2026 Annual Parish Meetings

MARTON & GATE BURTON PARISH COUNCIL

Clerk to the Council: Mrs A McArthur Field Farm Sand Lane Spalford NG23 7HG Tel. 07392113832
clerk@martonandgateburtonparishcouncil.gov.uk

Website https://marton-gate-burton.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk
 

Minutes of the annualmeeting held on 1th May 2026.

 

PRESENT       Cllr S Spence ( Chairman)

                        Cllr N Cody ( Vice Chairman)

                        Cllr C Durning

                        Cllr P Kent

                        Cllr J Ridley

                        Cllr.A Blythe

                        Cllr.P.Watson                       

                   

Also present:   A McArthur (Clerk) one member of the public

 

                       1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:  Cllr J Patrick Cllr L

                        Musgrave

 

                        2.APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF AGM HELD ON 22.05.25

                         The minutes were approved as a true record proposed by

                          Cllr. N Cody seconded by Cllr. C Durning.
 

3. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN: Cllr. S Spence was elected

                           elected chair proposed by Cllr. C Durning seconded by

                           Cllr P Kent.

4. ELECTION OF VICE CHAIRMAN; Cllr. N Cody was

elected Vice Chair proposed by Cllr. C Durning seconded by Cllr. PP Kent.

5. CHAIRMANS REPORT 2026:

                              During the past year another vacancy has arisen due to the resignation of Mrs. Gill Worrell.  I would like to thank Gill for her contribution to the working of the Parish Council over many years.  Two positions are now vacant on the council.  We have been joined by Mr Phillip Kent and soon to be included, Mr Peter Watson and Mrs Anna Blythe as new members.  I welcome them and their future involvement.

 

The Parish Council has changed its banking facilities from HSBC Bank to the Unity Trust Bank.  Currently we only have two signatories, myself and Councillor Cody.  Councillors Durning and Musgrave have difficulties logging on and continue to do so.  HSBC are also creating problems due to their systems not working or recognising local council accounts.

 

The Parish Council received a planning application for a change of use of 43 High Street from C3 to C2 use.  This would enable it to used as a home for up to four vulnerable children.  We objected to this proposal as it was not considered an appropriate place for such an institution, directly next to a main road and a crossroad junction.  A delegation of staff and owners attended our September meeting and gave us an outline of their method of working and their assurances to consider.  West Lindsey District Council Planning Department passed this proposal shortly afterwards.  The Parish Council will monitor how this scheme will operate and hold the Authority to account if it is found to be failing.

 

The new housing development on Stow Park Road is progressing.  The car park that the developers were obliged to provide has been completed.  The responsibility for the running and maintenance of this facility has not been accepted by the school or Lincolnshire County Council.  The Parish Council have been offered this opportunity and are in the process of considering all the liabilities.  One of these being the provision of a puffin pedestrian crossing on Stow Park Road.  Lincolnshire Highways now say a crossing does not meet their criteria to be placed on the road in this position.  We will consider this situation over the coming year.

 

The Parish Council adopted a new burial policy applying to grave spaces and commemoration plots for cremated remains after complaints from parishioners. Councillor Durning has revised and updated the cemetery plan.  It can now be reviewed electronically on the magbpc.gov.uk website.  Many thanks to Chris for taking on this considerable task.

 

The condition of the cemetery site is deteriorating and more maintenance work will be needed over this coming year.  This will include cutting back the hedge which is growing over the grave spaces.

 

The Parish Field has become vacant due to the death of Mr Dennis Tindale in early 2025.  There is now no tenant for this land.  The previous tenant had failed to maintain it and it is now little more than scrubland.  It will need clearing before anything can be done with it.  Discussions have been made to turn it into allotments for any parishioners who want or need one.

 

This land is not currently recorded on the Land Registry.  We have found evidence that the parish is and has been the owner of this land since it was bestowed to us in the Land Enclosures Act of 1872, and up to the present date. Burton and Dyson Solicitors in Gainsborough have been engaged to undertake the process of Land Registry.

 

The Parish Council have adopted a written IT policy and have a generic email account hosted by an authority owned domain.  We are now no longer able to use free email accounts.  The Parish Council now uses a gov.uk email account provided by ZOHO mail to comply with our obligations.

 

We have received requests for the council to enquire if it is possible for the mobile Post Office which operates in this area to call at Marton on its round. An approach has been made to the operator, Wheatley Post Office, to enquire if this is possible.  The owner of the van was agreeable but would have to approach the person responsible at the Royal Mail to approve it.  We are waiting for their response.

 

I would like to thank Councillor Ridley for his work in maintaining and organising the running of Coronation Wood in Littleborough Lane.  He has been assisted by Mr Steve Porter who has done the planning and hard work that was required to be put into this project.  This has made it the splendid facility that it is today.  Due to ill health Mr Porter is no longer able to carry out any maintenance work needed.  Many thanks to Steve for all he has done here.  A new arrangement is now needed to keep the area in good condition.

 

I would like to thank my fellow councillors who have donated their time and effort to help on the Parish Council over the last year.  A special thank you to Anna, our Clerk, without whom we would be unable to operate.

 

Finally, as is customary, I would like to record the Parish award for Marton, along with other important documents, are stored in the LCC Archives in St Rumbold Street, Lincoln.

 

 

6. DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS INTERESTS; None

      

                   

 

1.PUBLIC FORUM: no comments

2. CO-OPTION OF COUNCILLOR; Cllr P Watson and Cllr. A Blythe were co-opted onto the parish council.

3. NOTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 13TH APRIL TO BE APPROVED AS MINUTES; The minutes were approved as a true record proposed Cllr C Durning seconded Cllr.N Cody.

4. REPORTS ON MATTERS FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING;

Cllr. Spence had discussed with Martin Chester of Krinkels the

cutting of the bowling green lawn and it was agreed moving forward the village hall would need to pay for this. The cemetery will be dealt with more efficiently. A quote has been received to cut back the cemetery hedge beyond the gravestones the quote is £1750.00 which was agreed. Cllr Watson will enquire as to whether the hedge can legally be cut back now or is it subject to the law of no hedge cutting between March and August due to nesting birds. The post box

has now been cleaned inside and is a community book club Cllr A Blythe stated she would look into the work required to

sand down the outside and paint it.

5. PLANNING; No applications received

6. FINANCE; Payments were approved for Lincs Groundcare £420.00, Wave £19.02, Krinkels UK £1216.20,S Porter £100.00, Clerks salary £210.61, HMRC £49.60. It was agreed for the clerk to contact Alfie to see if he would carry out the internal audit for 2025/6.

7. UPDATE ON MOBILE POST OFFICE; Although the van operator was happy to include Marton on his rounds, unfortunately his manager is reluctatnt to take on any further

villages. It was agreed the clerk would contact Edward Leigh MP to see if he would support the parish council with this.

8. REQUEST FOR MEETING FROM SOLICITOR TO REGISTER PARISH LAND; It was agreed Cllr Spence and Cllr Kent would contact the solicitor to arrange a further meeting to see if this could be moved forward. Cllr A Blythe stated she was legally qualified in this type of work and would look into what documents were needed to enable the parish council to register the land.

9. OFFER TO TRANSFER OF CAR PARK MARTON ACADEMY FROM DEVELOPER UPDATE FROM CLLR KENT. Cllr Kent has spoken with Mr Green the headmaster who was very helpful, he was advised that the cost of running the car park was in the region of 75Kpa which was agreed to be to much for the parish council to agree to as this would mean an increase in the precept of 75Kpa for the residents of Marton & Gate Burton, as well as the legal and practcal considerations. Cllr A Blythe advised at present the matter was with LCC, The school Trust and highways. A lengthy discussion followed.

10. LCC GRANT FOR BUS SHELTER SCHEME; The clerk went through the information required to apply for the grant. It

was agreed the clerk would advise the Councillor's of a website

to look at and this would be discussed at the next meeting.

11. CORRESPONDENCE; None

12. CORONATION WOOD; Cllr Ridley had approached 8

                          companies for a grass cutting quote, only 1 company

                          have quoted C&G groundcare of Saxilby the quote was

                          for £100.00 for an initial cut, then £90.00 thereafter

                          for 2 visits per month to include strimming April to

                          October. Proposed Cllr Durning seconded Cllr Kent.

13. AOB; None

 

The meeting closed at 8.35pm

                

Provisional date of next meeting Monday 1st June 2026