Tuesday 17th November, 2026