AGENDA FOR THE MOUNTFIELD PARISH COUNCIL ANNUAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON 12th MAY 2026
Parish Council Members are summoned to the Annual Meeting of Mountfield Parish Council, to be held on 12th May 2026 at 7.30pm in Mountfield Village Hall
Members of the press and public are welcome and encouraged to attend
Irene Marchant (Parish Clerk/RFO)
St. Giles, Woods Corner, Dallington, East Sussex TN21 9LA
01424 838414 – clerk@mountfieldparishcouncil.gov.uk
7th May 2026
1. Election of MPC Chair 2026-27
2. Election of MPC Vice-Chair 2026-27
3. Disclosure of interests
To receive any disclosures by Members of personal interests on this agenda, the nature of any such interest and whether the Member regards the interest as a disclosable pecuniary interest under the terms of the Code of Conduct.
4. Dispensations
5. Apologies for absence
6. Accuracy of the minutes of the previous meeting
7. Open Forum
7.1 County Council report (ESCC) – Councillor K. Field
7.2 District Council report (RDC) – Councillor E. Kirby-Green
7.3 Public Question Time – to receive any questions from members of the public on matters on this agenda.
8. Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2025-26
To approve by resolution the following:
8.1 The Annual Governance Statement (Section 1).
8.2 The Accounting Statements (Section 2).
8.3 The Explanation of Variances and Bank Reconciliation at 31.03.26.
8.4 Compliance with item O (compliance with laws, regulations and proper practices relating to digital and data compliance) on the Internal Audit Report will be discussed and resolved at the MPC July meeting.
8.5 To thank Mr. Harding for the constructive and positive manner in which he conducted the Internal Audit for MPC, and to appoint him as MPC’s internal auditor for 2026-27.
9. MPC appointments to outside bodies
- Rother Association of Local Councils (RALC) – the Chair and any other Members who wish to attend (2 Members may attend).
- Mountfield Village Hall Committee – Councillors Whines and Hardy.
10. King George’s Field
- Installation of new cesspit – planning/building control permission for this work is needed from ESCC; we are currently awaiting validation from them.
- The annual Jubilee Cricket Match will be held on Sunday 05.07.26.
11. Mountfield Parish Assembly 2026
The Assembly held on 14.04.26 and was well attended and there were two interesting talks.
- The first by Dark Skies representatives and much interest was shown by the public. Mountfield becoming a Dark Skies area will be discussed fully at the MPC July meeting. This is a major project and will need the support of residents.
- The second talk was by a British Gypsum representative, particularly about their Leachate Treatment Plant installation, which will be completed by the end of 2026.
- The reports from organisations are available on the MPC website.
12. Parish Profile
This item to be deferred until the MPC July meeting.
13. Full transition to .gov.uk
The Clerk to brief Members on MPC’s full transition to .gov.uk. This includes the domain name, hosting of Managed WordPress and website security. The new registrar will be EasySpace who will also host the website. Uniserve will manage the transition.
14. Southern Water Solar Array
For Councillor O’Sullivan to brief Members on the latest situation.
15. Village Waste Collection
This item will be deferred until the July meeting.
16. Refurbishment of Telephone Box
The Clerk continues to seek quotations for this work.
17. Grit bin replacement and refill
This item will be deferred until the July meeting.
18. Insulated Defibrillator Boxes
For Members to discuss the defibrillators at Solomon’s Lane and the Village Hall being enclosed in insulated defibrillator boxes, as the one at Eatenden Lane.
19. Planning
19.1 No planning applications for consideration.
19.2 MPC comments made under delegated authority:
- RR/2026/0261/FULL – Old Stable Yard, Vines Cross Road.
Support.
- RR/2026/0321/HOU – Park Pale House
Support.
19.3 MPC were unable to submit a comment for application RR/2026/O275/FULL – Baldwins Farm, as they were unable to reach a quorate decision.
19.4 Any other planning matters for discussion.
20. Enforcement
20.1 No Mountfield items on RDC’s most recent enforcement list.
20.2 Any other enforcement matters for discussion.
21. Highways/Rights of Way
For Members to consider any urgent items, particularly the A2100.
22. Finance
22.1 Bank balances at 30.04.26
- MPC deposit account – £15,928.34
- MPC current account – £3,617.24
- KGF current account – £4,469.68
22.2 To approve the following payments:
- Clerk salary/HO Apr/May 2026 – £1,151.00
- * Mountfield Village Hall room hire 2026-27 – £190.00
- * ESALC subscription 2026-27 – £205.21
- * UserWay subscription 2026-27 – £333.71
* already paid
22.3 To approve the quarterly accounts at 31.03.26 as presented by the Clerk.
23. Dates of next meetings
- 09.06.26 – Full Council Meeting (provisional only)
- 14.07.26 – Full Council Meeting