03-03-26 G&F MINS

MINUTES OF THE LOUTH TOWN COUNCIL GOVERNANCE AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
HELD IN THE OLD COURT ROOM, THE SESSIONS HOUSE, LOUTH
ON TUESDAY 3rd MARCH 2026

Chairman, Cllr. Mrs. E. Ballard (Mrs. EB) (in the chair).

Present Councillors: T. Ball (TB), J. Baskett (JB), D. Hobson (DH), G.E. Horton (GEH), Mrs. J. Makinson-Sanders (Mrs. JMS), D. Moore (DM), Mrs. K. Parsons (Mrs. KP), P. Starsmore (PS).

Councillors not present: J. Drake (JD), H. Filer (HF), H. Steer (HS), P.F. Watson (Mrs. PFW), D.E. Wing (DEW).

One member of the public, the Town Clerk, Mrs. L.M. Phillips and the Town Clerk’s Assistant, Mrs. S. Chitauro-Adlard, were also present.

G32. Apologies for Absence
Apologies were received from Cllrs. JD, HF, HS, Mrs. PFW and DEW.

G33. Declarations of Interest / Dispensations
The following declarations of interest were made:
a. Cllr. DH – Item 4a for a payment made to the Council for the reservation of two graves.
b. Cllr. PS – Item 4a due to his partner working at the Environment Agency.

G34. Minutes
It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that the notes of the Governance and Finance Committee meeting held on 9th December 2025 be approved as the minutes.

G35. Finance
a. The Governance and Finance Committee reviewed Cashbooks 1 and 2, months 7 to 10 and it was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to note/approve/authorise the following financial information:
i. Month 7
1. Cash Book 1 Receipts 4,523.49 Payments £49,154.97
2. Cash Book 2 Receipts £00.00 Payments £46.98
ii. Month 8
1. Cash Book 1 Receipts £3,324.27 Payments £23,067.30
2. Cash Book 2 Receipts £400.00 Payments £291.63
iii. Month 9
1. Cash Book 1 Receipts £2,540.96 Payments £25,542.64
2. Cash Book 2 Receipts £200.00 Payments £150.98
iv. Month 10
1. Cash Book 1 Receipts £4,773.08 Payments £19,967.77
2. Cash Book 2 Receipts £0.00 Payments £64.69
b. The Town Clerk brought the meetings attention to the detailed Income and Expenditure Report (Budget Variance Report) as at Month 10 to 31st January 2026. She reported that the 1002 Miscellaneous income budget had received more income than expected due to an insurance payout of £5,437.00 for the bus shelter damaged on Legbourne Road. She then referred to the 4003 Grave Digging indirect expenditure budget which was overspent by £4,790.00, confirming that this was due to the necessary outsourcing of gravedigging support for 18 burials as there was only one member of staff at the Cemetery. The Town Clerk went on to inform the Committee that the 4200 Clocks/Floodlights budget had an overspend of £4,681.00, due to a reduction in the 2025/26 budget to accommodate the installation of LED lights at St. James’ Church which Council believed would reduce energy costs. However, the energy provider had appeared to estimate usage and issued a large, balancing invoice. There were also four instances of repairs to the clock totaling £2,904.00 which had been paid for from the budget and another repair was expected. The Town Clerk then explained that, whilst the 4220 CCTV Maintenance budget of £4,515 had not been spent as of month 10, she was expecting an invoice for the entirety of the budget imminently. She then drew Cllrs. attention to the 4222 Street Furniture budget of £1,500, which also appeared unspent as of month 10. She said that she had recently commissioned a local contractor to clean and refurbish the Louth town signs, and that payment would be taken from the aforementioned budget. The Town Clerk then discussed the 4280 Floral/In Bloom budget, informing Cllrs. that the budget had been increased significantly for 2025/26 to accommodate more planting and hanging baskets in the town centre, but, because the Council had been lucky in finding a local contractor to complete works at a reduced cost, only 33.2% of the budget had been used as of month 10. Similarly, the 4282 Hubbard’s Hills Maintenance budget showed only a 35.9% spend as of month 10. The Town Clerk explained that this was due to the significant increase of budget for 2025/26, as well as some of the 2024/25 budget being carried over to accommodate necessary tree work ordered in the previous year. The Town Clerk then discussed the Earmarked Reserves, informing Cllrs. that the EMR Street Furniture budget of £5,355.00 had been spent on the new bus shelter at Legbourne Road, which was then reimbursed by the Council’s insurance. She said that the £17 spend of the 9359 EMR Accommodation budget had been for an extension lead, and that the 9371 EMR Capital Expenditure budget had been allocated to a street hoover, the Council’s contribution to the resurfacing of Julian Bower road and repairs to the Cemetery toilet roof, resulting in a total spend of £4,960.00. The £1,980.00 spend against the EMR Accommodation Boiler budget was used for the purchase of a new re-pressurisation unit for the Sessions House, and the EMR Office Equipment spend of £3,603.00 had been spent on new reception furniture, IT equipment, a new Microsoft 365 account and the upgrading of IT equipment at the Sessions House. The Town Clerk went on to explain that the entirety of the £10,372.00 9611 EMR Contingency budget had been spent on legal fees, and that the budget was overspent by £372.00 with more expenditure expected. She then brought Cllrs. attention to the 4052 Tourism/Promotions budget, of which only 3.8% had been spent. The Town Clerk said that she was expecting to receive some invoices for bunting / from the Christmas period and that payment would be made from the aforementioned budget. The Town Clerk then confirmed that the 4089 Citizen’s Advice budget of £1,050.00 had not yet been spent, and that, unfortunately, Citizen’s Advice Bureau had not provided the requested information for Council to consider before releasing the funds. She then discussed the 4090 Grants S137 Open Resource budget which was overspent by £3,132.00, mainly due to a grant of £5,000.00 made at the start of 2025/26 to CHASE, along with four further grants given throughout the year. The Town Clerk went on to inform the Committee that the 4100 Civic Expenses budget was currently showing no expenditure; however, the Mayor’s Civic Service was not due to take place until April, therefore the budget would be carried forward to 2026/27. The £19,865 Floods Maintenance budget had not yet been spent as of month 10, but the Town Clerk had since been informed that this year’s invoice for the Flood Maintenance Scheme would total £17,099.79 and would be expected shortly. It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to note/approve/authorise the detailed Income and Expenditure Report (Budget Variance Report) as at Month 10 to 31st January.
c. It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to note/approve/authorise the Earmarked Reserves Report as at 31st January 2026.
d. It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to note/approve/authorise the Statutory Balance Sheet and Cashbook 1 and 2 Bank Reconciliations as at 31st January 2026 which reconciled to account statements showing the balances as follows, the reports for which were signed by the Chairman, Cllr. Mrs. EB and Vice Chairman, Cllr. GEH and which showed the following balances:
i. Lloyds Treasurers Account (balance on statement 10) as at 31st January 2026 – £326,031.99.
ii. Petty Cash (balance as at 31st January 2026) – £112.77.
iii. Lloyds Deposit Account (balance on statement 10 as at 31st January 2026) – £166,652.51.
iv. National Savings and Investment Account (balance on statement 14 as at 31st January 2026) – £113,426.50.

G36. Citizen’s Advice Lincoln and Lindsey – Funding Contribution
The Committee noted that it approved the amount of £1,050 in the 2025/26 budget for release to the above, as per the Council’s powers under s142(2A) of the Local Government Act 1972. As Citizen’s Advice had not provided an update as to how the organisation was faring, it was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to defer releasing the funds until the next scheduled meeting on 24th March 2026.

G37. Review of Governance Documents
The Committee studied the below documents, noting that a review had taken place and no amendments were required by NALC. It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to approve the documents for continued use.
a. Standing Orders – amendments made to Appendix 2, page 22 and Appendix 3 added.
b. Financial Regulations – no amendments.
c. Code of Conduct – no amendments.

G38. Risk Management Register
The Committee discussed the updates made to the risk management register. It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to approve the document for use.

G39. Closed Session
At 9.20pm upon a proposal by Cllr. DH, seconded by Cllr. PS, it was RESOLVED to move into closed session in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 due to the business to be discussed in the following items, the information being of a confidential, commercial and third-party nature in regard to grants. It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to award the following:
a. 1228 (Loth Squadron Air Training Corps – £200.
b. Louth Friendship Festival – £250.
c. Louth Run For Life – £400.
d. Spout Yard Management Trust Ltd – £500.
e. East Lincs Dialect Society – £1,000.
f. Community Plus Project – £465.

NB: Cllr. GEH abstained from voting on c.

At 9.50pm it was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED to move out of closed session.

G40. Next Meeting
It was noted that the next scheduled Governance and Finance meeting would take place on 12th May 2026.

The Meeting Closed at 9.50pm.

 

Signed_______________________ (Chairman) Dated_________________________