MINUTES OF THE LOUTH TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
HELD ONLINE USING THE ZOOM CONFERENCING PLATFORM
ON TUESDAY 19TH JANUARY 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), A. Cox (AC), S. Crew (SC), D. Ford (DF), H. Filer (HF), J. Garrett (JG), D.J.E. Hall (DJEH), G.E. Horton (GEH), D. Jackman (DJ), A. Leonard (AL), Mrs. S.E. Locking (SEL), K. Norman (KN), Mrs. J. Makinson-Sanders (JMS), J. Simmons (JS), F.W.P. Treanor (FWPT), Mrs. P.F. Watson (PFW) and D. Wing (DEW).
Councillors not present: None
The Town Clerk, Mrs. L.M. Phillips, the Town Clerk’s Assistant, Mrs. M.C. Vincent, two members of the public and one member of the press were also present.
Public Forum
· A member of the public thanked the Town Council for their support regarding an earlier planning application at Hallam’s Close, Julian Bower, but asked them, now that the planning application had been updated with further information, that they continue with their support in objecting to the application. They went on to mention recent issues at the apiary and reported that although the residents were not against the llamas and apiary per se, that the infrastructure at Julian Bower could not support these ventures.
· Another member of the public gave an update on the llamas regarding problems with fencing and the access stile.
220. Apologies for Absence
None.
221. Declarations of Interest / Dispensations
Cllr. Mrs. JMS – items 6,9 and 11 as member of ELDC and item 10 as member of the Hubbard’s Hills Trust.
Cllr. DF – Item 7 as volunteer at Louth Museum.
Cllr. LMC – item 6 as employee of mini coach business.
Cllr. AL – items 6,9 and 11 as member of ELDC, item 10 as member of the Hubbard’s Hills Trust and item 7 as involved with the Museum.
Cllr. DEW – item 10 as member of the Hubbard’s Hills Trust.
Cllr. DJEH – items 6,9 and 11 as member of ELDC.
Cllr. Mrs. SEL – item 7 as a member of the Louth and District Antiquarian and Naturalists Society.
The Town Clerk told the Council that she had received requests for the following Dispensations:
Cllr. AL – To speak and vote on matters relating to Hubbard’s Hills until the end of his term in office.
Cllr. DEW – To speak on matters relating to Hubbard’s Hills until the end of his term in office.
It was noted that Cllr. Mrs. JMS already had a Dispensation to speak on Hubbard’s Hills until the end of her term in office.
Following a vote it was RESOLVED that Cllrs. AL and DEW be given Dispensation to speak only on matters relating to Hubbard’s Hills in this meeting (Closed Session item). That Dispensations would have to be applied for to speak at each further meeting.
222. Council Minutes
It was RESOLVED to approve as a correct record, the notes of the Council Meetings held on the: 1st December 2020.
223. Committee Minutes
It was RESOLVED to confirm receipt of the minutes and adopt the resolutions contained therein of the following meetings: Planning Committee 17th November 2020, Governance and Finance Committee 3rd November 2020, Community Resource Committee 6th October 2020, Personnel 8th September 2020.
224. Louth United Charities
It was RESOLVED to elect the following representatives to stand as Trustees on Louth United Charities as Mrs. Ottaway and Cllr. Wing’s terms of office had come to an end: Cllr. DEW (who wished to stand again) and Cllr. JS.
225. Consultation on CCTV in Licensed Vehicles
It was RESOLVED to make a corporate response to the above consultation by ELDC (www.e-lindsey.gov.uk/consultation) with the following responses: Cllrs. GEH and AL did not take part as a members of Licencing at ELDC and DJEH did not take part as had attended the licence meeting at ELDC.
Q.1 Yes, Q2 No, Q3 Yes, Q4 Yes, Q5 A but clearly signed has CCTV, Q6 Yes, Q7 a. Signage outside taxi to indicate has CCTV, b. Duration of how long CCTV is held, c. Footage to be kept in a secure place/manner.
NB: Cllr. AC left the meeting during this item at 7:55pm, back at 7:59pm.
226. Louth Museum Digital Working Group
It was RESOLVED that Mrs. M. Vincent assist and represent Louth Town Council on the group that Louth Museum are forming which are to apply for a grant for Digital Innovation and Engagement.
227. Public Works Loan Board
It was RESOLVED to authorise the payment of the final instalment of the Council’s Public Works Loan which falls due on 31st January 2021 in the amount of £10,256.70. (£10,069.41 Principal and £187.29 Interest).
228. Graffiti
Following a spate of “Covid Lies” graffiti, it was RESOLVED that the Council would:
a. Write to the Louth Police to enquire if there was anything that could be done.
b. Write to ELDC to ask them if they could clean the graffiti if not on ELDC property/land.
c. Obtain quotes to clean the graffiti. Councillors to send in locations of current graffiti.
229. Closed Session
It was RESOLVED to go 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, commercial, third party and sensitive nature in relation to:
a. Hubbard’s Hills – It was RESOLVED to:
i) Stick to the current agreement for the next year.
ii) Request a written Hubbard’s Hills Trust report be provided by 30th April 2021, as per the agreement
iii) Allocate £35k in the budget for payment to the Trust in 2021/22 but also agree that extra funds could be taken from Earmarked Reserves, if required.
iv) Organise for an independent review of the agreement currently in place between Louth Town Council and the Hubbard’s Hills Trust with a view to clarifying content, meaning, rights, obligations and confirm the process that each party should follow etc.
After this item it was also RESOLVED to suspend Standing Orders due to the meeting approaching the 3 hour limit.
b. Julian Bower, Apiary – It was RESOLVED to accept the termination of the lease with The Lincolnshire Historic Crafts Network CIC and give the Town Clerk delegated authority to instruct the Council’s solicitor to action termination and also endeavour to recover costs.
NB: During this item Cllr. KN left at 9:56pm, Cllr. DEW left at 10:05pm, Cllr. DF left at 10:20pm and Cllr. FWPT left at 10:23pm.
c. CCTV – It was RESOLVED that it should be suggested to ELDC that the two Horncastle representatives on the CCTV Group visit the Boston CCTV office to ascertain the quality of the recordings and report back to their council.
It was RESOLVED to come out of Closed Session.
NB: Cllr. DJ left at 10:35
230. Precept
It was RESOLVED to approve a precept request for 2021/22 of £275,668 a decrease on 2020/21 of 12.69% (based on 2020/21 tax base figures) and a 14.56% decrease based on 21/22 tax base figures equating to an annual charge of £52.39. That delegated authority be given to the Town Clerk to complete the necessary form and submit to ELDC.
NB: This was a recorded vote as follows:
Support: Cllrs. EB, JB, MB, AC, LMC, SC, HF, JG, DJEH, DH, GEH, AL, SEL, JMS, JS, PFW.
Object: None.
231. Next Meeting
The Council noted that the date of the next scheduled Council Meeting was 2nd March 2021.
The Meeting Closed at 10:42pm.
Signed_______________________ (Chairman) Dated_________________________