2025 Minutes

Great Hale Parish Council

Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting 

Held on Monday 13th May 2024 at Hale Magna Village Hall, Great Hale

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Present:    Cllr N. Turner (Chairman)
Cllr G Cooke MBE (Vice-Chair)
Cllr M. Barnatt
Cllr J. Cope
Cllr N Dady
Cllr L Mountain

District Councillor C Collard

In attendance: Mrs Tracy Cooke (Clerk & RFO) and members of the public.
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1.    Apologies:     Cllr A Broom
District Councillor S Tarry

2.    Welcome Address by the Chairman of Great Hale Parish Council and report on Parish Council Activities during the past year.

A year of Great Hale Parish Council 2024-25

Councillor Turner welcomed all to the Annual Parish Meeting 2025 and thanked them for attending.  

He then continued to report the following: 

The work of the Parish Council has continued through 2024/25 thanks to the Parish Councillors who give up their time freely to attend meetings and complete other works for the benefit of the Parish. The Council has been ably supported by our Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer Tracy Cooke. As Chairman I would like to thank my fellow Councillors and the Clerk for all their hard work over the past year.
Apart from the normal activities of running the Parish Council the following has also taken place over the past 12 months:
Orchard Park.
We have continued to strive to improve this facility for the enjoyment of all Great Hale Residents. To this effect a new 8-seater bench and table has been added, for which the majority of funding came from CIL monies (which was monies received from additional development in the Parish).
A lottery grant funding application has been successfully submitted by the Clerk for the addition of a Trim Trail in the park, and we look forward to its installation in the near future.
The new grass cutting contractor took over this year and has carried out his contracted works to a very high standard. 
Councillors continue to regularly inspect the Park and carry out required maintenance work.

Church Yard.
Work on the Walnut Tree in the Churchyard was completed this year by a specialist tree care contractor, which had been identified as been required in the previous year. This year a survey of all the trees in the Church Yard was carried out by specialist, and quotes were obtained for the recommended work, which has been recently carried out.
A Grant from North Kesteven District Council of £3000 was obtained for repointing a section of the church yard wall on Church Street.
The Parish Council also maintains the Parish Clock in the Church Tower. I would also like to thank the village clock winder for keeping the clock ticking.

Other Activities.
There was a remembrance at the War memorial with Little Hale PC & Burial Board for D Day which was attended by several Councillors, as well as attendance and wreath laying for Remembrance Day service at the Parish Church.

We continue to contribute towards the Burial Board which is a shared cost with Little Hale.
NKDC award the PC a grant to fund equipment and supplies for the village litter pickers. We would like to thank the litter pickers who are all volunteers and keep our village tidy.
We continue to support Heckington Area Car Service as they have provided a valuable asset for Parishioners requiring transport for medical appointments.

Councillors have undertaken maintenance work on trees in the village as well as helping with the Churchyard tidy up.
The village speed sign has been placed around the village and data downloaded and passed on to the Road Safety Partnership and the Police as appropriate.

Thank you, to everyone who volunteers or helps in anyway within the Parish.

Nicholas Turner
Great Hale Parish Council Chairman.
    

     3.    Minutes of the last meeting held on 13th May 2024

Following a vote it was unanimously resolved that the notes of the meeting held on 13th May 2024 be approved and signed as minutes.

4.    Presentations and Reports from Community Groups:

i.    To receive Great Hale Charities Report – Mr T Doyle
See Appendix A
ii.    To receive Great Hale & Little Hale Burial Board Report – Cllr M Barnatt
See Appendix B
iii.    To receive Churchwarden’s report – St John the Baptist, Great Hale – Mrs E Huckle (read by the Clerk)
See Appendix C

    5.    Invitation to public for suggestions on potential projects within Great Hale

There were no suggestions from the member of the public.  

      6.    Open discussion / new ideas

        Nothing was forthcoming.

Chairman thanked all for attending and closed the meeting at 7.18pm

Annex A
Great Hale Annual Parish Meeting
Great Hale Charities Secretary’s report May 2025
Three Relief in Need grants compared to four last year and at a lower quantum (£999.00 compared to £1,044.95). Three education grants paid at £550.00 compared to none last year. 
Payments exceeded income by £ 847.44 compared to £ 1,799.49 last year. 
The total of all the Charity funds stands at £ 17,190.11 compared to £18,037.55 last year. 
The new tenancy is now signed and operational. The Heff Crofts/Town Grounds and Educational Foundation Accounts have been reviewed and signed off by the auditor. There were no dealings with the Charity Commissioners apart from the submission of the annual returns. 
 

Christmas payments at a total of £6,300 (About 16 thanks from recipients)
 
Land rents - All paid up to date at present 
Thomas Doyle 
Secretary/Treasurer 
5th May 2025  

Annex B
Great Hale Annual Parish Meeting
GREAT HALE AND LITTLE HALE BURIAL BOARD
Annual report from Cllr Broom, Chairman of Hale Magna & Hale Parva Burial Committee read by Cllr Barnatt 2024/25

BACKGROUND. 
Parish Councils have responsibility for burial of the dead, but in the 1890s of Great Hale and Little Hale formed a Burial Board for this purpose who report to each parish annually. 

2024-25
During 2024-25, the Board agreed to investigate setting up a Charitable Incorporated Organisation to regularise the constitution and will present to the Charity Commission within the next few months.  During the past year there were 2 burials and 1 headstone erected.

The main challenge this year was when the regular grass cutting contractor resigned in April after only 2 cuts. With the generous support of both Great Hale and Little Hale Parish Councils, a new contractor was sourced, but not until 1st April 2025.  In the meanwhile, the Trustees undertook the task of all cutting and maintenance for the remainder of the season.  
The Board very much appreciates the financial support it received from both Great Hale and Little Hale Parish Councils towards securing the new contract.

Annex C

Great Hale Annual Parish Meeting

Annual Report from Mrs E Huckle, Churchwarden of St John the Baptist Church, Great Hale (read by The Clerk in Mrs Huckle’s absence)

Firstly, I would like to say that the old wall is much improved at Church and gradually as it is being weathered it is looking good. The grass cutting has been admired so that is good news and the trees are looking better so thank you. These efforts don't just happen, as I know.

I can now report to you over a period of time which includes all last year I have had talks with North Kesteven District Council, the Diocese and others. The south roof and porch is struggling and failing to keep the rainfall out. When I first arrived several years ago there were always puddles of water in different places in Church. Some, with help from a local tiler, we have been able to resolve but others we have not. I have been concerned about the timbers particularly as we are finding water in the vestry. I understand from a member of our congregation it had been a problem for over 20 years. There were discussions about the south roof before I arrived at the Church.

Consequently, the PCC has now confirmed that they are happy with the Architect's plans for the south roof. We are going to have a terne coated steel south roof  with solar panels which will support our electricity and help us financially.  We cannot go on as we are and we are hoping to get grants to enable us to do this. It has been hard work to get to this stage and I will meet the Architect this week. Revd. Stephen Huckle will be applying for grants. It is early days and of course we will be paying for the Architect's fees initially. Hence our efforts to fund raise at Church. If all goes well it will take 4 to 6 months to complete and our Architect feels we will be able to keep the Church open whilst work is proceeding. Nothing just happens, as an awful lot of work has gone into this already.

The Church has had more people come to worship over the last year so we are obviously very happy about this. We have different types of worship which is helping people. Chatty Cafe continues and has moved to the hall where it is warmer. Interestingly the heating after the last works is much improved so that will last us for a while longer but the south roof is essential which will help to make us much warmer, and not so many draughts. A few of us carry on with New U and we have now started a Tuesday Cafe which has worked extremely well. We have a great team and we feel we are serving the community in a way which involves all ages. I have ensured financial support for the heating at Church for the Tuesday Cafe through the Bishop's Social Justice Fund.

We now have ensured the servicing of the Bells in Church. It looks as if we will get some support with this. We do not have a bell ringing team but I am making enquiries for the future. The bells in themselves are in good condition. The new floor in the tower has obviously enabled us to get support.

I know many of the people at Church are involved in lots of events and there is growing together of different Christian backgrounds which is really pleasing and indeed people who are not Christians but feel part of the future for Great Hale Church. On the other hand we have growing faith and knowledge in our regular Bible study group which has inspired us all to keep going. Fundamentally it is a sacred building for all and we must respect it as such.

I know we all would like to thank the Parish Council for the support we have been given.

Elaine Huckle

Churchwarden