October DRAFT Minutes
Great Hale Parish Council
Notes taken at Parish Council Meeting held on
Monday, 5th October 2026 at 7pm at Hale Magna Village Hall
Present: Councillor G Cooke MBE (Vice-Chairman)
Councillor A Broom
Councillor L Mountain
Councillor M Spittles
District Councillor C Collard (North Kesteven District Council)
Apologies: Councillor M Barnatt
Councillor N Dady
Councillor N Turner (Chairman)
County Councillor D East (Lincolnshire County Council)
District S Tarry (North Kesteven District Council)
In attendance: Mrs Tracy Cooke – (Parish Clerk & RFO)
Public Forum
The Public Forum Opened at 7.00pm
There was 1 member of the public present.
The member of the public said that he had sent to the clerk some information on weight limits for vehicles over bridges.
He continued to say that buses were less frequent, partly, he thinks because of the road closure in Swaton.
The Chairman closed the Public Open Forum at 7.03pm
The Chairman opened the Parish Council meeting at 7.03pm
Official Business of the Council
1. Chairman’s Welcome (26/90)
The Vice-Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked everyone for attending.
2. Apologies (26/91)
Apologies were received and accepted from Cllrs Dady, Barnatt and Turner. Apologies were noted from CC East and DC Tarry.
3 Previous meeting held on Monday 7th September 2026 (26/92)
It was unanimously agreed that the draft minutes from the meeting held on 7th September 2026 were a true record. The Vice-Chairman duly signed the minutes.
4. To receive declarations of interests (26/93)
Cllr Cooke - Item 10 & 13
5. Clerk’s Report (26/94)
Planning objection submitted
AGAR certification on board and website
Police and crime survey completed
Toilet survey completed
Posted JBC letter
Chased Kompan
Meeting with fencing contractor with Chairman
Reply to Parishioner re grants
LCC Grants
6. To receive reports from County and District councillors (26/95)
DC Collard wanted to discuss planned mergers for Lincolnshire Hospitals and Community. A plan to merge hospital and community trusts in Lincolnshire will create one NHS organisation. Details can be found on the Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board NHS website Lincolnshire.icb.nhs.uk. Shaping our community and hospital services ‘Have your say’. A survey can be completed involving residents, clinical staff and service users through accessing the above website.
The Vice-Chairman reminded the member of the public regarding speaking in the meeting.
Cllr Broom stated that the Gables building site is in an awful state. Previously DC Tarry had approached the Enforcement team. DC Collard said that she would pass this on to DC Tarry.
Cllr Broom continued to say that on social media it is advertised that recycling centre will require an appointment to go. When he had been to the dump, workers on site didn’t know. DC Collard said that she would find out and email the Clerk. Cllr Broom was concerned that there is a lack of communication between County and the recycling centre.
Action: Clerk to advertise the hospital merger information. Clerk to email DC Tarry.
7 Planning Applications (26/96)
(7.1) Planning Application Reference:
Planning Application Reference: 26/0970/OUT
Proposal: Outline application for the erection of 1 no dwelling - all matters reserved.
Location: 51 Heckington Road Great Hale Sleaford Lincolnshire NG34 9JT
Planning Application Reference: 26/1129/FUL
Proposal: Retrospective planning permission for a garden summerhouse for the proposed use of dog grooming
Location: Grove Lodge 9A Grove Street Great Hale Sleaford Lincolnshire
These applications were discussed. The Parish Council’s concerns remain the same for 51 Heckington Road.
There were no objections for 9A Grove Street.
Action: To re-submit our concerns
8 Highway matters for discussion and resolution
(8.1) Highways (26/97)
Cllr Mountain reported the passing places towards Great Hale Fen had deep potholes and were dangerous.
Cllr Cooke said that he would photograph them and submit a Fix my Street.
(9) Joint Burial Committee Update (26/98)
A request was received from a former resident about a refund of a plot reservation.
Chattertons have asked for £30 for the Land Registry, which the JBC Clerk is planning to contest.
Cllr Broom proposed the £30 in case she wasn’t successful. It was unanimously resolved to approve the £30 payment.
10 Finance matters
Bank Statements
(10.1) To approve the September 2026 bank reconciliation and spend to date.(26/99)
Council approved the September 2026 bank reconciliations and acknowledged the spend to date.
(10.2) To approve accounts for payment (26/100)
It was unanimously resolved to approve all accounts for payment.
11 Orchard Green for discussion and resolution
(11.1) To receive an update on Orchard Green Inspections (26/101)
Cllr Turner had inspected the park in September. There was no update as he was absent.
Action: Next month – Cllr Cooke
12 Other matters
(12.1) AGAR Digital training (Clerk)
The Clerk explained that 2027’s AGAR will be digital. She asked Councillors to approve £40 to pay for an online Clerk’s training course.
It was unanimously resolved to approve the payment for the Clerk’s course.
(12.2) Policies (26/83)
Cllr Broom said that he was working through the Financial Regulations. He felt that there was a lot of detail in the current NALC based policy that wasn’t relevant to our small council.
Action: Cllr Broom and the Clerk to complete the overhaul.
(12.3) LCC Grant funding (26/84)
CC East had made Councillors and the Clerk aware of some grant funding from the County Council at the last meeting. The Clerk has applied for grant funding.
(12.4) Park fencing (26/85)
The Clerk, with the Chairman, met with a Contractor to obtain another quote to repair the park fencing. The Clerk is now waiting for his quote.
(12.5) Park grass seeding (26/86)
Cllr Cooke bought some grass seed for the park last year to repair patches on the football pitch at the park. He passed the seed to the grass cutting contractor who has laid the seed.
(12.6) Buses (26/87)
The Clerk has contacted local clerks regarding the demand for buses through the villages. She is awaiting responses.
To resolve to go into closed session in accordance with the Public Bodies (admission to meetings) Act 1960 due to the confidential nature of the business to be discussed in relation to HR and pay matters.
It was unanimously resolved to move into closed session.
The Vice-Chairman closed the meeting and opened the closed session at 7.46pm.
(13) NALC annual pay scales (wef 1.4.26) (26/88)
Following the Clerk’s review last month, her new spinal point was agreed. She has completed the CiLCA qualification. There is some back pay to be paid – these details were circulated to Councillors by email and printed.
The back pay and new spinal point were discussed and agreed by the 3 Councillors able to vote. 2 of the absent Councillors are on the HR committee who led the Clerk’s review last month. In the absence of a quorate vote, it was proposed that the Clerk should receive the back pay and move to the spinal point discussed by the HR committee. Details of this should be circulated to absent Councillors for agreement.
Cllr Broom proposed that he would set up the payment for October with one other Councillor approving the payment, instead of the Clerk.
(13) Future agenda items (26/89)
(13.1) Policies update
(13.2) LCC Funding
(13.3) Park fence
(14) Date and place of next meeting (26/90)
Monday 2nd November 2026 @ 7.00pm in Hale Magna Village Hall.
The Vice-Chairman thanked all for attending. He closed the Parish Council meeting at 7.52pm