Property and Services Committee – Tuesday 13 January 2026 at 6:30pm

Agenda and Minutes

 

Present: Councillors Sheila Bibb, Nicholas Coxon, Richard Craig, Dennis Dannatt, Caz Davies, Paul Hooton, Paul Key, Richard Thompson and Kenneth Woolley

In Attendance:
Rachel Allbones                  Town Clerk
Sean Alcock                        Operations Manager

There were no questions or comments from members of the public.

Venue: Meeting room, Richmond House, Richmond Park, Morton Terrace, Gainsborough, DN21 2RJ.

PS26/059  Apologies for Absence
To note apologies for absence.

Minutes:
Apologies were received from Councillor Bowler and the Communities Officer.

PS26/060  Declarations of Interest
To receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011.

Minutes:
Councillor Coxon declared a personal interest in agenda item PS26/072 as he knows a company that provided a quotation.

PS26/061  Dispensation Requests
To consider any dispensation requests received by the Town Clerk in relation to personal and/or disclosable pecuniary interests, not previously recorded.

Minutes:
No dispensation requests were received.

PS26/062  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, section 1 (2), and to resolve accordingly.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To exclude the public and press from items PS26/066, PS26/070, PS26/071, PS26/072 in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, section 1 (2) due to the confidential nature of the business to be discussed.

PS26/063  Minutes of the Previous Meeting (Paper A  pages 4 to 6)
To receive and resolve to sign as a true and accurate record the minutes of the Property and Services Committee meeting held on Tuesday 11 November 2025.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Property and Services Committee meeting held on Tuesday 11 November 2025 be approved as a true and accurate record and signed by the Chair.
Note: Councillor Woolley abstained from voting on the above resolution.

PS26/064  Allotment Tenancy Breach Policy Review (Paper B pages 7 to 10)
To review and adopt the updated Allotment Tenancy Breach Policy.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To adopt the updated Allotment Tenancy Breach Policy.

Note: Councillor Davies abstained from voting on the above resolution.

PS26/065  Keeping Animals on Allotments Policy Review (Paper C pages 11 to 24)
To review and adopt the updated Keeping Animals on Allotments Policy.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To adopt the updated Keeping Animals on Allotments Policy.
Note: Councillor Davies abstained from voting on the above resolution.

PS26/066  Allotment – Right to Appeal Extension (Paper D pages 25 to 28) 
To consider request to extend the appeal deadline.
Exclusion of public and press recommended due to the confidential nature of the discussion.

Minutes:
Note: Councillor Thompson arrived at the meeting at 6:55pm.
RESOLVED: To uphold the Council’s Tenancy Breach Policy and decline the request to submit an appeal following a second breach and Notice to Quit, outside the prescribed timeframe.
Note: Councillor Davies abstained from voting on the above resolution.

PS26/067  Report on grants to the Council from external bodies (Paper E pages 29 to 40)
To note the report on grants to the Council from external bodies and agree any items to be removed.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To note the report on grants to the Council from external bodies and approve removal of projects 3.3, 3.4 and 3.6.
Note: The Committee expressed thanks to the Communities Officer for their hard work.

PS26/068  Christmas Lights Festival 2025 & 2026
To debrief the 2025 Christmas Lights Festival and consider 2026 Christmas Lights Festival.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To defer the discussion until after the meeting with West Lindsey District Council on Monday 19 January 2026.

PS26/069  Christmas Lights Scheme for 2026 onwards (Paper F pages 41 to 49)
To consider options for the 2026 and future Christmas lights scheme. 

Minutes:
Christmas Lights Scheme for 2026 onwards (Paper F)
RESOLVED: To explore re-using existing Council-owned lighting, subject to full electrical and structural testing, certification, and any required refurbishment, and report back to Committee.

PS26/070  Parish Agreement Grass Verge Cutting 2026/27 (Paper G pages 50 to 55)
To consider extension of 2025/26 parish grass verge cutting contract for 2026/27.
Exclusion of public and press recommended due to commercially sensitive information. 

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To approve extension of 2025/26 parish grass verge cutting contract with Glendale for 2026/27 at a cost of £1,573.66 per cut +VAT.

PS26/071  Richmond House Guttering (Paper H pages 56 to 63)
To consider quotations received to replace approximately 40m of guttering and 18m of downpipe to the front and two sides of Richmond House.
Exclusion of public and press recommended due to commercially sensitive information.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To RECOMMEND to FULL COUNCIL approval of the quotation submitted by T.G. Sowerby Developments Ltd for the replacement of approximately 40 meters of guttering and 18 meters of downpipe to the front and two sides of Richmond House, at a cost of £10,760.00 + VAT, to be funded from General Reserves.

PS26/072  Richmond House Rear Entrance (Paper I pages 64 to 66)
To consider quotations received to resolve damp issue at the rear entrance of Richmond House.
Exclusion of public and press recommended due to commercially sensitive information.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To approve the quotation submitted by Gainsborough Building Services to resolve damp issue at the rear entrance of Richmond House, at a cost of £5,300 + VAT, funded from budgets 12000/11 and 12000/12.
Note: Councillor Coxon abstained from voting on the above resolution.

PS26/073  Richmond House Condition Report (Paper J pages 67 to 69)
To consider update regarding Richmond House condition survey and a feasibility study.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: That Members agree to allow the Town Clerk to continue working with West Lindsey District Council to explore and progress the commissioning an updated condition survey and feasibility study for Richmond House, with any future financial commitments to be subject to further Committee approval.

PS26/074  Items for Notification
To receive any items for notification to be included on a future agenda (for information only)

Minutes: 
RESOLVED: to NOTE the items for notification to be included on a future
agendas:
i. Matters Arising Schedule
ii. General Cemetery Chapel
iii. Fire Risk Assessment Remedials – Marshalls Main Pavilion
iv. Fire Risk Assessment Remedials – Marshalls Bowls Pavilion
v. Utility Charge Review
vi. Volunteer Recognition

PS26/075  Time and Date of Next Meeting
To note the next Property and Services Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 10 March 2026 at 6:30pm.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To NOTE the next Property and Services Committee is scheduled for Tuesday 10 March 2026 at 6:30pm at Richmond House, Morton Terrace.

The meeting closed at 7:52pm.