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

ON TUESDAY 17TH MAY 2022

 

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), H. Filer (HF), J. Garrett (JG), D.J.E. Hall (DJEH), G. Horton (GEH), M. Lamb (ML), Mrs. S.E. Locking (SEL), K. Norman (KN), B. O’Brien (BO), J. Simmons (JS) and Mrs. P.F. Watson (PFW).

 

Councillors not present: D. Ford (DF), A. Leonard (AL), Mrs. J. Makinson-Sanders (JMS), F.W.P. Treanor (FWPT), D.E. Wing (DEW).

 

The Town Clerk, Mrs. L.M. Phillips and the Town Clerk’s Assistant, Mrs. M. Vincent and five members of the public were also present.
T1.           Election of Town Mayor (Chairman)
It was RESOLVED by vote of the Council that Cllr. JB should be elected Mayor of Louth to hold office until the Annual Meeting of the Council in 2023.

a)               Declaration of Acceptance of Office
Cllr. JB read out and signed the official Declaration of Acceptance of Office witnessed by the Town Clerk and took the Chair.

b)               Mayor’s Address
The Mayor thanked fellow Councillors for their support in his election, especially in this the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year and that he looked forward to promoting Louth, strongly supported by his wife Bridget, the Mayoress.

c)                Vote of Thanks to Retiring Mayor
It was RESOLVED that a vote of thanks be given to the Retiring Mayor.  Cllr. JB thanked the retiring Mayor, Cllr. DH for his hard work over the past two years, also for the fundraising for new defibrillators. He continued that at this point he would have presented the Retiring Mayor with a replica of the Arms of the Town as a token of the Council’s appreciation of his services during his mayoralty, but that this had not yet arrived and so suggested that this would take place at the next Town Council meeting.

d)               Reply of the Retiring Mayor
Cllr. DH thanked the Mayor and spoke of how it had been the single biggest honour to have been elected Mayor in May 2020 and then the following year too and that given the situation at the time amidst the pandemic; he had needed to be creative to make the position his own as there were only a very limited number of engagements, and so forging links with people had been crucial. He continued that some might think the role of Mayor was outdated, but he felt that it was a part of our heritage, it was not just about ‘dressing up’ and turning up for buffets, but keeping on top of the current situation/news in the town. Both he and the Mayoress had thoroughly enjoyed their time and had made many friends throughout the two years. He thanked his Chaplain, Fr. James, (who had been present to say prayers) with whom he had organised his Civic Service and who had always been there to talk. He thanked the staff at Sessions House with whom he had worked as a team, and thanked his family for their support, especially Sarah-Jayne who had rose to the challenge of Mayoress alongside her busy job vaccinating thousands of people. He concluded by thanking the Councillors for their support and faith in him and hoped that they had felt he had been fair and given them a voice.

e)                Appointment of Chaplain
The Mayor confirmed that the Rev’d Cameron Watt had kindly agreed to act as his Chaplain but had been unavailable to attend that evening.

 

T2.           Election of Deputy Mayor
It was RESOLVED that Cllr. Mrs. JS be elected Deputy Mayor to hold office until the Annual Meeting of the Council in 2023. Cllr. Mrs. JS was thereby elected as Deputy Mayor and was invested with the badge of office.

 

T3.           Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs. DF, AL, JMS, FWPT and DEW.

 

T4.           Declarations of Interest / Dispensations
None.

 

T5.           Council Minutes
It was RESOLVED to approve as a correct record, the notes of the Council Meeting held on the 5th April 2022.

 

T6.           Committee Minutes
It was RESOLVED to confirm receipt of the minutes and adopt the resolutions contained therein of the following Committee Meetings:

a)               Planning – 8th March 2022 and 5th April 2022

b)               Governance and Finance – 22nd March 2022

c)                Community Resources – 8th March 2022

 

T7.           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 were reviewed and adopted in 2021/22.

 

T8.           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:

a)               Planning Committee (P), All Members

b)               Governance and Finance Committee (G), All Members

c)                Community Resources Committee (C), All Members; and

d)               Personnel (H) Committee, 7 Members (not to include the Mayor), (Existing: JMS, SC, EB, GEH, DEW, JS, JB).  RESOLVED membership in 2022/23: JMS, SC, EB, GEH, DEW, JS, DH

 

T9.           Town Clerk
It was RESOLVED to confirm delegated authority to the Town Clerk as contained within Standing Orders and Financial Regulations and as previously approved on 12th October 2021.

 

T10.        Representation on External Bodies and Arrangements for Reporting Back
The following representation at meetings and reporting back was noted:

a)               Louth United Charities – Cllrs. Mrs. SEL, Mrs. JMS, DEW, SC, JS and AL.

b)               King Edward VI Almshouse School and Educational Charity of Louth – Cllrs. AL, DH and SC.

c)                Louth Navigation Regeneration Partnership – Cllr. Mrs. PFW with Cllrs. Mrs. JS to substitute, as required.

d)               CCTV Partnership – Cllr. Mrs. EB and Town Clerk.

 

T11.        Council’s Membership of Other Bodies
It was noted that the Council was a subscriber/member or associate of:

a)               Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils (LALC)

b)               National Association of Local Councils (NALC)

c)                LALC Annual Training Scheme

d)               Historic Towns Forum (Free associate)

e)                The Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities

f)                The Information Commissioners Office

g)               The Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management

 

T12.        Meetings of the Council
It was RESOLVED to confirm that the Council approved its schedule of meetings for 2022/23 on 10th May 2022. The Town Clerk to issue summons by email, accordingly.

 

T13.        Nominated Key Holders
It was RESOLVED to confirm that the four Councillors JB, DH, SC, FWPT continue to be key holders of The Sessions House, which role involves opening/closing up 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.

 

 

T14.        Cheque Signatories
The Council noted signatories, as follows:
Lloyds Account – Mrs. EB, Mrs. SEL, Mrs. JMS, AL and DEW.
NSI Account – SC, Mrs. EB, Mrs. SEL, DH and AL.

 

T15.        Date of Next Meeting
It was noted that the date of its next scheduled meeting is 14th June 2022.

 

 

The Meeting Closed at 7.41pm.

 

 

 

Signed_______________________ (Chairman)                Dated_________________________