Approved minutes – March 2026

Page 2297

A MEETING OF BOZEAT PARISH COUNCIL WAS HELD ON MONDAY, 16^th MARCH 2026, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE ANNUAL PARISH MEETING FOR BOZEAT AT 7pm AND THEN PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.  THE MEETING WAS HELD AT BOZEAT TLC, DYCHURCH LANE, BOZEAT.

PRESENT: – Cllrs Skittrall [Chairman]; Beardsmore; Cooke; Docker; Duckles; Gibbins; Pritchard and Todd

PUBLIC: – Also present at the meeting was Cllr Jon-Paul Carr [North Northants Council] and Lindsay Alvis [Chairman, Wollaston Parish Council].

MATTERS RAISED BY THE PUBLIC: –

• Lack of GP services at Bozeat.
• Planning application NN/24/00021/WASFUL – waste recycling plant at Wollaston.
• Green Hill Solar Farm open hearings.
• Increase in school transport charges.
• Potential grouping of North Northants Council with another authority.

It was resolved to accept apologies for absence received from Cllrs Brown and Foward.

2. Declarations of interest.

• Cllr Beardsmore declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 8.
• Cllr Skittrall declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 15.

The minutes from the meeting of Bozeat Parish Council held on 16^th February 2026 were proposed as correct by Cllr Pritchard, this was seconded by Cllr Beardsmore and a vote was taken = 7 for with 2 abstentions, motion carried.

4. Matters arising: –
5. Circulating documents – pack 1/2026 was returned.
6. Training – the Clerk reported that she had attended a training course arranged by SLCC and would provide a report ready for the next meeting.
7. Roles and responsibilities – agreed to remove this item from the agenda.
8. Updated policies and terms of reference – noted that the required amendments have been made.

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5. Council services – to receive reports.
6. Cemetery – general report – a report was read as received.
7. Cemetery – tree safety work – two quotes for the recommended work were received and discussed. Cllr Pritchard proposed that the quote received from R & G be accepted, this was agreed.
8. Cemetery – report from the Green Burial Area working party. No progress on this.
9. Allotments – general report – the Clerk reported that she had sent an email to the Clerk of Olney Town Council asking about their community allotment. Cllr Duckles reported that one of the signs indicating that there is no public right of way across the allotments needs replacing.
10. Allotments – reconfiguring of plots – work has begun on this project, the cost of the turf required is higher than expected, agreed that this be an agenda item for the next meeting.
11. Allotments – project and management plan for the water supply – a detailed survey and report was received. It was agreed that the Working Party should discuss the proposals.  Thanks were record to Cllr Duckles for his report.
12. Allotments – to consider adding a new guideline “tenants are asked to give 3 months’ notice if they decide to terminate their allotment tenancy during the year, and to advise the Parish Council no later than 1st October if they intend not to renew their tenancy from 1^st” Noted that this was requested at the Allotment Tenants Meeting.  Following discussion, it was agreed not to add this to the guidelines because a note could be added to the annual rent collection letter.
13. Bus Shelter – to consider adding guttering to the shelter. Cllr Brown had inspected the shelter and felt that there may be issues with water run-off and fixing guttering.  It was resolved that other members of the council investigate a potential soakaway to deal with run-off and how guttering might be fixed.
14. Town Well – to consider repairs to the wall to prevent water leakage. Cllr Gibbins reported that he had met a local builder on site and the brickwork of the trough area is in poor condition.  A solution to resolve the water leakage is being investigated.

6. Local environment.
7. Highways – a general report was read as received. Works to update/replace a telecoms post on the A509 at Northey Farm was noted.
8. Street Lights – no issues reported.
9. Parish Paths Warden/Rights of Way – no issues reported and no update on the claim for a public right of way.
10. Santa Pod – to discuss any issues with events/traffic – noted that events are due to begin at Easter.
11. Village Warden – report read as received. Cllr Duckles asked if authorisation from the council is required prior to work being done?  It was agreed to check the job description ready for the next meeting.
12. Village Green – planters project – noted that work has begun to install two planters.
13. Biodiversity Plan – to consider adopting a plan – it was agreed to circulate the draft plan again ready for the next meeting.

8. Current/new planning applications – Cllr Skittrall proposed that a report [Appendix A] be accepted, this was seconded by Cllr Beardsmore and agreed. It was agreed to send the recommended comments.

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1. Solar Farm proposals – the Chairman reported that he had attended recent open hearings on behalf of the Parish Council and that our MP gave detailed planning evidence.

8. Grounds Maintenance contracts from 1^st April 2026.

Cllr Gibbins proposed that grounds maintenance contracts for the year beginning 1^st April 2026 be awarded to R & G and Clive Chapman.  This was seconded by Cllr Pollard and agreed, Cllr Beardsmore abstained.

9. Representatives’ reports.
10. BEES Group – a report was read as received. Cllr Pritchard proposed that no more than £250 be spent creating a dead hedge in the Cemetery in order to benefit wildlife, this was agreed.  It was reported that brambles are a problem in the wooded area of verge between the cemetery gates and the bus shelter and it was agreed to issue an Odd Job form to clear them.
11. Bozeat Playing Field Association – a report was read as received.
12. Bozeat Primary School – a report was read as received, noted that liaison between the school and parish council is to be reintroduced.
13. NNC parish and ward meetings – Parishes Forum Meeting – a report was read as received.
14. Public transport – no issues were reported other than minor delays due to road works in the area.
15. Speeding – Community Speed watch – Cllr Docker reported that she had received the required equipment and it was agreed to wait until road works in the village have been completed before beginning the programme.
16. Verge mowing – the Clerk reported that she had not received any response to her request for a specification, but had located a copy of last years’ and had signed and submitted the request form to North Northants Council noting the assumption that the specification is the same for this year. A letter has been received from a local resident requesting that the verge outside their property is not mown.
17. Community Engagement – Cllr Todd presented a draft policy for consideration. Cllr Pritchard proposed that this be adopted, seconded by Cllr Beardsmore and agreed.  Cllr Pollard abstained.

10. Village Hall.

• Report from the Working Party – Cllr Duckles reported that the committee have suggested installing a plaque commemorating Lt John Ahern, this was agreed. Cllr Skittrall suggested including an information board.
• Management committee – noted that the group are meeting regularly.
• Launch event.
• Branding – Cllr Todd reported that she is attending a committee meeting to recommend branding.
• Insurance – it was noted that insurance needs to be in place soon, agreed to investigate adding to our policy.
• Handover – suggested that the hall needs to be set up as CIO to help with future funding.
• Bookings – reported that costs are likely to be £15 per hour for residents, £20 for non-residents and weekends.
• Purchase of a defibrillator and a bleed box for the new hall, costing at least £1000

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for both.  It was agreed to investigate getting a grant for these.

11. Leisure and Recreation equipment: –

• Skate Ramp – essential repairs – noted that these have been completed and a

further inspection will be made towards the end of the season.

• Skate Ramp – to consider replacing the existing ramp – report from the working party. It was agreed that Cllr Docker should lead this working party.
• Skate Ramp – potential grant funding for a new ramp.

12. IT/Website.

• Photocopier/Printer – the Clerk reported that she had signed and returned the contract to Ricoh. It was agreed that Cllr Duckles will manage removing data from the old printer/copier prior to its’ disposal.
• IT Systems and emails – Cllr Duckles reported ongoing issues with emails for some members of the council and is exploring alternative email systems and providers.
• Website – traffic on the site and branding. It was agreed to ask the website designer for a timescale for the required re-build and to request site traffic data.  It was further resolved to check through the council’s contract with the designer. It was reported that the branding could not be incorporated as a part of the rebuild and agreed that the current colours were not sufficiently different from the brand colours to warrant the expense of the change.

13. • To accept a report from the PLR – a report was read as received.
    • To note any local crimes that are notified to the council – our PCSO provided crime statistics for February.

14. Local events.
    • 9^th May 2026 – Waendel Walk checkpoint at St Mary’s Church.
    • 12^th July 2026 – Summer Fete.
    • 18^th July 2026 – Open Gardens.
    • 22^nd August 2026 – Village Produce Show.
    • 8^th November 2026 – Remembrance Sunday.
    • 11^th November 2026 – Remembrance Day.
    • 28^th November 2026 – Christmas tree/lights switch on.

15. Finance

• Payments – Cllr Beardsmore proposed that a report [Appendix B] and the payments and fund transfers listed on it, be accepted. This was seconded by Cllr Pritchard and agreed.
• Grants – 1 – Nene Milling site developer contributions – noted that applications are being prepared for suitable projects at the Playing Field and Allotments. 2 – NNC Ward grant – noted that an application has been submitted to fund chairs for the new village hall.

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

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17. On hold – noted that the following agenda items are on hold: –
    • Cemetery – repairs to railings – to consider replacing sections with either replacement railings currently in store or a new hedge.
    • Review of Fixed Asset Register – to approve revisions to the register.
    • Village Green CCTV.
    • Doctor’s surgery – service issues.
    • Assets of Community Value – to note that the listing of the Red Lion public house

will expire soon.

• Allotments – setting aside a plot as a community allotment.
• Parking – submitted requests for parking restrictions [London Road/Selby Gardens; London Road/Little Close].

18. Items for the next agenda.

• Turf costing £180 for allotments.
• Disposal of old printer.

19. Date and time of next meeting.

It was noted that the next meeting of Bozeat Parish Council will be held on Monday, 20^th April 2026 after up to 15 minutes allowed for Public Participation at 7pm.  Meetings are held at TLC, Dychurch Lane, Bozeat, Northants, NN29 7JP.

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

Signed by the Chairman, 20^th April 2026.