Minutes of Langham Parish Council Meeting held on 31^st March 2026 7.30pm Langham Village Hall

2026/35 Attendance

Cllr. S Catlin (Chairman)

Cllr. R Besant

Cllr. S Pickering

Cllr. J Taylor

Cllr. A Tilbrook

C.Cllr. O Hemsley

2 members of the public

2026/36 Parishioners’ representations. There were no comments from the members of the public present at the meeting.

2026/37 Munday’s Close Working Group AGM report

Marian Markham read the annual Munday’s Close Working Group report. Appendix 1 below.

2026/38 Apologies and approval of absences

The absences of Cllr. Appleby, Cllr. Long and Cllr. Viner were approved.

2026/39 Declaration of member’s interests and consideration of dispensations.

None.

2026/40 To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 24^th February 2026

The minutes were approved and signed by the Chairman.

2026/41 Matters arising from the minutes of the meeting held on 24^th February 2026

1. Highway Concerns – C. Cllr. Hemsley agreed to follow these up with RCC
2. Community Park paint repairs – Cllr Tilbrook agreed to attend to this.
3. Well Street verge – Cllr. Besant agreed to contact the adjacent homeowners this month.
4. Allotment gate repair – C. Cllr. Hemsley agreed to repair damage.
5. Installation of depth gauge – no response from RCC to request to install a gauge or give permission for Parish Council to proceed.
6. Vintners, Burley Road – report of declining repair of building passed to RCC Listed Building Officer
7. Damaged verges – no response from RCC Highways to report of damaged verges. Details will be added to FixMyStreet and C. Cllr Hemsley agreed to follow up.
8. Addition of ‘bleed kits’ to defibrillators – the defibrillator boxes are too small to accommodate the additional kits. No further action.

All other items carried forward or dealt with separately on the agenda.

2026/42 Clerk’s report – for information only. 

Annual Parish Meeting – 26^th May 2026 7pm

2026/43 Correspondence

All in favour

2. Langham Gardeners Association – confirmation of committee membership received. A request that the Parish Council considers an extension to the current lease will be considered at the next meeting.
3. Report of 2 caravans situated on Ashwell Road – it was agreed that this will be monitored.

2026/44 To consider installation of replacement fence at Community Park, Burley Road.

Quotations received to replace fence with same and also to increase height to 5ft.

It was agreed that the cost of a planning application for installation of a fence over 1m high will be investigated and considered.

An additional quotation to include steel mesh cladding of a 5ft fence will be obtained and considered at the next meeting.

2026/45 To consider installation of a depth gauge on A606 

It was proposed that a depth gauge be installed at the lowest point on the A606.

All in favour.

2026/46 Flooding

Flood Plan is complete and tested. Cllr. Besant will submit to LLR Resilience and LLFA.

It was noted that no action, to alleviate flooding risk has been taken by RCC Highways, including clearing under bridges. This was discussed at the meeting with Head of Highways and RCC Flood Officer in November. C.Cllr. Hemsley agreed to follow up with RCC Highways after receipt of the Langham Flood Plan.

2026/47 CIL projects

1. Village sign – it was agreed that the contractor will be instructed to install the post as soon as possible and the plaque added once complete.
2. Rewilding – test beds successful.

2026/48 Finance

Proposed Cllr. Tilbrook

Seconded Cllr. Besant

All in favour.

2026/49 Planning

2026/0181/CAT.           39 Church Street

Reduce 1 no. Apple tree all over by 1 metre.

Granted 13/03/26

2026/50 AOB – items for the next meeting

1. Cllr. Tilbrook advised that a proposal to cut back hedging between allotments and Pocket Park, in agreement with MCWG, may be presented to the Parish Council by Langham Gardeners Association.
2. Cllr. Tilbrook reported making some repairs to the Community Park
3. Cllr. Tilbrook agreed to complete the Community Park inspections for April.

The meeting closed at 8.20pm

Action log:

1.Response to Highways Concern and request for action to lower speed limits awaited from RCC. Matter to be raised with portfolio holder for a response. (OH)

Request to RCC to consider roundabout and traffic calming measures A606. (OH)

2. Flood plan – to be completed and published.  Copies to LLR Resilience and LLFA (RB). To be followed up with RCC by C. Cllr Hemsley (OH)

SIM card replaced in monitor. (SC)

3. Monthly review of website content. (PV)

4. Paint repairs to be completed at Community Park. (AT)

5. Owners of property adjacent to Well Street verge to be contacted to discuss maintenance of planting. (RB)

6. Contact with RCC forestry & planning enforcement re replacement tree Squires Close Clerk

7. Contractor to instal Village sign to be instructed once complete. Clerk

8. 50 poppies to be purchased.24 obtained. Clerk

9. Repairs to allotment gate, Burley Road. (OH)

10. Community Park fence to be replaced.

11. Installation of a depth gauge A606 to be arranged (Clerk)

13. Damage to verges to be reported. OH & Clerk

Appendix 1.

Report for MCWG AGM March 2026

Membership

Marian Markham has maintained the role as leader and treasury of MCWG. Notice of activity dates are circulated by email, the Langham News publication and the MCWG notice board at the pedestrian entrance to Munday’s Close.

During the period April 2025 to March 2026 the number of volunteers on the circulation list is 19.

Activities

A new Constitution was agreed for MCWG in January 2025. A copy is available from Langham Parish Council.

The AGM in March 2026 is the second AGM for MCWG.

The routine tasks undertaken month by month at Munday’s Close are maintenance of the 3 memorial benches, paths, hedges and an annual cut and rake of the wildflower meadow. The wildlife pond and surrounding earth was sown and planted along with purple Welsh slate boulders for landscaping. Other activities have included trimming ivy, constructing upright log piles with various diameter holes drilled for solitary bee nests, maintaining the bug hotel, hazel coppicing of small compartments on rotation for firewood, biochar, pea sticks, bean canes, planting ferns and wildflowers. Most brash is added to the dead hedges which are excellent habitat for small mammals, insects, fungi and amphibians. The west end of the close is slowly being transformed from a nutrient-rich nettle and bramble patch into a wildflower and shelter area for butterflies’ whole life-cycle. Nettles and elder saplings are dug out regularly and wildflowers planted.

MCWG volunteers set up a manned a fund-raising stall at the Langham Street market in August, selling plants and seeds. The money raised has funded construction and erection of a wooden Little Owl box. This was built by one of our volunteers to the BTO design. We hope a new resident will be very happy there.

Working party dates, species to look for any other wildlife news are placed on the green butterfly-shaped notice board at the western pedestrian entrance to Munday’s Close.

The Munday’s Close area provides ecosystem services for Langham Parish residents including connecting with nature, fruit harvesting, shade, absorbing rainwater and storing carbon in trees, meadow and soils.

Finances

During the period 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025:

The MCWG balance on 1^st January 2025 was £613.38 and on 31 December 2025 was £620.69

Income £215.10 from fund-raising and donations

Outgoings £207.79 for bird nest boxes, bird seed, marine-grade plywood and sundries to construct a Little Owl nest box, straps to erect bird nest boxes, refreshments for volunteers.

The current account is held at Metro Bank as a Community Account. Monthly charges apply for holding the account. 

Langham Parish Council pay the annual fee of £20 to Langham Allotments for use of the on-site potable water supply which is invaluable to water new plants and trees until they are established.

Maintenance Equipment 

The following is held by MCWG in good condition for maintenance activities:

Small Forest Master Petrol wood chipper

B&D Battery-operated lawn mower

B&D Battery-operated hedge trimmer

B&D 2 x 36V Lithium batteries and battery charger

Austrian scythe and wet stone sharpener

Bushnell Trailcam

Accounts