2026 Parish Council Minutes

There were 10 members of the public present. District Councillor McMillan was in attendance. County Councillor Robinson had given his apologies in advance and would be arriving to the meeting late. The Vice Chair chaired the meeting and welcomed everyone then explained it was a no smoking building and showed where the fire exits were located. The public session of the meeting opened at 7.15pm.

Cllr McMillan open the public session of the meeting and outlined the building was a no smoking venue and where the fire exits were located.

Public session

a) Comments/updates from members of the public -  Resident asked for more transparency with the accounts. Resident complained public rights of ways are disappearing around village. A resident updated the Council on a resident arranged independent meeting held about the proposed development on land south of Garcia.   

b) Comments/updates from ELDC District Councillor Steve McMillan- Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) on pause for judicial and legal review, it won't go ahead until 2029 at earliest if at all. From 31st Oct, the new national delegation of planning applications comes into force. Planning process will change and become mainly delegated to planning officers with only a fraction being decided by planning committee. This is a government dictated to unify planning decisions across the country. In relation to the Garcia Rd application, if it hasn't been decided by 31st Oct then it will be decided under officer delegated powers at ELDC. Cllr McMillan to have meeting with new head of planning to find out if the application, which he has called in to be dealt with by the committee, will go before committee or stay as delegated powers should the decision occur after 31st Oct. Guidance currently states that all applications in the planning process not decided upon by 31st Oct will be dealt with by the delegated officer from 1st Nov regardless of previous status.   

c) Comments/updates from Lincolnshire County Councillor Bayleigh Robinson - report deferred to later in the meeting once Cllr Robinson has arrived. 

d) Comments/updates from community groups - Village Hall committee have nearly raised full amount of funding needed for new swings from a variety of events and activities and donations. St. John's Chapel is holding a harvest coffee morning on Saturday 19th September at 10.30am. All welcome.

Closure of public session and commencement of formal meeting (no further public participation permitted).

Meeting opened at 7.37pm

Held at St. John's Methodist Chapel schoolroom on the 10th September 2026.

Present: -    

Councillors:   S. McMillan (Vice-Chair)      R. Lukehurst       Y. Fletcher     J. Kerman   T. Evans   M. Anderson  A. Moorby                 

Clerk: S. Booth

79/26 CHAIR'S WELCOME

Cllr McMillan welcomed everyone to the meeting. 

80/26 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies were received by the Clerk in advance from Cllr Winslow and Cllr Coles. Majority in favour of accepting reasons for the apologies. Resolved: To accept apologies.

81/26 DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

a) To record declarations of interest by any member of the Council in respect of the agenda items listed below. Members declaring interests should identify the agenda item and type of interest being declared. None.

b) To note dispensations given to any member of the Council in respect of the agenda items listed below. None.

82/26 MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING held on 9th July 2026.

Had been previously circulated. Proposed by Cllr Kerman and seconded by Cllr Fletcher to accept the Minutes. All in favour. Resolved: To accept minutes. 

"These be adopted as a true record".

83/26 MATTERS OUTSTANDING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES

a) Holton Rd verge - ELDC Pride team cleared and tidied the area. b) Thoresby Rd trees - Requested cut back via fix my street, LCC not actioning as trees not overgrown. c) Email & planning transparency - The PC decision making is in line with other parishes, see Standing Orders 5.35-42.

Cllr Evans requested agenda item 86/26 be moved forward to allow for a full discussion. The Chairman agreed.

86/26a PLANNING APPLICATIONS.

b) PLANNING DECISIONS.

Cllr Robinson arrived.

Standing Orders suspended to allow Cllr Robinson to give report (see public session c). Westlands Ave resurfacing scheme not completed to standard so chasing up. asked to be informed if any problems with surface dressing in the village. Liaising with NE Lincs and Lincolnshire mayor to help with funding to extend bus route from Grimsby to Mablethorpe to link the whole coast and make the route more viable. Problems with Call Collect bus service in Lincolnshire taking too long and not accepting mobility scooters - any feedback and evidence to be sent to Cllr Robinson. Looking into reports the school bus route to KEVIGS is taking over an hour to complete. Looking into reports the contracted school bus to Toll Bar is now collecting students in Holton Le Clay which is under the 3 mile criteria for a free bus. LGR is paused until 2029 at earliest (see public session b). Regarding the land south of Garcia Rd planning application officers have been shown mistakes in the application and has asked for it to be resubmitted. A1031 roadwork to now finish on 18/9/26 to allow National Grid to lay cables before the road is rebuilt and resurfaced. Extra patching work also being undertaken in the worse areas. Question asked about gritting of bus routes - bus routes do not have to be gritted even school bus routes.

Standing Orders resumed at 8.20pm. 

84/26 PARISH COUNCIL MATTERS 

a) Public response to flower planters - Positive feedback received social media, residents have suggested alternative sites and volunteered to maintain. Approval granted for planters on Church Lane island, Newton Marsh Lane in Tetney Lock, Jubilee Gardens, Holton Rd and Thoresby Rd. Decision to purchase more deferred to next meeting to allow for financial review.

b) New bank account - New account still not approved. Clerk chasing for updates.

c) Annual governance annual return - Returned satisfactory with a note about Trust Fund questions consistency. The parish council do not hold any Trust Funds. Closure notice to be displayed on website and Jubilee Garden notice board. Notice to be displayed for 14 days.

d) Planning & Infrastructure Act 2025 - Deferred to next meeting.

e) Planning response policy - Deferred to next meeting.

f) Spring bulb initiative - Community groups all want to take part in planting. Suggested just planting daffodils as other spring bulbs are small and difficult to grow and see. Deferred to next meeting to allow for research on daffodil prices.

g) Village newsletter - Cllr Evans has identified potential interested parties and will contact them, forming a working party from the interested parties and decide editorial responsibility, sustainability, printing and circulation costs. Initial plan to produce newsletter twice yearly.

h) Headstone application - Application received and approved for memorial for the late Mr John Humber. Resolved: To approve headstone for the late Mr Humber.

i) Annual Christmas light switch on & fair - Christmas fair to be cancelled due to poor attendance last year. Christmas light switch on and school competition to go ahead. Salvation Army to be approached to play at the tree, if unavailable other bands to be approached.  

j) Station Rd dyke - Meeting held with Lindsey Marsh Drainage Board, LMDB sent formal letters to the Station Rd Management company explaining ripirian ownership responsibilities. Awaiting action from management company. LMDB to continue chasing. LMDB clarified it is not the responsibility of the parish council to maintain any aspect of the dyke or the verge.

85/26 FINANCIAL REPORT

Expenses for July/Aug/Sept 26

Receipts for July/Aug/Sept 26

Bank balances as at /9/26

Proposed to accept finances by Cllr Lukehurst, seconded by Cllr Kerman, all in favour. Resolved: To accept finances.

87/26 EXTRAORDINARY ITEMS  (for information purposes only)

Winter salt bag applied for from LCC. Clerk to ask Police to maintain notice board at toilets, rubble bags left on Jubilee Gardens - Clerk to investigate.

88/26   NEXT AGENDA ITEMS

Christmas fair, Spring bulbs, policy approvals and amendments, newsletter, toilets, youth engagement, planning act 2025.

89/26 FUTURE DATES

Thursday 8th October 2026

Thursday 12th November 2026

No meeting in December

Thursday 14th January 2027 in the Chapel school room at 7.30pm.

Meeting closed at 9.15pm.

90/26 The Council resolved to move into closed session in accordance with the Public Bodies (admission to meetings) Act 1960 due to the confidential and commercially sensitive nature of the business to be discussed in relation to the following matters: Agenda item 86/26a discussed in further detail due to councillors being unable to have a fair and open discussion with members of the public present. Resolved: To add financial request from developer to the planning comments.