2026 Minutes (Full Council)

St Michaels Lane, Wainfleet St Mary,

Lincs. PE24 4HB

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting of Wainfleet St Mary which took place on Monday 12th January at 18.00 in the Community Hall, St Michaels Lane, Wainfleet St Mary, PE24 4HB.

These are draft minutes and are subject to amendment until approved at the next Council Meeting February 9th, 2026, at 18.10.

Public: One member of the public - LCC Cllr M Hume

Chair Cllr CA opened the meeting at 18.05 and thanked Cllr MR for very ably chairing the last 2 meetings in her absence followed by a warm welcome to the LCC Cllr M Hume. There being no members of the public and thus no issues raised Chair Cllr CA opened the meeting at 18.10.

1. Members Present: Cllr Christine Alexander, (Chair), Cllr M Rust (MR) Cllr P Garrard (PG); Cllr T Ward (TW); Cllr Jan Ward (JW); Cllr S Tetley (ST) Also present – Clerk M Clarke

2. Apologies for Absence – Apologies were received from Cllr M Rendall, Cllr P A Proctor and ELDC Councillor Wendy Bowkett - Council resolved to accept.

3. Declarations of Interest and Dispensation Requests – None

4. Approval of the Minutes of the Council Meeting on Monday December 8th

The minutes of the meeting held Monday December 8th were presented as a true record. Proposed Cllr TW; Seconded Cllr ST – unanimous resolution to approve and resolve. The Acting Chair (Cllr MR) of the December meeting signed the minutes

5. LCC and ELDC Invitation to report on items relevant to WSM

Councillor Bowkett had sent her apologies for not being present due to an unavoidable issue – Her report covered the issue of the drain in WASTC which had been referred to a Highways work team and should shortly be resolved; the flood alerts had reached all and the river levels had been managed and were now at near normal levels.

Councillor M Hume  - introduced written confirmation exploratory works were starting along Vicarage Lane and The Pinfold – the road would be closed for a short period to determine where the services run from and to.

Chair CA thanked Cllr M Hume and Cllr W Bowkett for their reports.

6. Community Hall report

Chair of the Committee Cllr JW gave a full report of the Committee meeting which took place Friday 5th January - the minutes are now posted in the Notice Boards and on the web for interested parties. Discussions and decisions made covered include the Woodthorpe Christmas Lunch, Tea with Santa, the introduction to a solar project being considered by the Committee – further information is in item 7. The proposed event with 3 other organisations as a unified group was a separate item under Events 2026 and discussed and approved with a date of 15th January arranged to take the event forward. Clerk will advise all joint parties.

Chair CA thanked the Hall Chair JW for all the information and updates.

7. Proposal to install Solar Panels and new Heating system for the Hall

This is a project being developed by the Hall Committee to look at alternative green sources of electric and heating and is subject to a bid for funding to be submitted through the East Coast Community Fund. A third quote has been requested which will be brought to the meetings when received. Planning permission is not required but approval is – Clerk has the paperwork if required. Contact has been made with other councils who have had solar panels installed for their opinions. The clerk has the details for anyone who would like to view.

8. Clerk’s Report:

Grass Cutting Contracts have been sent out for signature with request for evidence of public liability etc.

BS Place East have now sent Purchase order and invoice submitted – to be processed immediately so will be in the account this month

Contact sent reference PayBack Community scheme for update on dates available.

ELIF Grant – form reference previous grant receipts has been submitted – waiting details of when grant will be available – and in what format.

Solar Panel project – registration will be required with the East Coast Community Fund and approval applied for – planning permission is not a requirement. A conversation with a village hall that has gone through this process has been very helpful with their paperwork shared.

Willsons have confirmed all contracts have now been drawn up and sent out – two sets have been returned – these will require our signature and delivery to tenants – invoices can then be drawn up and sent out. The third tenant has their new contract which was sent just before Christmas and contracts are anticipated to be back this week or Willsons will follow up. Willsons have met with Cllr MR and the boundaries for the new revised acreage pegged out ready for the planting season.

Parkers due to respond to the request to meet to discuss dyke clearance

9. Finance and Bank Accounts.

Training programme invitation from LALC to join for 2026-2027 – Proposed Cllr TW and seconded Cllr MR – all agreed to approve – clerk to advise LALC.

Addl authority required for:

5 hrs webmaster updates - £108.00

Payroll admin – Haines Watts - £30.00

Webbs – Jubilee Orchard rewrap - £78.00

Purchase of 2 mobile handsets for Clerk and Hall Chair due to current sets not compatible with 4G/5G – £158.00

All payments proposed Cllr TW, Seconded Cllr ST – all agreed to approve.

Finance and Budget report presented having been emailed out to all prior to the meeting.

Draft Budget presented having been emailed round to all prior to the meeting for consideration – Acceptance of Budget, Finance and reconciliation reports submitted - Proposed Cllr ST, Seconded Cllr JW – all agreed to approve.

Precept calculation and submission presented based on agreed budget – Proposed Cllr ST, Seconded Cllr JW – all agreed to approve.

10. Working Group Reports

a) Allotments –Drone report received – to be sent to all Councillors. Contact has been made with Parkers reference digging out of dyke in preparation for next stage of drainage improvement. –a response has been received in the positive – Cllrs to meet with Parkers rep to discuss the practicalities. One set of signed contracts returned to Willsons – 2 further sets to be finalised with signatures when received by Willsons.

b) Grass Cutting, Trees and Hedges – New contracts are in situ - agreement support payment has been invoiced and receipt due this month.

c) Play Area – Report received – costs to be obtained for repairs – reminder sent following the Christmas break. Mole problem is in hand. Trees/shrubs have been trimmed down.

d) Community Hall – all is in order – New defib pads required for February – clerk to order.

e) Planning – no new applications

f) Open Spaces – Date for pollarding of tree in St Michael’s Lane rescheduled for 28th Jan – Clerk to request removal of horses and electric fencing made safe.

11. Correspondence.

Survey reference the LCC 2026-2067 Budget planning – emailed earlier for all to complete

Clerk and Council Direct publication – shared round

LALC invitation to join the Core Training scheme – covered in item 9

Road Closure Vicarage Lane – introduced by Cllr Hume in item 5.

12. Date of Next Meetings: 

Monday February 9th - 6.00pm.

13. Items for Inclusion in the January 2026 Agenda

To be advised to the clerk by the Monday before the meeting.

Chair Cllr CA thanked everyone for a productive evening and closed the meeting at 19.47

I certify these are a true record of the meeting held Monday 12th January 2026

 Signed                                                                                             Date

Cllr C Alexander - Chair WSM Parish Council.