11th May 2026 Annual Parish Meeting
Doddington and Whisby Parish Council Annual Parish Meeting Minutes
Held at The Print Room in The Stable Yard, Doddington Hall 11th May 2026 at 18:00
Councillor Robinson chaired the meeting and welcomed everyone.
01.05.2026. Approval of Previous Minutes
Following a challenge by a member of the public it was agreed there would be one amendment to the minutes of the previous Annual Parish Meeting held 12th May 2025. In section 2 of the Chair’s report the word 'unanimous' was replaced with the word ‘significant' and the amendment was signed by the Chair.
02.05.2026. Chair’s Report. Appendix A
03.05.2026. Open forum.
No members of the public in attendance.
Isobel Wright, the Wilder Project Manager within The Wilder Doddington Team had been invited to the meeting and was introduced to those present by Councillor Robinson.
Isobel gave a summary of how the project began and explained that the aim of the project was Reconnecting the Landscape, Nature and People.
The team embarked on an ambitious 400-year project to bring more nature back to the Doddington Estate, and help people discover, learn and love the natural world.
The project formally started on 5 June 2021, with a bold and exciting plan to turn the intensively farmed arable fields, heavily grazed grassland and woodland into a haven for nature. To start the process the land was allowed to breathe, rest and recover allowing natural regeneration of the vegetation to occur. To give a helpful nudge to some processes the team are adding ponds and wetlands and putting back missing keystone species like wild ponies and pigs.
Made possible by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, alongside support from Anglian Water and The Linbury Trust the most recent and very exciting project is the introduction of The Wild House. This is set to become England’s first Passivhaus Premium building, pending certification. Designed to generate significantly more renewable energy than it consumes, it is a building with purpose, powered by nature. More than a venue, it is a blueprint for a regenerative future. Built from recycled materials and British timber, powered by renewable energy, located within a rewilding landscape and supporting one of England’s largest landscape recovery programmes, to show how communities, nature and innovation can thrive together
The Wild House will be officially opened in Spring 2026 and is positioned away from public visitor zones and close to diverse habitat restoration areas, including Wetter Better. The hub will provide exceptional access to rewilding environments for learning, research, skills development, courses and workshops for beginners to professionals, volunteering, nature-based wellbeing activities and green prescribing.
The Wild House is also headquarters for the 6,500-hectare Lincoln and Witham Landscape Recovery Project which is sharing knowledge, expertise, resilience and biodiversity from Wilder Doddington, from inner city Lincoln along the Witham Valley and A46 corridor towards Newark. The project is connecting nature sites across the farmed landscape, building resilience for nature and farming, reducing flood risk and improving access to nature at a landscape scale.
All the details regarding the development and aims of the Wilder Doddington Team and the work they do can be found on the Doddington Hall website.
The Parish Council thanked Isobel for a very enthusiastic discussion and asked that she keep the Parish Council updated on all Wilder Doddington news.
Councillor Robinson brought the meeting to a close and thanked everyone for their contributions.
Appendix A
Chair’s Report
1. Parish Councillors
This year has been one of steady progress for Doddington and Whisby Parish Council, with continued focus on the key local matters affecting residents, particularly highways, traffic calming, village appearance, communication and local engagement. I would first like to record my thanks to Councillor Sarah Hall for her fantastic work and service as the previous Chair of the Parish Council. Sarah stood down as Chair in September 2025, and I was grateful to be nominated and elected to take on the role for the remainder of the municipal year. I would also like to thank Sarah for the support and continuity she has provided during the handover. We were also pleased to welcome Councillor Owen Moody to the Parish Council during the year, and his contribution is appreciated.
2. Highways, Road Safety and Traffic Calming
The main area of focus during the year has continued to be highways, road safety and traffic calming. The Parish Council has continued to engage with Lincolnshire County Council, local County Councillors and Highways colleagues regarding traffic volumes, speeding concerns, pedestrian safety and potential traffic calming measures within the parish. During the year, the Council has discussed the position regarding a potential crossing in Doddington, village gates, road markings and other possible measures. A constructive meeting was held with Councillor Matthews and Councillor Woodruff in February, followed by a site walk-through with Kyra from Highways. Highways have since confirmed that a new survey is expected to be commissioned for June 2026 to establish current traffic volumes, pedestrian volumes and crossing times. This is a positive step forward and should help inform the continued feasibility of a crossing and, if supported by the data, the appropriate type of crossing provision based on refreshed evidence and current criteria.
3. Village Gates
The proposed village gates have also remained under active consideration. Whilst always keen to move forward at pace, the Parish Council recognises the importance of ensuring that any installation is safe, appropriately sited and compliant with Highways requirements. Possible locations, including Kennel Lane and the Lincoln Road approach, have been discussed, and the necessary siting checks, measurements, application requirements and contractor considerations are now being worked through before any installation can proceed. The gates themselves have been kindly made available with support from Doddington Hall.
4. Village Appearance and Maintenance
The Parish Council has also considered the wider appearance and maintenance of the village, including the possible introduction of roadside planters. This will be revisited during the Spring/Summer period, alongside consideration of how any planting and general tidying can be maintained practically. Concerns have also been raised about litter on approach roads into Doddington and Whisby, particularly on busy stretches where volunteer litter picking may not be safe. The Council has therefore been exploring potential contractor options and seeking advice.
5. Planning and Wider District Updates
Planning matters have been reviewed as they have arisen during the year, including matters relating to Whisby Quarry, Doddington Hall and other local applications. In relation to Whisby Quarry, the Parish Council noted updates on the proposed extension and the positive engagement reported with Tarmac, including their intention to factor flooding mitigation into the development.
The Parish Council has also received regular updates from District Councillors on wider matters affecting residents, including Local Government Reorganisation, the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan review, the District Council budget position, and the introduction of the new weekly food waste collection service in 2026. These updates have been helpful in keeping the Parish Council informed of changes and consultations that may affect the parish.
6. Governance, Communication and Community Matters
The Council has also taken steps to improve its own governance and communication. This has included adopting an IT Policy, progressing the new website domain and email arrangements, and completing IT and Data Protection guidance. Other items considered during the year have included the residents’ thermal imaging / heat gun initiative, the Community Emergency Plan, the defibrillator checking arrangements, and support for the Christmas Carol service through a Parish Council donation.
7. Thanks
Finally, I would like to thank my fellow councillors, Kerrie as Parish Clerk, our District and County Council representatives, Mr and Mrs Birch and Doddington Hall for kindly allowing the Parish Council to hold its meetings on the Hall’s site, and residents who continue to raise matters and engage with the Council.
Please be advised that these are notes of the meeting taken by the Parish Clerk and cannot in any way be regarded as official minutes of Parish Council proceedings until approved and signed at the next Annual Parish Council meeting.