Agenda and approved minutes – August 2025

A MEETING OF BOZEAT PARISH COUNCIL WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY, 18^th AUGUST 2025, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT 7pm.  PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS MEETING WILL BE HELD AT BOZEAT TLC, DYCHURCH LANE, BOZEAT.

*PLEASE NOTE THAT MEETINGS MAY BE RECORDED

A G E N D A

1. To consider accepting apologies for absence.
2. To record any new declarations of interest from members in items to be discussed.

To approve the minutes from the meeting of Bozeat Parish Council held on 21^st July 2025.

4. Matters arising from the previous meeting/s: –
5. Circulating documents – to note the progress of any packs that are circulating.
6. Training – to agree any training courses requested by members of the council and receive reports on any attended.
7. Doctor’s surgery – update on service issues.
8. Assets of Community Value – to note that the listing of the Red Lion public house will expire soon.
9. Bozeat flag – to consider purchasing a Bozeat flag, either single-sided costing £240 or double-sided costing £434 plus VAT.
10. Roles and responsibilities – to confirm amendments to the list.
11. Purchase of mobile phone – to approve the purchase of a new phone, case and screen protector costing a total of £102.

5. Council services – to receive reports.
6. Cemetery – general report.
7. Cemetery – access lane repairs/widening.
8. Cemetery – tree safety assessments – to consider quotes for safety checks of trees.
9. Cemetery – report from the Green Burial Area working party.
10. Cemetery – lodge cleaning and erection of racking.
11. Cemetery – replacement lodge roof
12. Allotments – general report.

6. Local environment – to receive the following reports.
7. Highways – including speed reduction measures near the primary school.
8. Highways – requests for parking restrictions [London Road/Selby Gardens; London Road/Little Close].
9. Street Lights – to note any issues; Court Lane baffle.
10. Parish Paths Warden/Rights of Way – including responsibility for the footway running from Hewletts Close onto TA21/TA22.
11. Santa Pod – to discuss any issues with events/traffic.
12. Village Warden.
13. Village Green – to consider purchasing planters.

7. Planning – to receive a report.
8. Current/new planning applications.
9. Solar Farm proposals – to receive reports from recent events and formulate a response to any future planning application.

8. Representatives’ reports – to receive the following reports.
9. BEES Group.
10. Bozeat Playing Field Association.
11. Bozeat Primary School.
12. NNC parish and ward meetings.
13. Public transport.
14. Speed signs.
15. Verge mowing.
16. NorthantsACRE AGM [7^th August 2025].
17. NorthantsCALC AGM [4^th October 2025] – to note that Cllr Brown will attend.

9. Village Hall Working Party – to accept a report.

10. Leisure and Recreation equipment: –

• Skate ramp – to confirm that recent repairs have been completed.
• Skate Ramp – report from the working party.
• Play Area – cleaning of play equipment and repairs to the safety and grass surfaces.

11. • To accept a report from the Police Laison Representative.
    • To note any local crimes that are notified to the council.

12. Bus Shelter Rough Sleeper – to approve action taken and expenditure incurred cleaning the shelter

13. Local events.
    • 15^th August 2025 – VJ80 – report from this event.
    • Opening event for new Village Hall [to include a Thank You event for village volunteers].
    • Christmas tree/lights – to agree a date for the switching on of the lights.

14. Finance

• Payments – to receive a report and to approve fund transfers and payments to be made this month.
• Annual audit of accounts – to note that the Annual Return has been submitted and the period of electors’ rights is underway.
• North Northants Council members grant [£200] – purchase of signs for TA19.
• Village Produce Show grant of £160 towards re-branding of signs.

15. Correspondence – to acknowledge receipt of correspondence received since the last meeting.

16. On hold – to note the following agenda items are on hold
    • Cemetery – repairs to railings – to consider replacing sections with a new hedge.
    • Review of Fixed Asset Register – to approve revisions to the register.
    • Village Green CCTV.

17. To receive any items for the next agenda.

18. Date and time of next meeting – to note that the next of Bozeat Parish Council will be held on Monday, 15^th September 2025, immediately following Public Participation at 7pm. The meeting will be held at TLC, Dychurch Lane, Bozeat.

Signed by Lyndis Payne, Clerk to Bozeat Parish Council.

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A MEETING OF BOZEAT PARISH COUNCIL WAS HELD ON MONDAY, 18^th AUGUST 2025, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT 7pm.  THE MEETING WAS HELD AT BOZEAT TLC, DYCHURCH LANE, BOZEAT.

PRESENT: – Cllrs Skittrall [Chairman]; Brown; Docker, Gibbins; Moulds; Pollard; Pritchard; Steel and Todd.

PUBLIC: – Cllr Dunsmuir [North Northants Council] was present at the meeting.

MATTERS RAISED BY THE PUBLIC: –

• No progress with restoring GP services at the Bozeat Surgery.
• Bus timetables have been adjusted.

1. Apologies.

It was resolved to accept apologies for absence received from Cllr Cooke and NNC Cllrs Carr and Partridge-Underwood: Cllr Foward was also absent.

2. Declarations of interest.

No new declarations of interest were reported.

3. Minutes.

The minutes from the meeting of Bozeat Parish Council held on 21^st July 2025 were proposed as correct by Cllr Pritchard, this was seconded by Cllr Brown and unanimously agreed.

4. Matters arising from the previous meeting/s: –
5. Circulating documents – the progress of circulating packs was noted.
6. Training – no courses booked at present.
7. Doctor’s surgery – the update from Cllr Dunsmuir [NNC] was noted. Cllr Brown reported that he had checked the figures and the current numbers comply with legal requirements for the provision of services.  It was resolved to move this agenda item to on hold.
8. Assets of Community Value – noted that the listing of the Red Lion public house will expire soon.
9. Bozeat flag – Cllr Todd produced a detailed report providing information about costs for double and single-sided and printed and sewn flags. It was resolved to ask the sponsor for an opinion before purchasing the flag.  It was resolved to record thanks to Cllr Todd for her work on this project and to defer a decision until the next meeting.

• Roles and responsibilities – changes were noted and it was agreed to add Grants to the agenda under the Finance section.

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1. Purchase of mobile phone – Cllr Pritchard proposed that the purchase of a new phone, case and screen protector costing a total of £102 be formally approved. This was seconded by Cllr Docker and agreed

5. Council services.
6. Cemetery – general report – Cllr Steel reported that the company that cleaned the war memorial has confirmed that the missing letters will be replaced, the Coronation Seat has been removed for refurbishment and the base has been prepared for the new seat.
7. Cemetery – access lane repairs/widening. Cllr Gibbins reported that he had met on site with R & G and they are to provide a timescale for the work.  It was resolved to prepare and display an advance warning notice on the cemetery gate.  The Clerk noted that she has included a warning in the next issue of Bozeat Matters magazine and Cllr Todd will put something on Facebook.
8. Cemetery – tree safety assessments – noted that this is pending.
9. Cemetery – report from the Green Burial Area working party – noted that the group has yet to meet.
10. Cemetery – lodge cleaning and erection of racking – noted that this will be done next week.

• Cemetery – replacement lodge roof – the contractor has booked this work for September.

1. Allotments – a general report was read as received. It was resolved to ask the Allotments Manager about problems with one plot.

6. Local environment.
7. Highways – a report was read as received. It was noted that the posts for the speed signs near to the primary school have been installed.
8. Highways – requests for parking restrictions [London Road/Selby Gardens; London Road/Little Close]. A resident is regularly sending in photos of poor parking at the Mill Road/London Road junction.  Cllr Docker reported that residents have asked that a tree in London Road be cut back as they are reluctant to park beneath it and this is adding to the problem at the junction.  She had raised this at a recent North Northants Council drop-in event and officers had agreed to investigate.
9. Street Lights – Cllr Pritchard reported that the baffle has now been fitted to the light in Court Lane, no other issues were reported.
10. Parish Paths Warden/Rights of Way – no issues were reported on rights of way. Cllr Docker reported that North Northants Council had responded claiming that they are not the owners of the footway that runs from Hewletts Close onto TA21/TA22.  It is also not a public right of way, Cllr Skittrall noted that this could be claimed as there is evidence that people have walked along this for over 40 years.  Cllr Brown noted provision under the 1980 Highways Act and will obtain a copy of the legislation.  Cllr Pritchard agreed to continue as a Parish Paths Warden together with another village resident, the Clerk to investigate the new scheme.
11. Santa Pod – no issues reported.

• Village Warden – a report was read as received.

1. Village Green – to consider purchasing planters. It was agreed to discuss a confidential item at the end of the meeting.

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8. Current/new planning applications – Cllr Skittrall proposed that a report [Appendix A] be accepted, this was seconded by Cllr Steel and agreed. It was noted that notification of an application to convert a barn had not been received by the Parish Council and had been approved prior to comments being sent.  It was resolved that the Chairman follows this up as the application includes an incorrect statement that the barn is inside the existing settlement.  Cllr Dunsmuir [NNC] asked to be copied into correspondence.
9. Solar Farm proposals – the Chairman reported that he had met with Sarah Bool MP, North Northants Councillors and other parish chairs and it had been agreed to collate concerns and submit them together to the Secretary of State for DENZ.

8. Representatives’ reports. – to receive the following reports.
9. BEES Group – a report was read as received. It was agreed to issue an Odd Jobs form for some grass cutting.  A suggestion had been made that a few trees be planted on the wide section of verge in Easton Lane.  It was noted that permission would be required from North Northants Council and there may be services running beneath the verge.  Cllr Gibbins reported that BPFA have ordered some trees under the Free Tree scheme and there may be a few available, if required.
10. Bozeat Playing Field Association – it was noted that the committee had held an extraordinary meeting to discuss incorrect information being circulated about the finances. Grants are currently being sought towards the cost of refurbishing the showers, toilets and kitchen.
11. Bozeat Primary School – noted that the school is closed for the summer holidays.

• NNC parish and ward meetings – none held recently.

1. Public transport – Cllr Pollard reported that services are running well but roadworks in Wellingborough have caused delays.
2. Speed signs – Cllr Docker reported that there are still some issues with the production of data, she is to meet with a former member of the council in an effort to resolve this problem. At a recent North Northants Council drop in event, Cllr Docker had asked about signs indicating an advisory speed limit of 20mph and had been advised that these could be supplied at no cost.  It was resolved to obtain data from the sign prior to requesting additional signs.
3. Verge mowing – Cllr Gibbins reported that he had looked at problem areas, the narrow section along Fish Alley will no longer be cut by R & G and will be occasionally trimmed back by the Odd Jobs contractor. It was reported that the narrow, banked verge in Little Close has not been cut the last twice that other verges have.
4. NorthantsACRE AGM [7^th August 2025] – noted that no representative attended.
5. NorthantsCALC AGM [4^th October 2025] – noted that Cllr Brown is to attend.

9. Village Hall Working Party.

A potential timeline of planned works had been provided and a site meeting is planned for 29^th August.

10. Leisure and Recreation equipment.

• Skate ramp repairs – the Clerk reported that the contractor will complete the repairs

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before the next meeting.

• Skate ramp working party – reported that they have yet to meet.
• Play Area – cleaning of play equipment and repairs to the safety and grass surfaces. Cllr Gibbins reported that this will be completed in September as it will need to be closed for several days. There is no known safety issues involved.

11. • Report from the Police Laison Representative – Cllr Moulds reported that 4 crimes were listed for Bozeat in June.

12. Bus Shelter Rough Sleeper.

It was reported that a homeless person used the bus shelter on London Road for several days earlier this month.  Concerned residents had checked that he was well and provisions were provided and he had since moved on.  Quite a few bags and a sleeping bag were left behind and this was removed by the Bozeat Environmental Care Group – it was resolved to send a letter of thanks.  It was noted that the person had urinated in the shelter and it now needs cleaning, North Northants Council had reported that, as it belongs to Bozeat Parish Council, they are not responsible for cleaning it.  Cllr Brown has a contact who has offered to clean it using a mobile pressure washer, at no charge and this offer was accepted with thanks.

13. Local events.
    • 15^th August 2025 – VJ80 – it was noted that there was a good turnout for this event and a local resident had given an account of his time in the Far East from the time that the first atom bomb was dropped. It was agreed to send a letter of thanks to the resident.
    • Opening event for new Village Hall [to include a Thank You event for village volunteers].
    • Christmas tree/lights – it was agreed to switch on the Christmas Lights on Saturday, 29^th November at 5pm and to ask a local centenarian to turn them on.

• Payments – Cllr Skittrall proposed that a report [Appendix B] be accepted the payments and fund transfers included be approved. This was seconded by Cllr Pritchard and agreed.
• Annual audit of accounts – it was noted that the Annual Return has been submitted and the period of electors’ rights expired on 14^th
• North Northants Council members grant [£200] – it was noted that signs for TA19 costing just over the amount of the grant have been purchased.
• Village Produce Show grant of £160 towards re-branding of signs – it was noted that this grant is on the list of payments for this month.

It was resolved to acknowledge receipt of correspondence received since the last meeting.

• It was resolved to provide a key for the Court Lane bollard to a local resident who has proven vehicular access to their property.
• Action taken to provide information about barking dogs to a local resident was noted.

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• The Environment Agency is to undertake maintenance work on local watercourses.
• The quarterly vacancy survey now legal required by ONS has been submitted.

16. On hold agenda items.
    • Cemetery – repairs to railings – to consider replacing sections with a new hedge.
    • Review of Fixed Asset Register – to approve revisions to the register.
    • Village Green CCTV.

17. Items for the next agenda: –

• Remembrance Day events.

Cllr Skittrall proposed that the press and public be excluded from the meeting whilst an item of a confidential nature is discussed.  This was seconded by Cllr Brown and agreed.

It was resolved to take the following action: –

• to move one bollard protecting the Village Green to a new location;
• to seek legal advice from North Northants Council and/or NALC;
• to seek advice from our Data Protection Controller.

18. Date and time of next meeting.

It was noted that the next of Bozeat Parish Council will be held on Monday, 15^th September 2025, immediately following Public Participation at 7pm.  The meeting will be held at TLC, Dychurch Lane, Bozeat.

There being no further business, the meeting was declared closed.

Signed by the Chairman, 15^th September 2025.