2026-27 Minutes

GREAT GONERBY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES (262717)

Monday 1 June 2026 at 7.15pm - Great Gonerby Memorial Hall

Council Members present:

Cllr Ginny Beckett (GB) (Vice-Chair)       Cllr Karen Morrell (KM)       Cllr Mike Beckett (MB)

Cllr Mike Davis (MD)                                       Cllr Tina Knight (TK)               Cllr Sarah Gray (SG)                                      

Caroline Marion (CM)  - RFO/Burials/Grants & Proper Officer – In Attendance

(Standing in as Clerk)

Public Forum:

No members of the public were present.

Great Gonerby Parish Council meeting commenced at 7.25pm

Before the Parish Council meeting began it was:          

Resolved: That, in the absence of the Chair, Cllr Ginny Beckett (Vice-Chair) would chair the meeting.

Resolved:  Caroline Marion would act as clerk during this meeting.

1. Apologies for Absence
Resolved to receive and accept apologies, agreed by all.

Marci Neal

Arlayna Bennett (Clerk)              

2. Declarations of Interest and Requests for Dispensation

No declarations of interest or requests for dispensation were received.

3. Developer Presentation / Engagement

To receive a presentation from Edmond Harcourt regarding potential future development proposals within the Parish and to allow Members to ask questions for information purposes only.

• – new date to be arranged by Clerk     (AB)

4. Co-option
To consider the application for co-option to the Parish Council.

       None received.

5. Chair’s Report

Given by GB following the resignation of the Chair.

Clerk to organise EOM to enable elections to take place asap.              (AB)

6. Minutes

To approve and sign the APCM minutes of the meeting held on 13th May 2026.

a. Resolved: To approve the minutes for the Annual Parish Council meeting on

13 May 2026 as a true record.

       b)    Deferred:  Approval of Minutes of the Annual Parish meeting held on 13 May

7.  Finances & Burials – RFO / Proper Officer

       a)    To receive the Financial Report.

Budget:   Review of budgets undertaken by RFO to be discussed in closed session.

                    Budget to be uploaded to website once approved.

Reserves:  Remain the same as given at last PC meeting on 13 May 2026.

Direct Debits:  Only one for Mobile/£7.00 per month.

Electric box at Pinfold – installation deferred due to budget constraints.

Bank Corporate Administrator – K Davey permissions withdrawn.

Working on raising A Bennett as Clerk to CA.

This will mean two Corporate Administrators, RFO and Clerk, and 4 payment authorisers as per our Financial Regulations.  CM.

b) To approve the bank reconciliations and bank receipts for May 2026 (Circulated)

                       Current account:   £13,487.69               Events:                         £2739.13

                      30 Day account:         £4739.24               95 Day account:   £28,493.17

Resolved: All bank reconciliations for May approved (unanimously)

c) To approve staff BACS payments (circulated prior).

     Total of May net salaries:  £2372.75 excl pension, NI & taxes

Resolved: All salaries for May approved (unanimously)

d) To approve BACS payments (circulated prior to meeting).

 Resolved: All payments and Direct Debit for May approved (unanimously)

All bank reconciliations, payments, receipts, transfers and supporting documents are on website or a copy can be requested from the clerk.

e) To consider contractor quotations requiring authorisation. 

      None to be considered.

f) To receive an update on Hill Top Cemetery.

     Hill Top Cemetery: 

     Plaque in ashes area pushed & family very upset – visits taken place every 2/3 days to    

     monitor situation for several weeks.

     NO CCTV footage as only able to view for two weeks.

     CM suggested the CCTV is raised so we can see the cemetery? 

     To be discussed at next meeting.                                                                                                    AB

  g/h) To receive an update on St Sebastian’s Cemetery.

        St Sebastians Cemetery:

        5 headstones re-erected as all signage and tape had been removed. New inspection    

        carried out on 26.5.26 & laid back down due to H & S concerns.  Thank you given to

        GB & MB for their assistance in the inspection.

 8.    Staffing Committee

a) To consider and approve the carry forward of 5 days annual leave for the Clerk and RFO, in respect of the 2025/26 leave year due to limited opportunity to take leave prior to the end of the financial year following commencement of employment in January 2026.

Resolved:  To accept the 5 days holidays to be carried forward to 2026/27 holidays for Clerk and RFO (unanimous).

      9.    Highways Update - Cllr Ken Bamford

              Cllr Bamford explained the Annual full Council meeting had taken place with no

              Committee changes and he remains as Chief Whip.

              He requested that the PC promote the use of ‘Fix my Street’ to the parishioners as

              it provides updates to users at each stage.

              Once the new portal is on line the Council will be able to see reports on the  

              progress of the work and obtain various reports.

              Belvoir Gardens (via Clerk direct to Cllr Bamford) – request that this be submitted

              via the  ‘Fix my Street’ portal.

              Local Government proposals now submitted.   Response expected in July 2026.  

              Information will be provided on which proposal has been accepted.  Changes

              may be put in place 2028 but there are no timescales at present. 

             Green Street: Yellow no parking lines still not in place.  Cllr Bamford agreed to

             chase this up.

             Green Street/Pond Street: One way system still under review.  Cllr Bamford to

             chase this up.

            30 MPH Roundals:  GB said this was agreed by previous Councillor Alex……

             Copy of email/information to be sent to Cllr Bamford by Clerk and to go onto

             ‘Fix my Street’.  When email received from Clerk he will chase up again.          (AB)      

             Belton Lane Traffic Lights:  Request for completion date.  Cllr Bamford said this is

             not within his area but would try to obtain the information.

      10.    Policy Updates

a) To consider and adopt  the additional points on the Data Breach Policy.

Resolved :  Changes accepted unanimously. 

Policy to be uploaded onto website.                                                                                      (AB)

  11.   Project Updates

a) To consider hosting a LALC Councillor Refresher Training session at Gonerby Memorial Hall and inviting neighbouring parish councils.

Deferred:  To be discussed at next PC meeting                                           

b) To receive and note the Events Working Group update.

Copy of minutes to be sent to Clerk.                                                                       (SG)

SG gave a brief overview  including – inflatables booked, food vendors organised, raffle, entertainment programme agreed, 5 stalls interested – booking fee to be paid, all PL insurance copies received, First Aiders organised, first aid kits to be made available.

KM compiled a folder with all collated information.

                    Stall holders list to be given to CM who will confirm to events when paid. (TK)

                    Generator to be stored in KM’s shed.  Arrangements for collection via Clerk.

                    Advertising will be done in next few weeks including  ‘cash only’.

                    Cash floats to be made available before 25 July.

                    Card machine looked into by SG and decided not to take forward.

                    Events committee confirmed all on schedule for 9 August.

c) To receive an update on the Solar Farm (Cllr KD).

      Visit on 26 June – reduction of numbers to be confirmed) .                          (AB)

d) Emergency Plan Update:

GB gave an update on the booklet being produced by MD which is nearly ready for circulating.

CM explained that the £500 for printing was not available due to budgets and would be discussed in the closed session.  She also explained the position of the PC as follows:

The PC has no Statutory Duty: Parish and town councils are not "first responders" and have no legal obligation to plan for, respond to, or recover from major emergencies. These statutory duties fall to principal authorities (e.g., district and county councils) and the emergency services

Please note an EP plan does not fall within the Parishes remit currently.

Should this be a requirement by the Government the PC will be informed.

Due to the budget constraints the donation of £500 is to be reviewed.

CM explained that once we received the second tranche of the precept in October the donation would be made available as a ‘one off donation’.

e) Environmental Updates:
    i. To receive a Tree Inspection update and plans for inspection.

    GB explained that an inspection had been carried out with the help of KM

    and TK and thanked them both for their assistance.  A full report will be given to    

    the Clerk once complete with all recommendations.                                           (GB)

    ii. To receive an update on Millennium Wood.

         GB gave an overview of recommended work to be carried out.

         Full report will be Included in the tree inspection report.                                 (GB)

               iii. To consider budget provision and receive an update regarding planters and       

          planting. 

          Modified planters to be left till next year.  GB to visit Jeff Thompson to

          explain as we will not be purchasing plants this year.                                      (GB)                                                

f) Memorial Hall Matters:
    i. To consider access arrangements in relation to CCTV.

        MH have requested that it come under the wing of the two Proper Officers.

        Deferred: Discussion to take place at next PC meeting
    ii. To consider keyholding and access requests.  Suggested 2 Proper Officers.

         Deferred: Discussion to take place at next PC meeting
 

g) To receive an update on the Council’s defibrillators (x3) – RFO.

              Defibrillators:  (3 on Asset Register) 

               2 on contracts – Renews every 4 years 

               Telephone Box contract ends June 26 cost £196

               Church View contract ends Sept 26 cost £196

            Memorial Hall – no contract –  Proposed should  go onto contract October 2026

• Pads replacements in June £68.00
• Battery  in September £360  
• Unable to go onto contract now & will need to wait until after battery replaced – then 3 year contract at £196/yr

Total spend currently £820  before October 2026.  Budget increased to £1000 to cover costs.

Resolved:  To pay for the £68.00 for the pads in June when invoice received.

Deferred:   Decision to be made on all other costs at next PC meeting.

h) Maintenance:
    i. To consider allocation of responsibilities between volunteer groups and   

        contracted services.

        Deferred:  To be discussed at next meeting

  ii. To consider quotations for the appointment of a maintenance contractor.

         Deferred: To be discussed at next PC meeting.

i) To receive the Clerk’s report, including guidance on communication protocols between Proper Officers and Councillors.

Deferred:  To be given at next PC meeting

j) AGAR:  To note arrangements relating to the Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) and engagement with the external auditor taking place on 5 June

Following the audit a full report will be circulated to the PC and uploaded onto

the website.  The following was read to all Councillors. Now on website/noticeboard

Any person has the right to inspect and make copies of the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records will be made available for inspection by any person interested. For the year ended 31 March 2026, these documents will be available on reasonable notice by application via the RFO from       3 June to 14 July 2026.

12. Exclusion of Press and Public
Resolved that under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, the press and public be excluded unanimously.

Closed session:

13.   Confidential item – Budget/cashflow:

A new budget was circulated and discussed.

               Resolved: To accept the proposed budget unanimously.

Discussion on cash flow for next 3 months prior to receipt of precept.

Resolved: Acceptance of the recommendations for bank transfers to current account were agreed unanimously.

Meeting closed at 9.00pm

Next meeting:   6 July 2026