Full Council – Tuesday 6 October 2026 at 6:30pm

 Agenda and Draft Minutes

Present: Councillors Nigel Bowler, Nicholas Coxon, Dennis Dannatt, Caz Davies, David Dobbie, Paul Key, Mark Stephenson, Richard Thompson, Kenneth Woolley

In Attendance:
Rachel Allbones                  Town Clerk
Sean Alcock                        Operations Manager

In the absence of the Chair and Vice-Chair, it was RESOLVED that Councillor Woolley chair the meeting.

Public Forum
Before the meeting, a member of the public raised concerns about dog fouling and dogs being off leads in the General Cemetery.

FC27/086  Apologies for Absence
To note apologies for absence.

Minutes:
Apologies were received from Councillors Bibb, Binns, Blogg, Craig, Devine, Doy, Hooton.

FC27/087  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.

FC27/088  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.

FC27/089  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.

FC27/090  Minutes of the Previous Meeting
To receive and resolve to sign as a true and accurate record the minutes of the Council meeting held on Tuesday 1 September 2026.
Paper A (pages 4 to 8)

Minutes;
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Council meeting held on Tuesday 1 September 2026 be approved as a true and accurate record and signed by the Chair.
Note: Councillor Davies abstained from voting on the above resolution.

FC27/091  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 8 September 2026
Paper B (pages 9 to 13)
ii. Planning Committee, Monday 14 September 2026
Paper C (pages 14 to 17)
iii. Finance and Strategy Committee, Tuesday 22 September 2026
Paper D (pages 18 to 21)
iv. Neighbourhood Plan Working Group, Thursday 24 September 2026
Paper E (to follow)

Minutes:
i. Property and Services Committee, Tuesday 8 September 2026
ii. Planning Committee, Monday 14 September 2026
iii. Finance and Strategy Committee, Tuesday 22 September 2026
iv. Neighbourhood Plan Working Group, Thursday 24 September 2026
RESOLVED: To NOTE the draft minutes of the Committees.

FC27/092  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:
i. X1 Planning Committee
ii. X1 Neighbourhood Plan Working Group
iii. X1 Property & Services Committee – substitute
iv. X1 Personnel Committee – substitute
RESOLVED: To appoint Councillor Stevenson to the Planning Committee and be a substitute member on the Property & Services Committee and Personnel Committee.

FC27/093  Announcements
To receive and note updates from:
i. Chair of Council
ii. Leader of Council
iii. Representatives on Outside Bodies
iv. Town Clerk Paper F (pages 22 to 58)

Minutes:
i. Chair of Council
Councillor Woolley summarised events the Mayor had attended and promoted his Civic Charity Dinner on 21November 2026.
ii. Leader of Council
The Leader advised he’d had a quiet month with Leader duties.
iii. Representatives on Outside Bodies
Councillor Davies advised she had attended the Gainsborough in Bloom meeting and referenced plans for 2027.
iv. Town Clerk
RESOLVED: To NOTE the Town Clerk’s report.

FC27/094  Street Surgery Market Stall Hire
To seek approval for the hire of market stalls in the Market Place to facilitate street surgeries on market days.
Paper G (pages 58 to 60)

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To approve the hire of a market stall in the Market Place to facilitate street surgeries on the following days, funds to come from general reserves:
• Tuesday 27 October 2026
• Saturday 14 November 2026
• Tuesday 24 November 2026
• Saturday 12 December 2026
• Tuesday 22 December 2026
• Saturday 9 January 2027
• Tuesday 26 January 2027
• Saturday 13 February 2027
• Tuesday 23 February 2027
• Saturday 13 March 2027
• Tuesday 23 March 2027

FC27/095  AGAR 2025/26
To note the outcome of the completed review of the Annual Governance & Accountability Return (AGAR) for Gainsborough Town Council for the year ended 31 March 2026.
Paper H (pages 61 to 65)

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To note the outcome “On the basis of our review of Sections 1 and 2 of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR), in our opinion the information in Sections 1 and 2 of the AGAR is in accordance with Proper Practices and no other matters have come to our attention giving cause for concern that relevant legislation and regulatory requirements have not been met.” of the completed review of the Annual Governance & Accountability Return (AGAR) for Gainsborough Town Council for the year ended 31 March 2026.

FC27/096  Local Government Reorganisation
To consider any recent updates.
Paper I (pages 66 to 67)

Minutes:
Members noted the Government announcement on 7 September 2026 that it will pause and relook at the decisions made on 16 July 2026 about Local Government Reorganisation in Greater Lincolnshire.

FC27/097  Correspondence
To note the correspondence previously circulated by email (for information only).
Paper J (pages 68 to 69)

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To NOTE the correspondence circulated.

FC27/098  Items for Notification
To receive any items for notification to be included on a future agenda (for information only)
i. Armed Forces Friendly Council
ii. Debt Write Off

FC27/099  Time and Date of Next Meeting
To note the date and time of the next Full Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 3 November 2026 at 6:30pm.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To NOTE the next Full Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 3 November 2026 at 6:30pm at Richmond House, Morton Terrace.

The meeting closed at 7:35pm.