Angry scenes at Louth Town Council over new street names

Councillors were asked to put forward names for the roads, which are part of the Larkfleet Homes development off Kenwick Road.

Mayor of Louth, Coun Pauline Watson, opened the discussion with a suggestion that the surnames of five former owners of Kenwick Hall - Delamore, Allenby, Garfit, Dixon and Tointon - could be used.

Coun Jason Garrett suggested that one road could be named after Margaret Wintringham, one of the earliest female MPs in Britain, while Coun Andrew Leonard suggested Andreas Kalvos, the Greek national poet who spent his final years in Louth.

Coun David Hall suggested naming roads after “people who have done an awful lot for the town”, such as Stuart Pickering, who died in May, and ex-councillor Keith Sharp.

However, Coun Eileen Ballard supported Coun Watson’s proposal due to the local, historic connections, and implied it would be less controversial and ‘emotive’ than Coun Hall’s proposal.

Coun Julie Speed, however, said she found it ‘abhorrent’ to think of honouring people for simply owning land.

Later, Coun Ros Jackson said she supported Coun Hall’s proposal, adding that it is important to recognise public-spirited people who have done a lot for the town “whether or not they are rich”.

This prompted outcry from some councillors including Coun Watson, who vigorously defended her suggestion and insisted she was ‘not talking about wealth’. Her outcry led Coun Laura Stephenson to burst out laughing, leading the Mayor to ask her to leave the room until she had recovered.

Couns Chris Green and Dan Turner said there would be plenty of other streets to name in future, and supported the names suggested by Coun Watson - which won the vote.