2026 Minutes (Full Council)

St Michaels Lane, Wainfleet St Mary,

Lincs. PE24 4HB

Minutes of the Annual Council Meeting of Wainfleet St Mary which took place on Monday 11th May 2026 at 19.00 in the Community Hall, St Michaels Lane, Wainfleet St Mary, PE24 4HB.

These are draft minutes and subject to amendment until approved at the next Council Meeting on June 8th 2026.

Public

4 members of the public:

Councillors Present: Cllr C Alexander (incumbent Chair) Cllr M Rust (MR); Cllr P Garrard (PG); Cllr A Proctor (AP); Cllr T Ward (TW); Cllr J Ward (JW), Cllr S Tetley (ST)

In the absence of the position of a Vice Chair Cllr MR was nominated to open the meeting and preside over the Election of the Chair for 2026- 2027  – Proposed Cllr PA, Seconded Cllr JW – Unanimous vote to approve and resolve.

1. Election of Chair

Nomination for Chair for 2026 was proposed as Cllr CA – Proposed Cllr JW, Seconded Cllr AP – Unanimous vote to approve and resolve.

To receive the Declaration of Acceptance of Office of Chair.

The Declaration of Acceptance of Office was signed by Cllr C Alexander and the Parish Clerk.

2. Election of Vice Chair.

Nomination for Vice Chair was proposed as Cllr MR – proposed Cllr TW, Seconded Cllr PG. Unanimous vote to approve and resolve.

To receive the Declaration of Acceptance of Office of Vice Chair

The Declaration of Office was signed by Cllr M Rust and the Parish Clerk.

3. Public Forum – Members of the Public invited to make statements and/or ask questions.

These had been shared extensively in the Annual Parish Meeting and are noted therein.

Grass Cutting by the EA on the Steeping Bank

Malicious damage to Resting Woods wildflower area and wooden pagoda building – reported to police and local ELDC W Bowkett – CCTV coverage of the individual is available.

FlyTipping is noted to be on the increase – reported by all who observe it.

4. Public Forum - LCC and ELDC Councillors invited to submit their report – LCC Councillor M Hume had been unable to attend – ELDC Cllr Wendy Bowkett had shared her report in the Annual Parish Meeting and is reproduced below – to follow....Cllr WB then made her apologies and left the meeting.

For East Lindsey it has been another busy year, my last year’s District Councillor grant was £4000 and I have given donations to Wainfleet Town Council, £1000 for the metal gate at the park and £500 towards the Xmas decorations. Wainfleet St Marys parish council £500 towards last year’s summer show. Wainfleet community Halls Friendship Group £500 towards payment of the hall. Wainfleet United football £500 towards equipment and lastly £1000 to the Museum for planters.

This coming year I have a further £4000, this can be to nonprofit organisations, so I look forward to helping local groups so please spread the word.

Local government reform is still going through, all districts, county and the Greater Lincolnshire councils have drawn up proposals and have been submitted to government, it is expected a decision will be made by July to what proposal has been excepted. The new council has a year to prepare before they take control which would be 2028. Elections for the new council would be in 2027, if that went ahead district elections would not happen

Grass cutting has commenced on the riverbanks on both the relief channel and the steeping and the weed cutting through the channel will be later in the year, a date to be confirmed. Surveys on the culverts on Spilsby road have taken place we are waiting for the next meeting of the River Steeping steering group to take place to hear the results.

Repair works to the riverbank/ footpath on the Low Road, has yet to start and I would urge anyone with concerns to email highways at the County Council.

The A52 resurfacing work which should have commenced last June, is still waiting to be done and is in a dreadful state along with the safety measure and the average speed cameras, again please keep reporting on fix my street as this unacceptable.

The Heating oil support fund is still available for eligible residents, please email crf@lincolnshirecf.co.uk 01529 572575. To be eligible you have to earn below £36,000 have less than £6000 savings, if you are eligible, you will receive a voucher of £300 towards your oil.

The new food waste collection will be starting in the Autumn in East Lindsey you will be notified before the start date and a kitchen caddy, and a kerbside caddy will be provided to each household along with steps and support if needed.

I would like to thank you for your continued support and as usual any issues please get in touch.

5. To Receive and Accept Apologies for Absence where valid reasons have been given.

Cllr M Rendall; Proposed Cllr TW and Seconded Cllr MR – Council resolved to accept.

6. Declarations of Interest.

Parish Clerk MC declared a prejudicial interest in Agenda item 14 – Planning Application 00475/26/FUL and will withdraw from the meeting.

7. Accepting and Resolution to accept the Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting, Monday 9th June 2025 and the General Council Meeting of Monday 13th April 2026

The Minutes of the Parish Meeting Monday 9th June 2025, and Monthly Council Meeting minutes of Monday April 13th 2026 were presented for approval - Proposed Cllr MR and Seconded Cllr TW – Unanimously Resolved to approve.

8. To receive letters of Interest and co-options to join Wainfleet St Mary Parish Council.

Two applications had been received but regrettably one was received too late to be considered at the meeting. The applicant was invited to give a short introduction and then formally invited to join the Council – proposer Cllr JW, Seconder Cllr ST – all in agreement to formally approve and resolve.

The Declaration of Office was completed and signed with the DPI to be completed and collected later. Cllr J Graves was then invited to join the table and the formal meeting.

9.To Appoint members to serve on the Working Groups and Committees of the Council

Parochial Church Council – Cllr C Alexander

RBL – Cllr M Rust

Councillor Members of the Hall Committee – Cllr JW, (Chair) Cllr TW, Cllr CA, Cllr PG and Cllr MR

Chair and Members of the Staffing Committee – Chair Cllr JW – committee members Cllr ST and Cllr MLR

Agricultural Working Group – Chair Cllr MR, members Cllr AP and Cllr PG – Cllr MRL as drone pilot.

Play Area – Cllr TW; Cllr PG

Jubilee Orchard – Cllr TW,

Community Hall – Cllr PG

Finance and Budgets – Cllr JW, Cllr CA, Cllr ST and Clerk

Funding Buddies – Cllr CA, Cllr JW, Cllr ST and Clerk

Open Spaces – Full Council

Planning – Full Council

Policies and terms of reference – Cllr JW, Chair CA, Cllr ST and Clerk

Emergency and Resilience Group – Chair Cllr CA in the first instance and Clerk

All of the above were Proposed, Seconded and approved – Cllr MR and Cllr AP – All councillors agreed and resolved to approve.

10.Working Group Reports

Agricultural Holdings/Allotments – Report from the Group Chair MR indicates the drainage works have had the desired outcome and the land is draining well. Recommendation from the Group to review over the next 12 months to determine the effects before taking the plan forward. Proposed Cllr TW, Seconded Cllr PG – all resolved to agree and approve. All new tenancies are in place and invoice settled with Willsons.

Dykes are being maintained – monitored visually by drone and foot

Play Area – Cllr TW presented his report – repairs are due to be carried out before the next inspection – clerk to monitor and remind contractor if required.

Jubilee Orchard – all in order – grass is cut by WSM Contractor. Fence is to be painted and edge weeding by the Community PayBack Group who attend every Tuesday till the work is completed. Some rocks are missing from “Elton” To be replaced if there is a Rock Painting opportunity at the Village Show

Open Spaces – No adverse reports. Funding of £3000 per bus shelter will cover the replacement of rotting wood and insertion of a window in the Boston Road/Miller Court stop – clerk to source contractors for quotes and submit for approval. Cllrs PG and TW will provide info on what is required.

Community Hall – New Defib in place and registered as emergency ready. External door has rotted at the bottom – wood to be replaced/spliced in....Cllr PG will approach a preferred supplier.

11. Clerks report

Design for the Tea Tent received – approval or not to be voted on – approved at the Hall Meeting

New de-fib has been received and is now installed and registered with The Circuit

Community PayBack scheme Project – 2nd visit this week – Painting/gardening duties coming along well.

Container – Bid for funding has been submitted as WSM Council for £3000

Correspondence received from Mr Chamberlain with regard to the field and use

Picnic in the Park re-scheduled to May 31st following postponement due to adverse weather forecast

Approval rec’d for siting of new waste bin on the Jubilee Orchard Fence.

12. Hall Committee Report – Chair of the Committee gave a full overview of their Annual meeting and progress of events and the Lunch Club. The minutes are posted in the Notice Boards and on the St Mary home page for anyone who would like full details of everything including the finances.

13. Finance and Bank Accounts

All financial reports to include the April statement and Bank Accounts/reconciliations, the AGAR including the Annual Financial and Accounting Statements, Internal Audit report, Explanation of variations and the Asset register had been circulated prior to the meeting to allow Councillors time to review and question – no queries were raised thus Chair CA requested:

1.To approve the April bank accounts and reconciliations – Proposed Cllr ST, Seconded Cllr AP – all councillors agreed to approve and resolve.

2.To approve the April Financial statement and all payments and receipts   Proposed Cllr JW, Seconded Cllr PG – all councillors agreed to approve and resolve.

3.To review and approve the Annual Financial Statement for 2025-2026 – Proposed Cllr MR, Seconded Cllr TW – all councillors agreed to approve and resolve

4.To Review and Approve the Annual Governance Statement for 2025-2026 – Proposed Cllr ST, Seconded Cllr JW – all councillors agreed to approve and resolve

5.To review and Approve the Asset register for year ending 31st March 2026 – Proposed Cllr PG, Seconded Cllr MR – all councillors agreed to approve and resolve.

6.To review and approve the Variation Explanations – Proposed Cllr ST – Seconded Cllr AP – all councillors agreed to approve and resolve.

7. To review and approve the Accounting statement for 2025- 2026 – Proposed Cllr MR, Seconded Cllr TW – all councillors agreed to approve and resolve.

14. Planning – To receive and discuss Planning Applications  - Planning Ref 00478/26/FUL had been circulated for discussion. Clerk MC had declared a prejudicial interest in this application at the outset of the meeting in agenda item 6 and thus the notes of what followed were taken by Cllr JW at the request of the Chair.

Planning Reference: 00478/26/FUL had been passed to all council members for consideration prior to the meeting.

The clerk MC had declared an interest in this issue and stated that she would leave the meeting whilst it was being held.

The chair CA proposed that as is normal practice and for the purpose of clarity and due diligence MC stay in the meeting as a member of the public and not as part of the council. This was unanimously agreed by the members and MC.

The issues with this planning application were discussed in full.

Resolved:

1. To write to ELDC Cllr Wendy Bowkett to request that this application be brought to full planning committee for careful consideration as it was contrary to ELDC’s planning policy regarding agricultural land.
2. To add WSM Parish Council concerns via the ELDC planning portal.

15. Review of Official Policies to include Revised Standing Orders and Financial Regulations

Owing to time constraints and the number of polices to be reviewed the Chair suggested reviewing and approving the Standing Orders and Financial regulations at this meeting – these 2 having been recommended for approval by Cllr JW and clerk who had earlier looked them over for any changes that were required- none to be added. All additional polices would be reviewed as in previous years as 2 per meeting. Proposed Cllr ST, seconded Cllr PG – all councillors agreed to approve and resolve.

16: To consider a proposal to formally name the Field behind the Hall.

A proposal had come forward and been discussed and agreed at the Community Hall annual meeting to formally name the field as Mackrill’s field with the addition as a suggestion of “Use of the field is by kind permission of the Trustees”. All were in agreement – clerk to contact the owner of the field to gain approval. Proposed Cllr JW, Seconded Cllr AP – all councillors in agreement to approve and resolve.

17. Correspondence

Letter advising malicious damage at Resting Woods – discussed at the Parish Meeting – police and ELDC Councillor are aware.

Invitation from insurers to renew for a further year.

18. To Agree Dates for the Council Meeting for the Year.

Council agreed to continue with the present date of 2nd Monday in each month except for when Bank Holiday falls when the meeting will be a week later. The next Council Meeting will be June 8th at 18.00.

It was agreed the Annual Parish Meeting will be held on the same date as the Annual Council Meeting commencing at 6pm.

19. Close of the meeting.

Chair Cllr CA confirmed no further business and thanked all Councillors for their attendance and input and closed the meeting at 20.08.

I certify these are a true copy of the Minutes of the Annual Council Meeting held Monday 11th May 2026

Signed Chair Wainfleet St Mary Parish Council – Cllr C Alexander.

......................................................................................    Date........................................

Date 11th May 2026

Email: clerk@wainfleetstmaryparishcouncil.gov.uk