2026 Minutes

Fleet Parish Council

 

Minutes of the Ordinary Parish Council Meeting held on 19th May 2026 at 7.00pm

 

Councillors present: Councillors Barnes (Chair), Hammersley, C Penney, E Penney

 

Councillors absent: S Dickey.

 

Also present: Neil Watson, Clerk & RFO.

 

PUBLIC FORUM – Incorporating reports from elected members of Lincolnshire County Council & South Holland District Council

 

Cllr N Carey, LCC:

 

Sent his apologies for the meeting.

 

Cllr P Barnes, SHDC:

 

See Items 8, 12, 13, 14 & 15 below. Cllr McKendry’s resignation was noted with regret and thanks for all she had done for the Council, especially regarding fete organisation, during her term of office.

 

Agenda Item 1: To elect a Chair for the following year.

 

Cllr C Penney proposed Cllr Barnes as Chair. There were no other nominations. Cllr Barnes accepted the nomination. Cllr E Penney seconded the nomination, all in favour. Cllr Barnes was duly elected Chair and signed his Acceptance of Office. (Minute reference 26/022)

 

Agenda Item 2: To elect a Vice Chair for the following year.

 

Cllr Barnes proposed Cllr Hammersley as Vice Chair. There were no other nominations. Cllr Hammersley accepted the nomination. Cllr C Penney seconded the nomination, all in favour. Cllr Hammersley was duly elected Vice Chair and signed his Acceptance of Office. (Minute reference 26/023)

 

Agenda Item 3: To receive, consider and accept apologies for absence.

 

No apologies were received from Cllr Dickey; the meeting is quorate.

 

Agenda Item 4: Receive applications (if any) for the office of Parish Councillor and to co-opt a candidate to fill the existing vacancy.

 

None

 

Agenda Item 5: Receive declarations of interest on agenda items.

 

No declarations were made.

 

Agenda Item 6: Approve the minutes of the meeting on 20th April 2026

 

The minutes were accepted by acclaim and duly signed by the Chair. Prop Cllr C Penney, Sec Cllr Hammersley (Minute reference 26/024)

 

Agenda Item 7: Financial Matters

 

a. Reconciliation of Bank account for March 2026

 

The reconciliation was agreed as correct by acclaim and signed by the Chair. Prop Cllr E Penney, Sec Cllr C Penney (Minute reference 26/025)

 

b. Payment of invoices

 

The payments list

 

Clerk/RFO monthly salary £567.57

 

Clerk working from home allowance £104.00

 

Electricity to Pavilion £24.19

 

HMRC (Tax & NI) £371.30

 

Website Management £108.00

 

Bank Charges £7.00

 

was agreed by acclaim (Minute reference 26/026) Cllr E Penney asked about the make-up of the amount of £371.30 paid to HMRC. The amount represents £283.60 income tax, paid by the Council’s employee and deducted from their gross salary before it is paid to them; £87.70 is Employer National Insurance which is a cost to the Parish Council of employing staff.

 

Agenda Item 8: To receive reports from:

 

a. Playing Field & Pavilion Working Party

 

The contractor starts work on the car park on Tuesday 26th May. The abandoned car in the car park is pending recovery.

 

 

i. Park benches and tables - locations

 

The proposed bench locations were exhibited by the Chair and agreed by acclaim.

 

b. Fund Raising and Grants Working Party

 

No report

 

c. War Memorial & Amenities Working Party (including Cherry Lane)

 

Summer planting at the War Memorial is almost complete.

 

The Acer is recovering well.

 

Rita’s bench would benefit from some attention.

 

i. Cherry Lane Volunteer Project – update

 

The Chair and Clerk are meeting with the LCC Volunteer Coordinator on 21st May at 9.00am to move the project forward.

 

Agenda Item 9: Correspondence Received

 

A request was received for the Parish Council to duly adopt the ‘Fen Flag’. This was agreed by acclaim.

 

The Clerk reported that the Internal Auditor’s report had been received. It was favourable, four minor action points were noted which the Clerk has arranged to be put right in the near future.

 

Agenda Item 10: Speedwatch Initiative.

 

No report this month. Mr Nigel Pickett recently stood down as Speedwatch Coordinator, Councillors expressed their thanks to Mr Pickett for all he has done to promote road safety in the Parish while he held the role.

 

Agenda Item 11: Planning Matters

 

See the schedule attached.

 

 

Full details of all planning matters can be found at www.sholland.gov.uk.

 

Agenda Item 12: Forward Planning & Events

 

a. Fleet Summer Fete - 14 June 2026 – update.

 

Plans and procedures are in place. The TEN, risk assessment and insurance are all in place. Stall bookings are still coming in. Final update meeting on 4th June at 7pm at the pavilion.

 

 

b. Fleet School Sports Day – 19th June 2026

 

Plans and procedures will be in place well before the event.

 

c. SHDC Activity Fun Day – 27th July 2026

 

This is a turnkey event with the SHDC team simply needing access to the toilets.

 

d. Use of pavilion for tea/coffee service

 

The Royal British Legion under the kind supervision of Cllrs Penney start refreshments service on Monday 1st June from 10am to midday, followed by Thursday 4th June at the same times.

 

e. Farmers Markets

 

f. Tabletop Sales

 

These two items are ideas for the future; in due course they will be floated on social media to see if there is any interest from parishioners.

 

Agenda Item 13. Tree and Landscape work at the church – update

 

Cllr Barnes had obtained prices of c. £2500 deal with the trees and brambles in the area around the church. After some negotiations LCC have accepted responsibility for raising the crown on the two trees on the green and cutting back the verge and brambles in front of the Church – this work should be completed shortly. LCC have requested the Church to deal with the tree that overhangs the highway as it is rooted in the churchyard.

 

 

Agenda Item 14. Baptist Chapel – Update

 

The Methodist Church authorities are ready to market the buildings but would prefer them to remain in community hands if possible. There are two scenarios, firstly that the PC take responsibility for the burial ground (which has limited and incomplete burial records) and acquire the buildings for a modest sum for the community in perpetuity. The second option is that the PC purchase the buildings only at a higher but still favourable rate. The Chair will continue discussions with the Church authorities to see if a project is feasible, acknowledging that the time window is very short as LGR implementation would prevent SHDC making a precept loan to the PC after the summer.

 

 

Agenda Item 15. Parish Grass Cutting – update

Discussion is ongoing with LCC and SHDC around the areas of responsibility of all parties for verge and grass cutting.

 

Agenda Item 16. To Note Date of Next Meeting

 

Monday 15th June 2026, Fleet Hargate Community Centre at 7.00pm

 

Meeting Closed: 8.50 pm.