Document Date
16/10/2025
Created by
Parish Clerk
Category
Meetings
Wollaston Parish Council
Wollaston Parish Council
Document Date
16/10/2025
Created by
Parish Clerk
Category
Meetings
WOLLASTON PARISH COUNCIL
Tel: 07856 203260
Email: clerk@wollastonparishcouncil.gov.uk
Web: wollastonparishcouncil.gov.uk
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF WOLLASTON
PARISH COUNCIL HELD AT THE OASIS, HIGH STREET, WOLLASTON
ON THURSDAY 16th October 2025.
PRESENT: Cllr Alvis, Carter, Farman, Gay, Jones, Mitchell, Savage and Threadgold.
IN ATTENDANCE: No members of the public attended.
WARD COUNCILLORS: Cllr Gordon Dunsmuir, Cllr J-P Carr, Cllr Martin Griffiths (Leader of the Council).
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| 25/093 – OPEN MEETING
No open meeting.
25/094 – TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies received from Cllr Goldsmith, Cllr Atkinson (holiday), Cllr Barber and Cllr Seager (illness). No apologies from Cllr Hodson.
25/095 – NORTH NORTHANTS COUNCIL – Apologies received from Cllr Partridge-Underwood. Cllr Martin Griffiths (Leader of the Council) reported that it had been a busy month working on the North Northamptonshire Council Residents’ Satisfaction Survey 2025. The survey received positive feedback, which will help inform the development of the new Corporate Plan, focusing on families, community, and increasing prosperity. Cllr Griffiths also noted that staff retention within NNC has improved, with an encouraging number of new starters, including graduates and apprentices. The challenge and focus is now on improving the Planning and Planning Enforcement Teams which is expected to take 12-18 months. It was noted that the Highways department has had a noticeable improvement. Cllr Griffiths reported that the NCALC AGM/Conference was a huge success with a positive Q&A session and attendance from Sarah Bool (MP) and guest speaker Colin Copus who spoke about keeping Government local. NNC hosted a Greenhill Solar Farm meeting for all affected parishes, and a briefing has been circulated advising of the next steps, the Hearing is expected to be in six months. Cllr Mitchell asked for some clarification on the new Local Neighbourhood Plan, Cllr Griffiths advised it was too early at this stage to confirm any details as dependant on National Government Housing Needs Assessments.
25/096 – DECLARATION OF INTERESTS None relating to business on the agenda.
25/097 – MINUTES Minutes of the Parish Council meeting from 18th September 2025 were agreed and signed as a true account. Unanimously agreed, motion carried.
25/098 TO DISCUSS THE WOLLASTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN STEERING GROUP REQUIREMENTS Cllr Mitchell re-iterated to the Councillors the importance of a Neighbourhood Plan and the need for a Steering Group to review the current plan and statements and the requirement for the provision in the December budget for this potential further development in the Village. Various Councillors are attending Training w/c 20th October for Neighbourhood Planning and Cllr Mitchell to arrange a meeting with a specialist Consultant within the next two weeks with the Councillors that expressed an interest in forming the Steering Group to obtain a steer on how to take this forward.
25/099 TO REVIEW AND APPROVE THE FOLLOWING POLICY – FINANCIAL REGULATIONS 2025. The Financial Regulation 2025 policy was reviewed and unanimously agreed.
25/100 – CLERK’S REPORT Remembrance Day Councillor, representatives needed to read out the names of the fallen for 09th November service, – Cllr Alvis, Savage, Jones, Farman, Threadgold and Gay confirmed.
Date for 2025/2026 Budget meeting confirmed for Thursday 11th December 7pm.
Assertion 10 Digital and Data compliance – Clerk explained the new assertion which supports the preparation of the AGAR and provides best practice that all Councils should follow and includes being compliant with using authority owned email accounts, data protection, authority owned website, Freedom of Information and Transparency Code. Wollaston Parish Council is compliant with all aspects with the exception of all Councillors having authority-owned emails. Clerk to arrange for five Councillors to move over to the five available .gov emails available. A further 10 will need to be purchased at a cost of £100 and a cost of £50 per Councillor to convert the webmail into Microsoft email if required.
Solar Powered VAS units are now situated on Cobbs Lane and Irchester Road.
Clerk attended Scribefest conference on 9th October which included many useful information on AGAR changes and the need for updating Insurance values. Clerk and Cllr Farman attended the Town and Parish Forum at Thrapston Council Chamber on October 7th, which was chaired by Cllr Gregory Wilcox, Executive Member. Topics covered included Police crime statistics, the NNC Strategic Corporate 4-year plan, the BIG 50 (online sessions available for more detail on this next month). There will be a Highways update on January 19th, 2026, a representative is recommended to attend. S136 Grass cutting payment has increased to £1,255 from £995.
25/101 – FINANCES Receipts circulated. It was RESOLVED to approve receipts for September 2025. Unanimously agreed, motion carried.
Payments Circulated. It was RESOLVED to approve payments for September 2025. Unanimously agreed, motion carried.
Bank Reconciliation as of 30.09.25 was circulated. It was RESOLVED to approve the September Bank Reconciliation. Unanimously agreed, motion carried.
It was RESOLVED to approve the second quarter budget figures to September 30th, 2025. Unanimously agreed, motion carried. Clerk to move the £25K provision for the Village Hall development to a payment in Qtr. 1 as the money has been reserved.
25/102 – REPORTS
(a) New Community Centre/preschool update (MG/JM/GC) – Cllr Carter will be meeting the Wollaston & Strixton preschool setting and then re-submitting a new business case to the S106 Team. A meeting is scheduled for 25th November with NNC S106 to establish whether the proposal can move forward. The demographic details for age requirements is needed for babies/0-2 years. (b) Playing fields & Parks Management Committee (draft minutes appendix 5.) Cllrs Savage advised that a meeting had been held with a local Playground Company to obtain a quote for the most urgent work required on the trip hazards and play equipment. This quotation was £2,500 and the unused budget of £3,000 for the Wet pour project will be used for this work. Streetlights – no issues. Clerk to obtain a quote for LED lights for 13 Parish owned Street Lights for the December budget. Highways Team Street Doctor Report (Appendix 6) – report circulated, no issues and the report had reduced due to works being carried out. It was suggested that a complete review of all yellow lines within the village was carried out, Cllr Savage to obtain a plan of all the lines in the village from Highways. (c) Footpaths Update – Positive response received from Kexby Estates on the permissive footpath liability requirements for Shepherds Hill. Cllr Threadgold and Cllr Jones to identify the signage required. New way marker signs have been purchased and put into place with much vegetation cleared. (d) Village Hall management Committee Update (MG) – (Draft minutes appendix 7) – Year-end figures showing a closing balance of £19,412.39, representing a loss of £12,470.81 over the financial year. This reduction is primarily due to the absence of a Parish Council Grant and rent payments from Busy Bees during the period. It was noted that Busy Bees have now resumed rent payments and are expected to close their business in May 2026.
(e) Crime and Community Safety Update – figures provided by Northants Police confirmed that 14 crimes were reported in September. The local identified priorities (LIP) for April-October 2025 are Vehicle Crime, Drug Dealing and Misuse and Burglary.
(f) Summers Grange Update (JB). A Community Event was held on Sunday 28th September to sow seeds on the woodland area with seeds donated by Podington Garden Centre and it was a huge success.
25/103 – PLANNING (g) Applications Schedule was circulated with Agenda (Appendix 8).
NW/24/00448/EXT – Green Hill Solar Farm – Consultation on draft statement of Community Consultation (SoCC). Awaiting decision.
NW/25/00096/FUL – Wollaston School, 100 Irchester Road – Formation of car park with associated drainage and biodiversity net gain planting. WPC – Letter sent for clarification response received 07.04.25. Awaiting decision.
NW/25/00195/FUL – 24 York Road, Wollaston – Change of use of pastureland to residential garden, including erection of wall, gates and boundary fencing. WPC – no objection. Awaiting decision.
NN/24/00021/WASFUL – Land between and rear 30 to 50 Doddington Road, Wollaston – proposed development of an industrial/commercial building including office space for purpose of plastic, paper and metal recycling. WPC – strong objection letter sent 12/08/2025. Awaiting decision 22.10.2025. Clerk chased 15/10/2025, no updates available.
NW/25/00313/FUL – 12 Prospect Close, Wollaston – proposed first floor extension. WPC no objection. Application permitted 19/09/2025.
NW/25/00357/FUL – 6-8 Rotten Row, Wollaston – Single storey link between main dwelling and outbuilding with new windows, doors and skylight. WPC – no objection. Awaiting decision.
Other planning issues – WABIK food table requires a new location and NPS shoes have kindly offered a location to the side of their shop in South Street. The Parish Council granted their blessing for this. Cllr Jones advised that a resident had an issue contacting the Wellingborough Planning Office, Cllr Dunsmuir asked that an email is sent to him to follow this up.
25/104 – NEXT MEETING The next meeting of Wollaston Parish Council to take place on Thursday November 20th, 2025, 7pm, Oasis Building, High Street, Wollaston.
The Chair thanked Councillors for their attendance. The meeting was closed at 8.40pm.
Chair……………………………………………….. Date: ……………………………… |
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