Parish Council Minutes of Meetings 2026

Notes of the Meeting of

Harmston Parish Council

at The Memorial Hall, Harmston

on Tuesday 20th JANUARY 2026 at 7.30 pm

OPEN FORUM – 15 minutes held before meeting commenced.

There were no residents in attendance.

1/1 APOLOGIES AND REASONS FOR ABSENCE

Apologies received from Cllr Chapman and accepted. District Councillors Cooper and Sanders also sent their apologies.

2/1 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST ON ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA

Full list is available to view on https://democracy.n-kesteven.gov.uk/mgParishCouncilDetails.aspx?ID=350&LS=2

None were declared.

3/1 REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES

a) Local Police

b) County Councillor Report Cllr Carrington discussed local government reorganisation. Ideas have been submitted. Between February and March there will be additional consultation, with elections planned for May 2027. New authority will take over in May 2028. By-pass starts this March. Projected end – 2029. There will be an effect on Bracebridge Heath and Waddington whilst it is being built. Hopefully only some impact on Harmston, with the exception of road closures and diversions. Bypass posters re consultations are being distributed.

c) District Councillor Reports Cllr Pennell shared that NKDC budget may increase by 3%, which is a £5.76 per year increase. Final budget agreed in February. Food waste caddies are rolling out from 19/1/26. There will be a weekly collection. Roadworks in Waddington/Grantham Road have been for a drainage scheme. Fosse Green – District Council are considering local impact report – the Secretary of State will make the final decision, which will be made later in the year.

4/1 CO-OPT

a) To discuss new applicants and vote It was RESOLVED: That Helen Robertson be unanimously elected onto Harmston Parish Council. The Chair welcomed Helen to HPC.

a) Newly elected candidates to complete mandatory forms Forms were completed and signed, ensuring Cllr Robertson could fully join the meeting and vote where needed. ACTION: Clerk to submit HR’s paperwork to NKDC, T/D: 3/2/26

5/1 TO APPROVE THE NOTES OF THE LAST MEETING

It was RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council held on Tuesday 18th November 2025 were approved, and signed by the Chair.

6/1 CLERKS REPORT

1. Planning portal checked and up to date

2. Christmas tree lights PAT tested

3. Leftover mulled wine donated to Young Farmers for nativity service

4. Articles with a Christmas message shared in HM newsletter, Heathcliff view and Graffoe Link, and articles for January also written and submitted

5. Christmas thank you on website and noticeboards

6. Meeting notes published on website and boards

7. All payments received have been paid

8. Grant application submitted and awarded. Forms signed and returned same day.

9. Picnic table researched and shared with PC ready for grant application

10. Cllr Carrington emailed re date for Ward Walk in Dec and again in Jan (unable to invite PC Roberts until date confirmed)

11. Quote requested and received from handyman re removal of old bench and installation of new

12. Estimated end of year costs drafted

13. Budget meeting with Chair and first draft of budget completed

14. Chased lights on Thorold Way and Crescent Mews, as all info was submitted in Oct 2025

15. Litter picking grant applied for and approved - £200.80 – payment pending

16. All November meeting actions completed where possible

(The Clerk took two weeks annual leave within this period)

NB: Please remember this report only lists some of the main actions, and not all actions carried out by the Clerk

There were no issues. Cllr Carrington shared that a ward walk has been planned for Tues 17th Feb, where he will visit all of his division with a Highways Officer. Due to this he is unable to confirm a time he would be in Harmston, and therefore suggested members shared any issues with him ahead of his visit.

ACTION: Clerk to email Cllr Carrington with the following points – i) The hazard of crossing Church Lane near the church entrance; ii) A607 - children crossing to the south side bus stop; iii) There is still flooding at the lights at the top of Church Lane, T/D: before 17/2/26

ACTION: Clerk to chase walk regarding position of new salt bin, T/D: 10/2/26 7/1

FINANCIAL MATTERS

a) To consider the Financial Overview to date for 2025-2026 (emailed) It was RESOLVED: That the Financial Overview be accepted.

b) To consider the VAT report to date It was RESOLVED: that the VAT Report for 2025-2026 to date, be accepted Appendices 3

c) To consider the Financial Report A for January 2026 It was RESOLVED: that the Financial Report for November 2025, Part A be accepted Appendices 1

d) To consider the Financial Report B for January 2026 It was RESOLVED: that the Financial Report, Part B for January 2026, be accepted and for the Clerk to make these payments Appendices 2

e) Financial File to be checked and finances monitoring log to be completed It was agreed that as the budget and finances were to be looked at in detail for the purposes of setting the precept and budget that this check not be required at this time. The clerk updated the log to reflect this.

f) To review estimated end of year spend for 2025/2026 ACTION: Clerk to check with BH if the defibrillator has been checked this year, and if it hasn’t to arrange for it to be checked asap, T/D: 10/2/26

g) To agree budget for 2026/2027 It was RESOLVED that the total budget figure for 2026-2027 will be £20,595.78

h) Agree on precept figure for 2026/2027 It was RESOLVED that the total Precept figure for 2026-2027 will be £19,920.78. This is £68.89 per year for a band D property, meaning an increase of 10.03% which is the equivalent of £6.28 per year increase for a band D property.

i) Clerk to complete and sign Precept Form The form was completed and signed by the Clerk, and checked by the chair. ACTION: Clerk to submit the form 23/1/26, T/D: 23/1/26.

8/1 PLANNING APPLICATIONS

a) TREE WORKS - none

b) PLANNING – none

ACTION: Clerk to ask for extension to 18/2/26 for planning application received today to allow HPC to submit a response after the planned meeting on 17/2/26, T/D: 10/2/26

c) BESS 25/0533/FUL update – no response as yet. Next planning meeting 10/2/26 – the agenda will be released one week before.

d) Fosse Green 23/0325/NSIP update Cllr Smith proposed a draft response for the deadline of 23.59 this evening. PW seconded, It was RESOLVED: That the draft be submitted in its current form.

ACTION: Clerk to submit comment drafted by BS by 23.59 this evening, and email members to let them know it has been submitted, T/D: 20/1/26 23.59 There will be an open forum w/c 9/3/26 run by the planning inspectorate, and arranged by the applicant. Venue tba.

9/1 PLAY AREA

a) Update on grant application The grant has been applied for and awarded. Works must be carried out by 1/3/26.

b) Discuss and approve cost of bench It was RESOLVED: that the Waddington Bench from Glasdon at a total cost of £828.00 (inc VAT and delivery) be purchased (The clerk researched the bench and sent a range of benches to the members for them to choose from).

ACTION: Clerk to purchase bench, T/D: as soon as possible

c) Discuss and approve quote for removal and disposal of old bench, and install of new bench It was RESOLVED: that the quote from House into Home for the removal and disposal of the existing bench at £130.00, and installation of the new bench for £120.00, at a total of £250.00 be accepted.

ACTION: Clerk to instruct House into Home once dates for arrival of bench known, T/D tba

10/1 TRAINING

a) Discuss and agree re LALC annual membership It was RESOLVED that annual membership for LALC be paid at a total of £261.34. ACTION: Clerk to pay annual fee in new financial year, T/D: after 1/4/26

b) Discuss and agree re LALC annual training scheme It was RESOLVED to not pay an annual fee for training, but to pay for each session as and when it was needed, as it was felt this would be the more economical approach. ACTION: Clerk to add HR to LALC website for training updates, T/D: 10/2/26

11/1 DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next Parish Council Meeting will be held on: Tuesday 17th February 2026, to be held at The Memorial Hall, Harmston.

HR gave her apologies for her absence ahead of this meeting.

There being no further agenda matters to discuss the meeting was closed by the Chairman at 9.29pm

Please be advised that these are notes of the meeting taken by the Clerk and cannot in any way be regarded as the official minutes.