May 2026

Wainfleet All Saints Town Council Meeting        

Draft notes from the Town Council Meeting held on 19th May 2026 at 6.00pm in the Methodist Chapel.

Councillors present: Cllr. S. Mitchell (SM), Cllr. C. Mitchell (CM), Cllr. S. Drury (SD), Cllr. W. Bowkett (WB), Cllr. M Clarke (MC), Cllr J.Hart (JH), Cllr K Hart (KH), Cllr M Baumber (MB).
Apologies: Cllr. C. Drury (CD)

Also present: Clerk C.Cleary (CC) and 3 member of the public. 

Mayor SM welcomed everyone and opened the meeting at 6.00pm 

1. Election of Chair
To elect a new Chair of the Council.
Mayor SM  had stated that he wished to seek re-election as Chair of the Council. Candidacy proposed and seconded. No other candidates were received.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to elect Cllr. Steve Mitchell as Chair/Mayor for 2026/27.

2. Acceptance of office of Chair
New Chair to sign acceptance of office.
Mayor SM duly signed his acceptance of office in the presence of the Proper Officer.

3. Election of Vice Chair
To elect a new Vice Chair of the Council.
Mayor SM asked for nominations for the post of vice-chair. Cllr. WB was proposed and seconded with no other nominations received.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to elect Cllr. Wendy Bowkett as Vice-Chair/Deputy Mayor for 2026/27.

4. Acceptance of office of Vice Chair
New Vice Chair to sign acceptance of office.
Cllr. WB duly signed the acceptance of office in the presence of the Proper Officer.

Mayor SM closed the council meeting to open the public session

5. Reports from county and district councillors
To receive a report from LCC Councillor M.Hume.
LCC Cllr. Hume was not present and did not send in a report.

To receive a report from ELDC Councillor W. Bowkett.
Cllr WB advised that the refurbishment of the Brooks Walks toilets was proceeding as planned.
There was a report of flooding in the High Street which was attended to by Highways.
 
Members of the public may ask questions of the county and district councillors.
There were no further questions from the public.

6. Public session
An opportunity for the public to ask the Council questions and to bring new observations.
There were no further questions from the public.

Mayor SM closed the public session and reopened the council session.

7. Apologies for absence
To receive and approve apologies for absence.
Cllr. CD had sent his apologies due to illness.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to approve the apology.

8. Declarations of interest
To receive declarations of interest under the Localism Act 2011.
Being any pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on the Members Register of Interests and any written requests for dispensation. 
Cllr WB   Item 21 (Wainfleet United Junior Football Club)
Cllr MC   Item 16
Cllr MB   Item 15i

9. Draft Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 1st April, 2026
To confirm the notes as a true record of the decisions made.
Draft notes from the meeting held on 1st April 2026 had been published and circulated.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to confirm the draft notes as a true record of the meeting held on 1st April 2026.

10. Clerks report and action points from the previous minutes
To receive the clerks report and deal with matters arising.
Completed issues

* AGAR completed
* Internal Audit completed
* Policy reviews completed
* New councillors DPI sent to ELDC
* Plot 11 tenancy agreement signed
* Planters for marketplace option sourced
* Anti-climb paint sourced and applied to container
* Heritage Lincs contacted re: War Memorial
* Clock tower repairs completed

Issues still pending

* War memorial repairs (see item 18 below)
* GOR extension scheduled for mid April
* Play area gate installation
Clerk advised that they would be on annual leave for the w/c 15th June.

11. Review of Working groups
To review and agree the working groups, their members, and terms of reference.
Discussion on working groups. No change to current arrangements.

12. To Review representations for External Organisations
To review and agree member representation for external organisations.
Discussion on representation to the RBL. No change to current arrangements and Mayor SM to be the councils representative.

13. To review official council documents
To review the current list of council policies and documents to be reviewed and to bring recommendations to the meeting. 
Clerk has reviewed all of our current policies with those suggested by LALC/NALC and there have been no changes that affect the current policies.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to accept that councils policies had been reviewed.

14. To determine the time and place of ordinary meetings of the council for 2025/26
To review and decide on dates, times and place for ordinary meetings of the council up to and including the next annual meeting of the council.
Discussion on dates for council meetings. Agreed that, with the exception of June, council meeting to be held on the first Wednesday of each month.

15. Finance
    a. To receive the April Financial reports and updates.
The April Financial report and bank reconciliation had been circulated to councillors. No further questions.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to approve the April Financial Report.

    b. To approve payments and receipts
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to approve the payments.

For transparency, the following payments in excess of  £100 were made in April.

    c. To review and approve the Annual Financial Statement 2025/26
The Annual Financial Statement had been circulated to councillors prior to the meeting. Discussion on report.

PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to approve the Annual Financial Statement 2025/26.
The Annual Financial Statement was duly signed by the Mayor and the RFO.

    d. To review and approve the Asset Register for the year ending 31st March 2026
The Asset register had been circulated to councillors prior to the meeting. Discussion on the register.

PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to approve the Asset Register 2025/26.

    e. To appoint NMS Accounting Services as the internal auditor for the year ending 31st March 2027
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to appoint NMS Accounting services as the internal auditor.

    f. To review and approve the Annual Governance Statement for 2025/26
The Annual Governance Statement for 2025/26 had been prepared and circulated prior to the meeting. Discussion on Annual Governance Statement.

PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to approve the Annual Governance Statement 2025/26.
The Annual Governance Statement was duly signed by the Mayor and the RFO.

    g. To review and approve the Accounting Statement for 2025/26
The Accounting Statement for 2025/26 had been prepared and signed by the RFO prior to the meeting and circulated to all councillors. Discussion on Accounting Statement.

PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to approve the Accounting Statement 2025/26.
The Annual Financial Statement was duly signed by the Mayor.

    h. To review and approve the Mayors Allowance for 2026/27
Mayor SM declared that he would not seek any change to the allowance.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to maintain the Mayors Allowance at its current rate.

i. To review and approve the payment to the clockwinders (S111) for 2026/27
Cllr.MB left the room during the discussion.
Discussion on payment to the clockwinders.

PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to maintain the payment to the clockwinders at  365.

16. Planning
To receive and discuss new applications.
00213/26/RVC   Variation of conditions from holiday let to permanent residence cottages at The Grange - approved.
00478/26/FUL   Land to rear of Rose Cottages   change of use. No comments from councillors received.

Cllr. MC left the room during the discussion on application 00478/26/FUL

17. Actions from working group meetings
To discuss findings and approve actions and associated expenditure as a result of recommendations from the council s working groups.
Cllr. MC presented a sign requesting dogs to be kept on lead at Wainfleet Bank Cemetery. Approved to install.
Discussion on control of use of dog poop bags. Situation to be monitored.
Discussion on planters for Marketplace. SM to purchase.
Discussion on litter bin in play area. CC to contact ELDC to ask for a larger bin.

18. War Memorial
To discuss the next possible actions for the repair of the War Memorial. 
Discussion on financing repairs to War Memorial. Agreed to add as an agenda item to the Annual Parish Meeting and then hold separate meeting to discuss funding options including crowd funding and a Facebook survey.

19. War Grave
To discuss the request to site a new war grave in Northolme Cemetery.
PROPOSED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to approve the application for the War Memorial Trust to install a memorial on a grave in Northolme.

20. New Councillors induction course
To discuss the attendance of new councillors on the LALC induction course.
Discussion on the logistics of getting 2 new councillors onto the LALC induction course. SM agreed to host at his house with councillors MB and KH to attend. Clerk to book course with LALC.

21. Correspondence
To discuss correspondence received
* Resident reported possible sewer leak in Wainfleet Bank   Dealt with by EA
* Resident complaint of overgrowing hedge on Mill Close   Hedge is private property
* Two Emails from residents regarding 00478/26/FUL   see item 16 above
* Request from Deputy Division Commander Lincs. Fire to address council. Invited to Annual Parish Meeting
* Request from Mums of Wainfleet to use the playing fields for  Wainfleet Bounce  on 19th August. Agreed.
* Resident reported phishing scam with Wainfleet Council mentioned   noted.
* Public toilet refurbishment in progress   noted.
* Letter from grave owner asking for remedial work to be done on grave. Advised that it is the grave owners responsibility.
* Letter of termination for allotment plots 18 & 19. Noted- clerk to contact next applicants on waiting list.
* Enquiry from Lincs FA re: lease of playing field to WUJFC. Not discussed as Cllr WB declined to leave the room. Clerk has replied.

22. Agenda items for next meeting
To receive items for inclusion on the next meeting s agenda.
Items for Annual Parish Meeting to be submitted to Clerk by 29th May

Next council meeting 1st July 2026 at 6pm.

Mayor SM thanked all for their contribution and closed the meeting at 7.25 pm.