Minutes

Langworth Group Parish Council   

 

Serving the grouped parishes of Barlings, Newball, Stainton by Langworth and Reasby

E:mail: langworthgroupparishcouncil@gmail.com

 

Draft Minutes of the Meeting of Langworth Group Parish Council held at Langworth Memorial Hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday 4 November 2025.  

 

Present:  Cllrs M Herbert (Chairman), P Bowser, K Tyrrell, H Stilgoe-McCombe, A Hyatt, Mrs M Vail (Clerk), C/Cllr & D/Cllr T Bridgwood, D/Cllr M Palmer.  

There were 3 members of the public.

 

Meeting began at 7.27pm

 

Agreed that item 10 (Villagers’ responsibilities to help maintain waterways) would be moved to after item 4.

 

1. Open session: No comments from members of the public.

 

2. Apologies: Cllrs S Taylor, R Waite, A Curtis and J Jarvis

 

3. Declarations of Interest: None.

 

4. To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 7 October 2025:

The draft minutes were not available in finalised form, so will be brought to the December meeting for approval.   

 

5. Villagers’ responsibilities to help maintain waterways (Resident’s agenda item):

Standing Orders were suspended at 7.31pm to allow two residents to speak. They explained a situation concerning tree and vegetation growth near to their property, and their concerns of the potential for damage should maintenance by the responsible party not be carried out. They were provided with an information leaflet from the IDB, and general advice. The two residents left the meeting at 7.42pm, at which point Standing Orders resumed. 

 

6. Comments from County Councillor, District Councillors and Chairman:

C/Cllr T Bridgwood:

o Gritting programme has started

o To ameliorate flooding, he suggests that drains and gutters are inspected, and reported as required to LCC via Fix My Street

D/Cllr T Bridgwood:

o Little is happening at WLDC pertinent to the LGPC area.

o Local Government Reorganisation is progressing. WLDC has not yet committed to supporting any one bid, of which there are six proposals.

o He is due to attend his first IDB meeting.

D/Cllr M Palmer:

o Advised on the staffing difficulties faced by the police.

Chairman:

o Noted the LALC training opportunities available to Councillors.  He and Cllr A Hyatt had recently attended a Planning training session.  Cllr M Palmer advised that she and D/Cllr T Bridgwood were looking into the possibility of LALC delivering some training in Cherry Willingham.

 

7. Clerks Report

i. Note Financial report for October 2025: 

RESOLVED to approve the financial report. Action: Clerk 

Proposed: Cllr H Stilgoe-McCombe, seconded: Cllr K Tyrrell.  All in favour

 

ii. Note Spend Against Budget Report July – October 2025:

RESOLVED to approve Spend Against Budget report.  

Proposed: Cllr H Stilgoe-McCombe, seconded: Cllr K Tyrrell.  All in favour

 

iii. Budget and Precept setting – approve precept estimate to WLDC:

RESOLVED to approve a 5% increase and to submit a precept estimate figure of £35,405.00 to WLDC. Action: Clerk   

Proposed: Cllr M Herbert, seconded: Cllr K Tyrrell.  All in favour

 

iv. Approve expenditure for Council-owned email addresses:

Year 1      £184 ex vat, Year 2      £284 ex vat      and £284 ex vat each year after:

RESOLVED to approve this expenditure, noting that resolution to move to Council-owned email addresses had already been agreed at the September 2025 meeting as an Audit requirement from 2026 onwards .  Action: Clerk

Proposed: Cllr K Tyrrell, seconded: Cllr P Bowser.  All in favour

 

v. Note Clerk’s AL w/c 10 Nov: Noted.

 

8. Correspondence:

TO NOTE ONLY: 

i. WLDC – Sept and Oct newsletters: Noted.

 

ii. LCC Newsletter – Sept: Noted

 

iii. Any response from Cllr Danny Brookes, LCC Portfolio Holder for Environment (letter re flooding concerns): 

                          A brief response had been received from Cllr D Brookes.  

A much more comprehensive reply had been received from Matthew Harrison, Flood and Water Manager at LCC (Appendix A). Arising from this reply, LGPC is concerned that LCC cannot enforce other organisations to act; will the recommendations be actioned; and can LCC put dates to things?

 

iv. Environment Agency advising of scheduled Autumn maintenance works: Noted.  This refers to grass cutting and operational checks and maintenance.

 

9. Planning:

i. Re-Consultation on planning application - WL/2025/00910: The Old Barn, Barlings Lane, LN3 5DF,

Grid Ref:  506704 / 376013: Original application amended as follows: Reduction in total height of proposed garage. 

To note only: deadline for comments was 28th Oct, none received from Councillors.

Noted.

 

10. Emergency Plan update: Nothing new to report.

 

11. Play Area:

i. Update on grant applications: Cllr J Jarvis was not present to provide an update.

 

ii. Consider bench quotes: Item deferred.

 

iii. Planned work: Dangerous bench has been removed, gate posts have been refixed, new signs and lock.

 

12. Approve meeting dates for 2026:

Jan 6th, Feb 3rd, Mar 3rd, Apr 7th, May 5th, Jun 2nd, Jul 7th, Sep 1st, Oct 6th, Nov 3rd, Dec 1st

Annual Parish Meeting May 5th

 

RESOLVED to approve the 2026 meeting dates. Action: Clerk 

Proposed: Cllr K Tyrrell, seconded: Cllr A Hyatt.  All in favour

 

13. Date of the next meeting: Tuesday 6th January 2026, 7.30pm, Memorial Hall

 

 

Meeting ended at 8.20pm

 

 

Mrs Michelle Vail – Clerk to the Council                                                  Dated: 24th November 2025

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX A

 

Langworth Group Parish Council recently wrote and sent images to Lincolnshire County Council asking about what has been done locally to mitigate the risks from flooding in our area.  Below is the response that we have had from Matthew Harrison.  We also received a response from Cllr Danny Brookes who is the portfolio owner for flooding in Lincolnshire.  We have not yet received a response from our MP, Sir Edward Leigh.

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Thank you for email. I will take this opportunity to provide some updates from a Lincolnshire County Council perspective following the flooding which has most recently occurred in Langworth. As you may be aware a formal Section 19 flood investigation took place following the impacts in October 2023 by Lincolnshire County Council in its role as Lead Local Flood Authority and the report made a series of recommendations. The recommendations, and updates to them, are publicly available and for future reference can be found here - https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/flood-risk-management/flood-investigations For the purposes of this update however, I will summarise them below.

The most recent S19 was produced in response to flooding during Storm Babet (S19-708) and 9 recommendations were proposed with 2 (Task 7 / Task 9 being marked as completed on the 14/04/2025 and November 2023 respectively). The 9 recommendations are listed here with updates italicised.

Task 1 - Witham Third District Internal Drainage Board (W3DIDB) should consider reviewing the heights of the embankments along Nettleham / Sudbrooke Beck, which should include checks to ensure the stability of banks, and the Environment Agency (EA) to consider reviewing the condition of embankments along the Barlings Eau at the point which experienced out of banks flows downstream of the village. Task 1 update (13/10/2025) - The Board updated "W3DIDB shall undertake topographical survey to confirm existing channel bank levels and where possible floor levels of adjacent buildings. Annual maintenance operations have highlighted no immediate defects with the channel condition or obstructions to flow."

Task 2 - The EA and W3DIDB should continue to review the maintenance and capacity of their respective watercourses in this location to assess the level of flood risk to the community. Task 2 update (13/10/2025) - The Board updated " W3DIDB have considered their regular maintenance work and programme and do not consider any changes or amendments appropriate at this time. They shall continue to respond to any reports of obstructs or defects to their maintained system within the district. The capacity of the maintained channel is considered appropriate to provide the desired standard of service to this catchment."

Task 3 - All relevant Risk Management Authorities (RMAs) to consider a multi-agency feasibility study for the catchment. Subsequently to this feasibility study, optioneering can be identified for further discussions by the Joint Lincolnshire Flood Risk Water Management Partnership (JLFRWMP). Task 3 update (14/04/2025) - LCC as LLFA assessing catchment wide feasibility and modelling.

Task 4 - Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) as Highways Authority should consider inspecting their respective highway assets in the affected areas to ensure they are operating as intended, with maintenance schedules of assets being reviewed and feasibility of increasing capacities where deemed as necessary.

Task 5 - Anglian Water to consider inspecting their sewer assets in the affected areas to ensure they are operating as intended, with maintenance schedules of assets being reviewed and feasibility of increasing capacities where deemed as necessary.

Task 6 - Anglian Water to consider reviewing the operational capacity of the Langworth pumping station during Storm Babet to determine its functionality, as well as investigation into whether the pumping station has been affected by infiltration of surface and / or groundwater ingress.

Task 7 - LCC as Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), alongside West Lindsey District Council as local planning authority, should consider undertaking appropriate surface water modelling for Langworth to determine if new development has impacted the flow of water through the system, to identify the most at-risk areas, which should subsequently lead to appropriate mitigation interventions, where deemed necessary and subject to funding and constraints. Task 7 update (14/04/2025) - Refer to Task 3 updates.

Task 8 - LCC in its role as Emergency Planning, to consider engagement with the local Parish Council and community in establishing Flood Action Groups and/or developing Flood Plans.

Task 9 - LCC as a LLFA should work with the residents to advise on options and funding available for Property Flood Resilience (PFR) in addition to supporting applications for funding where possible and deemed as necessary, as well as advising those affected of the national PFR guidance that was published in 2021 aimed at homeowners. Task 9 update (16/10/2025) - Information advising on potential PFR measures and the scheme was circulated in November 2023.

 I would just point out that of part of the Section 19 process, as defined under the Flood and Water Management Act it is not a requirement to make recommendations following an investigation. This is a step we have locally decided to take in the county to demonstrate what is being done post investigation. It does not however give LCC powers to compel other organisations to carry out work but we do work closely with colleagues from partner organisations to discuss flood risk matter identified. We do regularly monitor progress of recommendations however for all Section 19 investigations undertaken.

In respect of Task 3 above I am able to share further information as to the plans Lincolnshire County Council are working upon. Similar to other locations in the county this will involve hydraulic modelling and feasibility and has been grouped into a wider modelling exercise with Nettleham and Scothern. This is due to Nettleham Beck flowing through the aforesaid villages. The ultimate goal of which is to ascertain, what, if any, effective and cost proportional measures exist to reduce the risk of flooding to properties in Nettleham, Sudbrooke, and Langworth. We are working with a company called Stantec and this will consist of 3 key phases.

Phase 1 – Inception. This phase consists of a review of existing information and hydraulic model to determine what, if any, further information (e.g., surveying) or work to the existing hydraulic model is required to ensure the robustness, accuracy, and reliability of it. As part of Phase 1, a site walkover will be undertaken so that colleagues at Stantec can gain a better understanding of the location not only to assist general awareness but also to help inform any subsequent surveying work to ensure the hydraulic model reflects reality insofar as is reasonably practicable.

Phase 2 – Revision of hydraulic model. This phase consists of the undertaking of surveying identified in Phase 1 alongside the updating of the hydraulic model as required combined with comparison with observed data as part of the model validation process. Following completion of Phase 1, a better understanding with respect to indicative timescales for this phase of the project will be gained.

Phase 3 – Optioneering. Utilising the outputs of Phase 2, possible betterments are implemented into the hydraulic model and assessed for their efficacy combined with a high-level cost analysis. Once a preferred, or a series of preferred measures have been identified, the project can then progress onto detailed design, including detailed calculation of cost-benefits and overall cost of delivery. Currently, it is not possible to provide any indicative timescales with respect a completion date for this phase of the project.

Currently a Phase 1 has yet to commence in earnest as we finalise details with Stantec and therefore I am unable to provide any timescales at this point in time. However as things develop members of the Floods and Water team at Lincolnshire County Council will engage with the Parish Council as part of this process to obtain local knowledge and information. You will be kept informed along the way. I just wish to point out that we have an extensive work programme across 26 communities in the county who have unfortunately been impacted by flooding and these are currently at different stages as works progress, but can reassure you of the commitment to carry out the above processes to help inform future decision making.

I also note you have been contacted by colleagues in respect of a Community Emergency Plan in Langworth and this is a resource that we can continue to utilise to work with you moving forwards and support where required.

I hope this is helpful information and useful in advance of the forthcoming Parish meeting. If you require anything further do feel free to get in touch at any point via FloodRisk@lincolnshire.gov.uk where a member of the team will be happy to assist.

Kind regards

Matthew Harrison

Flood and Water Manager at Lincolnshire County Council