MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF LOUTH TOWN COUNCIL
HELD IN THE OLD COURT ROOM, THE SESSIONS HOUSE, LOUTH
ON TUESDAY 5th April 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), D. Ford (DF), J. Garrett (JG), D.J.E. Hall (DJEH), G. Horton (GEH), M. Lamb (ML), Mrs. S.E. Locking (SEL), Mrs. J. Makinson-Sanders (JMS), K. Norman (KN), B. O’Brien (BB), J. Simmons (JS) and D.E. Wing (DEW).

 

Councillors not present: A. Leonard (AL), F.W.P. Treanor (FWPT) and Mrs. P.F. Watson (PFW)
 

The Town Clerk’s Assistant, Mrs. M.C. Vincent and one member of the public were also present.

 

T105.     Apologies for Absence
Apologies were received from Cllrs: Mrs. PFW, AL and FWPT.

 

T106.     Declarations of Interest / Dispensations
Cllr. Mrs. EB – Agenda item 5 as applicant knows one of candidates.

Cllr. Mrs. JMS – Agenda item 11 as member of Hubbard’s Hills Trust.

Cllr. DEW – Agenda item 11 as member of Hubbard’s Hills Trust.

Cllr. SC – Agenda item 5 as knows one of candidates.

 

T107.     Council Minutes

It was RESOLVED to approve as a correct record, the notes of the Council Meeting held on the 22nd February 2022.

 

T108.     Committee Minutes
It was RESOLVED to adopt the resolutions contained within the following Committee Meeting minutes:

a.         Personnel – 25th January 2022

b.         Planning – 8th February 2022

c.         Governance and Finance – 22nd February 2022

 

T109.     Co-option of Councillor to Vacancy on Priory Ward and St. Margaret’s Ward

It was RESOLVED to co-op two new members for Louth Town Council on the Priory Ward and St. Margaret’s Ward as follows:

Cllr. Malcolm Lamb (A) – Priory Ward
Cllr Brendan O’Brien (B) – St. Margaret’s Ward

 

It was a recorded vote as follows:

 

Priory Ward
A
B
C

EB, JB, MB, LMC, SC, DF, JG, DJEH, DH, SEL, JMS, JS, DEW.
KN
HF, GEH

 

S.t Margaret’s Ward
B
C

JB, LMC, HF, DF, JG, DJEH, KN, JS,
MB, SC, DH, GEH, SEL, JMS, DEW
EB abstained from the second vote.

Following this item there was a short break (7:50pm to 7:58pm) to allow new co-opted members to sign their Declaration of Acceptance of Office, following which Cllrs. ML and BB joined the meeting as Councillors.

T110.     Meeting Dates 2022/23
Following concerns regarding the number of weeks in between planning meetings and instances where G&F and CR meetings were on the same night, it was RESOLVED to accept the months of May and June’s meetings but ask that the Town Clerk revisit the schedule for the rest of the meeting calendar year.

 

T111.     Tribute to Keyworkers
It was noted that four benches had been ordered for use around the town to be paid for by Welcome Back Funding.  It was RESOLVED that one of these benches would be placed by the canal, replacing a metal bench already in existence which is deteriorating, with a plaque including the wording: In sincere appreciation of the people of Louth, who gave such committed and dedicated service to their community during the Covid pandemic. From Louth Town Council.

 

T112.     Insurance

Discussion on this item included whether property owned by the Town Council but rented out/part of a management agreement should be included within the insurance policy.  However, it was decided that no changes should be made but that the issue should be considered again before the next review. Following a recommendation by FOG it was RESOLVED to enter into a three year, long term agreement with Zurich at a cost of £4,630.60 per year.

 

T113.     Church Lights
A request was noted from the Treasurer of St. James’ Church for the council to pay for new LED external lights for the church at a cost of £10.000. Further it was noted that in 1965 the Council (Louth Borough Council at the time) had requested and paid for lights be installed and that LTC continues to pay for the electricity to run them. As the Town Clerk was still waiting for a reply from St. James’ Treasurer regarding the detail of costs and other pertinent questions, it was RESOLVED that this item be deferred to a forthcoming meeting when all the information had been received.

 

T114.     Louth United Charities
It was RESOLVED to agree that Cllr. SC’s term of office as a representative on the Louth United Charities be agreed for a further term.

 

T115.     Closed Session Item
Following the request from Hubbard’s Hills Trust for payment of Louth Town Council’s contractual contribution of £22,500 (first of two instalments), towards the maintenance of Hubbard’s Hills, it was RESOLVED to authorise this payment.

 

NB: Cllr. DEW left the room at 8:57pm due to a Declaration of Interest.

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 legal nature in relation to Hubbard’s Hills.

 

Councillors read a confidential report and following this it was RESOLVED to defer the item until a forthcoming meeting where the Chairman of Hubbard’s Hills Trust could be present to answer any questions, further, that the Council’s solicitor be sent a copy of the report before that meeting to feed back to the Council with any legal advice.

 

Cllr. Mrs. JMS wished it noted that she always declared an interest in Hubbard’s Hills agenda items and never entered the discussion.

 

It was RESOLVED to move out of Closed Session.

 

T116.     Next Meeting
The Council noted that the date of the next scheduled Town Council meeting would be 17th May 2022.

 

The Meeting Closed at 9:15 pm.

 

 

 

Signed_______________________ (Chairman)                Dated_________________________