Property and Services Committee – Tuesday 12 May 2026 at 6:30pm

 

Agenda and Minutes

Present: Councillors Nicholas Coxon, Richard Craig, Dennis Dannatt, Paul Key, Douglas Owles (C), James Plastow, Richard Thompson

In attendance:
Sean Alcock                        Operations Manager
Amanda Clarke                   Communities Officer
Natasha Gardener              Assistant Clerk

Also Present:                     One member of the public.

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

PS27/001  Apologies for Absence
To note apologies for absence.

Minutes:
Apologies were received from Councillor Davies.

PS27/002  Vice Chair
To appoint Vice Chair for this committee.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To elect Councillor Davies as Vice Chair for Property and Services Committee.

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

PS27/003  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 received.

PS27/004  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.

PS27/005  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, section 1 (2), and to resolve accordingly.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To exclude the public and press from items PS27/012, PS27/013, PS27/014, PS27/015 in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960 1(2), due to the confidential nature of the business to be discussed.

PS27/006  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 Property and Services Committee held on Tuesday 10 March 2026.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Property and Services Committee meeting held on Tuesday 10 March 2026 be approved as a true and accurate record and signed by the Chair.
Note: Councillors Plastow and Owles abstained on voting on the above resolution.

RESOLVED: Under Standing Order 10.1f the order of business was changed to take item PS27/011 next.

PS27/011  Request for Animals on Allotments (Paper F pages 22 to 25)
To consider requests have house rabbits and quails on allotments.

Minutes: 
Spital Hill – Quail
RESOLVED: To proceed with Option E and approve a pilot scheme, allow quail on a trial basis for a defined period (e.g. 6-12 months) with monitoring and review before wider adoption or policy amendment.

Foxby Hill – Rabbits:
Councillor Coxon proposed Option B to approve with additional conditions

• As per Option A, but with further conditions:

• Enclosures must be located within individual plots rather than shared across multiple plots;
• Regular inspection by the Council or Communities Officer;
• Clear waste management and hygiene requirements;
• A review period (e.g. 6–12 months) to assess compliance, seconded by Councillor Thompson.

At the request of Councillor Plastow a recorded vote was taken:
For: Councillors Coxon, Craig, Key, Thompson
Against: Councillors Dannatt, Plastow
Abstention: Councillor Owles

Councillor Dannatt proposed Option C: Decline permission on the basis that shared enclosures and multi-plot arrangements may complicate enforcement, tenancy responsibilities, and site management, on the provision of getting further information and clarification on the health for the rabbits and site security of the rabbits, so they are not coming into contact with wild rabbits that may be on the allotment, seconded by Councillor Plastow.

At the request of Councillor Plastow a recorded vote was taken
For: Councillors Dannatt, Key, Owles, Plastow
Against: Councillors Coxon
Abstained: Councillors Craig, Thompson

As there was an equal number of votes in favour of each proposal, Councillor Owles exercised his casting vote as Chair in favour of Option C.

RESOLVED: To decline permission on the basis that shared enclosures and multi-plot arrangements may complicate enforcement, tenancy responsibilities, and site management, on the provision of getting further information and clarification on the health for the rabbits and site security of the rabbits, so they are not coming into contact with wild rabbits that may be on the allotment.

PS27/007  Town Centre Events (Paper B pages 9 to 10)
To consider the Council’s financial contributions to the GO Festival, Christmas Lights Festival and Illuminate events for the 2026/27 financial year.

Minutes:
Councillor Dannatt proposed the recommendation contained within the report, seconded by Councillor Plastow.
At the request of Cllr Key a recorded vote was taken:
For: Councillors Dannatt, Owles, Plastow, Thompson
Against: Councillors Coxon, Key
Abstained: Councillor Craig

RESOLVED: To approve contributions from the 2026/27 budget as follows:
i. £1,000 for Illuminate 2027 (budget code 10010);
ii. £3,000 for Go Festival 2026 (budget code 10050); and
iii. £7,500 for the Christmas Lights Festival 2026 (budget code 11000).

PS27/008  Ransomes Mower (Paper C pages 11 to 15)
To consider future of the Ransomes mower and cricket outfield maintenance.

Minutes:
Note: The member of public left the meeting.
RESOLVED: To proceed with Option 1 and continue using the existing Toro LT-F3000 mower for the cricket outfield at no additional cost.

PS27/009  Pocket Park at Spital Terrace (Paper D pages 16 to 18)
To consider whether the Town Council should undertake ongoing low-maintenance management of the Pocket Park at Spital Terrace.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: Not to undertake maintenance of the Pocket Park at Spital Terrace.

Note: Councillors Coxon and Dannatt voted against the above resolution.
Note: Councillor Thompson abstained on voting on the above resolution.
Note: Councillor Coxon left the meeting at 7:49pm.

PS27/010  Love Lane Allotment Electric Gate (Paper E pages 19 to 21)
To consider request from plot holder for the installation of an electric gate and determine whether to instruct Officers to investigate further.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To decline the request for installation of electric gates on the grounds that it does not constitute a reasonable adjustment.

PS27/012  Allotment Tenancy Breaches (Paper G pages 26 to 32)
To consider and approve termination of tenancies under the Allotment Tenancy Agreement Breach, Re-entry and Notice to Quit Policy.
Exclusion of Public and Press recommended due to personal nature of discussion.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To issue a Notice to Quit to the tenant, as detailed in recommendation 2 of the report.

Note: Councillor Craig left the meeting at 8:02pm.

RESOLVED: To issue a Notice to Quit to the tenants, as detailed in the report, if no improvements are made by 21 May 2026, in accordance with recommendation 3.

Note: Councillor Dannatt requested that the same position is used when inspection photos are taken, supported by Councillor Owles.

RESOLVED: To issue a Notice to Quit to the tenant, detailed in recommendation 1 of the report.

PS27/013  Allotment Breach Appeals (Paper H pages 33 to 73)
To consider appeals of breaches served and determine whether to overturn the decision or to uphold it.
Exclusion of Public and Press recommended due to personal nature of discussion.

Minutes:

1. Appeal 1

RESOLVED: To defer reviewing the appeal subject to receiving further information from the tenant.

RESOLVED: Under Standing Order 3.26 to extend the meeting past 2 hours.

1. Appeal 2

RESOLVED: To uphold the decision to issue the breach notice and as previously resolved under PS27/012 for a Notice to Quit to be issued.

• Appeal 3

RESOLVED: To uphold the decision to issue the breach notice.

PS27/014  North Warren Cemetery Gates (Paper I pages 74 to 76)
To consider quotation received to repair cemetery entrance gates at North Warren Cemetery,
Exclusion of public and press recommended due to commercially sensitive information.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To accept the quotation from Gainsborough Building Ltd for £1,985.00 +VAT for repairs to the entrance gates at North Warren Cemetery.

PS27/015  Christmas Lights Infrastructure Overhaul (Paper J pages 77 to 79)
To consider quotations received for the replacement and upgrade of the existing Christmas lights infrastructure, including catenary wires, fixings, and load testing across the town centre Christmas lighting display locations
Exclusion of public and press recommended due to commercially sensitive information.

Note: Insufficient information was provided at this time and therefore the item was deferred for a future meeting.

PS27/016  Items for Notification
To receive any items for notification to be included on a future agenda (for information only)
i. Richmond Park Potting Shed Demolition – June
ii. Richmond Park Garden Wall Repointing – June
iii. Love Lane Allotment Access Road – June
iv. Richmond House & Park Condition Report – June
v. Richmond House & Park Feasibility Study
vi. Richmond Park Outbuilding Repair Quotes
vii. General Cemetery Chapel
viii. Fire Risk Assessment Remedials – Marshalls Main Pavilion
ix. Fire Risk Assessment Remedials – Marshalls Bowls Pavilion
x. Volunteer Recognition
xi. Christmas Lights Infrastructure Overhaul

PS27/016  Time and Date of Next Meeting
To note the next Property and Services Committee meeting is an extraordinary meeting scheduled for Tuesday 9 June 2026 at 6:30pm.

Minutes: 
RESOLVED: To note the next Property and Services Committee meeting is an extraordinary meeting scheduled for Tuesday 9 June 2026 at 6:30pm.

The meeting closed at