2026 Minutes of Meetings

Minutes of Mareham le Fen Parish Council meeting 20th May 2026 at 7.30pm held at Mareham le Fen Community Centre

Present: Cllrs D.Walby (Chair), M.Walby, O.Marshall, N.Marshall, H. Poulton

Not Present: Cllr C.Robinson.

Clerk: A. Everard

Members of Public present: One

54/26. Election of Chair of Mareham le Fen Parish Council for 2026-27 civic year and signing the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

RESOLVED to elect Cllr D.Walby as the Chair and he signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

55/26. Election of Vice Chair of Mareham le Fen Parish Council for 2026-27 civic year

RESOLVED to elect Cllr H.Poulton as the Vice Chair.

56/26.  Apologies for absence with reason given

RESOLVED to approve Cllr Robinson’s absence with a good reason.

57/26.  Declaration of Members’ interests in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and requests for dispensations.

Declared Cllrs M.Walby and H.Poulton as on management committee of the Community Centre for items relating to minute 61b.  Requests for dispensation to debate and vote were made and proposed by Cllr Poulton, seconded Cllr O.Marshall and unanimously RESOLVED to approve.

58/26. To receive the draft minutes to be approved as the minutes of the meeting held on 18th March 2026.

Proposed Cllr D.Walby, seconded Cllr O.Marshall unanimously RESOLVED to adopt.  

59/26. Matters arising from the minutes of 18th March 2026 and Clerk’s updates not already on this agenda.

Minute 50/26 - the Clerk advised that further work will be undertaken on the Risk Register for review later in the year.

60/26. ELDC and LCC councillors invited by the Chair to make verbal or written reports on local matters.

Lincolnshire County Councillor Roberts reported that the drainage works at Chapel Lane were completed. He was seeking updates on loose drainage covers and potholes identified in the village. Summer roadworks were now underway.  He also advised that LCC had allocated £3000 per county councillor to support their local communities and a central fund to support larger community projects. 

61/26. Planning matters

Parish Council noted,

a) 00038/26/RVC - Former Mareham Le Fen Village Hall Main Street Mareham Le Fen PE22 7RW - Section 73 application to vary condition no. 3 (approved plans) and to remove condition no.4 (public highway alterations) previously approved under Outline Planning Permission ref. no. S/114/01098/22 for the erection of a bungalow (with access, landscaping, layout and scale to be considered) existing building on site to be demolished.

Parish Council: Objected

ELDC: Approved.

b) 00692/26/FUL - Planning Permission - Installation of outdoor play equipment. Mareham Le Fen Community Centre Horncastle Road Mareham Le Fen Lincolnshire PE22 7QL

Proposed Cllr M.Walby, seconded Cllr O.Marshall unanimously RESOLVED to SUPPORT with no comments.

c) Enforcement case EC/00136/26 - Site Location: Land East Of Sheraton, Main Street, Mareham Le Fen, Lincolnshire, Nature of Investigation: Untidy Land.

ELDC Decision – not in breach of planning control at the current time.

Councillors were disappointed that ELDC were not tackling the poor state of the land beside the new Gleeson Estate. They debated collating more evidence and the Clerk will submit to ELDC Enforcement when ready.   

d) 00688/26/FUL - Eastern Green Link 3 (EGL 3) and Eastern Green Link 4 (EGL 4) and Grimsby to Walpole - Targeted Statutory Consultation under Section 42 of the Planning Act 2008

Proposed Cllr Poulton, seconded Cllr O.Marshall and unanimously RESOLVED to OBJECT. No comments.

62/26. Highway, footpath, and drainage matters affecting the parish.

a) To note the location of bins in the village and consider any location changes.

After debate councillors proposed to seek to move the bin from Revesby Corner, request a bin at the Gleeson’s Estate side of the village, another to be located at the Jubillee bench, Fen Lane opposite the shop and seek another near the Jubillee bench located on Church Walk. Proposed Cllr N.Marshall, seconded Cllr Poulton and unanimously RESOLVED.

b) To consider any FixMyStreet local issues.

Current issues noted. 

c) To consider need for crossing places in the village.

LCC Highways had monitored and parish councillors had also monitored the number of people crossing the roads near the Watery Lane / Fen Lane junction but insufficient crossings (less than 6 people) took place to be able to justify further work on this issue.

d) To note the provision of the flood warning sensors in Mareham le Fen provided by Lincolnshire County Council and promoting residents sign-up.

Councillors noted that there were 3 and a further two were requested at the Annual Parish Meeting.  LCC were going to investigate this possibility.

e) To consider proposal under Highways Act 1980, Section 119 Diversion of part of Public Footpath 178 Mareham Le Fen. East Lindsey District Council have recently made the above public path diversion order.

Proposed Cllr Poulton, seconded Cllr O.Marshall unanimously RESOLVED to SUPPORT.

63/26. Financial Matters

a) To consider payments on the payments schedule

Proposed Cllr N.Marshall, seconded Cllr O.Marshall unanimously RESOLVED to pay.

b) To note bank balances and bank reconciliation.

The Clerk reported the balances and they were noted by the Council.

c) To consider the renewal for the parish council insurance policy with Zurich for £500.53 from 1st June 2026.

The policy schedule was reviewed and deemed suitable with sufficient cover as the Clerk reported the amendments made last year. Proposed Cllr N.Marshall, seconded Cllr D.Walby unanimously RESOLVED for the Clerk to make payment.

64/26. Defibrillators - To receive an update on the status of defibrillators in the village.

The Clerk reported that the defibrillator in Tumby Woodside was operational but urgently needs new pads costing £91+VAT and £10 carriage so were ordered from LIVES under his delegated powers. The Community Centre defibrillator battery is likely to need replacing later this financial year and is expected to cost £297.70 plus VAT and carriage. The Bowls Club has handed their defibrillator to the pub and its installation is awaited.  The defibrillator at the school is maintained by the school.

65/26. Co-options - To consider applications for co-option to become a parish councillor on Mareham le Fen Parish Council in accordance with the Co-option procedure.

Two applications were considered in their absence: C.Poulsen and G.Fisher. Both had indicated they were eligible and not disqualified.  Proposed Cllr M.Walby, seconded Cllr H. Poulton unanimously RESOLVED to co-opt and the Declaration of Acceptance of Office should be completed by the time of the next ordinary meeting.

66/26. Committees

a) To approve the Terms of Reference for the Finance and General Purposes Committee, the Cemetery Committee and Playing Field Committee.

b) To appoint councillors to each committee. 

Proposed Cllr N.Marshall, seconded Cllr M.Walby and unanimously RESOLVED to adopt the Finance and General Purposes Terms of Reference and all members of the council are appointed.

Proposed  Cllr O.Marshall, seconded Cllr H.Poulten and unanimously RESOLVED to adopt the Staffing and Employment Committee’s Terms of Reference.  Appointment of members deferred.

Proposed Cllr H.Poulten, seconded Cllr M.Walby and unanimously RESOLVED to adopt the Cemetery Committee Terms of Reference.  Appointment of members deferred.

The need for a Playing Field Committee was debated and seemed unlikely to be required. Deferred.  

67/26. Cemetery - To consider application for waiver of fees.

A request was considered and proposed by the Chair, seconded Cllr M.Walby unanimously RESOLVED to waive the fees on the grounds provided and the Clerk to notify family as soon as practicable. 

68/26. Events

a)Training Bookings to be approved.

Cllr D.Walby and Cllr H. Poulten to be booked onto the LALC Chairs Workshop.

b) LALC conference – 14th July 2026 9am – 4pm Epic Centre, Lincolnshire Showground - £45 per place.

No bookings requested.

15. Meeting dates and items for next agenda.

a) To consider the date of an extra ordinary meeting to receive the internal audit report and approve the Annual Governance and Accounting Return by 30th June 2026.

24th June 2026 7pm

b) To approve the dates of ordinary meetings for the 2026-27 civic year.

• Wednesday 15th July 2026
• Wednesday 16th September 2026
• Wednesday 18th November 2026
• Wednesday 20th January 2027
• Wednesday 17th March 2027
• Wednesday 19th May 2027 – Annual Parish Council Meeting

Annual Parish Meeting of Electors is expected to take place on 7th April 2026

Proposed by the Chair, seconded by Cllr O.Marshall unanimously approved and Community Centre rooms to be booked.

c) To consider items for the next ordinary meeting.

The next extraordinary meeting on 24th June 2026 will consider the Annual Governance and Accounting Return 2025-26.