2026 Minutes

Date/Time: Tuesday 6th January 2025, 7.00 pm. 

 

Location:  The Club Room, The Venue, Navenby.

 

Present (Cllrs): Mr M Burt (Chair), Mrs E Carless (Vice Chair), Mr C East, Mr K Gunning, 

Ms M Butler, Mrs J Thompson-Burt, Mr D Miller, Mrs S Munton

 

In Attendance: Mr A Callander (Parish Clerk), Ms S Letham (RFO)

 

1. Chairman’s Welcoming Remarks. The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

 

2. Public Session. 

 

a. Gas Lane. Two residents advised Cllrs of their views regarding traffic at Gas Lane. They considered that the Planning Department and developer (regarding building work at the former butcher’s yard) had not taken parking into account. Where parking at Gas Lane had previously only been an issue around Xmas, the situation had become much worse during the past 6 months. A particular cause for concern was whether emergency and delivery vehicles could access the lane if poor parking blocked their way. They considered that double yellow lines were needed along the lane to prevent parked vehicles blocking access for residents, although they acknowledged enforcement was likely to be an issue. While it was believed there would be car parking spaces in the old yard once building was complete, it was uncertain what arrangements would be for the existing car park. Action: The Parish Council would ask Emergency Services to examine the situation, and approach LCC Highways for their view, before advising residents of what further action was possible. The issue would also be discussed at agenda item 11.

 

b. High Street/Church Lane/East Road. A resident advised Cllrs of their view regarding traffic and enforcement along the High Street in the vicinity of East Road and Church Lane. They considered that drivers did not take notice of yellow lines and there was no enforcement of parking restrictions by police or traffic wardens. Additionally, not enough was being made of existing parking facilities in the village. Marked parking bays along the High Street would be more effective and discourage drivers from parking badly and wasting space. The lack of marked parking bays along the High Street was pushing drivers to park along side streets and across driveways on side streets. Action: The issue would be discussed at agenda item 10.

 

c. Engaging With LCC Parking Services. Cllr Overton advised that traffic wardens were expected to attend locations where the most issues existed; Navenby might fit some of the criteria that would entitle it to some attention and had, in the past, received a fair share of traffic warden attendance. Nevertheless, the requirement needed to be stated to LCC repeatedly, with accompanying evidence, and individual incidents should be submitted on the LCC nuisance car parking app. Action: Cllr Overton would provide information on the LCC contact for parking warden schedules. Thereafter, the Parish Council would gather evidence of parking issues for submission.      

 

3. Apologies for absence and declarations of interest in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011. Consider any applications for dispensations in relation to disclosable pecuniary and/or prejudicial beneficial interests.

 

Absences: Cllr C Hall

Declaration of Interests: Nil

 

 

 

4. To consider and sign the minutes from the previous Parish Council Meeting. It was proposed by Cllr Miller, seconded by Cllr Carless, and thereafter resolved that the minutes from the previous Parish Council meeting held on 2nd December 2025, should be accepted as a true record of the meeting. All Cllrs voted in favour of the motion. 

 

5. To consider the financial report and authorise payments (Appendix A). The RFO provided Cllrs with the Financial Status Sheet. After consideration, it was proposed by Cllr Miller, seconded by Cllr Munton, and thereafter resolved that all expenses (£7,875.85) listed in Appendix A were authorised. All Cllrs voted in favour of the motion. Otherwise, the PC Current and Deposit Accounts totals were £60,908.53 and £61,615.23 respectively.

 

6. To consider updates from District/County Councillors. 

 

a. Cllr Hagues had sent apologies and provided her monthly newsletter.

 

b. Cllr Overton advised that a new policy of charging for provision of H bar parking restrictions (across driveways) had been introduced, that required residents to pay a charge. Cllr Overton had challenged this and would monitor how it progresses. 

 

c. Cllr Overton advised that she had attended the Inquiry for the Fosse Green application. A request has been made for public meetings on 9th March 2026, and another in May 2026, at which residents can speak. The inquiry had examined the scale of the application, noting that the UK Health Security Agency had stated that the battery installation would present a risk to Navenby, while the National Energy body had indicated there was already a sufficient supply with battery installations over three times what was required; implying they could not all be connected to the national grid. Cllr Overton considered these to be positive statements that would change the application’s business case i.e. the facility was not required. Cllr Overton encouraged residents to attend the public meeting at the Assembly Rooms in Lincoln or write in (deadline 20th January). The Chair thanked Cllr Overton and CVSAG representatives for their work relating to the Navenby BESS application.       

 

7. To consider updates from local police. Nil.

 

8. To consider Planning Matters.

 

a. Planning Applications. Nil.

 

b. Correspondence. 

 

Notification of Planning Committee Meeting. Installation of solar generating panels and on-site Battery Energy Storage System at Fosse Green Energy Solar Park, 9 km SW of Lincoln near Thorpe on the Hill, Morton, Witham St Hughs, Haddington, Thurlby, Norton Disney and Bassingham. NKDC considering its consultation response to the above Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project during Planning Committee meeting being held on 16th December 2025. 

 

Notification of Decision. Ridge View, Lowfields. 25/1291/FUL. Change of use from Agricultural land to Residential. Approved.

 

c. Tree Conservation. 

 

Application for works to trees in a conservation area. 2 Maiden Well Close. 25/1519/TCA. T1 - Conifer – Fell, T2 - Cherry – Fell, T3 - Willow – Fell, T4 - T7 - Willow - pollard to 4m. No comment.

 

9. Highways – Maidenwell Lane junction temporary rubber kerb installation. Cllr Miller updated Cllrs on the questionnaire to High Street/Maidenwell Lane residents regarding kerbs and related traffic concerns. A total of 75% of the 24 responses were in favour of making the temporary installation permanent. Responses also indicated that the Parish Council needed to consider further both the speed limit on the High Street and enforcement of parking restrictions. After consideration, it was proposed by Cllr Carless, seconded by Cllr Butler, and thereafter resolved to recommend to LCC Highways that the Maidenwell Lane junction temporary rubber kerb installation be made permanent: Seven Cllrs voted in favour of the motion, with one Cllr abstaining. Action: the Parish Clerk would inform LCC Highways of this decision. 

 

10. Highways – Church Lane/East Road Junction. Cllrs discussed marked car parking spaces on the High Street (at Church Lane/East Road junction) and village car park provision using existing private car parks, noting the remarks made by a resident at the Public Session. Action: Cllrs considered that marked car parking spaces should be included in the wider review of parish traffic issues. Otherwise, Cllrs considered that premises with private car parks should be asked by the Parish Clerk for their views on any wider use by residents.  

 

11. Highways – Gas Lane Parking. Cllrs discussed whether parking restrictions were needed to address safety concerns and maintain access for residents; and whether to recommend to LCC Highways that traffic restrictions were required from the entrance to Gas Lane to where the road narrows to a single lane, noting the remarks made by residents at the Public Session. Action: The Parish Council would ask Emergency Services to examine the situation, and approach LCC Highways for their view, before advising residents of what further action was possible. The Parish Council would also talk to the developer/landowner (of the butcher’s yard development) about when construction work would finish and what parking arrangements would exist after completion for both the new development and existing carpark.

 

12. Engagement – Cllr Munton had sent a draft of the proposed engagement strategy and plan to the Chair for consideration.

 

13. Finance – Cllrs discussed the 6-month contracted caretaker trial and whether to approve a 12-month contract for FY 2026/27 that included grass cutting of playparks, the cemetery and Venue carpark. The contracted caretaker trial was due to finish 1st March 2026 and had not included grass cutting. Given that the trial of a contracted caretaker had proved satisfactory, it was proposed to offer a 1-year contract for FY 2026/27 and to include an additional 90 hrs annually (March – November) that would provide 2 x cuts per month (with some flexibility for dry/wet months). This expanded contract could be covered financially by the budget assigned to grass cutting. After consideration, it was proposed by Cllr Gunning, seconded by Cllr Thompson-Burt, and thereafter resolved to approve a 12-month caretaker contract for FY 2026/27 that included 90 hrs of grass cutting. All Cllrs voted in favour of the motion.  Action:  the Parish Clerk would approach the contractor to set up a new contract to reflect these changes to current arrangements.

 

14. Finance – Cllrs discussed the Clerk’s and RFO’s surge in hours to enable the review of documentation. It was assessed that the surge had enabled sufficient work to be carried out that now enabled the Clerk to complete the remaining work during normal hours, if the RFO continued to work extra hours until April 2026. After consideration, it was proposed by Cllr Miller, seconded by Cllr Thompson-Burt, and thereafter resolved to reduce the Clerk’s hours back to 20 hrs/week and maintain the RFO’s hours at 15 hrs/week. All Cllrs voted in favour of the motion. 

 

15. Finance – The Chair updated Cllrs on options for the FY 2026/27 precept, advising he had now received the probable number of Navenby Band D equivalent properties for calculating next year’s precept from NKDC. This was not expected to change, noting the confirmed figure would not be provided until the day before the latest date of submission for the precept bid. There were three options for setting the precept for FY 2026/27: 

Option 1. Passing the full costs of the budget to residents (£153.69 per Band D property), presenting a low financial risk to the Parish Council.

 

Option 2. Taking £10,000.00 from the forecast End of Year current account surplus to 

reduce the requirement (£143.15 per D Band property), presenting a medium financial risk to the Parish Council.

 

Option 3. Using all of the forecast End of Year current account surplus and taking money 

from the deposit account to mirror last year’s figure (£129.55 per D Band property), involving high financial risk to the PC.  

 

As well as being the lowest risk, Option 1 would allow the Parish Council to address the shortfall in the Parish Council running costs reserve and was therefore recommended. After consideration, it was proposed by Cllr Burt, seconded by Cllr Miller, and thereafter resolved to approve Option 1 for the FY 2026/27 precept. Seven Cllrs voted in favour of the motion, with one Cllr voting against.

 

16. Updates from Portfolios Holders:

 

a. Planning (incl tree conservation). Nothing to report.

 

b. Highways (incl SIDs). Cllr Burt had applied for an NKDC grant of £1,200.00 for 3 x Speed Indicator Devices that, if approved, would require a 10% contribution by the Parish Council. The Clerk advised that the Community Speed Watch Coordinator had indicated they would be resigning. Repairs to the Coop bus shelter roof had been completed in December 2025.

 

c. Play Areas. Dates in January/February 2026 had been received from the contractor to carry out repairs to play park and Venue fitness equipment.

 

d. Cemetery. Two notice boards had been fitted to the entrance porch. A draft of cemetery regulations and charges, to be placed on the new noticeboards, would be provided to Cllr Gunning for approval.

 

e. Library. The library would celebrate its 10th anniversary in February. The Chair updated Cllrs on a request to LCC Library Services to transfer the library annual grant and financial reserves to the Navenby Playing Field Association, as the Venue provided the library facility and its support rather than the Parish Council. 

 

f. Defibrillators. The defibrillator located at the Methodist Church needed replacing. The Clerk will seek quotes from the supplier for a new item.

 

g. Streetlamps. Nothing to report.

 

14. Date & Time of next meeting: 3rd February 2026, 7.00pm.

 

 

Minutes Accepted:  Original Signed by M J Burt (Chair) Date: 3rd February 2026