Full Council Minutes - 5th January 2026
Full Council - Monday 5th January 2026 at 7pm in Crowland Community Hub, Hall Street, Crowland
Present: Councillors Bryan Alcock, Jon Boor, Peter Davis, Peter Stowe, David Kempton, Cathi Elphee, Annette Williams, Jordon Bloom, Jack Turner and County Cllr Raymond Condell.
Also in attendance: Clerk/RFO Becky Brothwell and one public member.
Chair Cllr Bryan Alcock thanked everyone for attending.
155) Apologies for Absence
Apologies were received from Cllr Katie Pepper and Cllr Graham Searle. No apologies were received from Cllr Darren Warner.
156) Declaration of Interests
Cllr Jon Boor declared an interest in Agenda Item 9 (Item 429).
157) To approve as a correct record the notes of the meeting of the Full Council held on 1st December 2025 and to authorise the Chairman to sign the official minutes and to note the minutes of other committees.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: That the minutes of the Full Council meeting held on 1st December 2025 were approved as a correct record.
158) To receive an update on progress & resolutions for the meeting held on 1st December 2025.
The Council received an update on progress and resolutions arising from the meeting held on 1st December 2025 and there were no updates.
159) Clerks Report.
The Clerk reported on the ongoing administration of the Council, including routine correspondence, statutory notices, and preparations for upcoming meetings, with support from the Deputy Clerk. Thanks were expressed to Granville for the handover of the role.
Financial tasks remain up to date, with payments processed, the bank reconciliation completed, and budget monitoring ongoing.
Contractors are being liaised with on current projects, quotations are being gathered, and compliance checks are in place. Resident enquiries have been responded to promptly, and community updates shared where appropriate.
Routine inspections and maintenance of Council assets, including playgrounds and green spaces, are continuing. The Grounds Keeper Team now has the updated work maintenance schedule outlining tasks raised by Councillors.
All job requests should now be directed through the office to ensure proper allocation and monitoring. This represents a change from previous practice, which is being managed carefully.
The Clerk confirmed having settled in well, with strong support from both the team and Councillors. Efforts will continue to refine office procedures and maintain consistent and robust Council protocols.
160) Chairman's Report - To resolve on the Chairman’s report and its recommendations.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: The Council considered the Chairman’s report and its recommendations. It was resolved to send a letter of appreciation to previous Clerk Granville for his work, and to thank Cllr Annette Williams and Cllr Cathi Elphee for decorating the Christmas tree in the Abbey and Cllr Jordan Bloom for performing the reading.
161) Amenities Committee - To resolve on the Amenities Committee Chairman’s report and its recommendations.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: The Council considered the report of the Amenities Committee Chairman and its recommendations. The Vice Chairman highlighted concerns that several winter tasks, due to be undertaken between 1st December and 28th February, have not yet commenced. A short list of outstanding tasks has been provided to the Clerk, many of which are expected to be achievable by manual workers. The next Amenities Committee meeting is planned for 19th January 2026. Cllr Kempton has prepared the CTFC Compound Memorandum of Understanding; the club has been informed but has not yet attended the office. A meeting with the Clerk, Cllr Kempton, Cllr Boor, and the Chairman is scheduled for 6th January to discuss potential pitch improvement funding. Floodlight improvement quotes remain outstanding. A site meeting with a contractor regarding the car park drain survey was held on 8th December, with a response awaited; it was advised that surfacing work should take place when temperatures rise. NHS properties will be kept informed by the Clerk. The Chairman and Cllr Williams are invited to the Voice of the Youth meeting on 14th January. The 250th Park Run took place on Snowden Field on 20th December, completed by 96 participants in cold and misty conditions; runs on 1st and 3rd January are planned, with organisers advised that welfare facilities may not be available.
162) Finance and Admin Committee - To resolve on the Finance and Admin Committee Chairman’s report and its recommendations.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: The Council considered the report of the Finance and Administration Committee Chairman and its recommendations. The Committee is recommending an increased precept, largely to accommodate the potential cost of CCTV, should the Council proceed with retaining that service. The proposed budget maintains current balances and continues to provide for future projects. The Chairman reiterated concerns from the previous month regarding unresolved issues with the bank mandate. While the situation remains unacceptable, efforts to resolve the problem are ongoing, and no major issues have been reported as a result.
1.To agree the final budget for 2026/2027.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: The Council agreed the final budget for 2026/2027 and approved a precept of £174,540.00, representing a 15.9% increase, equivalent to approximately 23p per week for a Band D household.
The increase includes provision for CCTV costs of £14,000, representing 9.3% of the increase, to enable the potential transfer of the CCTV service from South Holland District Council. It was noted that if the CCTV service is not taken over by the Parish Council, the service will cease operation from April 2026.
The Clerk was requested to explore potential service options with local CCTV providers. An explanation of the precept increase will be included in the local parish magazine.
163) Accounts for Payment.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: Payment’s authorisations were agreed, with Cllr Jon Boor abstaining. Income was reviewed and agreed by the Committee, a letter from Cater Allen regarding the bank mandate has been received, and Clerk will respond to the information requested.
Payments - £24,292.64
Receipts - £14,936.46
Bank Balances - 31st December 2025
Cater Allen - £522,369.09
Santander - £19,697.11
1.To consider and approve setting up a direct debit for HMRC.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: To set up a direct debit for HMRC PAYE payments.
164) Farms & Gardens Committee - To resolve on the Farms & Gardens Committee Chairman’s report and its recommendations.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: It was noted that Vice Chairman Peter Stowe was elected at the last meeting. Allotment inspections will be redone by the Clerk and Cllr Cathi Elphee. The National Grid cost for moving electricity box at allotments is under review and will be discussed further, and signage at the allotments is also being considered during allotment inspection. Clerk will liaise with Paul Bywater in regard to the Biodiversity for the Cemetery to gain updates. Plans for new grass-cutting machinery was also reported.
1.To resolve on the purchase of a tree for West Street.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: To purchase a replacement tree for West Street. It was recommended that the tree be a beech, lime, hornbeam, or whitebeam, of at least 1.5 metres in height at planting. The tree is to be planted, as near as reasonably practicable, to the position of the original tree.
2.To consider and approve adoption of the Tree Policy
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: To adopt the Tree Policy. It was agreed that trees will be inspected on a two-year cycle. Cllr Jon Boor and the Clerk will obtain quotations for tree inspections and collaborate on a project to ensure all trees are recorded, labelled, and mapped accordingly.
165) Planning Committee - To resolve on the Planning Committee Chairman’s report and its recommendations.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: It was noted that an amendment to the minutes of the previous meeting was required: the non-pecuniary interest previously recorded for Bryan should be removed.
1.To consider matters relating to parking on Thorney Road.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: The Council considered matters relating to parking on Thorney Road and agreed to defer the matter to the Planning Committee next week to obtain further details.
166) Safety & Security Committee - To resolve on the Safety & Security Committee Chairman’s report and its recommendations.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: That the Council approve the Safety & Security Committee Chairman’s report and its recommendations. Fly tipping remains an ongoing issue. Police crime figures, included in the meeting pack, were noted to be two to three months out of date, with recent trends appearing to show an increase. Regarding sports and play areas, it was noted that the climbing pyramid requires adjustment for safety reasons. The Council agreed that its workforce should not undertake these adjustments, as this could invalidate insurance in the event of an accident. Quotations will be sought for professional adjustment of the climbing pyramid and the zip wire. Minor repairs and painting are also required in the children’s play area. Cllr Peter Davis will investigate the climbing pyramid repairs and be included in any other committee matters involving health and safety issues.
167) Assets Working Party - To resolve on the Assets Working Party Committee Chairman’s report and its recommendations.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: That the Council approve the Assets Working Party Chairman’s report and its recommendations. The Assets Working Party reported that Anglian Water has finally adopted the drains on the residential estate, which allows the Council to request payment from the developers/management company. Some payment for work undertaken during the intervening years will still be pursued. The potential developers of the Thorney Road site are still evaluating the project in a downturned market, with further discussions expected soon. Some progress has also been made regarding minor issues with the Council’s investment properties.
168) To consider and approve on the Clerk’s registration for the CiLCA qualification, commencing February 2026.
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: That the Council approve the Clerk’s registration for the CiLCA qualification, commencing February 2026.
169) Discussion and decision on Christmas house judging.
Discussion and decision on Christmas house judging was undertaken, and the results are recorded below.
Decorated Houses
1st - 61 Postland Road
2nd - 11 Papworth Drive
3rd - Highfields, Peterborough Road
Shops & Businesses
1st - Wardell
2nd - Old Papershop
3rd - Crowland Chip Shop
Special Festive Mentions
A big festive thank you to the residents of Eastlands for making their road extra merry and to Crowland Cranes for the star once again shining bright over the residents of Crowland.
Merry Christmas from Crowland Parish Council - Thank you for lighting up Crowland!
170) Matters to be considered for inclusion on a future Council Agenda.
Cllr David Kempton requested an item on the effects of Single Tier Government on the Parish Council. It was agreed that this would be included as a 5-minute informal discussion on the next agenda, after which the Council will decide whether a further meeting is required.
The Gym Committee requested a meeting with Cllrs Bryan Alcock, David Kempton and Graham Searle. It was agreed that the meeting would be arranged by the Clerk.