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

ON TUESDAY 14TH JUNE 2022

 

Present                                        The Mayor, Cllr. J Baskett (JB) (in the chair).

 

Councillors:      Mrs. E. Ballard (EB), M. Bellwood (MB), L. Cooney (LMC), S. Crew (SC), H. Filer (HF), J. Garrett (JG), D.J.E. Hall (DJEH), D. Hobson (DH), G. Horton (GEH), M. Lamb (ML), A. Leonard (AL), Mrs. S.E. Locking (SEL), Mrs. J. Makinson-Sanders (JMS), K. Norman (KN), B. O’Brien (BO), J. Simmons (JS), Mrs. P.F. Watson (PFW) and D.E. Wing (DEW).

NB: Cllr Mrs. SEL left the meeting at 9:39pm during Closed Session due to a personal emergency.

 

Councillors not present: D. Ford (DF).

 

The Town Clerk, Mrs. L.M. Phillips and the Town Clerk’s Assistant, Mrs. M. Vincent and two members of the public were also present.
T16.         Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs. DF.

 

T17.         Declarations of Interest / Dispensations
Cllr. GEH – Item 12 and 13 as on the ELDC Scrutiny Panel.
Cllr. Mrs. JMS – item 13 as a member of ELDC and item 16 as a Trustee of Hubbard’s Hills.
Cllr. DJEH – Item 12 and 13 as on the ELDC Scrutiny Panel.
Cllr. DEW – item 16 as a Trustee of Hubbard’s Hills.
Cllr AL – item 12 as a District and Ward Councillor and item 16 as a Trustee of Hubbard’s Hills.

 

T18.         Council Minutes
It was RESOLVED to approve as a correct record, the notes of the Council Meeting held on the 17th May 2022 following the correction of 18th to 17th on the date of minutes.

 

T19.         Presentation of Arms of the Town to former Mayor of Louth, Councillor D. Hobson (2020/21 and 2021/22)
Cllr. JB presented the Arms of the Town to Cllr. DH and thanked him for the two years of hard work as Mayor of Louth during the Covid period when he had been a Mayor of firsts; among many, first to Chair Louth Town Council zoom meetings. Cllr. DH thanked the Council for the presentation of the Coat of Arms.

 

T20.          Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) 2021/22)

a)       The Council received and considered the report of the Internal Auditor.  It was RESOLVED to give delegated authority to the Clerk to organise the purchase of a fire safe cabinet for burial records and leases as recommended by the report.

b)      It was RESOLVED to receive the Balance Sheet for the year ended 31st March 2022 and approve signing by the Chairman and Responsible Financial Officer.

c)       On the recommendation of the Governance and Finance Committee it was RESOLVED to approve the completion of the Annual Governance Statement (Section 1 of the AGAR) for the financial year 2021/22, placing ticks in all boxes except number 9 where n/a should be placed and approve signing by the Chairman and the Town Clerk.

d)      The Council considered and RESOLVED to approve the Accounting Statements (Section 2 of the AGAR) for the financial year 2021/22 and authorised that it be signed by the Chairman.

e)      It was noted that the period for the exercise of public rights must include the first 10 working days of July, must be at least 30 consecutive working days long, must commence as soon as possible after approval of the AGAR and with this in mind, received a recommendation from the Governance and Finance Committee that the period for the exercise of public rights should be set from Wednesday 15th June 2022 to Tuesday 26th July 2022.

 

T21.         Annual Town Meeting Minutes 2022
The notes of the Annual Town Meeting held on 26th April 2022 were presented and it was noted that no proposals were raised by members of the public.

 

T22.         Working Groups
It was RESOLVED to re-establish the following working groups to the Council and approve the remit and updated membership as follows.

a)                  Events Group: Cllrs: JB (Chair TC), MB, HF, LMC, DF, DH, DHEH, JS (Vice TC) and BO.

b)                  Past Mayors: Cllrs: Mrs. EB, JB, DH, GEH, AL, Mrs. SEL, Mrs. JMS, Mrs PFW and DEW.

c)                  Planning Working Group: All Councillors.

d)                 Asset Review Group: To go to Community Resources Committee.

e)                  Floral Enhancements / Lovely Louth: Cllrs: MB, SC, HF, DF and ML.

f)                  Speed Awareness Working Group: Cllrs. JB (Mayor), MB, SC, DF, DJEH, DH, GEH.

g)                  Financial Overview Group (FOG): Cllrs: Mrs. EB (Chair), JB, MB, LMC (Vice Chair), BO, JS, DEW (Resolved by G&F Committee).

h)                 Louth Environment Working Group: JB, MB, DJEH, HF, DF and ML.

 

T23.         Grants
It was RESOLVED to approve a go live date for the LTC grant application form 2022/23 of Tuesday 9th August and closing date for applications of noon on Tuesday 4th October 2022.

 

T24.         Christmas
It was RESOLVED to give delegated authority to the Town Clerk to make arrangements for the Christmas decorations, along the same lines as in previous years, provided that costs are contained within budget and to accept the kind offer of a free real tree from Mr. Strawson.

 

T25.         YMCA
It was RESOLVED not to respond to the letter from the YMCA.

 

T26.         Tribute to Keyworkers
It was RESOLVED to authorise the Town Clerk to obtain permission from the Church to install a plaque paying tribute to keyworkers (the wording to be the same as that on the bench) at St. James’ Church and incur expenditure to expedite the same.  Funds to be limited and taken from earmarked reserve contingency.

 

T27.         London Road Hockey Pitch
It was RESOLVED that the Clerk be given delegated authority to write to Magna Vitae and take action as required or to bring back to the Council if necessary.

 

T28.         Charles Street Recreation Ground
The Town Council discussed the above, its concern at the lack of communication and of the future of the asset.  It was RESOLVED to send a letter to ELDC requesting that the Town Council be kept abreast of any discussions, actions, decisions which take place with regards to Charles Street Recreation Ground in the future, the better to discuss options itself as required.
T29.         Land at Julian Bower
It was RESOLVED to approve that the Council enter into a new and longer grazing licence with a previous user.

 

T30.         Nominated Key Holders
It was RESOLVED to confirm that Cllr. ML would be a new key holder (joining Cllr. JB, DH and SC) as 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.

 

NB: Before the meeting went into Closed Session it paused (9:14pm to 9:18pm) for a comfort break.
Cllr. Mrs. SEL left during the Closed Session due to a personal emergency (9:39pm).

 

T31.          Closed Session Items
It was RESOLVED to go into Closed Sessions in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 due to the business to be discussed in the following items, information being of a third party, commercial, confidential and or legal nature.

a)                  Land at Julian Bower – it was RESOLVED that the Town Clerk would email Mr. J Stockdale and write to the officer in charge of Temporary Events Licences to notify them of the situation.

b)                 Hubbard’s Hills: The Clerk reported to the Council that they should consider the long term financial and staffing consideration of certain outcomes from discussions regarding this item. It was RESOLVED to defer the Hubbard’s Hills item to an extra ordinary meeting and that the documents pertaining to this item be available to view prior to that meeting.

It was RESOLVED to come out of Closed Session.

 

T32.         Date of Next Meeting
It was noted that the date of the Council’s next scheduled meeting was 20th September 2022.

 

 

The Meeting Closed at 9.50pm.

 

 

 

Signed_______________________ (Chairman)                Dated_________________________