Parish Council Minutes of Meetings 2026

Notes of the Meeting of

Harmston Parish Council

at The Memorial Hall, Harmston

on Tuesday 15th SEPTEMBER 2026 at 7.30 pm

OPEN FORUM – 15 minutes held before meeting commenced.

There were no residents in attendance.

1/9 APOLOGIES AND REASONS FOR ABSENCE

Councillor Carrington and Councillor Cooper sent their apologies.

2/9 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

Cllr Smith declared his membership of the CVSAG.

3/9 REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES

a) Local Police No report was received as PC Roberts has been seconded to Grantham for 6 months. A new PCSO has been appointed and the Clerk has shared these details via noticeboards and website.

b) County Councillor Report

c) District Councillor Reports Cllr Pennell explained that the local government reorganisation is currently on hold, with some areas challenging legalities. NKDC and LCC will update us when next steps are known. Planning committee changes going ahead. Community Champions still open for nominations (on NKDC website),

4/9 TO APPROVE THE NOTES OF THE LAST MEETING

It was RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on Tuesday 21st July 2026 were approved, and signed by the Chair. It was RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Extra Ordinary Meeting of the Parish Council held on Tuesday 18th August 2026 were approved, and signed by the Chair.

5/9 CLERKS REPORT

1. Meeting notes for Extra ordinary meeting completed and published

2. Two SpiD batteries ordered

3. NKDC contacted and lights on Thorold Way and Crescent Mews are now reinstated from midnight onwards (the delay has been due to processing issues at E-ON)

4. The following policies have been amended on our website following July’s meeting: 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

5. References to grant forms removed from Grants & Donations Policy on our website

6. Planning portal updated

7. Letter of support written for applicants of 25/1549/FUL (who have sent their thanks to the HPC for their letter)

8. E-ON and National Grid contacted regarding installing light back onto Chapel Lane in new location (as agreed last year)

9. Paperwork for adding Cllr Smith as a signatory acquired and shared and submitted to the bank

10. Quote for two inspections per year acquired from Play Inspection Company and shared with HPC

11. Letter sent to Balfour Beatty regarding company vehicles using the village for access (no response as yet)

12. Articles written for Harmston Matters, Graffoe Link and Heathcliff View and submitted

13. Dates for Christmas Event checked with Church and HMH

14. CiLCA work continues

15. Objection to 26/0575/FUL (as agreed at our extraordinary meeting in August) submitted ahead of deadline

16. Donation sent to Church and space in flower festival confirmed

17. Appointment for 14/9/26 made with Cloudnext (as recommended by Coleby PC and LALC) to set up gov.uk email addresses

18. Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership contacted and a date for Community Speedwatch Training requested

19. All actions from July and August’s meetings have been carried out

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

Point 2 – batteries due to be delivered tomorrow (16/9/26)

Point 3 – A resident has requested the newly reinstated lights be dimmed. ACTION: Clerk to write to resident and ask them to make a formal request to LCC via Fixmystreet for lights to be dimmed, T/D: 29/9/26

6/9 FINANCIAL MATTERS

a) To consider the Financial Overview to date for 2026-2027 (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 2026-2027 to date, be accepted Appendices 3

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

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

e) Signatory update Cllr Smith’s forms have been completed and submitted to the bank to add him as a signatory. It was RESOLVED: that the clerk be given ‘Full User Access Online’ once Cllr Smith has been confirmed as a signatory. ACTION: PW & BS to alter HJ to ‘Full User Access Online’, T/D: once BS confirmed as a signatory.

f) Financial File to be checked and finances monitoring log to be completed Cllr Chapman agreed to carry out this check and took the file home for checking ACTION: SC to return file to HJ, T/D within fortnight 7/9

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

a) TREE WORKS

i. 26/0865/TCA Bay Tree House, Chapel Lane

ii. 26/1022/TCA Ridgeback House, School Lane

 ACTION: Clerk to add “Harmston Parish Council has reviewed the application and has no objection” to the planning portal, T/D: asap

b) PLANNING

i. 26/0733/LBC 1 Club Yard, Blacksmith Lane - approved

ii. 26/0732/HOUS 1 Club Yard, Blacksmith Lane - approved

iii. 25/0533/FUL BESS - proposed energy storage at Coleby- no recent updates iv. 23/0325/NSIP Fosse Green proposed solar farm and energy storage - before Secretary of State on 6/10/26, decision at the end of the year

8/9 COMMUNITY EMERGENCY PLAN

a) Brief update from Cllr Smith Cllr Smith has emailed the contingency planners and all volunteers from other village groups. No draft as yet. It was clarified that this is not a Parish Council group, but a Harmston community group.

b) Agree next steps ACTION: BS to request a meeting with Contingency planners at LCC, T/D: 11/11/26

9/9 BUS ROUTE

a) Feedback from Councillor Chapman A resident has requested that the No 1 bus passes through the village some, if not all, of the time when scheduled. The idea has been well received by some who would like it available; however, they are unsure as to how often it would be used. In addition, the question of route and where there are safe and suitable locations for the bus stops were questioned, with no solutions concluded.

b) Discuss and agree next steps regarding resident requests for a bus service that passes through the village Dial-a-ride was suggested as an alternative to using the bus. Having considered all factors, exploring the challenges and safety issues of route and bus stop locations, the Parish Council all agreed not to proceed with this suggestion, especially as it doesn’t appear that it would be utilised very often or consistently.

10/9 PLAY AREA

a) Discuss and approve amended play inspection quote for 2026-27

b) It was RESOLVED: That the quote of £193.00 for two annual inspections be accepted. ACTION: Clerk to notify Play Inspection Company of decision T/D: 14/10/26

11/9 CHRISTMAS

a) Discuss and approve date of event

It was RESOLVED: That the date of the light switch on event will be 5/12/26 starting at 5pm. Clerk has checked with the church and HMH and there are no clashes with the date and time. ACTION: Clerk to let the Church and HMH know confirmed time and date, T/D: 14/10/26 ACTION: Clerk to ask Harmston Park Avenue Estate Management Company if they would like to source and erect the Christmas tree, and offer for the HPC to put up the Christmas tree lights, T/D: 14/10/26 ACTION: Clerk to ask HYF if they would like to carry out the countdown again and share news of their nativity event, T/D: 20/10/26

12/9 VICARAGE LANE STILE

a) Discuss request from resident and agree next steps A resident has requested that the stile on Vicarage Lane be replaced by the new more inclusive version (currently used at the viewing point). The landowner has to approve this, and we have approached them again and the answer remains no.

13/9 DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next Parish Council Meeting will be held on: Tuesday 17th November 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 8.35pm

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.