2026 Minutes

Cllrs Present

Cllrs Not Present

Will Jenkins (WJ) (Chair)

David Busby (DB)

Will Stephens (WS)

Stuart Quinn (SQ)

Clerk

Bobby Neaum (BN)

Clare Cowen (CC)

Natasha Marshall (NM)

Minute Ref

Actions from This Meeting

Action By

Completed

3

ROI to be completed and returned to NKDC

NM to read Good Councillor Guide

Clerk to meet NM for induction if requested

NM

Clerk

√

4

Email to be sent to DB

Clerk

√

6

Clerk’s report to be included in the minutes of each meeting

Clerk

√

Clerk to type Minutes

Clerk

√

Report for AGM (Chair)

Chair

Clerk

8.1.3

Cemetery Monuments to be confirmed

Clerk

8.2

Highways to be asked to move school sign

Clerk

√

8.3

Repair/refurbishment of playpark

NM/CB

Playpark Planning

SQ

Flytipping to be reported - Fixmystreet

Clerk/NM

√

8.4

Old Defib – Martin Dales – ownership/status to be checked although not the responsibility of the PC

SQ

Clerk to obtain quotes for new Defib x 2

Clerk

√

Care Home to be contacted re: existing Defib

Clerk

Clerk to see who originally supplied the defib

Clerk

√

8.6

Trees to be planted in the woodland

Chair and Volunteers

8.7

Litter Picking Statement of Work to be sent out again with map

Clerk

√

Councillor to co-ordinate with VHC

SQ

8.9

Work to be undertaken on Bridge Trees and donation to be made subject to clarification

Chair

Clerk

8.10

Ownership of Land in Martin Dales to be identified

Chair

8.12.1

Container to be sourced for storing of soil in graveyard

Clerk

√

8.12.2

Christmas Tree to be removed

WJ

√

9.1

Payments due to be made

Clerk

√

1

Welcome and Public Session

Support requested to deal with trees infringing on the bridge

Potholes

1.3     Daffodils – Positive feedback from parishioner

Chair

2

District and County Councillor Remarks

None Present

3

Co-option

Parishioner Natasha Marshall had applied to be a Parish Councillor and had responded to the standard questions.

Agreed: Natasha was co-opted to the council.

Proposed:     WS                                        Seconded:      SQ

All agreed

NM signed the Acceptance of Office Form

Given the Good Councillor Guide

Given the ROI to be completed and sent to NKDC within one month.

Clerk offered to meet NM and any other Councillor to discuss the work of the Council in detail if requested.

Chair

4

Apologies

DB not present at the present for the 3rd meeting in a row.

Agreed:  Email to be sent to DB.

Clerk

5

Declarations of Interest

SQ - request for work on trees

WJ - LJ on the PCC Finance Committee

WS - Volunteer supporting VHC

CC - On the MATES committee

WJ – Purchase of additional land adjacent to his home

Chair

6

Previous Minutes

Clerk informed the meeting that the Clerk’s report should be included as part of future minutes.

Minutes of previous minutes 6th January 2025 to be approved and the November 2025 minutes also to be agreed.

It was agreed both minutes were an accurate record.

Proposed:     WS             Seconded:     SQ

All agreed

Chair

7

Planning

All planning notices included in the Clerk’s report and are available on line at the NKDC planning portal.

Chair

8

Parish and Business Items

8.1     Outstanding Actions from previous minutes

8.1.1 Declaration of Interest - All interests to be declared and PCs should not be involved in discussion or voting on that agenda item.

8.1.2 Moles and rabbits - NKDC have been contacted by the Chair about the moles and rabbits. They have not yet got back to him. WJ reported that the PCC have said they will pay half towards the graveyard of dealing with these in the graveyard and cemetery.

8.1.3 Cemetery Monuments

Signs had been put on the monuments requesting that parishioners contact the clerk with regard to future action.

Clarity to be sought on who is responsible for which monuments/gravestone in the PC cemetery.

Drapers have supplied a quote for the work.

8.2     Speeding

The new SID has now been fixed to the post. The PC think it has been placed too near the school warning sign. WJ confirmed the other SID is still be charged by the Parishioner.

Agreed:  Clerk to write to Highways to request the school sign is moved.

8.3     Play Park

8.3.1 Inspection - Inspected regularly and going well.

Thanks, given to NM.

Some repairs and tidying up to be done.

Agreed: Work to be followed up with Clerk and NM

8.3.2 Wooded area - looking good after work undertaken by DH.

8.3.3 Mugger/multi use games area - Suggestion that a grant should be sought as the cost could be up to £80,000.  WS had spoken to the headteacher and it is a project could be supported and used by the school.

The first stage is to put a planning application in for the two projects which will include initial plans/layout. It would be on the area currently the football pitch. Any future project would aim to offer something for all age groups.

A sub committee will need to be formed in the future.

Agreed:   SQ to apply for planning with plans

Proposed:   WS      Seconded:     NM

All agreed

8.4     Defib

NM now has 3 sets of pads.

There is a suggestion that the old defib is given to the home and the PC buys two new ones.

Agreed:   NM to contact the manufacturer of the SID to change the code. Clerk to check original supplier.

Clerk to write to care home to offer the defib.

Clerk to get quotes for new defibs and boxes for Martin and Martin Dales.

SQ to contact the company with the old defib on the wall.

8.5     Grounds Maintenance

All on going – daffodils will not be strimmed this year.

8.6     Woodland

WJ reported that new trees will not be needed as he has enough trees stored in his garden.

Trees are to be planted.

Agreed: Not to go for grant to buy further trees as WJ says we have enough. These are to be planted in the woodland

All agreed

8.6.1 WJ reported he had arranged for a ‘ferreter’ to work on the woodland. Some chickens were killed in the process

8.7     Litter Picking

WJ reported that the VH are happy to continue with the litter pick and correspondence has been received.

A general discussion took place and it was agreed that  the VHC could have the opportunity to litter pick for the following year subject to agreement on the statement of work and map. This was sent out to the Council last year and now needs updating.

Agreed: Clerk to send out again a statement of work for a once-a-month litter pick offering a contribution of £1000 per year to the village hall committee. A map to be included. This will include monitoring by SQ, and a requirement for the VH to report back to the Council with details on who, when and where for transparency.

Proposed:       SQ                                   Seconded:    WS

1 Abstention       5 agreed

8.8     Finance Funding to Charities and Local Groups

To be agended for the next meeting.

8.9     Martin Dales Trees Kirkstead Bridge

An in-depth discussion took place.

Highways have been contacted and they will not do anything as it is on private land. The Clerk confirmed that it is not usual for PC to get involved in work on private land and gave the PC researched information. Only in very exceptional circumstances i.e.  public access and/or health and safety would a PC get involved.

This is the main concern and therefore the PC believed this situation is exceptional enough to make a contribution towards the cost.

Agreed:   The PC to donate £1800 to the cost of removing the trees that are causing concerns and overhanging the bridge subject confirmation that the PC are allowed.

Proposed:    WS                          Seconded:    BN

All agreed

8.10   Martin Dales Benches

Martin Dales are reviewing use of the land as a communal area.

Agreed:   WJ to look into the ownership of the land

8.11   Village Gates

A general discussion took place. The PC were not convinced that the gates would have a big enough impact for the cost of around £5000.

Agreed: Gates not to be purchased as this stage.

Proposed:    WS        Seconded:     NM

All agreed.

8.12   Correspondence Parishioners and Others

8.12.1   Soil in graveyard

Agreed:   Clerk to look into container for soil to put into it and Parishioners could collect soil if needed.

8.12.2 Christmas Tree to be removed

Agreed:    WJ to remove tree

Chair

Clerk

Clerk

NM

Clerk

SQ

NM

Clerk

Clerk

Clerk

SQ

WJ

Clerk

SQ

Clerk

Chair

WJ

Clerk

WJ

9

Clerks Update (full report attached to minutes)

9.1   Bank Balances as at 10.03.2026

Woodland                              £ 30533.74

Current                                  £   7877.77

Business Reserve                £ 10048.30

Total:                                       £ 48459.81

9.2 Payments - All payments detailed in the Clerk’s report.

Grounds Maintenance                         £700.00     David Holvey

                      SID Parts                           46.59     WJ

                      Screws                                 8.19     WJ

                      Clerk Salary/Expenses    398.40

                      HMRC                                TBC

Proposed:    WJ                   Seconded:     SQ

All agreed

9.3 Dates and times of meeting - Dates have been distributed.

Agreed: It was agreed that in future the meetings will start at 6.30pm.

All Agreed

10

Agenda items next meeting

Funding for groups

Meeting Finished 8.45 PM

11

The Next Meeting is the AGM

Date: 4th May 2026    6.30

 Martin Village Hall