Full Council – Tuesday 7 July 2026 at 6:30pm

Agenda and Draft Minutes

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

In Attendance:
Rachel Allbones                  Town Clerk
Sean Alcock                        Operations Manager

Also Present:
WLDC Councillor Karen Carless
WLDC Councillor Emma Bailey
3 Members of Riverside Indoor Bowls

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

FC27/051  Apologies for Absence
To note apologies for absence.

Minutes:
Apologies were received from Councillors Craig, Davies, Doy, Hooton.

FC27/052  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.

FC27/053  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.

FC27/054  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: 
RESOLVED: To exclude the public and press from items FC27/066, FC27/067 in accordance with the Section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, due to the confidential nature of the business to be discussed.
Note: Councillor Binns abstained from voting on the above resolution.

FC27/055  Presentation from Gainsborough Indoor Bowls Club
To receive a presentation from Gainsborough Indoor Bowls Club.

Minutes:
Members received a presentation from Riverside Indoor Bowls and WLDC Councillor Emma Bailey regarding their loss of venue to play within Gainsborough and the challenges they have faced to secure another venue.
It was noted that it could form part of the aspirations within the Neighbourhood Plan review process.
Note: WLDC Councillor Emma Bailey and 3 Members of Riverside Indoor Bowls left the meeting.

FC27/056  Minutes of the Previous Meeting (Paper A pages 5 to 9)
To receive and resolve to sign as a true and accurate record the minutes of the Council meeting held on Tuesday 2 June 2026.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Council meeting held on Tuesday 2 June 2026 be approved as a true and accurate record and signed by the Chair.
Note: Councillors Binns and Dannatt abstained from voting on the above resolution.

FC27/057  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 9 June 2026 Paper B (pages 10 to 14)
ii. Finance and Strategy Committee, Tuesday 23 June 2026 Paper C (pages 15 to 18)
iii. Neighbourhood Plan Working Group, Thursday 25 June 2026 Paper D (pages 19 to 22) 

Minutes:
i. Property and Services Committee, Tuesday 9 June 2026
ii. Finance and Strategy Committee, Tuesday 23 June 2026
iii. Neighbourhood Plan Working Group, Thursday 25 June 2026
RESOLVED: To NOTE the draft minutes of the Committees.

Note: Councillors Dannatt, Devine and Plastow abstained from voting on the above resolution.

FC27/058  Council Deputy Leader
To appoint a Deputy Leader of the Council. 

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To appoint Councillor Puxty as the Deputy Leader of the Council for the 2026-27 municipal year.
Note: Councillors Binns, Blogg and Dobbie abstained from voting on the above resolution.

FC27/059  Committee and Working Group Appointments
To appoint Members to the following committees and working groups:
X1 Property and Services Committee and appoint a Chair
X1 Finance and Strategy Committee sub
X1 Planning Committee
X1 Personnel Committee
X1 Neighbourhood Plan Working Group
X1 Emergency Community Plan Working Group
X1 Asset Transfer Task and Finish Group 

Minutes:
To appoint Members to the following committees and working groups:
i. X1 Property and Services Committee and appoint a Chair
RESOLVED: To appoint Councillor Bibb to the Property and Services Committee for the remaining 2026–27 municipal year.

RESOLVED: To appoint Councillor Dannatt as Chair of the Property and Services Committee for the remaining 2026–27 municipal year.

Note: Councillors Binns, Blogg, Dobbie and Puxty abstained from voting on the above resolution.

ii. X1 Finance and Strategy Committee sub
RESOLVED: To appoint Councillor Thompson as substitute member of the Finance and Strategy Committee for the remaining 2026–27 municipal year.

iii. X1 Planning Committee
RESOLVED: To defer appointment.

iv. X1 Personnel Committee
RESOLVED: To appoint Councillor Blogg to the Personnel Committee for the remaining 2026–27 municipal year.

v. X1 Neighbourhood Plan Working Group
RESOLVED: To defer appointment.

vi. X1 Emergency Community Plan Working Group
RESOLVED: To appoint Councillor Dobbie to the Emergency Community Plan Working Group for the remaining 2026–27 municipal year.

vii. X1 Asset Transfer Task and Finish Group
RESOLVED: To appoint Councillor Dobbie to the Asset Transfer Task and Finish Group for the remaining 2026–27 municipal year.

FC27/060  Announcements
To receive and note updates from:
i. Chair of Council
ii. Leader of Council
iii. Representatives on Outside Bodies
iv. Town Clerk Paper E (pages 23 to 63) 

Minutes:

i. Chair of Council
The Vice Chair advised she had attended a few Civic Services.

ii. Leader of Council
The Leader advised he had just attended Council meetings and the Aisby Walk Steering Group meeting.

iii. Representatives on Outside Bodies
Councillor Woolley attended a Marshalls & Rose Brothers Memorial Charity meeting along with the Armed Forces Day at Levellings.

iv. Town Clerk
RESOLVED: To NOTE the Town Clerk’s report.
Members recorded their congratulations to the Assistant Clerk for successful completion of her CiLCA.

FC27/061  Recommendation made by Committee
To consider the following recommendation from Property and Services Committee held 9 June 2026 (PS27/025 Thorndike Way Roundabout Boat Installation)
RESOLVED: To RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL that the quotation from Chevron Traffic Management Ltd for traffic management services required to facilitate the installation of the boat planter on the Thorndike Way roundabout, at a cost of £2,625.00, be approved and funded from the Council’s General Reserves.

Minutes: 
Property and Services Committee held 9 June 2026 (PS27/025 Thorndike Way Roundabout Boat Installation)

RESOLVED: To that the quotation from Chevron Traffic Management Ltd for traffic management services required to facilitate the installation of the boat planter on the Thorndike Way roundabout, at a cost of £2,625.00, be approved and funded from the Council’s General Reserves.
Note: Councillors Binns and Dobbie abstained from voting on the above resolution.

FC27/062  Recommendation made by Committee
To consider the following recommendation from Property and Services Committee held 9 June 2026 (PS27/030 Christmas Lights Infrastructure Overhaul)
RESOLVED: To RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL that Christmas Plus Ltd be appointed to undertake the works to existing Christmas lights infrastructure, including catenary wires, fixings, and load testing across the town centre Christmas lighting display locations at a total cost of £4,192.50, with funding to be met from the Council’s General Reserves.

Minutes:
Property and Services Committee held 9 June 2026 (PS27/030 Christmas Lights Infrastructure Overhaul)
RESOLVED: To that Christmas Plus Ltd be appointed to undertake the works to existing Christmas lights infrastructure, including catenary wires, fixings, and load testing across the town centre Christmas lighting display locations at a total cost of £4,192.50, with funding to be met from the Council’s General Reserves.
Note: Councillor Blogg voted against the above resolution.
Note: Councillor Dobbie abstained from voting on the above resolution

FC27/063  Recommendation made by Committee (Paper F pages 64 to 69)
To consider the following recommendation from Finance and Strategy Committee held 23 June 2026 (FS27/024 Appropriate Policy Document)
RESOLVED: To RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL the adoption of the Appropriate Policy Document.

Minutes:
Finance and Strategy Committee held 23 June 2026 (FS27/024 Appropriate Policy Document)
RESOLVED: To adopt the Appropriate Policy Document.

FC27/064  Recommendation made by Tender Panel (Paper G pages 70 to 126)
To consider the following recommendation from the Tender Panel meeting held 1 July 2026:
RECOMMENDED TO FULL COUNCIL that the tender submitted by Wheelscape Ltd for the Skate Park project be accepted

Minutes:
Tender Panel meeting held 1 July 2026:
RESOLVED: That the tender submitted by Wheelscape Ltd for the Skate Park project at Aisby Walk be accepted.
Note: Councillor Coxon abstained from voting on the above resolution.

FC27/065  Recommendation made by Tender Panel (Paper H pages 127 to 184)
To consider the following recommendation from the Tender Panel meeting held 1 July 2026:
RECOMMENDED TO FULL COUNCIL that the tender submitted by Wicksteed Leisure Limited Play Park project be accepted to form part of the National Lottery funding application.

Minutes:
Tender Panel meeting held 1 July 2026:
RESOLVED: That the tender submitted by Wicksteed Leisure Limited for the Play Park project at Aisby Walk be accepted to form part of the National Lottery funding application and subject to funding being awarded.
Note: Councillor Coxon abstained from voting on the above resolution.

FC27/066  Love Lane Allotment Site Representative (Paper I pages 185 to 186)
To approve appointment of the Love Lane allotment site representative following the resignation of the current one.
Exclusion of Public and Press recommended due to personal nature of discussion. 

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To approve the appointment of Michaela Brown as the Love Lane Allotment Site Representative.
Note: Councillors Binns and Plastow abstained from voting on the above resolution.

FC27/067  Christmas Lights Scheme 2026 (Paper J pages 187 to 195)
To approve a contractor for the 2026 Christmas Lights scheme.
Exclusion of Public and Press recommended due to commercially sensitive information.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To approve Christmas Plus as contractor for the 2026 Christmas Lights scheme at a cost of:

• Installation and dismantling: £11,115 + VAT
• Annual hire of decorations: £7,900 + VAT

FC27/068  Local Government Reorganisation
To consider any recent updates.

Minutes:
No update was received.

FC27/069  Correspondence (Paper K pages 196 to 197)
To note the correspondence previously circulated by email (for information only).

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To NOTE the correspondence circulated.

FC27/070  Items for Notification
To receive any items for notification to be included on a future agenda (for information only)
i. Debt Write Off

FC27/071  Time and Date of Next Meeting
To note the date and time of the next Full Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 1 September 2026 at 6:30pm.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To NOTE the next Full Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 1 September 2026 at 6:30pm at Richmond House, Morton Terrace.

The meeting closed at 7:50pm.