Parish Council Minutes of Meetings 2026

Notes of the Meeting of

Harmston Parish Council

at The Memorial Hall, Harmston

on Tuesday 21st JULY 2026 at 7.30 pm

OPEN FORUM – 15 minutes held before meeting commenced.

There were 3 residents in attendance.

Glamping pods (25/1549/FUL) at the end of vicarage Lane has been refused. The owners of the land seek support for their application from Harmston Parish Council. They haven’t received any negative feedback from locals. They intend to make the pods as eco and environmentally friendly as possible, and have a very flexible approach. The Parish Council agreed to submit a letter of support. The owners also explained that the field will be used by their friends and relatives over the summer. ACTION: Clerk to write a letter of support and circulate first draft to HPC, then send to applicants. T/D: 1/9/26

Navenby substation proposal launched last week. This has not been circulated as yet. 21-day period after posting of notice for responses to be made. Looking for community groups as well as parish Councils and residents to respond – volume of response is important. Cllr Smith would like to draft a response for the Parish Council. (This will need an extraordinary meeting to be approved).

Formal session began at 7.50pm

1/7 APOLOGIES AND REASONS FOR ABSENCE

Councillor Harrison and Councillor Cooper sent their apologies. Cllr Harrison’s reasons were accepted.

2/7 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

3/7 REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES

a) Local Police No report was received as PC Roberts has been seconded to Grantham for 6 months

b) County Councillor Report Councillor Carrington explained that he and Cllr Pennell are both in the planning committee – which is they listen but will not comment on such matters in Parish Council meetings. Bypass is progressing. Issues with dust, but it is currently on time and on budget. 6metre barrier and water spraying being utilised to control dust. These are major works in driest summer since 1976. Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) – Lincoln City bid has been accepted. There will be huge changes – but the preservation of the quality of services is most important. A new shadow authority will be elected. No clear idea as yet of how Parish Councils will sit within new framework or provision of precepts etc.

c) District Councillor Reports Cllr Pennell explained that the annual report is now available on the corporate website. This week the road between Waddington and Bracebridge Heath will be shut by Anglian Water. Nominations for NKDC Community Champions close on 14/9/26. Please submit nominations. By 31/10/26 new government rules for planning committees will be introduced. It will be very limited as to what can go to planning committees. NKDC will carry on until May 2028.

4/7 TO APPROVE THE NOTES OF THE LAST MEETING

It was RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on Tuesday 19th May 2026 were approved, and signed by the Chair.

5/7 CLERKS REPORT

1. APM notes written

2. APM action achieved

3. Insurance paid and policy now in place for 2026-2027

4. Articles submitted to HMH, Graffoe Link and Heathcliff View

5. Website and FB updated

6. AGAR section 1 amended

7. AGAR exemption certificate submitted

8. AGAR documents published

9. All resident emails responded to and actions completed where relevant

10. Information from Cllr Cooper added to website as requested

11. All May meeting actions completed

12. Church Committee contacted regarding flower festival and donation paid

13. Audit agreement completed and sent to LALC

14. New lock installed on large gates at play area

15. Website updated with amendments and reviews to policies and documents approved at the AMPC

16. Website updated with amendments and reviews to risk assessments approved at the AMPC 1

7. Fixed Asset Register reviewed and updated

18. IT Policy drafted as per audit and sent to PC for review

19. Standing Orders reviewed and shared with PC

20. The following policies have reviewed and shared with PC: Freedom of Information Request; Subject access Request Procedure; Publication Scheme; Data Brach policy; Grants & Donations Policy; Records retention Policy; Staff Recruitment Policy; Safe Guarding Policy; Social media & Electronic Communications Policy; Sickness Absence policy; Training & Development for staff policy; Website Accessibility

21. LALC contacted for insurance advice regarding volunteers (awaiting response)

22. Annual Review organised and carried out by Cllr Harrison

23. Community Emergency Plan details from Gov site shared with Cllr Smith as per action

24. The Clerk has worked numerous additional hours on CiLCA coursework NB: Please remember this report only lists some of the main actions, and not all actions carried out by the Clerk

Point 21 – Chair has checked and our policy does cover volunteers.

ACTION: Clerk to set up govt email address for HPC, T/D: 14.9.26

6/7 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 July 2026 It was RESOLVED: that the Financial Report for July 2026, Part A be accepted Appendices 1

d) To consider the Financial Report B for July 2026 It was RESOLVED: that the Financial Report, Part B for July 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 Cllr Robertson agreed to carry out this check and took the file home for checking ACTION: HR to return file to HJ once completed. An additional signatory is required. ACTION: Clerk to contact Lloyds and begin process to add Cllr Smith as a signatory

7/7 PLANNING APPLICATIONS

a) TREE WORKS

i. 26/0162/TPO 28 Thorold Way, Harmston

ii. 26/0759/TPO 28 Thorold Way, Harmston A new statement for Tree Works planning applications was agreed: “Harmston Parish Council has reviewed the application and has no objection. ACTION: Clerk to use this phrase going forward, T/D: as and when needed

b) PLANNING

i. 26/0015/FUL Land adjacent to 5 Ridge View – refused

ii. 26/0733/LBC 1 Club Yard, Blacksmith Lane

iii. 26/0732/HOUS 1 Club Yard, Blacksmith Lane ACTION: Clerk to add following comment to planning portal: “HPC have reviewed the application and await comments from the Conservation Officer, T/D: asap

iv. 25/0533/FUL BESS - proposed energy storage at Coleby- no recent updates

v. 23/0325/NSIP Fosse Green proposed solar farm and energy storage Examination has closed. Before Secretary of State on 6/10/26, decision at the end of the year

8/7 COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLAN

a) Brief update from Cllr Smith Meeting has been held. Cllr Smith is creating a draft which will be considered after the summer, consisting of both a day and night time scenario.

b) Agree next steps ACTION: BS to draft scenarios for next meeting, T/D: Sept 2026 ACTION: PW to arrange for LRF box to be kept in HMH, T/D: Sept 2026

9/7 CLERK UPDATE

a) Clerk Annual Appraisal Clerk’s annual review was very positive. ACTION: PW to looks at Clerk’s goals for 2026/6, T/D: 14/9/26

b) CiLCA update Clerk has been granted an extension to end of October. The CiLCA will give the HPC more powers.

10/7 POLICIES

a) Review and approve the following policies:

a) Standing Orders

b) Freedom of Information Request

c) Subject Access Request Procedure

d) Publication Scheme

e) Data Breach Policy

f) Grants & Donations Policy

g) Information Technology Policy

h) Records Retention Policy

i) Staff Recruitment Policy

j) Safe Guarding Policy

k) Social Media & Electronic Communications Policy

l) Sickness Absence Policy

m) Training & Development for staff Policy

n) Website Accessibilities 

It was RESOLVED: That all policies a-n be approved and that all references to a form be removed from the Grants Policy

ACTION: Clerk to remove references to a grant form from Grants Policy, T/D: 14/9/26

ACTION: Clerk to make adjustments to online policies to show they have been approved, T/D: 14/9/26

11/7 VICARAGE LANE

a) Discuss and agree next steps regarding grass verge The grass alongside Vicarage Lane is not getting cut regularly in areas. HPC to continue monitoring for now

b) SpID update Vicarage Lane shared SpID currently in Coleby. Batteries for Church Lane HPC owned SpID need replacing. It was RESOLVED: That the Clerk order two new batteries. ACTION; Clerk to order two new SpID batteries, T/D: 30/8/26

12/7 BUS ROUTE

a) Discuss and agree next steps regarding resident requests for a bus service that passes through the village Resident has asked for bus to reroute through village, rather than the only bus service being accessible on A607. This would require local support via a petition, and then the support of our County Councillor. ACTION: SC to canvas local opinion, T/D: 14/9/26 ACTION: Clerk to add bus route to September’s agenda T/D: 30/8/26

13/7 TRAFFIC REGULATIONS

a) Discuss and agree next steps to address issue of motorists ignoring regulations and how to enforce access only Using access only routes to ‘cut through’ is illegal and punishable with 3 points and a fine. Traffic regulations do state ‘Access Only’. Corner of Vicarage Lane and High Street can be particularly dangerous – a reduced speed may help here. Public support and that of our County Councillor would be needed for this. PC Roberts has carried out several observations, stopping vehicles cutting through. He is not available to do this at the moment. Balfour Beatty (by-pass construction team) have been observed cutting through each evening. ACTION: Clerk to write to Balfour requesting vehicles do not cut through. Military vehicles have also been observed cutting through. The Chair has drafted a letter to the new Station Commander. It was RESOLVED: That the Chair post this letter. ACTION: Chair post letter to RAF Waddington, T/D: asap We have SpID data to show volume of traffic. Could we write to Road Safety Partnership for advice? Could we utilise Community Speedwatch as a deterrent? ACTION: Clerk to organise training for 3 new volunteers, T/D: 15/9/26.

14/7 PLAY AREA

a) Discuss and approve play inspection quote for 2026-27 ACTION: Clerk to request quote for two visits per year

15/7 DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next Parish Council Meeting will be the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council to be held on: Tuesday 15th September 2026, to be held at The Memorial Hall, Harmston.

There being no further agenda matters to discuss the meeting was closed by the Chairman at 9.18pm

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.