MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF LOUTH TOWN COUNCIL
HELD IN THE OLD COURT ROOM, THE SESSIONS HOUSE, LOUTH
ON TUESDAY 26TH OCTOBER 2021

 

Present                                        The Mayor, Cllr. D. Hobson (DH) (in the chair).

 

Councillors:       Mrs. E. Ballard (EB), J. Baskett (JB), M. Bellwood (MB), L. Cooney (LMC), S. Crew (SC), D. Ford (DF), J. Garrett (JG), D.J.E. Hall (DJEH), G. 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)) and D.E. Wing (DEW).

 

Councillors not present: A. Cox (AC), H. Filer (HF), D. Jackman (DJ) and Mrs. P.F. Watson (PFW)
 

The Town Clerk, Mrs. L.M. Phillips and the Town Clerk’s Assistant, Mrs. M.C. Vincent were also present.

 

 

T59.        Apologies for Absence
Apologies received from Cllrs: AC, HF and Mrs. PFW.

 

T60.        Declarations of Interest / Dispensations
Cllr. Mrs. JMS – item 5 as a member of ELDC and item 7 as a member Hubbard’s Hills Trust.
Cllrs. DEW and AL – item 7 as a member of Hubbard’s Hills Trust.

Cllr. DJEH – item 5 as a member of ELDC.

 

T61.        Council Minutes
It was RESOLVED to approve as a correct record, the notes of the Council Meeting held on the 28th September 2021.

 

T62.        Committee Minutes
It was RESOLVED to adopt the resolutions contained within the following Committee Meetings:

Planning – 14/09/21, Governance & Finance – 20/07/21, Community Resources – 17/08/21 and Personnel – 20/07/21

 

T63.         3G Football Pitch Project – Louth
Following complaints made to Cllr. GEH, the proposed site of the 3G football pitch at Wood Lane was discussed at length. There were concerns that Louth would lose the last public football pitch in the town if the 3G pitch was built on the site at Wood Lane. It was RESOLVED that the Town Clerk would write to ELDC to request that they reconsider their decision to build the 3G football pitch on Wood Lane and review other more suitable sites in Louth.

 

T64.        Vehicle Weight Restrictions on Residential Streets
Following incidents in the town where large lorries have taken a route which is not suitable and have damaged buildings e.g., Davenports (the chip shop on the corner of Northgate and Eastgate) and/or cars.  One particular incident saw an 8 wheel lorry travelling too quickly down George Street, hitting 2 cars in the process.  Councillors felt strongly that residential streets should not be used by larger vehicles but were concerned that any restrictions should not also make them rat runs or bottlenecks.  They acknowledged that more and more people now order their shopping online and that these delivery vans will need access.  They wondered if marking a safe route for larger vehicles / HGV’s to follow would be possible.  It was RESOLVED that the Town Clerk should contact LCC to see if there is anything that can be done re. the above to impose weight restrictions on residential streets and use LCC traffic wardens to ticket those larger vehicles who ignore them.  Councillors were of the opinion that more data is required and wished to request that LCC look to carry out a feasibility study to look at the above and that this should probably have a wider remit perhaps including the best ways to get more environmentally friendly transport in town and ways to deter speeding etc.  Town Clerk also to confirm that Louth Town Councillors would very much appreciate being involved in the feasibility study.

 

NB: Cllrs. AL and DEW left the room at 7:40pm before the Closed Item Session was discussed.

 

T65.         Closed Session Item
It was RESOLVED to move into Closed Session in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 due to the business to be discussed in the following item, information being of a confidential and legal nature in relation to Hubbard’s Hills.

The Town Clerk circulated a confidential report.  It was RESOLVED:

a)      That the Council noted the update and the solicitor’s advice.

b)     That the Council authorise the payment of legal fees already incurred.

c)      That the Trust should be requested to supply the report by 14th November 2021 and failing that Council to consider the future.

d)     To give delegated authority to the Town Clerk to progress the matter and continue to incur expenditure on legal advice, as required.

 

NB: Cllr. Mrs. JMS did not vote.

It was RESOLVED to move out of Closed Session.

 

NB: Cllr. AL returned to the meeting at 8:06pm.

 

T66.        Next Meeting
The Council noted that the date of the next scheduled Town Council meeting was 7th December 2021.

 

 

The Meeting Closed at 8.07pm.

 

 

 

Signed_______________________ (Chairman)                Dated_________________________