10-06-20 TC MINS
MINUTES OF THE LOUTH TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
HELD ONLINE USING THE ZOOM CONFERENCING PLATFORM
ON TUESDAY 6th OCTOBER 2020
Present The Mayor, Cllr. D. Hobson (DH) (in the chair).
Councillors: Mrs. E. Ballard (EB), J. Baskett (JB), M. Bellwood (MB), A. Cox (AC), S. Crew (SC), D. Ford (DF), J. Garrett (JG), D.J.E. Hall (DJEH), G.E. Horton (GEH), A. Leonard (AL), Mrs. S.E. Locking (SEL), Mrs. J. Makinson-Sanders (JMS), K. Norman (KN), J. Simmons (JS), F.W.P. Treanor (FWPT), Mrs. P.F. Watson (PFW) and D. Wing (DEW).
Note: Cllr. Mrs. SEL arrived at 7:02 but the Public Forum was still taking place at this point.
Councillors not present: L. Cooney (LMC), H. Filer (HF) and D. Jackman (DJ)
The Town Clerk, Mrs. L.M. Phillips, the Town Clerk’s Assistant, Mrs. M.C. Vincent, Cllr. R. Jackson (ELDC), a member of the press and 2 members of the public were also present.
Public Forum
· Cllr. R. Jackson (ELDC) tabled a report with reference to ELDC to bring LTC up to date on Magna Vitae’s current financial situation, Scrutinies, Planning policy, Coronavirus, Asset transfers and Council Tax.
Cllr. AL (ELDC) gave an overview of issues he had been working on including working with Spout Yard on anti-social behaviour problems occurring there. Cllr. Mrs. JMS reported that there was now a Scrutiny taking place of the Alliance with Boston Borough Council. She also reported that it was almost certain that LCC elections would take place in 2021 and that the Local Government Reorganisation would not be considered again until next year. She was concerned that Magnae Vitae was in deficit which was likely to increase further and would lead to ELDC standing the debt. Cllr. R. Jackson (ELDC) replied that until we knew if there was to be a second wave of Covid and/or new restrictions, the true figure of the deficit could not be realised. Cllr. GEH reported more fully on the ELDC/Boston Alliance Scrutiny Panel.
· A member of the public introduced themselves as a resident living on Julian Bower who was interested in agenda item 9. He had concerns regarding the access issues which may affect him. Cllr. Mrs. EB reported that she was the President of the Louth Athletics Club (LAC), which was adjacent to the land being considered for the Resomarium on Julian Bower, and that she also sat on LAC as a representative of Louth Town Council.
· Cllr. FWPT thanked the council for all the messages, cards, flowers and chocolates sent to him and updated the Council on his forthcoming hospital schedule. Cllr. DH wished Cllr. FWPT all the very best from all the Council.
127. Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors: LMC and HF.
128. Declarations of Interest / Dispensations
Cllrs. Mrs. EB – Item 9 – as the owners of the land in question had approached her a year ago and discussed their idea.
Cllr. Mrs. JMS – Item 9 – as the land is in the ELDC Ward she represents.
Cllr. DJEH – Item 9 – as a Member of ELDC Planning Committee.
129. Council Minutes
It was RESOLVED to approve as a correct record, the notes of the Council Meeting held on the 8th September 2020.
130. Committee Minutes
It was RESOLVED to confirm receipt of the minutes and adopt the resolutions contained therein of the following meetings: Planning Committee 25th August 2020, Governance and Finance Committee 14th July 2020 and Personnel Committee 30th June 2020.
131. Litter Signs
Following a request by Louth RiverCare it was RESOLVED to explore possible options and places in Louth for the erection of signage with regards to preventing littering in the town.
132. Petition to Reopen the East Lincolnshire Railway (ELR)
It was RESOLVED to support in principal the petition to reopen the ELR between Grimsby and Peterborough via Louth.
133. Remembrance Day Arrangements 2020
It was noted that in light of Covid-19 restrictions the decision had been taken by the Town Clerk, the Mayor, Rev’d Canon Nick Brown and Mr. A. Warne (RBL) that no Remembrance Parade would take place in Louth in 2020. However, a service at St. James’ Church would still go ahead and this would be streamed live on Facebook. Organisations to be invited to lay their wreath in St. James’ Church on Saturday 7th November between 10.30am and 12.30pm. The Council to lay a wreath during the service on Sunday 8th November and send 4 representatives (to be seated in the front two pews). All other seats to be allocated by applications to the Deanery Office for tickets on a first come first served basis (due to be available within the next week). It was RESOLVED that the Town Council’s 4 representatives at the Remembrance Sunday Service should be The Mayor and Mayoress, The Deputy Mayor and the Town Clerk.
134. Louth Navigation Trust (LNT)
Cllr. JS reported to the Council that she had attended the LNT AGM and that there had been a very informative talk from Neil Kemble of the Lindsey Marsh Drainage Board, and that work on Keddington Lock was due to start in November 2020. She continued that they were proposing to install a weir where the sluice had been and hoped that this would help to power the Mill at Alvingham.
135. Resomarium
Councillors discussed correspondence on this subject, circulated by email on 1st October 2020 and it was RESOLVED to defer taking a decision on whether to grant or deny the request for access, pending the receipt of further information. The Council felt that it would require the requesters to supply further information before it could consider the matter properly and to this end the Council agreed to invite the requesters to provide, at their own cost, documentation to conclusively evidence, to the Council’s satisfaction, both the rights they claim exist over this route and their right to entitlement, to be accompanied by the legal opinion of a solicitor on the matter, explaining and confirming the situation.
136. Mayor’s Report
The Mayor reported on the many events he had attended since May 2020, (which were also on his blog published on the Town Council website and Facebook page) including the 100th Anniversary Louth Flood wreath laying, TV and Radio interviews regarding the Flood Walk YouTube video, visits to many of the businesses that had stayed open during the Lockdown and visits to the Foodbank and primary schools. He attended with the Mayoress the VJ Day in the Cornmarket and service at St. James’, presented the awards for the Lovely Louth Competition, and attended both the AGM and Festival at the Louth Navigation Canal. He thanked the Councillors for their support. Cllr. Mrs. JMS thanked the Mayor for his hard work and for the very interesting Blog.
Next Meeting
The Council noted that the date of the next scheduled Council Meeting was 3rd November 2020.
The Meeting Closed at 8:18pm.
Signed_______________________ (Chairman) Dated_________________________