Extraordinary Meeting, 10th October 2025 Draft Minutes

Minutes of the Extraordinary Council Meeting held Friday, 10 October 2025 at 7:00pm in the Legbourne and Little Cawthorpe Community Centre.
 
The Chair welcomed all attendees to the meeting and gave a brief introduction of why this extraordinary meeting had been arranged.  She will report on the recent police engagement session held and for the parish council to consider the two planning applications, the deadlines of which are before the next scheduled parish council meeting in November.
 
Public Session. There were five members of the public present, two of which were the joint applicants of the planning application under minute reference 2025/10-5a, Cawthorpe Springs Trout Farm.  The applicants provided their reasons behind their application including changes in market conditions and the change in employment responsibilities.  They reported that the dwelling application will become their primary residence which will reduce traffic and noise compared to holiday let accommodation, better maintenance of the site and fits in with the housing shortage in the district.  The impact on the footpaths was asked but the applicants did not own the land and there were no changes to the footpaths surrounding the boundaries.
 
Two members of the public left the meeting after the public session.
 
Reports from Outside Bodies:
a. ELDC Ward Member. Cllr A Grist was not in attendance
b. LCC Division Member. Cllr T Catton sent his apologies but circulated his comments on the two planning applications considered at the meeting.
 
2025/09-1 Record of Members present and apologies.
Present: Cllr M Exley (ME) (Chair)), Cllr P Maw (PM) (Vice-Chair) and Cllr D Harrison (DH)
Also Present: Mrs N Must (Parish Clerk)
Apologies accepted: Cllr S Cole (SC) and LCC Councillor T Catton
 
2025/09-2 Declarations of Interest. Cllr PM declared his interest on planning application 03159/25/RVC and Cllr DH declared his interest on the planning application 03185/25/FUL.  Both were given dispensation to remain and vote on the planning applications under Standing Orders 13h)i because without the dispensation, the number of persons prohibited from participating in the particular business would be so great a proportion of the meeting transacting the business as to impede the transaction of the business.
 
The Parish Council resolved to change the order of the agenda and consider the two planning applications before the rest of the agenda items.
 
2025/10-5 Planning Applications: 
a. 03159/25/RVC Section 73 application to vary condition no. 11 Cawthorpe Springs Trout Farm Wood Lane Legbourne.  After discussions and voting in the matter, the Council resolved to object to the planning application for the following reasons:  the application is contrary to the ELDC Local Plan 2018 SP3: Housing growth and the location of inland growth on Open countryside restriction: Construction of new dwellings in the open countryside is severely restricted, and permission would be contrary to this policy unless exceptional circumstances are demonstrably met.  The location is not appropriate and does not retain the core shape and form of the settlement.  The Council supported the previous application for holiday let accommodation only and uphold its decision that there be a covenant in place which will not allow any change of use to long term letting, in case the property is sold at a later stage.
 
b. 03185/25/FUL| Planning Permission Furze Meadow Furze Lane Legbourne.  The Council resolved to support this application as the development is adjacent to the development boundary of the parish, there is easy access from the main road and is close to local amenities.
 
2025/09-3 Minutes from 8 September 2025. It was resolved that the draft minutes were accurate and the Chair signed the official minutes.
P: PH S: DH, All in favour
 
2025/10-4 Police Engagement. The Chair gave a de-brief of the recent police engagement session she attended where she posed a number of questions regarding the recent criminal activities in the parish, police views on increasing the times streetlights were on and any outcomes of their monitoring anti-social behaviour at the Picnic Site.  The Police acknowledged that they have not communicated their investigations and inform relevant parties.  In view of the recent criminal activities in the parish, the local neighbourhood is happy to come to the parish to discuss crime prevention and answer and questions from the residents. A Monday or a Friday evening from 6pm was their suggested availability.  The Council resolved to call a Parish Meeting when a date is set and deliver a leaflet to every household in good time to invite them to attend and hear police reports.
  
2025/10-6 Agenda items for next meeting scheduled 10 November 2025 
 
The meeting closed at 8:05pm.
 
 
 
Signed ________________________________ (Chair) Date: