Minutes Burial Ground December 2025 DRAFT
Minutes of the Burial Ground Committee Meeting: held on Monday 15th December 2025 at 11am in the Reading Room, Church Street, Barrowby
Councillors in attendance: Paul Brown, Jo Footitt, Tim Lees (Chair),
Officer in attendance: Claire Vink (Parish Clerk)
No members of the public were present. The meeting started at 11.25am.
1. WELCOME (25/013)
The Chair welcomed members to the meeting.
2. APOLOGIES (25/014)
Cllr Anna McConnell-Good sent her apologies Cllr Michael Brown was absent.
3. DECLARATIONS OF PECUNIARY INTEREST (25/015)
a) No declarations of members’ interests were made
b) No dispensations needed to be considered
4. MINUTES (25/016)
It was RESOLVED to approve and sign the minutes of the Burial Ground Committee meeting held on 29th September 2025
5. SITE VISIT BURIAL GROUND MATTERS ARISING (25/017)
a. A verbal update on the activity at the Burial Ground was NOTED
b. No further maintenance has been carried out at the Buriel Ground since the September meeting. Spreading and seeding work is planned for the Spring by Cllrs Lees and P Brown. The fence still requires maintenance. Action: Clerk to contact Nic Baker to discuss a quote for fixing the fence in stages vs all in one go. Clerk to contact RAGs to explore more natural options such as a hedge to replace the fence.
c. Correspondence between the Clerk and Lincoln Diocese was discussed. The cost of consecrating an area of the Burial Ground has been estimated as a couple of thousand pounds. Cllrs considered the size of the area to be consecrated to ensure that this cost is not incurred again anytime soon but also reflects the diversity of the village allowing options for burial. Action: Clerk to contact the registrar to determine where exactly has been consecrated and what the next steps would be. Clerk to work with the RFO to ensure consecration is accounted for in the 2026/27 or the 2027/28 budget.
d. It was RESOLVED to approve the Parish Council and the Burial Ground Bench Policies with an agreed amendment to clause 6.1. Multiple plaques will be allowed on a bench however there will only be 1 inscription per bench. All wording on plaques and the inscription to be approved by the Committee in advance. The Bench Application was RESOLVED to approve.
e. It was RESOLVED not to approve the request for a metal memorial bench at the Burial Ground.
f. It was RESOLVED to approve the use of the burial ground tools by RAGS on the understanding that, while any member can use the tools, only the lead volunteers can access them. Cllr Lees will be purchasing the new tools (wheel barrow, shovel and rake) in January.
6. BURIAL GROUND BUDGET
It was RESOLVED to approve in principle the burial ground budget for 2026/27 on the condition that the trees are understood to be covered by the general PC tree budget, there is a minimum £1000 budget for the fence repairs and that there are earmarked reserves for the consecration of the ground.
7. CAPTURE OF FUTURE ISSUES FOR DISCUSSION / AGENDA ITEMS
Training options for Clerk and Committee members.
Follow up on the bequest left for the maintenance of the burial ground
Update on the fence and Nic’s quote
8. DATE FOR NEXT MEETING (25/012)
13th March 2026 at 2pm in the Reading Room.
The meeting closed at 12.10pm