Agenda
NOTICE OF MEETING OF THE PARISH
COUNCIL
I give notice that a meeting of the Parish Council will be held at the Village Hall on Monday 7th September 2026 commencing at 7:30pm.
Signed: Richard Reed
Clerk to the Parish Council. Dated 1st September 2026
AGENDA
1. Public Open Time. (An opportunity for members of the public to ask questions or
raise matters of parish interest).
2. To receive apologies for absence
3. To receive and consider any declarations from Members under section 50 of the
Local Government Act 2000 on items listed in the agenda:
(i) To declare any Pecuniary Interest
(ii) To declare any other interests
(iii) To consider any requests for dispensation
4. To approve the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 22.06.26
5. Matters arising: Shared File Area-PW/RH
6. Village Hall – Cllr Lambert
7. Risk Assessments – Cllrs. Ms Ward, Williams and Watts
8. To consider revised Risk assessment Policy
9. Play Area – Cllr. Ms Ward: Review of Work Required
10. Action Spreadsheet: PW
11. Highways – Cllr. Williams;
12. Maintenance issues:
13. Street Lighting – Cllr Watts
14. Trinity School Liaison – Cllr Allen
15. Community Governance Review-Stage 2 Consultation
16. Northamptonshire Rural Road Safety Initiative
17. To consider correspondence received.
18. Planning:
a) To consider applications received:
b) To report on applications considered since last meeting:
26/01795/FUL: Change of use from Class F1 Places of Worship to Class C3 dwelling house. Former Grade II listed Baptist Chapel. Main Street, Aldwincle.
26/01796/LBC: Change of use from Class F1 Places of Worship to Class C3 dwelling house. Former Grade II listed Baptist Chapel. Main Street, Aldwincle.
26/02064/LBC: Structural assessment of Brancey Bridge, Thorpe Road, Aldwincle.
c) Other planning matters:
19. Finance
(i) To Receive and Approve Statement of accounts
(ii) To receive Budget Monitoring Report
(iii) Approve payments as follows: Brigstock Sawmill £8.04; E.ON £88.20; Valda Energy 2x invoices £154.15; Tim McLean £470.00; Online playgrounds £634.92;
(iv) Any other financial business:
20. Items requiring urgent attention, for information or for the next agenda.
21. Date of next meeting: Monday 12th October 2026
Lawfully, members of the public may only speak or raise items of concern under the item for Residents. If they wish to speak on other Agenda items, prior arrangements should be made with the Clerk at least 24 hours before the meeting.
Draft Minutes of the Aldwincle Parish Council Meeting held on Monday 7th September 2026 at the Village Hall commencing at 7:30pm.
Present:
Paul Williams Chairman
Jon Allen
Nick Lambert
Robin Holden
Tim Hankins
Richard Reed – Clerk
There was one resident present
26/109 Public Open Time
Mr Blakeman had three items to raise.
1) Nene Way – the ongoing temporary closure was causing concern to residents and walkers, especially as the condition of the path is no different to what had previously existed. The matter was discussed at length and the possibility of carrying out the work by the Parish Council under its Highways
Act powers. It was agreed that the Parish Council should write to Sarah Cureton in the Rights of Way team expressing the concern over the issue and asking for a site meeting. Action: Clerk
2) Lowick Lane breach of planning conditions. Mr. Blakeman had not received a response from NNC over this and the Clerk confirmed that although he had made two complaints to NNC, one via the portal and the other by e-mail, there had been no response to the Parish Council.
3) EV Charging points. The lack of any real consultation over this project was discussed. Cards had been delivered to those properties within 100 metres of the proposed installation, but the Parish Council should have been consulted directly but had not been. The Clerk was asked to write to NNC expressing the concern over the lack of a proper consultation and pointing out that the installation appeared to be too close to ironwork in the carriageway. Action: PW/Clerk
26/110 Apologies
Apologies had been received from Cllr. Watts and Cllr. Ms Ward and these were accepted.
26/111 Declarations of Interest
Pecuniary Interest: None
To declare any other interests: None
To consider any requests for dispensations: None.
26/112 Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 22.06.26
It was proposed by Cllr. Lambert and seconded by Cllr. Hankins that the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on 22nd June 2026, and having previously been circulated, be accepted and signed as a true record of that meeting. Agreed unanimously.
26/113 Matters arising.
Cllrs. Williams and Holden had looked into setting up a shared file area and reported their findings. A demonstration is to be arranged. Action: PW/RH
The Clerk said that the Internal auditor’s requirements had now been met with the exception of the minuting of the budget and precept figures which would be in the January 2027 meeting.
26/114 Village Hall
Cllr. Lambert had previously circulated his report and this was discussed. The acoustic panels have now been installed and are proving to be effective.
26/115 Risk Assessments
Cllr. Ms ward had raised a number of concerns with the playground. Cllr. Holden has completed some repairs but there remain concerns over the rubber matting. Cllr. Williams has obtained three quotations and councillors discussed whether to allocate funding each year to deal with major repairs/replacement or to renew the equipment subject to obtaining a grant. Cllr. Williams said he would look at options.
Action: PW
26/116 To Consider a Revised Risk Assessment Policy
This item is to be deferred until the next meeting. Action: Clerk
26/117 Play Area
Generally covered under 26/115 above.
26/118 Action Spreadsheet
Cllr. Williams had circulated the updated spreadsheet/completed actions. As one of the actions it is intended to repaint the swings by the end of the year.
26/119 Highways
Cllr. Williams discussed his report which had been circulated previously.
26/120 Maintenance issues
Tim McLean had spoken to Cllr Holden and asked if he could put out warning signs when grass cutting if successful with next year’s contract. All agreed that this was acceptable.
26/121 Street Lighting
It had been noted that a bulb was out in Cross Lane but Cllr. Watts was in touch with E.ON over its replacement.
26/122 Trinity School Liaison
Cllr. Allen said that he had been accepted on the School Forum (previously the Governing Board). Cllr. Williams said he is to look at becoming an observer on the PCC.
26/123 Community Governance Review – Stage 2 Consultation
The Clerk had looked at the results of Stage 1 Consultation and Aldwincle is listed with others opting for no change. There didn’t appear to be any proposals to amend the boundaries of adjacent parishes. He will rend the link so that councillors can access the interim stage. Danny Moody had contacted the Clerk and suggested the PC may like to consider reducing the number of councillors. The Clerk had pointed out to Danny that this could result in the minimum members for a quorate meeting and would not be meaningful. NALC’s guidance is for seen councillors for a parish of up to 900 electorate.
Councillors confirmed that the number of councillors at present is appropriate and do not want any reduction in numbers.
26/124 Correspondence
As list previously circulated to councillors.
It was agreed to support Lee Barron MP establishing a town and parish council portal for correspondence with NNC. Action: Clerk
26/125 Planning
a) there were no applications for consideration.
b) Application 26/01795/FUL & 26/01796/LBC: Baptist Chapel, Main St, Aldwincle. The Parish
Council objected on the grounds that there was no off-street parking provision. (Subsequently refused by NNC).
26/02064/LBC: Brancey Bridge trial holes and cores. No objection but the Clerk asked that the Parish Council is notified of the date of the work so that parishioners can be made aware.
c) there was no other planning matters.
26/126 Finance
(i) The Clerk presented the statement of accounts. There had been no receipts since the last meeting and the balance as of 07.09.26 was £23,816.25.
(ii) Councillors considered the budget monitoring report.
(iii) The following invoices were approved for payment, proposed by Cllr Hankins and seconded by Cllr. Williams.
Retrospective
09.06.26 Brigstock Sawmill (reimburse Cllr. Holden). Timber £8.04 OLT
23.06.26 E.ON Quarterly streetlight maintenance £88.20 OLT
15.07.26 Valda Energy. Streetlight energy £87.92 D/D
30.06.26 Online Playgrounds. Playground repairs £634.92 OLT
15.08.26 Valda Energy. Streetlight energy £66.23 D/D
Cllr R Holden Materials for playground repairs £19.52 OLT
Zurich Municipal. Parish Council insurance renewal £1,492.93 OLT
(iv) The Clerk has received a penalty notice from HMRC for alleged incorrect filing. This has been passed to the firm which manages the payroll for attention.
26/127 Items Requiring Urgent Attention, For Information or For the Next Agenda
There had been reports of motorcyclists using the green lanes and causing concern for other users. Cllr. Hankins is to speak to the community policing officer. Action: TH
Cllr. Hankins spoke of the houses in Cross Lane that were built under a s.106 agreement and for local people to occupy. NNC has now change the policy and people notified that they were no longer on the waiting list. Cllr. Hankins will contact NNC Cllr. Mrs Brackenbury and Cllr. Williams will check NNC’s
website. Action: PW/TH
26/128 Date of Next Meeting
12th October 2026 to be held in the Village Hall commencing at 7:30pm.
There being no further urgent business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9:27pm.
