2026-27 Minutes

Open Forum

There was a member of the public present but there was no Open Forum. The meeting was formally opened at 20.30

1.

To elect a Chairperson and to receive the Chairperson’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office and if not then received to decide when it shall be received

1.1

Hayley Daines was the only nomination. It was resolved Cllr Daines be duly elected as Chair for the following year. The Acceptance of Office was signed by the Chair and witnessed by the Clerk   

2.

To elect a Vice Chairperson

2.1

Stephen Broadbent was the only nomination, and it was resolved that Cllr Broadbent should be Vice Chair for the following year.

3.

To appoint representatives for Local Charities and organisations –

It was resolved that the following would be appointed:       

3.1

Lawrance Park Community Association - Cllrs A Thomas & L Lowe.

3.2

Causeway Charities – Cllrs R Bill and I Pace

3.3

Anne Fisher Charities – Cllrs S Broadbent & R Bill

3.4

Churchyard Committee – Cllrs L Lowe and N Bradley

4.

To appoint signatories for cheques and a Press Officer

4.1

Resolved: Cllrs H Daines, A Thomas, and R Bill be appointed signatories. The Clerk should remain as a signatory but will not sign cheques which is in line with the Financial Regulations. The Clerk Bernard Champness be appointed the Press Officer.

5.

To adopt the Standing Orders, Financial Regulations & Risk Assessment and to consider the further inspection of the cemetery/headstones

5.1

The Standing Orders had been amended and circulated to all Councillors. The Financial Regulations had not been amended. Resolved that they be adopted. It was agreed that the Risk Assessment would be looked at by the Chair and the Clerk who would report back. The headstones would be inspected by the Clerk and Cllr Thomas.

Cllr Thomas raised the point about approval for expenditure up to £250 being authorised between meetings but could not see that in the Standing Orders. The Clerk said that he thought these would be in the Financial Regulations.

6.

To consider whether the Cemetery charges should be increased,

6.1

It was agreed that there would be no further increase in the fees this year                                             

7.

Apologies for absence, acceptance of Apologies & noting of resignations received

7.1

Apologies were received from Cllr L Day (personal) Resolved that the apologies be accepted.  Apologies had also been received from County Cllr Redfern

8.

Declaration of Interest – To receive Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary and Other Interests, as set out in Chapter 7 of the Localism Act 2011 and the nature of those interests relating to any Agenda item

8.1

No one declared any Disclosable Pecuniary and Other Interests on any matter on the agenda.  

9.

Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on the 1 April 2026 (Min25-10)

9.1

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on the 1 April 2026 be signed by the Chair as a correct record.

10.

To receive a report from the County and District Councillors on matters relating to Thurlby

10.1

County Councillor Redfern sent his apologies and a short report as follows:

• The McDonalds pothole has been properly repaired, which was done about a week ago overnight.
• The issues on the Green and Crown Lane are still ongoing, maybe we could meet in that area and decide what residents would like. We could then put in a comprehensive request into the LCC officers.
• I am still trying to find out more about the drains at the A15/High St. junction. What has been done so there are no floods like this last winter.
• I am also still trying to help Paul Vine.
• Other small things are ongoing but not worth mentioning.

10.2

District Councillor Dobson had sent a report as follows:

1. Unusually a very quiet month but I did visit Paul Vine who came to the last Council meeting concerning the ease of use of his and his wife’s electric vehicles. I will report this to the Council on Wednesday evening. 

2. There has not been any further activity on any proposed large scale housing development in the village. 

3. There has not been any further development of the proposed solar farm on the east side of the A15. It did come up at the recent meeting of the Welland and Deeping Internal Drainage Board of which I am a member. It was not considered particularly impressive, but neither was it condemned. 

4. There has been some more fly tipping in the woods which has now been cleared. 

11.

Clerk’s Report and correspondence received

11.1

The Clerks Report had been circulated and explained that he had received various emails from NALC, ICCM and various playground equipment providers but if anyone wished to see copies, they can be forwarded on.

The Clerk explained that he had recently heard back from Baston Parish Council regarding the kind offer to give us the 2 reactive signs that they no longer needed. They explained that by the end of this month both signs should be in our possession.

12.

Planning applications: 

12.1

To consider any Planning Applications received – S26/0604 - Two-storey front/side extension to form additional living space & entrance lobby to ground floor, additional master bedroom & en-suite to first floor. New windows & render finish throughout. Rear bi-fold door opening and associated internal alterations at11 Northorpe, Thurlby. Response  by 7 May 2026. Resolved: no objections

12.2

To note Planning Applications approved: none to note

12.3

To note any Planning Applications refused or withdrawn: none to note

12.4

To note any Application appealed or any decision made regarding an appeal:  none to note

13.

To confirm Expenditure

£40.00 – B M Champness (use of home as office)
£574.46– B M Champness (salary)

£53.00 – Elaine Reynolds (salary)

£52.74 – BT (broadband charges) (DD)
£39.09 – Bluecom Services (monthly charges)

£244.80 – Bourne Skip Hire (weekly bin collection charges x 4)
£372.91 – Zurich Insurance (Insurance premium)

£39.90 – B M Champness (200 black bin bags for Bourne Skip Hire)
£15.60 – Bluecom Services (renewal of domain name)

£114.50 – Thurlby PCC (insert in Village Link)

[ ] denotes those payments paid between meetings, which have been approved by the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Parish Council or at a previous meeting but not listed

13.1

Resolved: that the payments be approved.

13.2

One request for payment had been received  since the agenda was posted and this was for

£90.00 – P Flynn (plants and compost for planters)

And an invoice :

£115.00 – C S Harris (grass cutting in cemetery)

Resolved: that these payments be paid as well

14.

To discuss the accounts for April and for the bank reconciliation to be signed as a correct record

14.1

The Clerk has prepared bank reconciliation for April 2026 which had been circulated in advance. He also sent reports from Scribe showing what money had been spent or received as well as a budget report. Resolved: that the bank reconciliation be signed by the Chair as a correct record.

15.

Audit of 2025/26 Accounts  

15.1

Unfortunately, the Auditor had been unable to complete the Audit so we could not proceed with this matter at this stage. It was agreed there would be a special meeting just to deal with this matter on the 21 May 2026 at 7 p.m.

16.

To consider and agree the Insurance cover and whether we wish to include or remove anything from the schedule

16.1

The Clerk had sent Councillors copies of the Insurance Schedule prior to the meeting to enable them to consider the insurance cover that we had. All that needed amending was that we now had 8 Tommy Silhouettes instead of 6

17.

To consider the data received from the reactive sign

17.1

Cllr Bill had submitted before the meeting the data he had obtained from the Reactive Sign

During April the Radar unit was positioned on the A15 at Thurlby recording traffic in a Northbound direction.

Compared to the previous result, March 2025, the overall daily count is 8% down on last year and more in line with the previous years. The morning peak time has moved to 11.00- 12.00 and further analysis would indicate this was the result of traffic volumes during w/c 6 & 13th April - school holidays? Results outside of this period indicate a more expected 08.00- 09.00hrs. The PM peak time remains 17.00 - 18.00hrs. The average speed has slightly increased to 34.20mph from 33.60mph with the average speed for those above the limit very similar to last year at 45.67 & 45.77 mph with those travelling at these speeds at 6.92 and 7.50% for the 5 & 7day periods. A maximum speed of 90 mph recorded at 23.45 hrs. is the same speed as last year.

Further details can be found on the Parish Council Website.

Thanks to be recorded to Cllr Bill for undertaking this task every month.

18.

To receive an update on speeding and parking on Swallow Hill, Crown Lane and The Green

18.1

Regarding the matter of speeding on Swallow Hill County Cllr Redfern had approached Highways for us and their response was :

For the safety concerns raised in the email below,  I think Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership (LRSP) are in a better position to provide relevant information which may be of use to the resident. The area may benefit from being part of the Community Speed Watch scheme and for information please find a link to the relevant pages on the Councils website which does include contact details for  LRSP:- THE Homepage – Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership

It was not considered appropriate to being a part of the Community Speed Watch. However, as we hoped to obtain another reactive sign the Clerk was asked to see if they would be happy to erect a post at the top end of Swallow Hill so we could place the sign on that.

In so far as parking in Crown was concerned Highways had replied as follows:

I would suggest for them to put it in writing to you, which you could then forwards on to the Cllrhighwaysenquiries@lincolnshire.gov.uk email address with your support, then this shall be picked up by our TRO team.

The Clerk was instructed to write a formal letter about the complaints we had received from residents

Finally, regarding a possible 20 mph limit on The Green and Crown Lane Highways had replied as follows:

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I have checked with our Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) team, and this location is not currently included on their list of potential schemes for consideration. They did also write and say: We can look to install a post on your behalf. Could you please confirm whether you already have the reactive speed sign in your possession? If so, please advise where you would like the post to be installed.

The Clerk was instructed to write back thanking them for the offer of installing a post but asking them to add the request for a 20-mph limit on their potential schemes for consideration.  

19.

To receive an update on the Cemetery to include grass cutting, maintenance and burial fees

19.1

Cllr Thomas said that the cemetery was looking neat and tidy and there were no matters to report.

The Clerk explained that he had received a telephone call from Carltons asking if we had any objection to a plastic box being used to inter some ashes. The Clerk said that he would take instructions. It was agreed that we would have no objections to this request.

The Clerk further explained that there was some confusion last week. He had been down to the cemetery to change the documents for the noticeboard when he noticed that there appeared to be a funeral taking place. After he got home, he received a telephone call from the Vicar saying that the plot for the ashes had not been dug out. The Clerk explained that he knew nothing about this, but he would see if he could contact the grave digger. He telephoned Carltons and to his surprise the grave digger was there, and arrangements were made for him to get to the Cemetery as quickly as possible to dig the hole. He subsequently heard from the grave digger asking who they should go to for the fee for doing the work he had done. He explained that the person at the service explained that all fees had been paid in advance. The Clerk was able to confirm that this was true but did not include the cost of the grave digger. He was to send his invoice direct to the people who organised the interment. It was agreed that the wording in the regulations should be clearer so instead of Interment it should read Exclusive Right for Interment of ashes

20.

For any Councillor to produce a written report of any meeting that he/she has attended as a representative of the Parish Council

20.1

Cllr Bill &Cllr Broadbent attended a meeting of the Anne Fisher Trust on 15 Apri 2026. The main items discussed included matters arising from the previous meeting, the finance position and future expenditure.

21.

Members Questions - reminder only questions given to the clerk a week in advance will be answered.

21.1

Cllr Bill said that the Shell garage and McDonalds had fixed 2-3 flags each on the grass verge and not on their own land which was a possible distraction for drivers and an eyesore. The Clerk would write to the Planning Officer to see if they could be removed

21.2

There being no other business the meeting was duly closed at 21.30

22.

The date of the next meeting – to be held on Wednesday 3 June 2026 at 7.30 p.m. in the Lawrance Park Social Room, Thurlby