Draft Minutes - Annual Parish Meeting 13 April 2026
Legbourne Annual Parish Meeting
Held on 13 April 2026, 7:15pm at Legbourne & Little Cawthorpe Community Centre
1 Welcome and Attendance. The Chair, Madeleine Exley, welcomed residents and representatives from local organisations including the Community Centre, All Saints Church, East Lindsey District Council (ELDC), and the Parish Council. Seventeen residents attended. Apologies were received from the Executive Headteacher of East Wold CE Primary School, the local policing team, and Mr P. King.
2 Apologies for Absence. Apologies were received from Mrs Becki Woodward, Executive Headteacher of East Wold CE Primary School, the local neighbourhood policing team and Mr P King.
3 Minutes. Those who were present at last year’s meeting held 28 April 2025 resolved to accept the notes as a true record. The Chair signed the minutes.
4 Parish Council Report. The Chair reflected on a productive year for the Parish Council, highlighting continued bi-monthly meetings and thanking councillors and the Parish Clerk for their contributions.
Key achievements included:
• Adoption of a new Parish Council logo.
• Migration to a gov.uk email system to meet legislative requirements.
• Review and updating of council policies to best-practice standards.
• Retention of the General Power of Competence.
• Consideration of seven planning applications, including the proposed 335-home Southfield Farms development.
• Progress towards refurbishing the village bus shelter.
• Community litter-picking activities.
• Ongoing monitoring of Legbourne Picnic Site with police support.
• Traffic and speed surveys around Furze Lane and North Reston.
• Continued efforts to address flooding issues at Househams Lane.
The Chair also encouraged residents to participate in discussions on village priorities and noted that three vacancies remain on the Parish Council.
5 Financial Report
The Responsible Financial Officer presented the council’s financial position.
2025/26 Financial Year
• Budgeted expenditure: £9,906
• Actual expenditure: £6,141
The main underspend was on assets maintenance. Budget earmarked for bus shelter refurbishment has not been completed.
2026/27 Budget
• Approved spending budget: £12,819
• Parish precept: £6,742, a 2% increase from previous year
Residents were informed that council finances remain below the £25,000 threshold, allowing exemption from an external limited assurance review. Council tax increases were minimal, with Band H properties seeing only a 63p annual increase.
6. Community Updates
6.1 Community Centre Report. Linda Pocklington reported that the Community Centre continues to be a focal point for village life with not much change from last year’s update.
• Activities and Events. Regular activities include:
i. Keep Fit classes.
ii. Archery.
iii. Band practice.
iv. Friendship Club.
v. Football training and matches for Adult, Junior Boys and Junior Girls Teams
Although the playgroup has closed, the Centre remains busy with private bookings, car boot sales, quiz nights, bingo events and fundraising activities.
Plans for the coming year include the return of the Scarecrow Festival and three summer Funflatable Days during the school holidays.
• Facilities and Funding. Recent improvements include a new canopy, while football field works continue. Securing grant funding remains challenging, with several applications awaiting decisions.
The Village Lottery remains popular, and the village newsletter continues in both digital and some printed formats. They would welcome more committee members and always grateful to all the helpers they regularly rely on.
6.2 All Saints Church Report. The Churchwarden Hilary King reported another successful year of community involvement and worship.
• Community Life. The church continues to host
i. Regular Sunday services on the first and third of the month at 11am.
ii. Monthly coffee mornings.
iii. "Welcome on Wednesday" gatherings.
iv. Children's activities including Messy Church.
Support for local charities continues, including donations to Louth Community Larder and St Barnabas Hospice.
• Volunteers and Maintenance. Appreciation to all volunteers who play a crucial role in maintaining
i. The churchyard.
ii. Gravestones.
iii. Floral displays.
iv. Church cleaning.
v. Bell ringing.
The church also remembered the recent passing of long-serving tower captain Keith Faulkner.
• Future Projects. Planned works include:
i. Interior decoration and damp repairs.
ii. External wall repairs.
iii. Future stained-glass restoration, subject to diocesan approval.
6.3 East Wold CE Primary School Report. The report was read by Cllr Paul Maw. The school reported a strong year with a focus on strengthening its role within the community.
• Educational Developments. Highlights included:
i. Further implementation of the Kapow curriculum.
ii. Enhanced integration of British Values across subjects.
iii. Creation of a new school library that has increased enthusiasm for reading.
• Wellbeing and Enrichment. Three wellbeing and enrichment days provided opportunities for pupils to experience activities ranging from sports to creative workshops.
• Community Partnerships. The school collaborated on the "Legbourne & Cawthorpe Village Voices" project and is planning a local history initiative. Strong support from FEWS fundraising has funded school trips and enrichment opportunities.
6.4 Neighbourhood Policing Report read by Cllr Shaun Cole. The local policing team reported significant staffing pressures, with only one Sergeant, one Police Constable and one Police Community Support Officer covering a large rural area.
• Crime Statistics (April 2025–April 2026). Reported incidents included:
i. Anti-Social Behaviour: 2
ii. Traffic-related incidents: 7
iii. Suspicious persons: 10
iv. Pet-related incidents: 2
v. Theft: 2
vi. Burglary: 4
• Picnic Site. One report of indecent exposure was investigated but resulted in no further action due to lack of identification. Police continue to patrol the area when resources allow.
• Future Priorities. No formal local policing priorities are currently being set due to staffing shortages, a situation expected to continue until January 2027.
7. East Lindsey District Council Update. Councillor Adam Grist provided an update on district-wide issues. Key points included:
• Potential changes due to Local Government Reorganisation.
• Strong council finances, including £10 million allocated for community grants.
• Ongoing consideration of pylon and substation proposals.
• Introduction of weekly food waste collections from autumn 2026, supported by investment in new collection vehicles.
8. Lincolnshire County Council Update. County Councillor Tom Catton reported on a range of county achievements and priorities.
• Financial and Strategic Highlights.
i. Council tax remains among the lowest in the country at 2.9%.
ii. Medium-term finances have improved from a projected £123 million deficit to an estimated £7 million surplus.
iii. £62 million savings delivered over three years.
iv. Additional £4 million investment in pothole repairs and drainage improvements.
v. £12.4 million invested in Lincoln Castle.
• Public Services. Progress was reported in:
i. Adult social care reforms.
ii. Supported housing provision.
iii. Technology-enabled care.
iv. Smoking cessation services.
v. Fire and Rescue Service investment.
vi. Coroner service improvements.
The councillor also noted:
• Cancellation of the proposed nuclear waste facility at Theddlethorpe.
• Reduction in fatal road traffic collisions by over 40%.
9. Community Topics
9.1 Archer Speed Survey Findings. The speed survey painted a generally positive picture of road safety.
Key findings:
i. Average speed: 20 mph.
ii. 85th percentile speed: 25.1 mph.
iii. Daily traffic volume: approximately 4,600 vehicles.
iv. Only 4.1% of drivers exceeded the speed limit.
v. No vehicles recorded above 50 mph.
The survey concluded that additional camera enforcement was not required.
9.2 Residents' Survey
Residents were encouraged to complete a new survey to help the Parish Council identify priorities and support future grant applications for community projects.
10. Open Forum
• Road safety generated the most discussion. Suggestions included:
i. Road markings showing speed limits.
ii. Additional speed indicator devices.
iii. More horse-rider warning signs.
iv. Graduated speed limits approaching the village.
v. Improvements to footpaths, particularly near the school.
• Residents also raised concerns about:
i. The condition of the pathway around The Splash.
ii. Abandoned dog waste bags around Wood Lane and Mill Lane. Residents were reminded that failing to carry dog waste bags in areas covered by a Public Spaces Protection Order can result in fixed penalty notices.
The meeting closed at 8:50 pm.
Proposed:
Seconded:
Signed Chair:
Signed Clerk: