Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting of Dittisham Parish Council
8:00pm Tuesday 20 January 2026 Dittisham Village Hall
Present: Parish Cllrs Bond (Chair), J Green, Hawkes, Neale, Taylor & Unitt
Apologies: Cllr Golding, Pope
Clerk: Ms Radford
Public: None
Public Forum No public were present.
1. Apologies were received as above.
2. Declaration of Interests No interests were declared on items on the agenda.
3. 2026/27 Budget and Precept demand
3.1 Draft Budget To consider a draft 2026/27 Budget as prepared by the Finance Working Group. The Chair of the Finance Working Group provided a summary explanation of the budget, during which cllrs could ask questions.
Detail was given on how the playground equipment and car park machine replacement cost had been calculated, taking into account expected lifetime of equipment and expected increases in costs, based on rates of inflation.
There was a discussion on whether the budget had predicted sufficient funds for unexpected costs.
It was agreed to include an explanation of the Parish Council’s budget and earmarked reserves at the Annual Parish Meeting.
It was RESOLVED to approve the 2026/27 budget as presented:
| Dittisham Parish Council Finances Summary | |||||
| End 24/5 | End 25/6 | End 26/7 | Notes | ||
| Actual | F’cast | Budget | |||
| General Income | |||||
| Precept | 16000.00 | 19556.00 | 21100.00 | No change to band D charge | |
| Car Parks | 42947.32 | 51468.09 | 50800.00 | ↓ due to level car park ↓ in 25/6 | |
| Ham hire | 50.00 | ||||
| Bank interest | 1791.09 | 1325.57 | 1200.00 | General interest rate reduction | |
| Other (Charity payment for J Steps) | 2635.50 | ||||
| Other | 2992.50 | 653.06 | 120.00 | Might be further £180 for footpaths | |
| Total income | 63730.91 | 75688.22 | 73220.00 | ||
| General Expenditure | |||||
| Council asset maintenance | 7156.70 | 11434.18 | 10200.00 | ↓ due to 24/5 ground maint. paid in areas in 25/6 | |
| Council administration | 3754.70 | 3371.43 | 4800.00 | £2000 savings in 25/6 not forcast for 26/7 | |
| Grants | 5150.00 | 5500.00 | 6150.00 | =25/6 forecast + £650 contingency | |
| Parish infrastructure maintenance | 4398.18 | 8147.62 | 3850.00 | ↓ due to Jubilee Steps spend in 25/6 | |
| Parish project | 247.09 | 2000.00 | Neighbourhood plan budget | ||
| Staff | 21221.24 | 15739.03 | 19000.00 | ↓ due to new Clerk on lower scale & fewer hours | |
| Car park business rates | 6397.43 | 7299.46 | 8000.00 | Business rates in 25/6 more than expected | |
| Car Park running costs | 9210.77 | 11187.09 | 11100.00 | Extra charg from SHDC, less for attendant | |
| Total expenditure | 57289.02 | 62925.90 | 65100.00 | ||
| Earmarked reserves transfers | |||||
| Spend from earmarked reserves | 6182.84 | 6327.25 | 0.00 | No expected spend from reserves | |
| Transfer to earmarked reserves | 7372.54 | 12078.25 | 12904.25 | See below | |
| Net increase to earmarked reserves | 1189.70 | 5751.00 | 12904.25 | ||
| General reserves balance | |||||
| General reserves brought forward | 22181.59 | 27433.78 | 34445.10 | ||
| Year end surplus/deficit | 5252.19 | 7011.32 | -4784.25 | ||
| GENERAL RESERVE AT YEAR END | 27433.78 | 34445.10 | 29660.85 | ||
| Earmarked reserves | |||||
| Clerk sick leave cover | 12919.92 | 12919.92 | 12919.92 | ||
| Footpaths | 952.50 | 1132.50 | 1132.50 | ||
| Village Hall roof reserve | 9000.00 | 12000.00 | 15000.00 | Plus £3000 | |
| Professional/legal fees | 1750.00 | 2000.00 | 3000.00 | Plus £1000 | |
| IT | 600.00 | 700.00 | 700.00 | ||
| Grants | 500.00 | 500.00 | 500.00 | ||
| Council owned property maintenance | 301.76 | 1046.76 | 1046.76 | ||
| Neighbourhood plan | 1500.00 | 1500.00 | 1500.00 | ||
| Tree works reserve | 2405.00 | 3155.00 | 3155.00 | ||
| Car park machine replacement | 6600.00 | 8435.00 | 10181.00 | Plus £1746 | |
| Playground equipment replacement | 13580.00 | 14000.00 | 20143.00 | Plus £6143 | |
| Parish infrastructure maintenance | 2024.73 | 2068.48 | 2068.48 | ||
| Health & Safety (Capton defib) | 2057.50 | 484.75 | 1500.00 | Plus £1015.25 | |
| TOTAL EARMARKED RESERVES AT YEAR END | 54191.41 | 59942.41 | 72846.66 | ||
| Difference year on year | 1189.70 | 5751.00 | 12904.25 | ||
| OVERALL TOTAL RESERVES | 81625.19 | 94387.51 | 102507.51 | ||
3.2 Capton Defibrillator To consider proceeding with the Capton Defibrillator project. There was a discussion during which councillors considered responses from Capton residents taking into account key statistics on community defibrillator use in the UK from the British Heart Foundation, noting that studies highlight that PADS are utilized in just 10% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, even when one is available within 500m. Comments had been made that early CPR is the most and important step. After discussion it was RESOLVED to progress the Capton Defibrillator project, with the following comments:
– An application is made to the Dittisham Charity for a grant.
– Capton residents are asked for a contribution to the cost, as contributions from Capton residents (providing evidence that residents contributed funding to defibrillators in Dittisham Village).
– A First Aid Training course is organised, as per the agreement of the Parish Council in October 2025, and to ensure that the course include use of defibrillators, giving priority to Capton residents before advertising it in the Parish.
3.3 Grant application from Dittisham Village Hall consider recommendation of the Finance Working Group on awarding a grant. It was RESOLVED that the Parish Council award a grant of £4000 to the Village Hall in the 2026/27 financial year.
It was queried whether there were grants available for installation of renewable energy at village halls. Cllr Taylor offered to undertake some research if it would be helpful.
3.4 2026/27 Precept Demand It was RESOLVED the 2026/27 precept be set at £21,100. This would make the Parish Band D rate £46.12 per year, which is an decrease of £0.01 on the previous year (equivalent to -0.03 %)
4. Annual Away Day
4.1 Away Day Date It was RESOLVED that the away day would take place on March 12 2026. The focus of the away day
4.2 Away Day Costs It was RESOLVED that the Parish Council budget £200 for the cost of the away day.
Meeting closed at 21:00