MABLETHORPE AND SUTTON TOWN COUNCIL

ANNUAL REPORT – 2008/09

This report gives some background and information on the Town Council in general and its Council structure, together with details of its budget and activities over the past year. It brings together the need to provide information to the electorate and the annual Mayor’s report which was presented to the Annual Town Meeting held on 23 March 2009.

Town Councillors

Your town councillors are:-

Cllr Mrs I Daw“The Gatehouse” 63 Main StreetTel: 441590

Trusthorpe, LN12 2QE

Cllr B Dobbs12MedinaGardensTel: 479107

Mablethorpe LN12 2EA

Cllr G Gooding80 Church LaneTel: 473628

Mablethorpe LN12 2NU

Cllr Mrs J Gooding80 Church LaneTel: 473628

Mablethorpe LN12 2NU

Cllr A Howard 2 Foxe EndTel: 472054

Mablethorpe LN12 2DS

Cllr P Jackson4 The StrandTel: 478150

Mablethorpe LN12 1BQ

Cllr Mrs C Lewis“Dover House” St Peter’s LaneTel: 477380

Trusthorpe LN12 2PJ

Cllr Mrs M J Morgan20 Marisco CourtTel: 441060

(Deputy Mayor)Sutton-on-Sea LN12 2SL

Cllr G D Parkhurst21 Fitzwilliam StreetTel: 472553

Mablethorpe LN12 1AA

Cllr Miss H Parkhurst24 Youlgrave AvenueTel: 441364

(Mayor)Sutton-on-Sea LN12 2JJ

Cllr S Pratley26 QueensPark Flats,Tel: 479068

Mablethorpe LN12 2AS

Cllr P K Prince“Belmont” Eton RoadTel: 442590

Trusthorpe, LN12 2PX

Cllr G Richards1 College Row, SandilandsTel: 441881

Sutton-on-Sea LN12 2NA

Cllr E H Rolls14 Crabtree LaneTel: 442753

Sutton-on-Sea LN12 2RT

Cllr Mrs M Rolls14 Crabtree LaneTel: 442753

Sutton-on-Sea LN12 2RT

Cllr R B Shields, MBE37 Park ViewTel: 441131

Sutton-on-Sea LN12 2NT

Cllr Mrs J Taylor“Willows End” 11 Jordan GroveTel: 441754 Sutton-on-Sea LN12 2FJ

Cllr C I Tebbutt24 Youlgrave AvenueTel: 441364

Sutton-on-Sea LN12 2JJ

Cllr Mrs M Rolls stood down as Town Mayor at the annual meeting held on 18 May 2009 when Cllr Helen Parkhurst was voted Mayor for the civic year 2009/10, with Cllr Moira Morgan her Deputy. Your Town Clerk is Mrs Jennie Cooper.

Council Committees

In May 2008 the Council restructured its Committees and there are now 3 Committees which take on the day to day work of the Council. These are:

Planning Committee: which in the civic year May 2008 – May 2009 met 15 times and considered 60 planning applications. In addition to putting forward comments on planning applications, the committee considers highway issues such as on street parking, planning policies such as the local plan and development framework, and street collections.

Community Amenities Committee: this committee considers matters relating to external functions of the Council – the allotments, cemetery and illuminations and has, between May 2008 and May 2009, met 8 times.

Administration Committee: this deals with the internal affairs of the Council such as finance, budget controls, staffing, as well as the Council’s grants policy. In the year May 2008 – May 2009 it met 4 times and gave the following grants:

£370 Meridale Organisation

£500Trusthorpe Village Hall Theatre Group

£500Sutton-on-Sea and Trusthorpe Carnival

£200East Lindsey Domestic Abuse Service

£175 Music and Mirth

£600 East Lindsey Citizens’ Advice Bureau

£750St Clements PCC

£400Lincoln and Lindsey Blind Society

£300Sutton Rovers Junior Football Club

£300Mablethorpe W.I.

£95Sutton Art Group

£1,100 Mablethorpe Primary & Nursery School – swimming subsidy

£1,100Sutton-on-Sea Primary School – swimming subsidy

£500 Mablethorpe in Bloom

£300Open Circle of Friends

The full Town Council consolidates and approves all the workings of the Committees and met 6 times between May 2008 and May 2009.

Quality Status

The Mablethorpe and Sutton Town Council is aiming to apply for Quality Status in 2009 and is in the process of collating its application. The benefits of Quality Status are many; a Quality Council has proven that it is willing and able to be fully involved in local issues, has a strong working relationship with principal authorities and community groups and is more accountable and responsive to local needs. There are some 10 tests which the Council must pass – Electorate Mandate; Qualified Clerk; Regular Meetings; Community Engagement; Annual Reporting; Accountability; Code of Conduct; Local Democracy; Employment Conditions and Training.

Resume of Activities of the Council

Over the civic year May 2008 – May 2009 the Town Council has been involved in many areas of parish life. It has worked in partnership with the District Council, Mablethorpe in Bloom, Neighbourhood Management to name but a few, to help deliver services to the population of both residents and visitors.

It was proud to be associated with the In Bloom successful Silver Award in 2008 and took part in the Bathing Beauties in September as well as the illuminations and switch on in July.

Throughout the year the Council has worked to extend the cemetery, provide additional allotment land, maintain the cycleways and manage St. Mary’s Park. It provides annual floral displays in Mablethorpe and Sutton and maintains the DianaMemorialGarden at Sutton-on-Sea. From its donation budget, the Council has assisted the primary schools in their provision of swimming lessons. The ground maintenance contractors have cut, strimmed, trimmed, lopped and tidies many areas of the town, including St. Mary’s churchyard, St. Peter’s churchyard, Branch Line Walk at Sutton and Railway Walk at Mablethorpe.

The Council is involved with East Lindsey District Council, the Drainage Board and the Acre Gap Committee to keep Acre Gap as a natural area. It operates a donation system whereby people can purchase seats in memory of their loved ones, and helps the District Council in its provision of dog waste and litter bins. CCTV is an important tool in crime prevention and the Town Council owns and maintains 8 of the cameras situated within Mablethorpe and Sutton.

Over the winter the Council organises the Christmas tree displays and manages the installation, decoration and eventual removal of the main trees and some 60 small trees.

Town Council Budget

For the forthcoming financial year 2009/10, the Town Council has an anticipated budget expenditure of £153,538 with an anticipated income of £17,260, excluding precept. Expenditure includes items such as summer illuminations (£1,850), floral displays (£5,800), CCTV (£14,000), maintenance of property and land (£25,800), grants and subsidies (£9,250), advertising and illuminations (£4,350), allowances and training (£9,750), office overheads, insurance, subscriptions, legal duties and requirements and staff (£68,620), cemetery, dog bins, seats and footways (£3,100) advertising and newsletter (£4,000), Christmas (£3,800) and loan repayments (land purchase )(£3,668). The remaining £350 is allocated to small scale miscellaneous expenditure mainly in connection with town publicity and advertising.

Each year the Council’s finances are subjected to scrutiny from two independent auditors – one who comes into the office and checks all payments and invoices and one Government appointed external auditor.

Meetings

A full list of meetings is given below, in addition the Council meets on a regular basis with the District Council and sub-committees meet on an as and when required basis. Prior to the commencement of the Town Council meetings there is a 15 minute public participation session, and at each Committee meeting there are systems in place to allow the public to speak. In addition, the Council holds 2 informal public meetings. Meetings are advertised on the notice boards outside the library in Stanley Avenue, the old Council offices on Victoria Road and on High Street, Sutton-on-Sea. In addition the Town Council’s web site ( includes minutes of meetings and a list of meeting dates for the current year.

JULY 2009

Town Council 67.00 p.m.

Planning Committee137.00 p.m.

Community Amenities Committee207.00 p.m.

Informal Town Meeting277.00 p.m.

AUGUST 2009

Planning Committee 10 7.00 p.m.

Community Amenities Committee 177.00 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 2009

Planning Committee 7 7.00 p.m.

Town Council147.00 p.m.

OCTOBER 2009

Planning Committee 57.00 p.m.

Administration Committee127.00 p.m.

Planning Committee197.00 p.m.

Community Amenities Committee267.00 p.m.

NOVEMBER 2009

Town Council 27.00 p.m.

Planning Committee 97.00 p.m.

Informal Town Meeting161.00 p.m.

Community Amenities Committee237.00 p.m.

Planning Committee307.00 p.m.

DECEMBER 2009

Administration Committee 77.00 p.m.

Planning Committee147.00 p.m.

Town Council (Budget meeting)217.00 p.m.

JANUARY 2010

Planning Committee 47.00 p.m.

Community Amenities Committee 117.00 p.m.

FEBRUARY 2010

Planning Committee 17.00 p.m.

Town Council 87.00 p.m.

Planning Committee157.00 p.m.

Community Amenities Committee227.00 p.m.

MARCH 2010

Planning Committee 87.00 p.m.

Administration Committee157.00 p.m.

Town Meeting227.00 p.m.

Planning Committee297.00 p.m.

APRIL 2010

Community Amenities Committee127.00 p.m.

Planning Committee197.00 p.m.

Town Council267.00 p.m.

MAY 2010

AGM177.00 p.m.

Conclusion

This report is intended to give a flavour and overview of the work of the Town Council over the previous year. It does not list in detail all the work done and any projects not specifically mentioned are not any less important. The Town Council hopes to expand on its commitment to be transparent, approachable and to work on behalf of all its residents providing local contact and services.

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