Agenda and Draft Minutes

Present: Councillors Nicholas Coxon, Richard Craig, Dennis Dannatt, Paul Key, Richard Thompson

In attendance:
Rachel Alllbones                  Town Clerk
Sean Alcock                        Operations Manager
Amanda Clarke                   Communities Officer

Prior to the commencement of the meeting a member of the public addressed the Committee in relation to item PS27/053, then left the meeting.

PS27/047  Apologies for Absence
To note apologies for absence.

Minutes:
Apologies were received from Councillors Bibb, Plastow, Hooton.

PS27/048  Declarations of Interest
To receive any declarations of interest in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011.

Minutes:
Councillor Key declared a personal interest in agenda item PS27/057 as he knew one of the nominees.
Councillor Coxon declared a personal interest in agenda item PS27/057 as he knew one of the nominees.

PS27/049  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.

PS27/050  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 PS27/053, PS27/054, PS27/056 and PS27/057 in accordance with Section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, due to the confidential nature of the business to be discussed.

PS27/051  Minutes of the Previous Meeting
To receive and resolve to sign as a true and accurate record the minutes of the Property and Services Committee held on Tuesday 14 July 2026.
Paper A (pages 4 to 7)

Minutes:
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Property and Services Committee meeting held on Tuesday 14 July 2026 be approved as a true and accurate record and signed by the Chair.

PS27/052  Allotment Tenancy Agreement – Use of Vehicles on Allotment Sites
To consider amending the Allotment Tenancy Agreement to provide greater clarity for tenants and to support the safe use of vehicles allotment sites.
Paper B (pages 8 to 11)

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To
i. Approve the proposed amendments to clauses 13.1 and 13.2 of the Allotment Tenancy Agreement, as set out in section 3 of the report.
ii. Approve the introduction of a maximum speed limit of 5 mph for vehicles being driven or ridden on Council allotment sites.
iii. Approve the inclusion of specific provisions relating to electric scooters, electric bicycles and other mechanically or electrically propelled vehicles to provide clear and consistent guidance to allotment tenants.
iv. Delegate authority to the appropriate Council Officer to make any minor consequential amendments to the Allotment Tenancy Agreement required to give effect to the Committee’s decision, subject to any necessary legal review.
Note: Councillor Key abstained from voting on the above resolution.

PS27/053  Tenancy Breach Report
To consider breaches of the Allotment Tenancy Agreements at Foxby Hill and Spital Hill allotment sites and determine on whether the relevant tenancies should be terminated by re-entry.
Exclusion of public and press recommended due to the confidential nature of the information.
Paper C (pages 12 to 22)

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To
i. Terminate the tenancy by re-entry and instructs the Communities Officer to issue a Notice of Re-entry to the tenant of Foxby Hill Garden A, in accordance with Clause 9 of the Allotment Tenancy Agreement and paragraph 3.4 of the Allotment Tenancy Agreement Breach and Re-entry Policy, on the basis that the tenant failed to remedy the notified breach concerning the cultivation and maintenance of the allotment within the specified timescale.
ii. Terminate the tenancy by re-entry and instructs the Communities Officer to issue a Notice of Re-entry to the tenant of Spital Hill Garden A, in accordance with Clause 9 of the Allotment Tenancy Agreement and paragraph 3.4 of the Allotment Tenancy Agreement Breach and Re-entry Policy, on the basis that the tenant failed to remedy the notified breach concerning the cultivation and maintenance of the allotment within the specified timescale.
iii. Permit the Communities Officer to continue working with the tenant of Spital Hill Garden B to encourage improvement of the plot, with progress reports to be presented to the Committee in March and July 2027, and for breach monitoring to continue in accordance with the policy during the March and July inspections.
Note: The Communities Officer left the meeting at 7:19pm.

PS27/054  General Cemetery Memorial Testing Phase One 2026
To consider quotations received for the first phase of testing as part of the five-year review and retesting programme.
Exclusion of public and press recommended due to commercially sensitive information.
Paper D (pages 23 to 26) 

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To appoint Retford Memorials to carry out Phase One of the memorial retesting programme in the General Cemetery (1,463 grave plots) at a cost of £2.90 plus VAT per memorial inspection.

PS27/055  Play Area RoSPA Safety Inspection Reports
To receive the annual RoSPA play area safety inspection report summary and consider any resulting actions.
Paper E (pages 27 to 40) 

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To note the annual RoSPA play area safety inspection report summary and resulting actions planned.

PS27/056  Urgent Tree Works and Replanting
To seek approval for a proportionate, risk-based approach to the management and replacement of trees on Council-owned or Council-managed land.
Exclusion of public and press recommended due to commercially sensitive information.
Paper F (pages 41 to 44)

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To
i. Approve the identified urgent tree-felling works at a total quoted cost of £3,500 +VAT.
ii. Delegate authority to Officers to research, select and purchase appropriate replacement trees following removal, having regard to the principles set out in the report.

PS27/057  Citizen of the Year Award 2026
To consider nominations received and approve who, if any, should be awarded the Citizen of the Year Award 2026.
Exclusion of public and press recommended due to the confidential nature of the information.
Paper G (pages 45 to 50)

Minutes:
RESOLVED: That neither nomination sufficiently meets the published criteria and to not to make an award for 2026.
Note: Councillors Coxon and Key abstained from voting on the above resolution.

PS27/058  2027 / 2028 Budget
To consider budget requirements for 2027/28 for this Committee.
The following specific budgetary areas are considered as part of the Committee’s remit:

• Grounds Maintenance
• Richmond House & Park
• Sports Grounds
• Cemetery
• Play Areas
• Allotments
• Public Realm
• Events
• Christmas Lights

Minutes:
Members considered the requirements to identify additional budget needs for the 2027/28 financial year within the Committee’s remit. It was noted that the draft budget will be presented at the next meeting and that proposals should be submitted to the Town Clerk in advance.
The Committee’s budget responsibilities include

• Grounds Maintenance
• Richmond House & Park
• Sports Grounds
• Cemetery
• Play Areas
• Allotments
• Public Realm
• Events
• Christmas Lights

RESOLVED: That Members review the budgetary requirements of the above service areas and submit any proposals for inclusion in the draft 2027/28 budget to the Town Clerk prior to the next meeting.

PS27/059  Items for Notification
To receive any items for notification to be included on a future agenda (for information only):
i. 2027 / 2028 Draft Budget
ii. Richmond House & Park Condition Report
iii. Richmond Park Outbuilding Repair Quotes
iv. General Cemetery Chapel
v. Fire Risk Assessment Remedials – Marshalls Main Pavilion
vi. Fire Risk Assessment Remedials – Marshalls Bowls Pavilion
vii. Volunteer Recognition

PS27/060  Time and Date of Next Meeting
To note that the next meeting of the Property and Services Committee is scheduled for Tuesday 10 November 2026 at 6:30pm.

Minutes:
RESOLVED: To note the next Property and Services Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 10 November 2026 at 6:30pm at Richmond House, Morton Terrace.

The meeting closed at 7:36pm.