Louth Town Council
The Sessions House, Eastgate,
Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 9AJ

01507 355895
clerk@louthtowncouncil.gov.uk

To the Members of the Town Council of Louth:

You are hereby summoned to attend a meeting of Louth Town Council, its Governance and Finance Committee and Planning Committee which will be held on Tuesday 24^th June 2025 in The Old Court Room, The Sessions House, Eastgate, Louth at 7pm.  The business to be dealt with at the meeting is listed in the agenda below.

There will be a 15 minute public forum between 6.45pm and 7.00pm when members of the public may ask questions or make short statements to the Council, and your attendance is requested during this period. 

Please note, any public, wishing to speak in the public forum may do so on items which appear on the agenda or may ‘sit in’ on the meeting(s).  It would be much appreciated if any member of the public wishing to speak would please contact the Town Clerk, by emailing clerk@louthtowncouncil.gov.uk in advance of the meeting to discuss attendance arrangements.  If possible, please provide written representation rather than attending in person.

Members of the public should note that they will not be allowed to speak during the formal meeting.

Mrs. L.M. Phillips
Town Clerk
Dated this 19^th Day of June 2025

AGENDA

GOVERNANCE AND FINANCE COMMITTEE

(Membership: All Cllrs.)

1. Election of Governance and Finance Committee Chairman
   The Mayor will initially take the chair for this item. Committee to receive nominations and to elect the Chairman of the Governance and Finance Committee to hold office until the Annual Meeting of Louth Town Council in 2026.
2. Election of Governance and Finance Committee Vice Chairman
   Committee to receive nominations and to elect the Vice Chairman of the Governance and Finance Committee to hold office until the Annual Meeting of Louth Town Council in 2026.

3. Apologies for Absence
   To receive and note apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Town Clerk at least one hour prior to the meeting.
4. Declarations of Interest / Dispensations
   To receive declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act, 2011 – being any pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on Members’ Register of Interests and any written requests for dispensation received by the Proper Officer under section 22 of the Localism Act.
5. Minutes
   To approve as a correct record the notes of the Governance and Finance Committee meeting held on 13^th May 2025. (Attached).
6. Finance
   Committee to note/approve/authorise the following:
   1. Receipts and Payments – Cashbooks 1 and 2 – Month 12
      951. Cash Book 1 Receipts £16,951.36                   Payments    £30,870.96
      952. Cash Book 2 Receipts         £0.00                   Payments            £3.60
   2. Detailed Income and Expenditure Report (Budget Variance Report) as at Month 12 to 31^st March 2025.
   3. Earmarked Reserves Report as at 31^st March 2025.
   4. Statutory Balance Sheet and Cashbook 1 and 2 Bank Reconciliations as at 31^st March 2025 which reconcile to account statements showing balances as follows:
      476. Lloyds Treasurers Account (balance on statement 12) at 31^st March 2025 – £310,476.83
      477. Petty Cash (balance as at 31^st March 2025) – £120.37

• Lloyds Deposit Account (balance on statement 12 as at 31^st March 2025) – £166,652.51

426. National Savings and Investment Account (balance on statement 14 as at 31^st March 2025) – £113,426.50.

7. Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) 2024/25
   On a recommendation by FOG:
   1. To receive the report of the internal auditor. (Attached).
   2. To receive the Statutory Balance Sheet for the year ended 31^st March 2025 and recommend to Town Council that it be approved and signed by the Chairman and Responsible Financial Officer. (Attached).
   3. To approve the completion of the Annual Governance Statement (Section 1 of the AGAR) for the financial year 2024/25, placing ticks in all boxes except number 9 where n/a should be ticked and recommend to Town Council signing by the Chairman and the Town Clerk. (Attached).
   4. To consider and approve the Accounting Statements (Section 2 of the AGAR) for the financial year 2024/25 and recommend to Town Council for signing by the Chairman. (Attached).
   5. To note that the period for the exercise of public rights must include the first 10 working days of July, must be at least 30 consecutive working days long, must commence as soon as reasonably possible after approval of the AGAR and with this in mind, recommend to Town Council that the period for the exercise of public rights should be set from Thursday 26^th June 2025 to Wednesday 6^th August 2025.
8. Review of Notices, Policies and Procedures
   Committee to note that the following have been reviewed and with the exception of the Publication Scheme, only date changes have been made. Committee to approve for use.
   1. Cemetery Privacy Notice – No changes.
   2. Staff and Councillor Privacy Notice – Change to date of last update required within body of document.
   3. Email Contact Privacy Notice – No changes.
   4. General Privacy Notice – Change to date of last update required within body of document.
   5. Remote Meeting Privacy Notice – Change to date of last update required within body of document.
   6. Data Protection Policy – No changes.
   7. Information Security Incident Policy – No changes.
   8. Subject Access Requests Policy – No changes.
   9. Removeable Media Policy – No changes.
   10. Retention of Documents Policy – No changes.
   11. Secure Disposal of Information Policy – No changes.
   12. Publication Scheme – To be tabled.
   13. Policy on Handling of Freedom of Information Requests – No changes.

9. Working Group
   Committee to re-establish the Financial Overview Group as a working group and approve remit and membership as attached sheet.

 

10. Next Meeting
    To note that the next scheduled meeting of the Governance and Finance Committee will take place on 19^th August 2025.

TOWN COUNCIL

(Chairman: Cllr. D. Hobson,  Membership: All Cllrs.)

1. Apologies for Absence
   To receive and note apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Town Clerk at least one hour prior to the meeting.
2. Declarations of Interest / Dispensations
   To receive declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act, 2011 – being any pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on Members’ Register of Interests and any written requests for dispensation received by the Proper Officer under section 22 of the Localism Act.
3. Minutes
   To approve as a correct record the notes of the Council Meetings held on 8^th April 2025 and 3^rd June 2025.
4. Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) 2024/25
   On the recommendation of FOG:
   1. To receive the report of the internal auditor. (Attached).
   2. To receive the Statutory Balance Sheet for the year ended 31^st March 2025 and approve signing by the Chairman and Responsible Financial Officer. (Attached).
   3. To approve the completion of the Annual Governance Statement (Section 1 of the AGAR) for the financial year 2024/25, placing ticks in all boxes except number 9 where n/a should be placed and approve signing by the Chairman and the Town Clerk. (Attached).
   4. To consider and approve the Accounting Statements (Section 2 of the AGAR) for the financial year 2024/25 and authorise signing by the Chairman. (Attached).
   5. To note that the period for the exercise of public rights must include the first 10 working days of July, must be at least 30 consecutive working days long, must commence as soon as reasonably possible after approval of the AGAR and with this in mind, receive a recommendation from the Governance and Finance Committee that the period for the exercise of public rights should be set from Thursday 26^th June 2025 to Wednesday 6^th August 2025.
5. Christmas Tree Festival 2025
   Council to resolve upon whether it would like to take part in the 2025 St. James’ Church Christmas Tree Festival. Delegated authority to be granted to the Town Clerk to incur expenditure in this regard, Mayor to lead arrangements.

6. RBL Louth Branch
   Council to note that the above are to organise a VJ Day commemorative event to take place on 15^th August 2025 at the War Memorial from 7.30pm. The Mayor is to be involved and Councillors are invited to attend.  The event will comprise a short service and will require the closing of the roads in the vicinity.  Council to consider contributing by meeting the cost of the road closures which will be approximately £360.
7. The Great Grid Upgrade: Grimsby to Walpole Stage 2
   Further to circulation of details on the above by email Council to note that a public information event is being held on Friday 20^th June 2025 at the London Road Pavilion from 1pm to 7pm, webinars are also being held and Louth Library has been designated as a local information point, from which consultation materials can be picked up from. Council to note that this consultation closes on 6^th August 2025 and resolve upon whether to and how to make a corporate response.
8. LALC AGM
   Council to note that the above will take place by zoom on Thursday 3^rd July from 6.30pm and nominate a representative to attend.
9. Devolution
   Council to consider its stance on the above, how best to plan for the future and resolve upon the way forward.
10. LALC Summer Conference
    Council to receive information on the above and note that in addition to this Principal Authorities are also now to attend and will be available to answer questions. Council to resolve upon whether to book places at the conference, tickets are £45 + VAT each.
11. Closed Session
    Council to resolve 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, information being of a commercially confidential nature with regard to:
    1. Christmas Lights – Council to consider recommendations arising, quote for and resolve upon refurbishment of catenary wires.

12. Next Meeting
    To note that the next scheduled meeting of the Town Council will take place on 22^nd July 2025.

PLANNING COMMITTEE

(Chairman: Cllr. P. Starsmore, Vice Chairman: Cllr. D. Moore, Membership: All Cllrs.)

1. Apologies for Absence
   To receive and note apologies where valid reasons for absence have been given to the Town Clerk at least one hour prior to the meeting.
2. Declarations of Interest / Dispensations
   To receive declarations of interest in accordance with the Localism Act, 2011 – being any pecuniary interest in agenda items not previously recorded on Members’ Register of Interests and any written requests for dispensation received by the Proper Officer under section 22 of the Localism Act.
3. Minutes
   To approve as a correct record the notes of the Planning Committee Meeting held on 3^rd June 2025. (Attached).
4. Applications received by the Local Planning Authority
   To consider and make observations/ratify comments already submitted by the Planning Working Group to meet deadlines, on all planning applications received including those listed in the schedule (PA/Schedule 06-24-25). (Attached).
5. Planning Correspondence
   Committee to receive planning decisions, enforcement complaints, appeal decisions, temporary road closures etc., as advised by the District and County Council. (Attached).

6. Next Meeting
   To note that the next scheduled meeting of the Planning Committee will take place on 22^nd July 2025.