Full Council – Tuesday 2 June 2026 at 6:30pm

Agenda and Minutes

Present: Councillors Sheila Bibb, Nigel Bowler, Stephen Blogg, Nicholas Coxon, Richard Craig, Michael Devine, David Dobbie, Richard Doy, Paul Key, James Plastow, Glenn Puxty, Richard Thompson, Kenneth Woolley

In Attendance:
Rachel Allbones                  Town Clerk
Sean Alcock                        Operations Manager

Also Present:                   Angie Waplington – LCC Education Locality Lead & Gainsborough Aspiration Project Lead
Shayleen Towns – WLDC Growth and Specials Project Officer

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

FC27/036  Apologies for Absence
To note apologies for absence.

Minutes:
Apologies were received from Councillors Dannatt, Davies, Hooton and Owles.

FC27/037  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.

FC27/038  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 made.

FC27/039  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 accordingly.

Minutes:
There were no items for the exclusion of the public and press.

FC27/040  Gainsborough Aspiration Project
To receive a presentation from Angie Waplington and Shayleen Towns regarding the Gainsborough Aspiration Project.

Minutes:
Members received a presentation from Angie Waplington and Shayleen Towns regarding the Gainsborough Aspiration Project.

FC27/041  Minutes of the Previous Meeting (Paper A pages 4 to 12)
To receive and resolve to sign as a true and accurate record the minutes of the Council meeting held on Tuesday 5 May 2026.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Council meeting held on Tuesday 5 May 2026 be approved as a true and accurate record and signed by the Chair.

FC27/042  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 12 May 2026 (Paper B pages 13 to 18)
ii. Planning Committee, Tuesday 19 May 2026 (Paper C pages 19 to 23)
iii. Neighbourhood Plan Working Group, Thursday 21 May 2026 (Paper D pages 24 to 27)
iv. Finance and Strategy Committee, Tuesday 26 May 2026 (Paper E pages 28 to 31)

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To NOTE the draft minutes of the Committees.

FC27/043  Announcements
To receive and note updates from: –
i. Chair of Council
Minutes:
The Chair advised he attended the Chand Raat celebration at Gainsborough House and would be attending the Aegir Cycling Club sponsored cycle ride and picnic in the park.

ii. Leader of Council
Minutes:
The Leader advised he had just attended Council meetings.

iii. Representatives on Outside Bodies
Minutes:
Councillor Woolley provided an update regarding the Marshalls & Rose Brothers Memorial Charity.
Councillor Craig provided an update regarding Pride in Place.

iv. Town Clerk (Paper F pages 32 to 37)
Minutes:
RESOLVED: To NOTE the Town Clerk’s report.

FC27/044  AGAR: Section 1 – Annual Governance Statement (Paper G pages 38 to 39)
To approve the nine individual statements of the AGAR: Section 1 – Annual Governance Statement 2025/26 preceded by the following assertion:
“We acknowledge as the members of Gainsborough Town Council our responsibility for ensuring that there is a sound system of internal control, including arrangements for the preparation of the Accounting Statements. We confirm, to the best of our knowledge and belief, with respect to the Accounting Statements for the year ended 31 March 2026.”

Minutes:
RESOLVED: that “We acknowledge as the members of Gainsborough Town Council our responsibility for ensuring that there is a sound system of internal control, including arrangements for the preparation of the Accounting Statements. We confirm, to the best of our knowledge and belief, with respect to the Accounting Statements for the year ended 31 March 2026.”
1. We have put in place arrangements for effective financial management during the year, and for the preparation of the accounting statements.
YES
2. We maintained an adequate system of internal control including measures designed to prevent and detect fraud and corruption and reviewed its effectiveness.
YES
3. We took all reasonable steps to assure ourselvesthat there are no matters of actual or potentialnon-compliance with laws, regulations and ProperPractices that could have a significant financial effecton the ability of this authority to conduct its business or manage its finances.
YES
4. We provided proper opportunity during the year for the exercise of electors’ rights in accordance with the requirements of the Accounts and Audit Regulations.
YES
5. We carried out an assessment of the risks facing this authority and took appropriate steps to manage those risks, including the introduction of internal controls and/or external insurance cover where required.
YES
6. We maintained throughout the year an adequate and effective system of internal audit of the accounting records and control systems.
YES
7. We took appropriate action on all matters raised in reports from internal and external audit.
YES
8. We considered whether any litigation, liabilities or commitments, events or transactions, occurring either during or after the year-end, have a financial impact on this authority and, where appropriate, have included them in the accounting statements.
YES
9. (For local councils only) Trust funds including charitable. In our capacity as the sole managing trustee we discharged our accountability responsibilities for the fund(s)/assets, including financial reporting and, if required, independent examination or audit.
N/A
10. We have put in place arrangements for the effective IT and data management in accordance with proper practices during the year under review.
YES

FC27/045  Recommendations made by Committee
To consider the following recommendation from Finance and Strategy Committee held 26 May 2026 (FS27/009 Year End Accounts 2025/26)
RESOLVED:  To RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL to approve of the following reports for the 2025/26 financial year: –
i. Consolidated Balance Sheet (Paper H pages 40 to 42)
ii. Income and Expenditure Account Report (Paper I pages 43 to 45)
iii. Income and Expenditure Account Analysis Report (Paper J pages 46 to 48)
iv. Income and Expenditure by Budget Headings Report (Paper K pages 49 to 55)
v. Trial Balance (Paper L pages 56 to 58)

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To approve of the following reports for the 2025/26 financial year: –
i. Consolidated Balance Sheet
ii. Income and Expenditure Account Report
iii. Income and Expenditure Account Analysis Report
iv. Income and Expenditure by Budget Headings Report
v. Trial Balance

FC27/046  Recommendations made by Committee (Paper M pages 59 to 60)
To consider the following recommendation from Finance and Strategy Committee held 26 May 2026 (FS27/010 AGAR – Section 2 Accounting Statements)
RESOLVED:  To RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL to approve Section 2 – Accounting Statements 2025/26 of the AGAR.

Minutes:
RESOLVED:To approve Section 2 – Accounting Statements 2025/26 of the AGAR.

FC27/047  Local Government Reorganisation
To consider any recent updates.

Minutes:
No update was received.

FC27/048  Correspondence (Paper N pages 61 to 62)
To note the correspondence previously circulated by email (for information only).

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To NOTE the correspondence circulated.

FC27/049  Items for Notification
To receive any items for notification to be included on a future agenda (for information only)

Minutes:
i. Debt Write Off

FC27/050  Time and Date of Next Meeting
To note the date and time of the next Full Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 7 July 2026 at 6:30pm.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To NOTE the next Full Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 7 July 2026 at 6:30pm at Richmond House, Morton Terrace.

The meeting closed at 7:43pm.