2025 Minutes of Meetings

Minutes of Finance and General Purposes Committee of

Mareham le Fen Parish Council

meeting 15th October 2025 at 7.35pm

held at Mareham le Fen Community Centre

Present: Cllrs M.Rodgers, C.Robinson

Not Present: Cllr Thomas.

Clerk:    A. Everard

Members of Public present: None

The meeting started at 7.35pm.

FGP16/25. Welcome by the Chair of the Committee 

In absence of the Chair of the Committee Cllr Rodgers presided over the meeting. 

FGP17/25.  Apologies for absence with reason given

None received.

FGP18/25.  Declaration of Members’ interests in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and requests for dispensations

None

FGP19/25. ELDC and LCC councillors invited by the Chair to make verbal or written reports on local matters.

The District and County Councillors were not present.

FGP20/25. Correspondence

The Committee noted correspondence from LALC ENews (two-weekly); LALC Training Bulletin (monthly); LCC Town and Parish News and ELDC Town and Parish E-News (monthly); ELDC Messenger; ELDC Media releases; family notice of the death of former parish councillor, Mr A. Hollamby on 30th August 2025; PKF Littlejohn External Auditor noted the Exemption from review; LCC Healthy Lifestyle consultation until 3rd December 2025; ELIF Grassroots Grant funding; Community Orchard Offer; email request from a resident to spend money on the old petrol station; email from the Play Area Committee not successful for a large grant and indicating they would like to seek a grant from the parish council; Public rights of way asset survey – volunteers sought; email from the Community Resilience Officer asking if the parish has an emergency plan; YMCA Community Development brochure; proposals for the re-organisation of County and District Councils in Lincolnshire.

• Councillors expressed condolences on hearing about the loss of former Cllr Hollamby.
• The Play Area Committee appointment will replace former Cllr Mersh with Cllr Rodgers if no other councillor wants to take up the role. 
• Councillors noted that four councillors/residents in the village would need to lead the village Community Resilience Emergency Plan.  

FGP21/25. Planning

a)       S/114/00477/23 - MEMORIAL LAWN, MAIN STREET, MAREHAM LE FEN, PE22 7RL - Outline erection of 2no. dwellings – ELDC decision – approved.

b)       02415/25/FUL - Planning Permission - Change of use, conversion of and extension and alterations to existing music hall to form a dwellinghouse - The Band Hut, School Lane, Mareham Le Fen. PE22 7QB – MLFPC Supported – to note ELDC decision APPROVED.

c)       S/114/00230/25 - LAND ADJACENT CROESO MAIN STREET MAREHAM LE FEN - Section 73 application to vary condition no. 1 (approved plans), condition no. 4 (landscaping), condition no. 5 (surface water drainage scheme) and condition no. 7 (surface water drainage management) previously imposed on planning permission reference S/114/01741/22 for the for the erection of 30no. dwellings. No comment.

d)       National Grid consultations on the proposed route of pylons Grimsby to Walpole 140km route – second consultation ended 6th August 2025.  https://www.nationalgrid.com/the-great-grid-upgrade/grimsby-to-walpole/our-proposals - the Committee noted the proposals.

e)       02040/25/FED - Diversion of public footpath no. 178. Footpath From Birkwood Development Site and along Main Street Mareham Le Fen Lincolnshire – No comment.

FGP22/25.  To approve Financial Regulations and Standing Orders.

Paper draft copies were distributed and add to Parish Council agenda to consider.  

FGP23/25. To consider and approve financial matters

1. To approve expenditure on the payments schedule.

RESOLVED to approve the payments schedule.

2. To note the bank statement balances and bank reconciliation.

RESOLVED to note the following balances: Current Account £10,897.48 and Deposit account £24,490.96 as of today’s date.

c) To consider amendments to the bank account signature mandate.

Deferred until all co-options completed.

d) To consider regular payments list.

RESOLVED following review to approve the following regular payments under paragraph 5.6 Financial Regulations by Direct Debit, BACs, cheque and Bank Transfer; • Lincoln Diocese and Finance Board Ltd – six-monthly rent £575 • Salary Costs – employment contract • NEST Pensions – employment contract • HMRC – statutory employment contract costs • Giffgaff – Direct Debit £8 a month. • Anglian Water Business Services Ltd – variable direct debit quarterly metered water supply • Welton Garden Services – grass/hedge-cutting contract for Mareham le Fen village • Cloudnext – domain name and .gov.uk email accounts – direct debit annually (£120) • ICO – annually direct debit variable (£52) • Mareham le Fen Village Hall – Room Hire for meetings (amounts variable) • Witham Fourth Internal Drainage Board – drainage rates – cheque or direct debit • ESET.com – anti-virus and recovery software – direct debit/ debit card (£110) • Institute Cemetery and Crematorium Management – annual subscription • Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils – Annual subscription and annual training scheme

FGP24/25. Highways

a) To consider any highway, footpath and FixMyStreet issues

The Committee noted that one of the new poles for the Speed Indicator Devices had been damaged and it had been reported on FixMyStreet registered number: 2858514.  The following issues were also raised;

- microsurfacing on footpaths toward Birkwood estate were blown quite badly and the contractor needed to come back and sort it out

- gaps in roads and the curbs was allowing weeds to settle in. 

- road white lining on the Main Street was poor and needs redoing. 

- more passive speed signs are needed. 

- can speed signs be obtained for residents to add to their bins?

- a pedestrian island or defined crossing place is needed as more children are coming from the new estates to the shop and for school buses and this would increase safety. 

- can tactile surfaces be added to the footpaths at defined crossing points near the shop and the fish and chip shop.

- the footpath from Mareham le Fen to Revesby was still in poor condition and needs some work to make it usable by all users.  Those with pushchairs, mobility scooters, wheelchairs and poor mobility found it impossible to use. 

- Would the County Councillor arrange a walk around the village with the Highways Officer so the issues can be discussed?

b) To consider littering issues around the bench on Fen Lane.

The Clerk explained that the location of the bench was precisely where LCC highways allowed it to avoid problems with underground utilities and it had been firmly secured so the bench could not be removed. RESOLVED to request ELDC to provide a bin next to the bench. 

3. To consider any grass-cutting issues.

There were no grass-cutting issues other than a couple of householders who had requested not to have their roadside verge cut.  The Clerk reported those to LCC. 

d) To consider the placing of a noticeboard at St Helens Church by the PCC.

The committee noted this.  LCC Highways had to approve if it was going on the highway or public footpath.

FGP25/25. Co-option

Deferred to full council meeting.

FGP26/25.  Training Bookings to be approved.

Noted.  Training Bulletin is being emailed directly to councillors.  Bookings through the Clerk. New Councillor Induction courses available regularly online.

FGP27/25. To consider Terms of Reference for Parish Council Commoittes and membership appointments

Draft copies were distributed and deferred to next meeting.

FGP28/25. To consider purchase of a wreath and attendance at the Remembrance Day Service.

RESOLVED that a donation for a wreath be made to Royal British Legion not exceeding £40 (if the Clerk had to order it online). The Remembrance Day service would take place on 9th November at 10.45am at St Helens Church.  Councillors did not think they could attend this year due to other commitments.

FGP29/25. To consider attendance for East Lindsey Community Leaders meeting 21st October 12noon and online meeting for Martyn’s Law on 21st October 12noon.

Clerk circulated the invitations. Councillors noted the meetings.

FGP30/25. To consider tree work in the Church Yard.

The Clerk was awaiting further details in case a faculty was required so item was deferred if it was needed. Cllr Rodgers explained that there may be some ‘free’ assistance from ‘Social Value’ schemes.

FGP31/25. To update situation with the defibrillator in Tumby Woodside and those in the village. 

RESOLVED the Clerk will get the Tumby Woodside defibrillator registered onto The Circuit and carry out regular checks as specified.  As Cllr Thomas was not present it was not known if the work to the other defibrillators had progressed.

FGP32/25. To consider and update on cemetery matters.

The Clerk will be creating a separate email account for cemetery enquiries. 

The Clerk reported that the vandalism reported to the stand pipe in the Cemetery had been fixed by a plumber costing nearly £470 and a further leak of £45 plus water lost had cost £150 but was estimated to be another £350 in the next bill.  The Parish Council had not insured the cemetery so it had not been possible to claim to cover the cost.

Funds had been built up in earmarked reserves to be able to undertake the necessary planning application, fencing and physical work to the new cemetery extension.  This had not been progressed while the Council was inquorate. Cllr Rodgers suggested some work might be undertaken through the Social Value route in due course.    

FGP33/25. To receive an update on the old petrol pump in the village following correspondence received from a member of the public.

Cllr Robinson had made enquiries into this and the householder responsible for it had been thinking through their plans how to preserve it. 

FGP34/25. To consider items to be added to the next meeting Parish Council agenda.

RESOLVED to amend the meeting date to Tuesday 18th November 2025 with public participation starting at 7.15pm.

• State of the land next to Birkwood Estate now planning permission not granted and the state of the land on Croeso where work is not started yet.
• Appointment of internal auditor 2025-26.
• Terms of Reference for Parish Council Committees and membership appointments.

Meeting ended 10pm.