05-14-24 ATC MINS

 

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF LOUTH TOWN COUNCIL
HELD IN THE OLD COURT ROOM, THE SESSIONS HOUSE, LOUTH

ON TUESDAY 14^th MAY 2024

 

                                              The Mayor, Cllr. Mrs. Julia Simmons (JS) (in the chair).

 

Present Councillors:                                                                M.R. Barnes (MRB), L.M. Cooney (LMC), J. Drake (JD), H. Filer (HF), L. Frost (LF), D. Hobson (DH), G.E. Horton (GEH), M. Lamb (ML), Mrs. J. Makinson-Sanders (Mrs. JMS), D. Moore (DM), P. Starsmore (PS), Mrs. P.F. Watson (Mrs. PFW) and D.E. Wing (DEW).

 

Councillors Not Present: Mrs. E. Ballard (Mrs. EB) and Mrs. K. Parsons (Mrs. KP).

 

The Town Clerk, Mrs. L.M. Phillips and the Town Clerk’s Assistant, Miss S. Chitauro, the Mayor’s Serjeant, Mrs. S. Dykes, The Mayor’s Chaplain, Reverend Robert Mansfield, The Mayor’s Consort, Mr. Alan Simmons, The Deputy Mayoress, Mrs. Sarah-Jayne Hobson, Mr. Richard Gurnham and 6 members of the public were also present.

• Election of Town Mayor (Chairman)
  It was RESOLVED by vote of the Council that Cllr. JS should be elected Mayor of Louth to hold office until the Annual Meeting of the Council in 2025.
  1. Declaration of Acceptance of Office
     JS read out and signed the official Declaration of Acceptance of Office witnessed by the Town Clerk and took the Chair.
  2. Mayor’s Address
     JS reflected upon her time as Mayor and the many events she had attended and people she had met. She thanked her husband, the Town Council employees, the Councillors, the Mayor’s Serjeant, and Reverend Mansfield.  Cllr. JS then remembered Deputy Mayor Sue Crew.  She finished by thanking the people of Louth, expressing that it was a privilege to serve the town.
  3. Vote of Thanks to the 2023/24 Mayor
     It was RESOLVED that a vote of thanks be given to the Mayor. JS was presented with a replica of the Arms of the Town on behalf of the Council.
  4. Reply of the 2023/24 Mayor
     JS once again thanked the staff of the Town Council, the Mayor’s Serjeant, Reverend Mansfield, her consort, and Deputy Mayor and Mayoress, Cllr. DH and Mrs. S. Hobson. She presented the Arms of the Town to Doctor Richard Gurnham, telling attendees of his work for the town, that Dr. Gurnham had lived in Louth since 1977 and had taught history and politics at King Edward VI Grammar School.  He had also worked part time as an adult educational lecturer.  A man of the community, Cllr. JS informed attendees that Dr. Gurnham belonged to local groups such as the Louth Museum, the Choral Society and the Civic Trust.  Cllr. JS spoke of Dr. Gurnham’s astounding knowledge of Louth and its history, and how he had published several books on local history that had positively promoted Louth and supported the community.  Dr. Gurnham received the Arms and thanked the Mayor and attendees.
  5. Appointment of Chaplain
     The Mayor confirmed that the Reverend Robert Mansfield had kindly agreed to act as her Chaplain for the year 2024/25.
• Election of Deputy Mayor
  It was RESOLVED that Cllr. DH be elected Deputy Mayor to hold office until the Annual Meeting of the Council in 2025.
• Apologies for Absence
  Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs. Mrs. EB and Mrs. KP. 
• Declarations of Interest / Dispensations
  Mrs. JMS and DEW declared interests in item 12(g) as members of the Hubbard’s Hills Trust.
• Council Minutes
  It was RESOLVED to approve as a correct record, the notes of the Council Meetings held on the 19^th March 2024.
• Committee Minutes
  It was RESOLVED to confirm receipt of the minutes and adopt the resolutions contained therein of the following Committee Meetings:
  1. Planning – 20^th February 2024, 19^th March 2024 and 9^th April 2024
  2. Governance and Finance – 20^th February 2024 and 9^th April 2024
  3. Community Resources – 30^th January 2024
  4. Personnel – 30^th January 2024
• Louth Town Council Governance
  It was RESOLVED to confirm that Governance Documents such as Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, Risk Management and Internal Controls, the Asset Register, Insurance arrangements, the Council’s Complaints Procedure, all policies relating to GDPR, the Handling of Freedom of Information Requests Policy, Media Policy and other policies and procedures had been reviewed and adopted in 2023/24.
• Committees of the Council
  It was RESOLVED that the Council re-establish the Committees below, as Committees of Louth Town Council and confirm terms of reference / delegated authority as contained within Standing Orders and confirm membership:
  1. Planning Committee (P), All Members
  2. Governance and Finance Committee (G), All Members
  3. Community Resources Committee (C), All Members; and
  4. Personnel (H) Committee, 7 Members (not to include the Mayor). It was RESOLVED membership in 2024/25 should consist of: JMS, Mrs. EB, GEH, DH, HF, JB and JD.
• Town Clerk
  It was RESOLVED to confirm delegated authority to the Town Clerk as contained within Standing Orders and Financial Regulations.
• Representation on External Bodies and Arrangements for Reporting Back
  The following representation at meetings and reporting back was noted:
  1. Louth United Charities – Cllrs. DEW and Mrs. JMS
  2. King Edward VI Almshouse School and Educational Charity of Louth – Mr. A. Leonard and Cllrs. DH and Mrs. JMS
  3. Louth Navigation Regeneration Partnership – Cllr. Mrs. PFW with JS to substitute, as required.
  4. CCTV Partnership – Cllr. Mrs. EB and the Town Clerk.
• Council’s Membership of Other Bodies
  It was noted that the Council was a subscriber/member or associate of:
  1. Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils (LALC)
  2. National Association of Local Councils (NALC)
  3. LALC Annual Training Scheme
  4. Historic Towns Forum (Free associate)
  5. Information Commissioners Office
  6. The Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management
  7. Rural Market Towns Group
  8. Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC)
• Arrangements with Other Organisations
  It was noted that the Council had arrangements with other organisations e.g., leases/agreements in respect of:
  1. Trinity Allotments
  2. Old Mill House
  3. Land off London Road (Louth Athletics Club)
  4. Julian Bower Field
  5. Aethelherd’s Chapel
  6. Sessions House
  7. Hubbard’s Hills
  8. Flood Alleviation Scheme
  9. London Road and Mount Pleasant Allotments
  10. Land off London Road (Astro Turf Site) 
• Meetings of the Council
  It was RESOLVED to confirm that the Council approved its schedule of meetings for 2024/25 on 19^th March 2024 and that the Town Clerk should issue summons by email, accordingly.
• Nominated Key Holders
  It was RESOLVED to confirm that Cllrs. JB, DH, JD and JS were to be key holders of The Sessions House. Which role involves opening / closing of Sessions House as required and being on call to deal with Chubb Fire and Security in the event of the building’s alarm being activated overnight or at weekends.
• Bank Signatories
  The Council noted signatories, as follows:
  Lloyds Account – Cllrs. Mrs. EB, Mrs. JMS, LMC, JS, KP and DH.
  NSI Account – Cllrs. Mrs. EB, LMC, JS and DH.
• Date of Next Meeting
  It was noted that the date of the next scheduled Town Council meeting was 18^th June 2024.

 

The Meeting Closed at 7.41pm.

 

 

 

Signed_______________________ (Chairman)                Dated_________________________