Draft Minutes

 Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting

Date: Tuesday, 7th July 2026 at 7:30pm

Venue: Podington United Services Club (Committee Room)

Apologies: Cllrs Z. Morgan, C. Hawkins, L. Scholfield, M. May, and Borough Cllr A. Field-Foster

In Attendance: Clerk (Stephen Rand) Inspector 5493 Russell Goldsmith (Bedfordshire Police)

Public Participation

The Council welcomed Inspector 5493 Russell Goldsmith to discuss local policing concerns and priorities following recent commitments made by Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) John Tizard.

The Clerk presented an overview of the ongoing policing issues and problems faced within the parish.

Inspector Goldsmith provided an overview of his 23-year career, including his experience as a community inspector, Public Order commander, and trained crisis and hostage negotiator. He provided the following statistical updates and operational feedback regarding the parish:

  • Emergency Response Times: There were 106 total incidents recorded in the parish. Out of 25 calls requiring an immediate response (which carries a 15-minute target), the parish experienced a 0% target success rate. The actual average response time to immediate threats reached 41 minutes. Inspector Goldsmith acknowledged these geographical challenges openly, noting that while the station at Riseley opening as a 24-hour station will assist deployments to Podington, it is not a complete solution. Utilizing the Harrold Firs station is currently under discussion as a potential operational fix.
  • Santa Pod Raceway Events: It was acknowledged that major event weekends dramatically shift the village from a quiet rural environment to a high-profile policing risk due to the influx of thousands of vehicles and young drivers. While there is no dedicated central operations management for Santa Pod, local teams work closely with the venue to grade individual event risks.
  • Next Steps: The Inspector advised the community to gather credible, documented evidence of ongoing traffic and anti-social behavior issues to present directly to the PCC’s office and the local authority to justify a dedicated operational group. Furthermore, Inspector Goldsmith committed to setting up a Joint Action Group (JAG) involving the local authority, Northamptonshire Police, and Highways to coordinate cross-border event management. The presence of CCTV and speed camera vans was also discussed.

Borough Councillor Alison Field-Foster submitted a written report in advance of the meeting, which was duly circulated and noted.

  1. Declarations of Interest

The Clerk declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in the following items due to being married to a director of the company pursuing the respective planning permissions:

  • Item 4(b) – Solar Farm Update
  • Item 4(c) – Podington Padel Courts Update

The Clerk left the room during the discussion of these items.

  1. Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The minutes of the previous meeting were approved by the Chair.

Matters Arising – Clerk’s Update:

The Clerk presented an overview of actions and updates on matters arising since the last meeting.

  1. Highways and Rights of Way
  • a. General Highways Update: Clerk to contact Andy Brotherton at Bedford Borough Council (BBC) to talk through both immediate and long-term highways issues faced across the parish and secure an update.
  • b. Surface Dressing Works: Clerk to present BBC Engineering Services with a formal letter detailing the comprehensive history of issues faced over recent years regarding surface dressing works and associated road closures on Village Street, Hinwick.
  • c. School Traffic and Road Safety: Clerk to present outstanding school traffic congestion and road safety concerns directly to Andy Brotherton (BBC).
  1. Planning
  • a. Applications for Consideration: The Clerk presented an overview of planning issues since the previous meeting.
  • b. Solar Farm: (The Clerk withdrew from the meeting; the following minutes were recorded by the Chair.) The Chair updated the Council on a recent approach from a PR consultant appointed by the applicant. It was agreed to welcome further dialogue, but only after receiving written details from ABEI Energy (or their qualified experts) in response to the comments already submitted by the Parish Council. The Borough Council planning officer recently confirmed that the target decision date has been delayed again while they await further ecological and landscape comments from the applicant.
  • c. Podington Padel Courts: An update on the development status was noted. (The Clerk withdrew from the meeting.)
  1. Play Area Report

The Clerk presented the play area inspection report, which had been circulated prior to the meeting. Following consideration of the findings, a definitive plan for the required maintenance and repair works was agreed upon by the Council.

  1. Allotments

An operational overview of the allotments was presented. It was resolved that the Clerk will compile a comprehensive database of all current allotment holders.

  1. Streetlights
  • a & b. Upgrade, Maintenance, and Budget Position: The Clerk presented a quotation from Andy Muskett for upgrading all remaining parish streetlights to energy-efficient LED bulbs. It was noted that the quote was highly competitive and that the contractor represents a trusted, long-term supplier with specialist asset knowledge.
  • RESOLVED: That in accordance with Podington Parish Council Financial Regulation 11, the requirement to obtain three competitive tenders be waived for the LED Street Lighting Upgrade project. This is due to the specialist asset knowledge, proven reliability, and historical value for money provided by the council’s existing contractor. The quotation from Andy Muskett for £6,278.00 + VAT is hereby approved and accepted.
  1. Defibrillators
  • a. Transfer of Responsibility: The transfer of responsibility for the Podington United Services Club (PUSC) defibrillator to Clare Dodds, in partnership with the British Heart Foundation, was noted.
  • b. Meeting Expenses: The Council considered the ongoing financial obligations associated with the unit.
  • RESOLVED: That the Parish Council shall meet the operational running costs for the defibrillator, while the physical day-to-day upkeep and maintenance will be undertaken by the Podington United Services Club. The Clerk is instructed to draft a formal Memorandum of Understanding reflecting this agreement.
  1. Police Matters
  • a & b. Crime Statistics and Community Priorities: Follow-up discussions were held regarding the operational briefing and core priorities established during Inspector Goldsmith’s presentation (detailed under Public Participation).
  1. Finance
  • a, b & c. Financial Statements and Payments: It was agreed that a dedicated future meeting will take place to fully review the fiscal year 2027 budget, current financial statements, and the approval of payments/receipt of income.
  1. Clerk Succession Planning

The Council reviewed future arrangements for the recruitment of a new Parish Clerk. It was agreed that:

  • The Clerk will prepare an updated job description outlining the roles and responsibilities of the position.
  • An advertisement seeking a local candidate will be placed in the next issue of the PodCast magazine.
  • The Clerk will simultaneously investigate external professional recruitment options to ensure a broad search.
  • Noted: The transition timeline is established for the new Clerk to formally take over the post on 5th May 2027.
  1. Santa Pod
  • a & b. Event Traffic and Liaison: Proactive strategies regarding traffic mitigation and event management safety were addressed via the newly proposed Joint Action Group (JAG) framework established with Bedfordshire Police.
  1. Environmental Matters

No additional matters were raised.

  1. Correspondence and Any Other Business

No incoming correspondence or additional business items required action.

Dates of Future Meetings

(All scheduled for 7:30pm at the Podington United Services Club)

  • Tuesday, 1st September 2026
  • Tuesday, 3rd November 2026
  • Tuesday, 5th January 2027
  • Tuesday, 11th May 2027 (Note: The Annual Village Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 4th May 2027)

Meeting Close

The meeting closed at 21:22.

 

 

 

Signed: ___________________________ (Chair)

Date: ___________________________