2026 Minutes

MINUTES OF COLEBY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

HELD ON Tuesday 3rdMarch 2026 AT THE VILLAGE HALL RECTORY ROAD COLEBY

 

21.33 Public Forum: The Cliff Villages Medical Practice Dispensary situation was updated. It will remain open for the next four weeks whilst the decision to close will be reconsidered. Residents should email Caroline Johnson MP at caroline.johnson.mp@parliament.uk to support the surgery maintaining a dispensary.

 

21.34 Declarations of Interest: Councillor Hall Item 8d) 

 

21.35 Present and Apologies: Councillor Robert Hall (Chair), Councillor Alan Vivian, Councillor Theresa Brewer, Councillor Harriet Earnshaw, Councillor Andrew Long, Councillor Quent Stott County Councillor Ian Carrington, District Councillor Lance Pennell, District Councillor Matthew Cooper and Sue Makinson-Sanders (Clerk) 

Apologies from Councillor Jens Pedersen and District Councillor Leigh Sanders

 

21.36 Approval of Minutes of Meeting held on 13th January 2026: Councillor Theresa Brewer proposed and Councillor Harriet Earnshaw seconded. Councillors approved the Minutes. 

 

21.37 Clerks Reports:  Agenda sent to all on mailing list and posted on website and noticeboard

a) Neighbourhood Plan Update: The Parish Council has finally received the correct copy of the Revised Plan from Steve Kemp of Open Plan. This still requires some amendment to incorporate the comments received from NKDC on the draft plan submitted to them for preliminary consideration. A list of landowners has been obtained, and the Parish Council is awaiting a list of business council taxpayers from NKDC subject to GDPR so will have a list of everyone for the consultation. Councillor Brewer and the clerk will undertake completion of the documents required for the public consultation and will endeavour to have these ready for Parish Council approval by the next Parish Council meeting. Clerk to check grant availability.

b) Parish Council Email:  The new Parish Council email address is now up and running but mailing list emails still going out on the old email address.

c) Report on Village Walkabout with Highways and Cllr Carrington:

Councillor Brewer and Councillor Vivian joined Rowan Smith of Highways and County Councillor Ian Carrington for a walk around the village on the 16 February and the items below were all noted for action by the highways department.

i) Restriction for HGV vehicles Blind Lane – will have to await the construction of the North Hykeham relief road before any decision will be made on this request and a possible village weight restriction 

ii) Trees Dovecote Lane- the lower growth has been removed by a local resident, but the problem will reoccur. Work is scheduled for 28th March.

iii) Parking Issues – clerk to write to school re parking during ongoing road works on 

Rectory Road

iv) Culvert Tempest/Hill Rise – Manager coming out from Highways to assess work

v) Drains High Street – noted for action

vi) Potholes – Dovecote Lane potholes have been repaired

vii) Relocation of School Warning Sign – sign to be relocated. Cllr Earnshaw expressed thanks to Cllr Carrington and Rowan Smith for actioning this.

Cllr Vivian pointed out that everyone should be using Fix My Street to report issues on the Highways as this means there is a record and they will respond.

d) Fosse Green Energy Solar Park- Public Hearings being held by the Planning Inspectorate at LNER Stadium Sincil Bank Lincoln from the 11th – 13th March 2026. If you wish to go along and speak (max 5 mins) deadline for registration is midnight 3rd March 2026. Possible to register on day to attend and may be able to speak at discretion of Planning Inspector and time being available.

e) Street Lighting- quote obtained for the poles at between £900 and £1150 each. Issue to be kept on agenda. Action on hold for time being.

f) Viking Way 50th Anniversary bench- clerk meeting with Debby Brand of LCC and the landowner to discuss siting of bench on hilltop between Coleby and Boothby on 11th of March at 11.45am.  Bench will be of reconstituted plastic so requires no maintenance.

g) Sustainability feedback/Buses – Parish Council approached the Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire and Stagecoach. Funding of extra buses is a problem. Matter to remain on agenda and any transport public consultations should be taken up to raise issue. Leadenham Parish Council has also written to the mayor.  

h) Grass Cutting Grant and Quote for 2026/7/8- Councillor Hall proposed and Councillor Vivian seconded acceptance of the quote for grass cutting from bdg mowing contractors. Councillors approved the quote. Councillors also approved acceptance of the grass cutting agreement with Lincolnshire County Council which gives the Parish Council a grant of £1198.26 towards the highways grass cutting, an increase of approx. £50.00 on last year.

i) Tempest Green Trees -overhanging branches have been reported on Fix MY Street

j) Wellhead Repairs – The Conservation Officer is to meet with the Parish Council at the wellhead on the 16th of March at 2.00pm. MJ Green to be asked to attend and open the door to the Wellhead. Councillors approved the quote of £200 to do this. This will then determine what works are required with advice form the Conservation Officer.

k) Local Government Reorganisation Consultation deadline 26 March 2026- Any comments should be made before the deadline of the 26th of March 2026

l) National Highways and Transport Survey- Councillor Brewer completed this on behalf of the Parish Council.

m) Web Maintenance- The Parish Council is now in credit with the LALC Web Maintenance team.

n) Internal Auditor for Parish Council Audit: Councillors approved appointment of Andrea Smith.

 

21.38 Finance Report:

 

COLEBY PARISH COUNCIL FINANCE REPORT

Finance Report

a) Payments to be made:

 

Item	Payee	Amount	Vat	Total
Coleby Village Hall Hire 3rd March 2026 Meeting	Coleby Village Hall Committee	£28.00	0.00	£28.00
Clerk’s Salary Mar 2026	S Makinson-Sanders	£299.67	0.00	£299.67
Clerk’s Salary April 2026	S Makinson-Sanders	£62.20	0.00	£62.20
HMRC PAYE Mar 2026	HMRC	tbc	0.00
HMRC PAYE April 2026	HMRC	tbc	0.00
Anglian Water (Wave) Mar 2026 Lowfields Cemetery	Anglian Water	£9.00	0.00	£9.00
Anglian Water (Wave) April 2026 Lowfields Cemetery	Anglian Water	£9.00	0.00	£9.00
Litter Picking Mar/April/May 2026	D West	£90.00	0.00	£90.00
Christmas Tree	Coleby Christmas tree Company	£95.00	0.00	£95.00
Garden Bin Renewal x 2 for Cemetery Bins	S Makinson-Sanders (Reimbursement)	£100.00	0.00	£100.00

 

 

b) Payments Received: Memorial G N Phoenix £200.00

                                      Burial Plot R J Milner  £300.00  

 

c) Payments due: None

 

     d) Balance held at Co-Operative Bank as at 03.03.26 £15,276.57

  

Payments proposed by Councillor Hall and seconded by Councillor Brewer. Councillors   approved the payments.

 

21.39 County and District Councillor Reports: 

Councillor Carrington: Councillor Carrington confirmed that the Lincolnshire County Council budget had been set at 2.99%. There had been representation for Fairer Funding. The Government gave an extra £34m meaning there is £52m headroom and £10m was requested to go into road maintenance. This request was not granted. Members of the public should let councillors know if pothole repairs fail.  The quality of repairs has improved so that they are longer lasting, if it is felt any repairs were not of good quality or had deteriorated quickly after repair, this  should be reported.  There is concern that the budget is restricted and quality of works are not good. Work is due to start on the North Hykeham Relief Road at the end of March. Final comments on the Local Government reorganisation must be in by 26th March. Food Caddys have now been delivered, and collection will be beginning of week commencing 31st March. The waste is made into biogas for energy. The Council Volunteering Scheme is now open again for proposals for suitable projects. As the BESS has not yet been approved it is unlikely that any weight restrictions will be granted until the Hykeham Relief Road is open and the TRO (Traffic Regulation Order) updated.  When the TRO is approved then, depending on what it states, there is a possibility of applying for the weight restriction.

District Councillor Matthew Cooper:  There is a By-Election at Sleaford WestHolme for a vacancy on North Kesteven District Council. Councillor Cooper mentioned the food caddys and pointed out that they are not letterboxes! Harmston has had a fair bit of fly tipping and like Coleby had had a transit van stolen and burnt out within the Parish.

District Councillor Lance Pennell: Councillor Pennell referred to the council tax bills that are coming out. Most of the funds go to Lincolnshire County Council, the police and social care. 25% or less goes to NKDC. First collections of food waste will be week commencing 31stth March 2026. Everyone should have been notified of the garden waste scheme renewal requirements.  One bin is £50.00, secondary bins are £30 each. Replacement bins are just under £50.00.

 

21.40 Cemeteries:

i) Lowfields Cemetery: Councillors approved a Memorial for Glyn Norma Pheonix. One burial for Richard Milner.

ii) Far Lane Cemetery: Nothing to report

 

21.41 Planning:

a) Planning Application: Erection of Padel court with external lighting columns Manor Farm Heath Road Coleby - approved

b) Tree Works Application Harvest Cottage Church Lane Coleby – approved

c) Tree Works Application Ovington House Far Lane Coleby - approved

d) Planning Application Battery Energy Storage System Hill Rise Coleby: Awaiting an archaeological report and ecological report following completion of trial trenching on the site. There will then be further public consultation.

21.42 Police Reports:

a) Police: Nothing to report

b) Neighbourhood Watch: usual scam warnings. 

 

21.43 Reports from Village Organisations:

a) All Saints: Quinquennial works ongoing and clock to be repaired. In lieu of the garden party there will be a charity event to raise funds for the church at the White Hart on the 15th of May 2026. Also, a Mama Mia event on the 15th of September. 

b) Village Hall:  AGM Wednesday 4th of March 2026. Refreshments at 7pm followed by the meeting. Graham Brown has agreed to remain as Independent Examiner. Autum Party date 10th October 2026.

c) Coleby School:  No report. School parking to be addressed with the school especially during current works at the school and road width restrictions. 

 

21.44 Correspondence: None

 

21.45 AOB: Cllr Earnshaw addressed the meeting and advised that she would be resigning her position as a Parish Councillor due to personal circumstances.

 

Meeting closed 9.03pm

 

Date of Next Meeting: APM AM and PCM Tuesday 5 May 2026 7.00pm