A meeting is scheduled for 8 June at 8pm (agenda taken from the Parish Council website and included below).
Item 5 explains that the Parish Council has “taken possession” of a parcel of land and intends to manage it. This would involve costs for fencing, gates, security, insurance, and ongoing upkeep, which ultimately fall to parishioners.
The meeting should clarify the reasons behind this decision, the expected costs, and the long‑term intentions for the land, based on the Parish Council’s understanding of adverse possession under HM Land Registry guidance and case law. I’ve included an explanation of adverse possession here. The main points that need clarification are: who legally owns the land, who previously managed it, and whether the Parish Council has a valid basis for its claim.
ITEM 5 from the Agenda:
5. LAND OFF THE COACH ROAD, DODDINGTON LANE
a) To Resolve to Minute and publish the date on which the Parish Council took control and management of land off the Coach Road, to the west of Doddington Lane, Stubton, with intention to claim adverse possession of the land described above and identified on the image in Appendix 1. The date of possession being noted as 22nd May 2026.
b) To agree, for the time being, for a farmer to mow or graze the field during summer 2026 and/or take hay if he/she wishes, in order to prevent the land becoming unmanageable.
c) To discuss possible uses of the land going forwards.d) To Resolve to secure the land and replace the temporary sign with a permanent sign to make clear the Parish Council’s possession.
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