March 2026 minutes
Stoke Rochford & Easton Parish Council
Minutes of Stoke Rochford & Easton Parish Council Meeting Date: Tuesday 24th March 2026
Venue: Easton Walled Gardens 6-00 p.m.
Councillors present Cllr Fred Cholmeley (Chair)
Cllr Neil McCorquodale (Vice Chair) Cllr George McCorquodale
Cllr Sam Nadin
Cllr David Scarborough
Clerk & RFO Mrs Emma Wilson
Open session
No parishioners were present.
1. Chairman’s Welcome Remarks
Cllr Fred Cholmeley thanked all for attending the meeting.
2. Apologies
Apologies, Cllr C Gait, Cllr Martin Thompson, County Cllr Charlotte Vernon, District Cllr David
Bellamy and District Cllr Ben Green; reasons were noted and accepted by the parish council.
3. Disclosure of interest in agenda items
Nil
4. To approve Minutes of meeting held on the 20?? January 2026
The draft minutes having been circulated prior to the meeting were agreed and proposed to be a true
and accurate record. They were passed as approved by resolution of the Council and signed by the
Chairman.
5. Reports from County & District Councillors
County or District Councillors not in attendance.
6. Clerks Report
a. End of year
Clerk shared the following figures for the year also stating there would be more in-depth breakdown
at the next meeting. Councillors were happy with figures and had no queries.
2024/25 Ends on £ £7529.43
Plus Precept remit came in April for 25/26 plus £6000.00
Community clean grant plus £_926.64
Minus 2025/26 expenditure minus £6573.92 Balance to end March 2026 including
todays last cheque £7882.15
b. ‘Red cottages’ Bus shelter demolition?
Cllr N McCorquodale confirmed demolition had now been completed, item to be removed from future
agendas
c. Additional streetlight Stoke
Cllr Gait requested at a previous meeting that the parish council review putting in a request for
an additional streetlight at a particularly badly lit area in Stoke Rochford village. Clerk
requested a What 3 words location to enable her to submit a request to FixMyStreet. As yet clerk
not received location. As soon as this is submitted, clerk will request a survey of the location
for suitability. Cllr G McCorquodale offered to review and get the information on behalf of Cllr
Gait.
Action; Cllr G McCorquodale to forward location to clerk.
d. Assertation 10 – Decision for clerk to action? (option and advice sheet circulated prior to
meeting)
Having circulated option and advice sheet prior to meeting the clerk again advised that a new
requirement within the AGAR this year involves demonstrating that certain measures are in place,
and the Council will be audited against this. Two actions are required:
1. Adoption of an IT Policy
2. Use of council-specific email addresses – it is indicated a preference for all councillors to
have one, though only the Clerk is legally required to have a council specific email address at
present.
The Clerk reported having researched providers and consulted with a clerks’ group. The two most
used services appear to be Hugo Fox and Parish Online. Parish Online is currently offering a free
.gov.uk email address for the Clerk and will assist with the application process.
If in future council specific emails become a legal requirement for all councillors, a full package
could cost £260–
£320 per year, but no final legal decision exists yet.
Page 1 of 2 Chair’s Initial
Councillors discussed the practicality of everyone having council emails. Points raised included:
• Convenience of having all accounts managed through one provider.
• Some councillors may not use email, so alternative arrangements would be needed.
• Concerns about remembering to check another email account.
• Forwarding emails to personal accounts was questioned due to FOI and data-protection
considerations, as personal accounts could otherwise become subject to information requests.
• It was agreed that dedicated council email accounts help to keep communications separate and
prevent scrutiny of personal inboxes.
A decision was made to go with Parish Online and take advantage of the free clerks email with a
view to taking up the parish councillor email option if and when it becomes a legal requirement.
Action; Clerk to apply for .gov.uk email through Parish Online.
e. Decision to Adopt IT policy
Following decision regarding parish specific emails and review of the draft IT policy having been
circulated prior to meeting, it was approved by resolution of the Council and signed by the
Chairman. Policy may need amending if and when all councillors adopt individual parish council
specific emails.
7. Correspondence –circulated
a. A1 NB SB Foston to Harlaxton Pavement Scheme
A1 northbound and southbound Foston to Harlaxton Pavement scheme. The traffic management will be
closures of the A1 Mainline between Gonerby Junction and the Barrowby Junction in both directions
for pavement works, and an overnight southbound closure between Barrowby Junction and Harlaxton
Road Junction, with an agreed diversion routes in place. To keep our programme for these works as
short as possible and to minimise disruption to the local community, residents, businesses and road
users, we will work under full carriageway closures between 8pm and 6am, Monday to Friday. Work is
due to start on 5 May 2026 and last for approximately 10 wks.
8. Accounts paid – Oct to Dec 2025
a. Locum LPSPC (7) Jan/Feb 26
Total out
Reimbursement for Locum LPSPC 7
Balance c/f
£840.00
£840.00
£840.00
£8334.45
000520
9. Accounts for payment – Jan 2026 (agreed & cheques signed)
a. PAYE Pay March 2026
b. PC Expenses. March 2026
Total Balance c/f
£392.70
£59.60
£452.30
£7882.15
000521
000522
10. Next Years Meeting Dates
5th May 2026, 1st Sept 2026, 12th Jan 2027 and 23rd Mar 2027
11. AoB
The Chairman wished to minute thanks to all that participated in the villages litter picking.
Additional thanks to John Edgoose at Magnavale who organised litter pick support in and around
factory along High Dyke.
There being no further business the meeting closed at 6-25 p.m.
Signed: _ Date:
Chairman, Stoke Rochford & Easton Parish Council