Annual Full Council

AGENDA - Tuesday 6 May 2025 - Full Council

Agenda & meeting papers can be accessed in the PDF pack above once available. 

Council meetings will be held in the Ceremony Room at Richmond House, Richmond Park, Morton Terrace, Gainsborough. Public and press are welcome to attend.

All Members of Gainsborough Town Council:

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN and Members are summoned to attend a meeting of Gainsborough Town Council to be held on Tuesday 6 May 2025 at 6:30pm in the meeting room, Richmond House, Richmond Park, Morton Terrace, Gainsborough, DN21 2RJ at which the under mentioned business will be transacted.

Prior to the commencement of the meeting there will be a public forum for a maximum of 15 minutes when members of the public may ask questions or make short (non-political) statements to the Council.

 A maximum further 10 minutes will be set aside for the meeting to receive brief reports of the Police and elected members of Lincolnshire County Council and West Lindsey District Council.

 AGENDA

 Welcome from the Chair and housekeeping

FC26/001  Election of the Chair of the Town Council for the 2025/26 Civic year
To elect a Chair and Town Mayor for the 2025-26 municipal year and allow for the newly elected Chair to sign their Declaration of Acceptance of Office.
Paper A (pages 6 to 7)

FC26/002  Election of the Vice Chair of the Town Council for the 2025/26 Civic year
To elect a Vice Chair and Deputy Town Mayor for the 2025-26 municipal year and allow for the newly elected Vice Chair to sign their Declaration of Acceptance of Office.
Paper B (pages 8 to 9)

FC26/003  Apologies for Absence
To note apologies for absence.

FC26/004  Declaration of Acceptance of Office
To consider whether to permit receiving any declarations of office at a later date and fix date.
Local Government Act 1972, section 83 Declaration of acceptance of office
(4) A person elected to the office of chairman of a parish or community council or parish or community councillor shall —
(a) in the case of the chairman, at the meeting at which he is elected;
(b) in the case of a councillor, before or at the first meeting of the parish or community council after his election; or
(c) in either case if the council at that meeting so permit, before or at a later meeting fixed by the council.

FC26/005  Declarations of Interest
To receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011.

FC26/006  Dispensation Requests
To consider any dispensation requests received by the Town Clerk in relation to personal and/or disclosable pecuniary interests, not previously recorded.

FC26/007  Items for Exclusion of Public and Press
To determine which items on the agenda, if any, require the exclusion of public and press under the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960 1 (2) and resolve to exclude public and press for these items.

FC26/008  Minutes of the Previous Meeting
To receive the minutes of the previous Council meeting and resolve to sign these as a true and accurate record.
Paper C Tuesday 1 April 2025 (pages 10 to 14)

FC25/009  Committee Meeting Minutes
To note receipt of the draft minutes of the Committee meetings and the decisions contained therein.
i. Property and Services Committee, Tuesday 8 April 2025 Paper D (pages 15 to 18)
ii. Personnel Committee, Wednesday 9 April 2025 Paper E (pages 19 to 21)
iii. Planning Committee, Tuesday 15 April 2025 Paper F (pages 22 to 26)
iv. Policy Review Working Group, Wednesday 16 April 2025 Paper G (pages 27 to 29)
v. Finance and Strategy Committee, Tuesday 22 April 2025 Paper H (pages 30 to 33)

FC26/010  Announcements
To receive and note updates from: –
i. Chair of Council
ii. Leader of Council
iii. Representatives on Outside Bodies
iv. Town Clerk Paper I (pages 34 to 42)

FC26/011  Recommendations made by Committee
To consider the following recommendation from Policy Review Working Group held 16 April 2025 (PO25/005 Standing Order Review):
RESOLVED:  to RECOMMEND to FULL COUNCIL to adopt the reviewed Standing Orders.
Paper J (pages 43 to 62) 

FC26/012  Recommendations made by Committee
To consider the following recommendation from Policy Review Working Group held 16 April 2025 (PO25/006 Financial Regulations Review):
RESOLVED:  to RECOMMEND to FULL COUNCIL to adopt the reviewed Financial Regulations.
Paper K (pages 63 to 85)

FC26/013  Recommendations made by Committee
To consider the following recommendation from Policy Review Working Group held 16 April 2025 (PO25/007 Structure and Functions Review):
RESOLVED:  to RECOMMEND to FULL COUNCIL to adopt the reviewed Structure and Functions.
Paper L (pages 86 to 126)

FC26/014  Recommendations made by Committee
To consider the following recommendation from Policy Review Working Group held 16 April 2025 (PO25/008 Members Code of Conduct Review):
RESOLVED:  to RECOMMEND to FULL COUNCIL to adopt the reviewed Members Code of Conduct.
Paper M (pages 127 to 142)

FC26/015  Council Leader
To appoint a Leader of the Council

FC26/016  Council Deputy Leader
To appoint a Deputy Leader of the Council

FC26/017  Finance and Strategy Committee
To appoint 7 Members, plus up to 2 substitutes, to the Finance and Strategy Committee and appoint a committee Chair.

FC26/018  Property and Services Committee
To appoint 7 Members, plus up to 2 substitutes, to the Property and Services Committee and appoint a committee Chair.

FC26/019  Personnel Committee
To appoint 7 Members, plus up to 2 substitutes, to the Personnel Committee and appoint a committee Chair.

FC26/020  Planning Committee
To appoint 7 Members, plus up to 2 substitutes, to the Planning Committee and appoint a committee Chair.

FC26/021  Neighbourhood Plan Working Group
To appoint 3-5 Members to the Neighbourhood Plan Working Group.

FC26/022  Policy Review Working Group
To appoint 3 Members to the Policy Review Working Group. 

FC26/023  Appointment of Representation on or work with External Bodies
To appoint representatives to outside bodies:
i. Gainsborough Adventure Playground Association
ii. Friends of Richmond Park – No longer required
iii. North Notts and Lincs Community Rail Partnership CIC
iv. Bassetlaw Area Group of North Notts & Lincs Community Rail Partnership
v. Gainsborough Transport Strategy Board (LCC)
vi. Marshalls & Rose Brothers Memorial Charity
vii. Gainsborough in Bloom
viii. Safeguarding Champion
ix. First Aid Champion

FC26/024  Authorised Signatories – Payments
To approve authorised payment signatories for 2025/26 (5 authorised of which 2 sign). Current signatories are Cllrs Bowler, Craig, Davies, Key & Plastow. 

FC26/025  Authorised Signatories – Legal documents
To review the current authorised persons to sign legal documents for 2025/26. Current authorised persons are Town Clerk and those members on the Town Council’s bank mandate, which currently are Cllrs Bowler, Craig, Davies, Key & Plastow.
Note: Council now have a seal.

FC26/026  Meeting Calendar for 2025 / 2026
To consider and approve a meeting schedule for 2025/26.
Paper N (pages 143 to 144)

FC26/027  Subscriptions
To review and approve Council’s and/or staff subscriptions to other bodies;
i. LALC / NALC
ii. The National Allotment Society
iii. ICCM
iv. Information Commissioners Office

FC26/028  Allotment Site Representatives
To approve the appointment of the Site Representatives for Foxby Hill, Love Lane, North Warren and Showfield Allotments.
Paper O (pages 145 to 146) 

FC26/029  Local Government Reorganisation
To receive:
i. A letter from the Leader of West Lindsey District Council regarding Local Government Reorganisation.
ii. Secretary of State’s Annual Report on Devolution 2023-24
Paper P (pages 147 to 173) 

FC26/030  Correspondence
To note the correspondence previously circulated by email (for information only).
Paper Q (pages 174 to 175)

FC26/031  Items for Notification
To receive any items for notification to be included on a future agenda (for information only)
i. AGAR: Section 1 – Annual Governance Statement
ii. Year End Accounts 2024/25
iii. AGAR – Section 2 Accounting Statements

FC26/032  Time and Date of Next Meeting
To note the date and time of the next Full Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 3 June 2025 at 6:30pm.

 

Rachel Allbones
Town Clerk
Richmond House
Gainsborough

Wednesday, 30 April 2025