Full Council – Tuesday 1 September 2026 at 6:30pm

 Agenda and Draft Minutes

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

In Attendance:
Rachel Allbones                  Town Clerk

Also Present:                    Paul Drury, Lincolnshire Armed Forces Community Covenant Officer
WLDC Councillor Karen Carless
1 member of the public

FC27/072  Apologies for Absence
To note apologies for absence.

Minutes:
Apologies were received from Councillors Blogg, Craig, Dannatt, Hooton.

FC27/073  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.

FC27/074  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.

FC27/075  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:
No items for the exclusion of public and press.

FC27/076  Presentation from Lincolnshire Armed Forces Community Covenant Officer
To receive a presentation from Paul Drury, Lincolnshire Armed Forces Community Covenant Officer.

Minutes:
Members received a presentation from Paul Drury, Lincolnshire Armed Forces Community Covenant Officer.
Members were advised that the Council could become an Armed Forces Friendly Council by signing the Armed Forces Covenant and committing to honour the Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community.
It was noted that, following signing, Members would receive a one-day training session. Members were also advised that North Hykeham Town Council and Mablethorpe and Sutton Town Council had already signed the Covenant.
Note: Paul Drury left the meeting following the presentation.

FC27/077  Minutes of the Previous Meeting (Paper A pages 4 to 9)
To receive and resolve to sign as a true and accurate record the minutes of the Council meeting held on Tuesday 7 July 2026.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Council meeting held on Tuesday 7 July 2026 be approved as a true and accurate record and signed by the Chair.
Note: Councillors Binns and Doy abstained from voting on the above resolution.

FC27/078  Committee Meeting Minutes
To note receipt of the draft minutes of the Committee meetings and the decisions contained therein.
i. Finance and Strategy Committee, Tuesday 7 July 2026 (Paper B pages 10 to 12)
ii. Personnel Committee, Wednesday 8 July 2026 (Paper C pages 13 to 15)
iii. Property and Services Committee, Tuesday 14 July 2026 (Paper D pages 16 to 19)
iv. Planning Committee, Tuesday 21 July 2026 Inquorate
v. Neighbourhood Plan Working Group, Thursday 23 July 2026 (Paper E pages 20 to 24)
vi. Finance and Strategy Committee, Tuesday 28 July 2026 (Paper F pages 25 to 28)
vii. Planning Committee, Tuesday 18 August 2026 (Paper G pages 29 to 34)
viii. Finance and Strategy Committee, Tuesday 25 August 2026 (Paper H pages 35 to 37)

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

Note: Councillors Key and Plastow abstained from voting on the above resolution.

FC27/079  Committee and Working Group Appointments
To appoint Members to the following committees and working groups:
i. X1 Planning Committee
ii. X1 Neighbourhood Plan Working Group
iii. X1 Property & Services Committee – substitute
iv. X1 Personnel Committee – substitute

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To defer all appointments until after the by-election.
Note: Councillor Plastow voted against the above resolution.
Note: Councillors Dobbie and Key abstained from voting on the above resolution.

FC27/080  Announcements
To receive and note updates from:
i. Chair of Council
ii. Leader of Council
iii. Representatives on Outside Bodies
iv. Town Clerk

Minutes:
i. Chair of Council
No announcements received.

ii. Leader of Council
The Leader advised that he had attended the first Aisby Walk Community Day, a meeting with Local Partnerships, and a meeting with WLDC Officers regarding the Christmas Lights Festival. The latter two meetings were attended alongside the Town Clerk.

iii. Representatives on Outside Bodies
Councillor Woolley advised that he is looking into getting a War memorial plaque for Gainsborough to identify the significant role Gainsborough played during the First World War.

iv. Town Clerk (Paper I pages 38 to 44)
RESOLVED: To reschedule the Planning Committee meeting for September for Monday 14 September 2026 due to the Community Emergency Plan tabletop exercise.

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

RESOLVED: To NOTE the Town Clerk’s report.

FC27/081  Local Government Reorganisation
To consider any recent updates.

Minutes:
Members noted the Government announcement on its decision on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Greater Lincolnshire which would see the creation of two new unitary authorities – a Lincoln City unitary and a Lincolnshire unitary.
The new unitary authorities would comprise:
• a Lincoln City unitary council (covering an extended area from the current city boundary incorporating some wards in the West Lindsey and North Kesteven districts)
• a Lincolnshire unitary council (covering the rest of the West Lindsey and North Kesteven districts as well as the remaining four district council areas)
• North Lincolnshire Council and North East Lincolnshire Council (already unitaries) to remain as they are.

FC27/082  Correspondence (Paper J pages 45 to 46)
To note the correspondence previously circulated by email (for information only).

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To NOTE the correspondence circulated.

FC27/083  Items for Notification
To receive any items for notification to be included on a future agenda (for information only)

Minutes:
i. Armed Forces Covenant
ii. Presentation of x2 past mayors badges.
iii. Debt Write Off

FC27/084  Time and Date of Next Meeting
To note the date and time of the next Full Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 6 October 2026 at 6:30pm.

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

 

Supplementary Agenda

FC27/085  Recommendation made by Committee
To consider the following recommendation from Finance and Strategy Committee held 25 August 2026 (FS27/054 Investments)
RESOLVED: To RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL that the £164,791.44 S106 funding be temporarily invested in the CCLA Public Sector Deposit Fund until the Aisby Walk Skate Park invoice is received and payment is required.
To amend paragraph 10.5 of the Investment Strategy to reflect the temporary increase in the amount invested with CCLA.

Minutes:
Finance and Strategy Committee held 25 August 2026 (FS27/054 Investments)
RESOLVED: That the £164,791.44 S106 funding be temporarily invested in the CCLA Public Sector Deposit Fund until the Aisby Walk Skate Park invoice is received and payment is required.
To amend paragraph 10.5 of the Investment Strategy to reflect the temporary increase in the amount invested with CCLA.

The meeting closed at 7:53pm.