April 2025 Minutes
Minutes of Eagle & Swinethorpe Annual Parish Meeting, held on
Wednesday 23rd April 2025 at 7.00pm
Present Cllr David Parkes – Chair.
Rachel Popplewell – Clerk
5 members of public
Agenda Items
1. Welcome
Cllr Parkes welcomed everyone to the Annual Parish Meeting.
2. Notes of the Annual Parish Meeting held on Thursday 18th April 2024 to be approved as minutes.
It was Resolved to approve the notes as minutes – All Agreed signed by the Chair.
3. To receive the Chairman’s Annual Report.
Read out by the Chair.
Eagle & Swinethorpe Parish Council Chair’s Report 2025
This is not an Annual Parish Council meeting; therefore, Parish Council business will not be discussed, and no decisions will be made. I am David Parkes, the current Chair of Eagle & Swinethorpe Parish Council.
There were several challenges that presented themselves over the course of the year. The cutting of the Playing Field grass drew many comments, a great deal of them adverse, and I am pleased to say that the Parish Council has now found a new contractor – first impressions are that the new contractor is providing an excellent service. I am also happy to report that the damage to the Commemorative Tree guard has at last been repaired and thanks must go to Paul Kitchen and Sam Booth for their efforts – it really does look as good as new. The replacement Commemorative Tree also seems to be thriving!
One notable success was the replacement of an outdated piece of apparatus in
the Playing Field. Councillor Bernadette Grayston and the Parish Council Clerk, Rachel Popplewell, put a great deal of effort in to successfully applying for a grant to fund the project and my thanks go to them. It is perhaps worth mentioning that we have received many positive comments about the new equipment. The Parish Council also funded 2 replacement baby swing seats. Regarding the Playing Field, a bid for some trees for a Community Orchard was successful and 10 trees were planted at the top left corner of the Playing Field, and I am delighted to say that the first signs of new growth are beginning to show through.
The team that was set up to look at the kitchen block on the Playing Field has been working hard to move the project forward. I am somewhat relieved to say that plans for the ‘new’ building have at last been approved by Councillors, and the planning process has begun.
The Parish Council has recently been approached by staff at the Eagle House Residential Home, with a view to involving the residents in working alongside the Parish Council with any community work. This is most welcome and offers benefits to both the residents and the Parish Council – firstly, any assistance with tasks like watering the Community Orchard is always welcome, but secondly, it also provides the residents with opportunities to improve their work skills and expand their surroundings within the village. The Parish Council both welcomes and actively supports this initiative.
December saw the long-awaited re-opening of the village shop, and, at the request of the new owner, the Parish Council has given its support in seeking to get the post office reinstated. A petition was started and there have been numerous e-mails to various departments within the Post Office. The MP for Sleaford and North Hykeham, Dr Caroline Johnson, also wrote on our behalf, to the Post Office supporting the request. Unfortunately, despite these representations, the Post Office has disappointingly reiterated that there is no intention to reinstate the Eagle Post Office.
As a council, we have continued to review key policies, and I should also mention that Councillors have agreed on a Precept increase of 12.2% (an annual increase of £10.80 on a Band D property) for the Financial Year 2025/2026. This will allow for the continuing street light maintenance programme and to defray some of the inevitable costs associated with the kitchen block project.
The website and Facebook page continue to grow and contain a lot of information that we hope will be useful to residents, not least of which is in offering additional ways to contact the Parish Council.
I would like to thank District Councillors Chris Goldson and Richard Johnson and County Councillor Alan Briggs for their continued support at the monthly meetings – ever keen to engage with the Parish Council, their advice is always welcome. Also, it would be remiss of me if, on behalf of my fellow Councillors, I didn’t thank our Parish Clerk. Rachel, thank you so much for your assistance and wise counsel throughout this last year.
Finally, I would like to offer my sincere thanks to my fellow Councillors, for not only their efforts throughout the year, but for their support to me – it really is much appreciated! Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to attend tonight's Eagle and Swinethorpe Annual Parish Meeting.
4. Annual reports from District & County Councillors.
North Kesteven DISTRICT COUNCILLORS ANNUAL REPORT
The year has been a challenging one we are anticipated several difficulties and concerns for the future.
North Kesteven Council has managed a prudent financial regime and entered 2025 with provision for a stable and reliable financial future. Accepting the vagaries of external impacts (political & financial).
By 31st March 2026 all councils will be legally obliged to provide and use a food waste bin (not another bin we hear you cry!), this will be collected weekly.
Overall, jointly, or at least one of us, have tried to attend all the Parish Council meetings throughout the year to contribute, advise and support wherever we can. This will obviously continue.
Several communities in our Ward have experienced ongoing impacts with recent flooding, many of which remain unresolved: despite considerable efforts from residents and councillors. Inter-agency collaborations leave a lot to be desired.
House building continues over the whole of North Kesteven, NKDC follow the Central Lincs Local Plan and various Neighbourhood Planning criteria. The growing impact of Solar Farms will inevitably affect our Ward directly, with projects adjacent to our village environs. All will have our focus and involvement; some however will only be on an advisory basis- those over 50MW are National Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) Permission for these rests with the Government and Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. This also applies to the new Anglia Water Reservoir proposal in the South of the County. 2025 will see major changes in our community structures with the new elected Mayor for a Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCC) which consolidates transport, adult skills (budget responsibility from 2026), homes and communities, economic growth, and the environment.
Also, over the coming years, 2026 onwards there are likely to be MAJOR changes with Local Government Re-organisation (LGR). As you may be aware, despite expressions of collaboration and common discussion, disappointingly, most County, District & City Councils have developed their own submissions to Government. On balance we feel that NKDC’s combined submission meets most of the Government guidelines. However, the final decision is not ours. What is apparent is the dissolution of the & District councils & significant reductions in representative Councillors. Not, we feel, necessarily in the best interests of our residents and contrary to the idea of closer representation!
Given all of that, we, as Independent Councillors, will continue to represent the best interests of our residents devoid of any ‘party affiliations or political bias.
We wish all our Parishes success in their local community projects and initiatives and an improving one within their future expectations.
Councillors Richard Johnston & Chris Goldson for
Skellingthorpe, Eagle & Swinethorpe, North Scarle and Doddington & Whisby.
5. Open Forum.
Cllr Briggs made comment that he is often in the village, speaking to residents. He would like to pass on his thanks to the volunteer litter pickers – who do a great job on the approach roads around the village.
He suggested that the Parish Council might like to consider a Community Champion/recognition award for the village. To recognise local people doing good deeds for the village. The Chair offered to mention it at the next meeting of the Parish Council.
Meeting Closed 7.20pm.
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