Finance and Strategy Committee – Tuesday 27 January 2026 at 6:30pm

Agenda and Minutes

Present: Councillors Sheila Bibb, Stephen Blogg, Nigel Bowler, Nicholas Coxon, Michael Devine, David Dobbie, Paul Key, Richard Thompson (substitute)

In Attendance:
Rachel Allbones                  Town Clerk & Responsible Finance Officer

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

FS26/128  Apologies for Absence
To note apologies for absence.

Minutes:
Apologies were received from Councillor Woolley.

FS26/129  Declarations of Interest
To receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011.

Minutes: 
No declarations of interest were declared.

FS26/130  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.

FS26/131  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.

Minutes:
No items for the exclusion of the public and press.

FS26/132  Minutes of the Previous Meeting (Paper A pages 4 to 8)
To receive and resolve to sign as a true and accurate record the minutes of the Finance and Strategy Committee meeting held on Tuesday 16 December 2025.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Finance and Strategy Committee meeting held on Tuesday 16 December 2025 be approved as a true and accurate record and signed by the Chair.
It was noted that following the meeting WLDC amended the Tax Base resulting in the increase of the precept being 4.72% and not 3.69% as stated in FS26/114.
Note: Councillors Bibb, Blogg, Dobbie abstained from voting on the above resolution. Councillor Key abstained from voting on the items after he left the meeting.

FS26/133  Finance Reports
To receive and consider for approval the following financial reports:
i. Unpaid Expenditure Transactions for 22 January 2026 (Paper B pages 9 to 15)
ii. Cashbook Summary (including due and unpaid transactions) for 22 January 2026 (Paper C pages 16 to 17)
iii. Budget Comparison Report (including due and unpaid transactions) for 22 January 2026 (Paper D pages 18 to 53)

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To NOTE and approve the following reports:
i. Unpaid Expenditure Transactions for 22 January 2026.
ii. Cashbook Summary (including due and unpaid transactions) for 22 January 2026.
iii. Budget Comparison Report (including due and unpaid transactions) for 22 January 2026.

FS26/134  Bank Reconciliation (Paper E pages 54 to 69)
To approve and resolve to sign the monthly bank reconciliations for 31 December 2025 per paragraph 2.2 of Financial Regulations.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: That the monthly bank reconciliations for 31 December 2025 be approved and signed, with the following closing balances:
i. HSBC Current/Deposit Account: £64,821.15
ii. CCLA: £500,000.00

FS26/135  Accessibility Statement for the Website Review (Paper F pages 70 to 76)
To review and adopt updated Accessibility Statement.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To adopt updated Website Accessibility Statement.

FS26/136  Fees and Charges (Paper G pages 76 to 84)
To consider and approve fees & charges for sports, burial grounds and events for 2026/27, allotments for 2027/28 and allotment water charges for 2026/27.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To
1) Approve the 2026/27 Sports Grounds charges as set in Appendix A.
2) Provide cricket pitch free of charge for children’s all stars and dynamo’s cricket sessions.
3) Approve the 2026/27 Cemetery charges as set in Appendix B.
4) Approve the 2027/28 Allotment charges at £0.139 per square metre and £0.150 per square metre for Non-residents.
5) Approve the 2026/27 water charges for Spital Hill at £11.50 per standard plot and Foxby Hill at £6.70 per standard plot (double charge for large plots).
6) Approve the 2026/27 Garage space charge at £60.78.
7) Approve the fee for fairs/circuses at £250 per trading day.
8) Approve the fee for the Motor caravaners for 2026/27 at £600 (Fri – Sun).
9) Approve the fee Charity / community groups for Marshalls whole site at £150 per event day.

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

FS26/137  Electronic Communications and Social Media Policy Review
To consider combined review of the Councils Communications Policy, Communications Strategy and Social Media Policy.
Paper H Draft new policy (pages 85 to 91)
Paper I Communications Policy (pages 92 to 95)
Paper J Communications Strategy (pages 96 to 103)
Paper K Social Media Policy (pages 104 to 108)

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To adopt the Electronic Communications and Social Media Policy which supersedes the Councils Communications Policy, Communications Strategy and Social Media Policy.

FS26/138  Use of Work Vehicles by Councillors & Staff for Personal Domestic Use Review (Paper L pages 109 to 113)
To review and adopt updated Use of Work Vehicles by Councillors & Staff for Personal Domestic Use Policy.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To adopt the reviewed Use of Work Vehicles by Councillors & Staff for Personal Domestic Use Policy, with the removal of ‘two parts’ in 4.1.

FS26/139  Councillor Laptop Use & Return Agreement (Paper M pages 114 to 118)
To consider recommending the adoption of the Councillor Laptop Use & Return Agreement.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL the adoption of the Councillor Laptop Use & Return Agreement.

FS26/140  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. Marshalls Bowls Club Lease
ii. Love Lane Allotment Garages
iii. Operation Bridges Review
iv. Civic Protocol
v. Investment Strategy – March
vi. Asset Register Review – March
vii. Risk Management Policy – April
viii. Risk Register – April
ix. Registrar Lease renewal
x. Unity Trust Bank
xi. Strategic Plan
xii. LCAS Silver Status submission

FS26/141  Time and Date of Next Meeting
To note the date and time of the next Finance and Strategy Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 24 February 2026 at 6:30pm.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: to NOTE the date and time of the next Finance and Strategy Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday 24 February 2026 at 6:30pm at Richmond House, Morton Terrace.

The meeting closed at 7:52pm.