2nd January 2026 Minutes
HACONBY & STAINFIELD PARISH COUNCIL
PARISH COUNCIL MEETING 2 JANUARY 2026 AT 7.15 PM
10 MAIN STREET, HACONBY
NOTES
Present: Cllrs R Dixon-Warren (Chairman), B Blackbourn (Vice Chairman), R and J Fielding, D Sharman
and D Winn
LCC: Cllr M Hill SKDC: Cllr K Abel Parish Clerk: Vacancy – notes by JF
Public Forum. No public present.
1. Chairman’s Remarks. RDW welcomed everyone to the meeting, and thanked DW for use of his house
this evening, due to the Hare and Hounds PH being unavailable. It was agreed and recorded that St
Andrew’s Church is not suitable for Parish Council meetings.
2. Apologies. None.
3. Declarations of Interest and Requests for Dispensations. RDW and DS – members of the PCC.
Dispensation(s) agreed if required.
4. Last Meetings. Notes of meeting on 21 Nov 25 – RESOLVED: RF proposed, JF seconded, approved
unanimously as Minutes.
5. External Updates. LCC, SKDC, Police and Parish updates.
LCC: Pylon response from LCC. Tree available for village green if needed.
SKDC: Introduction – new Ward Cllr. No update.
Police: Not in attendance. RDW highlight recent local news on Lincolnshire Police reshuffle of
resources due to shortage of Police Officers.
Parish: RDW highlighted repair of long-standing leak in Main Road. DW: village road drains are
blocked. LCC MH to follow up for clearance. All have been reported on ‘Fix My Street’. JF to add
link on the website for “general information” which may be of interest to residents
6. Clerk’s Report. No report provided. Actions: RDW to discuss issues / matters outstanding with WG,
initiate process of recruiting a successor – hopefully locally but can request LALC assistance in
advertising more widely if necessary. Team effort to continue operating as required in the interim.
7. Financial Matters. Chairman work in progress:
a. Financial Report. Community Account closing balance 24 Nov 25: £4,729.89, no cheques
outstanding. Deposit Account May 25 £1,530 (estimated). RDW proposed creation of a temporary
Finance Working Group until we have a new Clerk in place. JF kindly volunteered to take on this
function in the interim – discuss with RDW.
b. Invoices for Payment. Clerk’s final salary and expenses invoice awaited. Not aware of any others.
c. Budget 2026/27. Agreed 21 Nov 25, plan to draft a simple Balance Sheet at year end to provide
simple and full transparency for parishioners – suggest this includes budget for 2026-27.
Community needs to be able to look at a very simple finance plan and budget for the year ahead.
d. Precept 2026-27. Decision to SKDC by 16 January 2026. Precept 3 Apr 25: £1,864.00 (3% rise).
Recommend maintain 3% rise (average CPI annual inflation rate for UK in 2025 expected to be
3.5%, forecast average CPI rate for 2026 is 2.5%) to £1,920. Precept calculator circulated – 2.2%
increase in Band D Council Tax (£0.21). RESOLVED: RDW proposed, DW seconded, all agreed.
e. Points raised:
Is there a budget for the Parish Clerk, and is 2 hours a week enough? MH: Parish Cllrs can
become Clerks. Action: Chair to research options, include in budget for 2026-27
Parish Land rental – not been increased for many years. Action: research.
8. Planning Matters.
a. S25/2078 – Decision Notice. Note only and no action.
b. S23/1945 – Diversion of public right of way to enable construction of a new single storey timber
framed three bay garage. Deadline for response 5 Jan 26. No objection to this. Note to SKDC for
support of planning.
Note: DW questioned who is responsible for pathways on public land. Enforcement from LCC may be
required for the path near Baptist Chapel to cemetery – overgrown and in very poor state. Footpath #3.
Action: RDW and DW to submit report to LCC
9. Correspondence.
a. General Correspondence. LALC fortnightly eNews. RDW highlighted opportunity for Cllrs to get
trained as Cllrs (RF and JF!) RDW looking to go on Council Chair refresher course.
b. Specific Correspondence:
LCC 17 Nov 25 – Help shape future of Housing Related Support service in Lincolnshire Relates
to reduction of funding of housing of disabilities.
LRF 18 Nov 25 – Community Resilience Newsletter
SKDC 21 Nov 25 – Notice of Poll – Aveland Ward – 11 Dec 25
LCC 25 Nov 25 – Town and Parish Council update
LCC 26 Nov 25 – County catch-up
SKDC 19 Dec 25 – South Kesteven Draft Design Code consultation – extension to 9 Jan 26
LCC 22 Dec 25 – Best Start Lincolnshire: Inclusion Service and Lincolnshire Council for
Voluntary Youth Services (LCVYS) grant funding
10. Parish Matters. Reports, discussion and action:
a. Challenge Correspondence. 2024/25 Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR).
Consider if ready to update PKF Littlejohn in order to conclude this issue.
Website up to date with historic AGAR info, and re-vamped all pages, checking all links work etc.
No response to PKF Littlejohn as yet – need to minimise charges! Consensus: Parish Council
happy for RDW to respond when we have everything in place, pending information awaited from
former Clerk.
b. National Grid Pylons Project. NG consultation about two proposed substations for Weston Marsh –
invited comments by 19 Dec 25 – very short notice, advertised on HASPAG. Hope for time to regain
awareness of developments and to respond when required.
NG Savills are poor at communicating! We are still chasing for information on ‘Request for Non-
Obtrusive Survey Access’ reports requested some months ago. RDW is chasing this, the Pylons
Project has not been forgotten!
LCC has requested an environmental consultation. Preferred route is due to be disclosed later
in 2026. RDW asked KA for SKDC support in getting publicly involved in the pylon objection on
our behalf.
c. Role Based Email Accounts. Deadline for activation 31 March 2026. Already have a .gov.uk
domain (our website), need quote(s) for setting up Cllr emails. Work in progress.
RDW and RF have researched and obtained quotes. ‘Absolute PC’ quoted £260 per year + VAT
for 20 email boxes. Other quotes coming in at £95 per month. Require a min of 8 emails (7 Cllr
+ Clerk). Online process must be activated by RDW or Clerk. RESOLVED: £260 + VAT
proposed by RF, seconded by RDW, all agreed. RDW and RF to proceed with this ASAP.
d. Parish Land. Decision on tenancies. Expressions of interest in grazing CLT and allotment – work in
progress. Rent review – update CLTs to include by renewal of rental in Apr 25.
CLT to be reviewed - there is no mention of rent reviews. RDW will adjust the CLT documents
to include rent reviews. New agreements to be issued in March 2026.
Expression of interest for pony grazing, awaiting a response. RDW has also reactivated a past
interested party for an allotment. Discussion surrounding water to the parish council land,
connection costs and would this then improve the rental chances for future allotment / rental.
For further discussion at next meeting.
e. Parish Community.
Events for 2026 – none in place as yet.
JF to arrange 2026 meeting dates and check with Hare and Hounds public house.
JF to add events such Remembrance Day, pub events, church yard clearing dates, church
events and “flagpole” days to the website.
DS raised the question of a possible dog show / event on Parish Land for future discussion.
PCC has a fundraising meeting coming up soon, DS and RDW to report back on anything of
relevance for the Parish Council.
Christmas Tree on ‘the green’ for 2026 to be discussed at next meeting. Public Liability
insurance required. Look forward to ‘Carols round the Tree’ in Christmas 2026! Parish Council
consensus agreed to planting a tree on ‘the green’.
f. Parish Maintenance. To be discussed in Closed Session.
11. Closed Session. RESOLVED: move into closed session – RDW proposed, BB seconded, all agreed.
JF volunteered to temporarily take on role of Clerk. Immediate tasks include revising historic filing
system and issuing a budget for 2026-27.
Request for detailed / itemised billing from all contractors (grass cutting and litter picking). Also
copies of PL insurance to be obtained.
Parish Guide procedures to be updated accordingly.
Request quotes from both contractors for churchyard and highways grass.
12. Date of Next Meeting. Confirm 7.15 pm Friday (date TBC) March 2026. Chairman currently available 6
or 13 Mar 26. JF to arrange date and confirm.
Meeting closed at 20:59
Notes as at 22 January 2025