Draft Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting and Councillor Reports
STUBTON PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF ANNUAL PARISH MEETING
Held at Stubton Village Hall on 20 May 2026 at 7pm
Councillors present: Sam Kirk (Chairman), David Wood (Vice Chairman), Jenny Taylor & District Councillor Penny Milnes
Clerk: Jackie Britten-Crooks
1 WELCOME
Councillors welcomed attendees.
2 MINUTES
The Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting 2025 were approved by the Parish Council members.
3 PARISH COUNCIL REPORT
Councillor Kirk delivered the Chairman’s Report on behalf of the Parish Council.
4 DISTRICT & COUNTY COUNCILLOR REPORTS
Councillor Milnes provided a written Report and answered questions on past and present planning matters within Stubton and the District.
Councillor Bamford sent apologies and provided a written Report on Hough Division matters.
5 RESIDENTS FORUM
The meeting was opened to residents to raise any matters they wished to discuss. Planning matters, including allocations and the number of applications for development in Stubton was discussed and Councillors spoke of their disappointment in regard to the Stubton Neighbourhood Development Plan and SKDC Local Plan being disregarded when applications are considered.
Meeting ended at 7.44pm, followed by the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council.
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Signed: …………………………………………………………………………………………..
Dated: ………………………………………………………………………..
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Stubton Parish Council – Chair’s Report for Annual Parish Meeting – 20th May 2026
Looking back over the last 12 months, it has once again been a busy year for Stubton Parish Council. Throughout the year, the Council has continued to conduct its business openly, transparently, and in accordance with its statutory responsibilities. We have worked hard to ensure that decisions are made properly, what money we have is managed sensibly, and residents are kept informed on matters affecting the village.
Financially, the Council has maintained a careful and balanced approach — setting and monitoring budgets responsibly, managing expenditure prudently, and maintaining appropriate reserves whilst continuing to support the needs of the village.
I would also like to recognise the continued hard work and professionalism of our Clerk, Jackie. Her support, knowledge, and ongoing development over the last year have been invaluable in ensuring the Council functions effectively and efficiently.
Planning matters have, once again, formed a substantial part of the Parish Council’s workload this year. As a statutory consultee, the Parish Council has reviewed and commented on a significant number of planning applications — an unusually high number for a village the size of Stubton. I think it would be disingenuous not to acknowledge the growing frustration felt not only by this Parish Council, but by many residents as well. We are repeatedly told to comment on applications, specifically: planning policy, village impact, highways concerns, sustainability, and cumulative development pressure — yet recently it appears that those comments carry little meaningful weight. Frankly, it feels like we’ve all wasted a lot of time reviewing applications, attending meetings, and submitting considered responses, only to see recommendations and concerns seemingly ignored.
The cumulative impact on a small rural village like Stubton is not theoretical — it is real. It affects infrastructure, road safety, village character, and ultimately the long-term sustainability of the community. Despite those frustrations, the Parish Council will continue to scrutinise applications carefully, represent residents as robustly as possible, and hold decision-makers to account wherever we can.
Highways and infrastructure issues have continued to be raised with the relevant authorities, particularly in relation to road conditions and maintenance. And as always, please continue reporting issues via Fix My Street whenever they arise.
We have also continued maintain parish assets and look for opportunities to enhance the village environment. This includes the village sign project which we expect to be completed in July, and I would like to thank Cllr Bamford for his help in sorting the associated groundworks.
We should probably also mention the flagpole as well. Now, nationally, flags have become something of a lively topic of discussion in recent years, and it would have been very easy for us to disappear into what one might describe as “Flag Gate”. But I’m pleased to say we managed to avoid that entirely. After discussion, some compromise, and a healthy dose of common sense, we arrived at a revised flag flying calendar that reflected the middle ground.
Our thanks go to Rob Thornton for continuing to manage the flag flying calendar on behalf of the village.
A few other thank yous...
Thank you to Cllr Bamford and Cllr Milnes for their continued support and attendance throughout the year, on the various issues we have faced.
Thank you to my fellow councillors — Jenny and Woody — for the considerable time and commitment they continue to give to the village, and of course to Jackie, our fabulous Clerk.
Thank you to Martin and the rest of the Village Hall Committee for support with bookings and access to the hall.
And lastly, thank you to the residents of Stubton:
Firstly, for attending meetings, engaging with issues, and continuing to take an interest in the future of the village.
Secondly, for giving up your own time to support village activities — whether that’s painting the village gates, raising flags early in the morning, helping maintain planting, swapping the speed sign batteries, overseeing the upkeep of the defibrillator, or supporting community events.
Now, on a slightly more personal note...
This has been my first year serving as Chair, which has introduced me to some of the more unusual responsibilities associated with the role.
These have included frying onions at the annual village barbecue, reading at the Christmas church service, and judging who has the largest carrot in the village. And I have to say — there were some extremely impressive carrots on display last year. At one point while writing this report, I realised it was beginning to sound suspiciously like an episode of The Vicar of Dibley!
But joking aside, it’s these moments — just as much as the formal meetings and planning consultations — that reflect what makes a village community like ours so special. Despite all the frustrations that can come with local government, bureaucracy, and planning matters, Stubton remains a village with a strong sense of community, good humour, and people willing to support one another. And I think that is something genuinely worth protecting.
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Stubton Annual Parish Meeting 20 May 2026 District Ward Councillor Report
The year at SKDC has been busy with many changes in the pipeline – for example LGR, Planning - Waste.
I have been particularly busy as Vice Chair of the Planning Committee where we must make difficult
and very often contentious decisions using policy, law, balance of benefits and harms, and
judgements. Cases range, not exclusively, from Children’s Homes in villages to Solar Farms on
agricultural land; HMO’s in Grantham; removal of infrastructure requests – very recently the bridge
over the railway on Poplar Farm, a large housing development of up to 1800 homes, school, sports
pitch, shop etc in Grantham off Barrowby Road; Anerobic Digesters away from main roads in open
countryside, Gypsy and Traveller sites; residential developments; Clay Pigeon Shooting. I have been
involved in several Hearings and planning appeals – we win some, lose some. Examples include a
G+T site on the A1 at Foston due to noise issues and whether it was a place to live – lost; Fulbeck
Heights – a large dwelling in open countryside on the ridge above Fulbeck – won; Aldi supermarket
on sensitive site in Bourne – won; Solar Farms along the Ermine Street – lost.
The changes in Planning since Angela Rayner imposed additional housing targets have resulted in a
shortfall in the 5-year land supply, the Local Plan being deemed out of date and the application of the tilted balance putting the benefit of housing above any but the most serious harms. Stubton is
currently experiencing that pressure even as a Smaller village with only the Village Hall facility and no
bus service. Hence the approval by the Planning Inspector at Appeal on the Monument ridge and
furrow site on Doddington Lane and the Committee approval last week of 5 dwellings on Claypole
Road. A further application for 5 dwellings is under consideration adjacent to Heatherway House,
Fenton Road. Unfortunately, the Local Plan is still under Review but will not be Made until next year; I have been involved in the Working Group briefings as consultations and data are assessed to allocate land and ensure the infrastructure will be provided.
On other matters. I was instrumental in placing a Public Space Protection Order on the truncated
Pottergate road, Fulbeck to prevent further serious fly tipping, I sit on the SKDC Standards Committee
as well as general oversight of Waste collection services, liaising with the 5 Parish Councils,
encouraging the introduction of Soldiers From The Sky and an Arnhem Trail, and generally involved in
Full Council decisions.
I work with our County Councillor, Ken Bamford, on LCC issues such as the Caythorpe Recycling
Centre and Heavy vehicles using the lanes.
This will be my last year as your councillor, unless we ae required to extend another year for LGR, but
thank you for all you do on the Parish Council, the Church, the Village Hall and thank you to all the
residents who attend and take an interest in local issues.
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Councillor Ken Bamford
Hough Division
Lincolnshire County Council
County Offices
Newland
Lincoln LN1 1YL
Email: cllrk.bamford@lincolnshire.gov.uk
Dear fellow councillors,
Hough Annual Councillor Report - May 2026
Good evening everyone, please accept my apologies for being unable to attend this evening’s meeting in person. I would be grateful if this report could be read out to those present on my behalf.
I consider it an honour and pleasure to continue to represent Hough at County Council level, putting politics aside and working to try and do what’s best for our local community and our residents’.
Over the past year we have made progress on highways repairs, including potholes, surface dressing and major resurfacing schemes, most notably on the A607. Whilst I have tried hard to prioritise our issues, we are always competing with the rest of Lincolnshire who face similar issues, against the reality of finite funding and resourcing. Please continue to encourage residents to report issues using the Fix My Street tool to ensure issues and incidents are properly logged, prioritised and resolved as quickly as possible.
On flooding and drainage, we have secured additional investigations and maintenance work in the most vulnerable areas, with further improvements planned. It is fantastic to see volunteer residents’ using the Rivercare scheme to litter pick and tackle issues of overgrown foliage along our stretch of the Witham.
Speeding and parking continues to be a high priority and I am committed to strengthening enforcement, exploring appropriate traffic calming measures and supporting community speed watch initiatives. There has also been a noted increase in HGV using rat runs through our small villages on unsuitable roads, which I am currently looking at in more detail.
Looking back, the highlights for me and the best results we have achieved in the last year have been where Residents’, Parish, District and County Councillors work together with a shared sense of purpose. Looking ahead, I am optimistic and fully committed to our shared goals through building on this constructive engagement and community cohesion. Our greatest strength is our unity.
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.
I very much look forward to working closely with you all for the good and benefit of our community in the year ahead.
Call Outs
Hough Fest 2026: The very successful Hough Fest that local residents organised last year is back in 2026 (flyer attached). It is shaping up to be a great event with lots of confirmed craft stalls and will be a great opportunity for local businesses, community groups and residents to come together and share an afternoon of live music and entertainment. Your support to promote this event in your area would be welcomed.
Local Government Reorganisation (LGR): At the end of last week, LCC hosted a visit from the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to discuss our proposal for Local Government Reorganisation in Greater Lincolnshire. We were able to show how our model would work in practice - being able to offer strong services over our large county, but with local input, knowledge and delivery. We reinforced that our model would simplify council services, reduce duplication and offer greater investment in priorities that matter to our residents. Having finished their consultation exercise, MHCLG are now looking at all the proposed models for LGR in Greater Lincolnshire before taking a decision. They have also been visiting district councils to discuss their proposals too.
We have been told that every area is taken on a case by case basis as to what the best model is deemed to be, and we’re expecting to hear a decision from the government in early July. For more information, see:
https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/lincolnshire/local-government-reorganisation
Best regards,
Ken