Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed all those present to the meeting.  Members were advised that there had been some technical issues with the technology in the Chamber, it was hoped that these had now been resolved, however apologies were offered in advance in the event of the webcast stream failing.

The Chairman, joined by Members of the Committee also placed on record their condolences to Councillor Paul Howitt-Cowan following his recent loss.

Up to 15 minutes are allowed for public participation.  Participants are restricted to 3 minutes each.

The Chairman welcomed Mr Adrian Campbell to the meeting, who had indicated he had a question he wished to pose to the Committee.

Mr Campbell addressed the Committee and made the following statement: -

“Thank you for this opportunity.

My question is about the fairness and effectiveness of your public consultation process for the people of Market Rasen.

I’m part of the newly  constituted  Market Rasen Action Group that arose with huge energy learning the news, with no prior consultation, that Market Rasen was to be gifted with a new dry leisure centre where, what it seems is wanted, is a swimming pool.

I am a qualified marketing professional and undertook a short survey and preliminary results suggest exactly that. No business case has been released to support the dry centre plan.

No business case was released to the public either for the advice you relied on that Market Rasen car parks would generate £50,000 a year. The consultation process could have identified flaws in Parking Matters' recommendations had you trusted the public to view them. Your consultant proved wrong bringing embarrassment to you where revenues now don’t meet costs.

There has been a new consultation announcing that:

"The primary aim of this review being to support town centre viability and local traders (and) seek some cost recovery"

Those traders know that increasing profit (or reducing losses) is more than just about increasing prices yet increasing prices are the only options offered by your consultation.  The consultation is flawed then.   There should have been two further options:-

1) look how to reduce costs and

2) look how to increase usage and therefore income.

It should also have been given more time, appearing as it did in a holiday season and before Market Rasen's new Town Team and Action Group had been established.

I recently conducted another short survey asking people if they were aware of consultations about:-

1 Car Parking

2 Leisure Centre

3. Crematorium

No-one was aware of a consultation about a crematorium.  Neither was I.

I am shocked to learn that some of my Council Tax will go toward a £6 million facility that almost no-one in Market Rasen will use. It is further away from Rasen than two existing crematoria.

Market Rasen Town Council tell me they were not consulted either. They learned about it after the decision had been made.  Market Rasen people do not routinely engage with Gainsborough. It is 20 miles away.

My question then is: -

Does the way you consult the District on key issues disadvantage Market Rasen?

Should you not announce measures more widely especially using social media; giving more advance notice, facilitating replies by means other than your website eg facebook polls?

And should you not automatically release back-up documents so an intelligent population can comment on them?

Thank you”

The Chairman thanked Mr Campbell for his questions.

As the Committee had not received prior notice of the questions to be posed, Mr Campbell was advised, as outlined  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the Prosperous Communities Committee held on 17 July 2018.

(a)          Meeting of the Prosperous Communities Committee – 17 July 2018.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Prosperous Communities Committee held on 17 July 2018 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Setting out current position of previously agreed actions as at 3 September 2018.

Members gave consideration to the Matters Arising Schedule which set out the current position of all previously agreed actions as at 3 September 2018.

RESOLVED that progress on the Matters Arising Schedule, as set out in the report be received and noted.

Members may make any declarations at this point but may also make them at any time during the course of the meeting.

Councillor Trevor Young declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 6 b) (Youth Housing Four Way Protocol) as his employer was named within the report.

Members gave consideration to a report which sought agreement to the scope for a review of waste collections in the South West Ward of Gainsborough.  The report further sought approval of an engagement and assessment process, which would form part of the review and the setting up of a member steering group to oversee the process.

Debate ensued and the Committee as a whole welcomed the approach being proposed. Several members commented on the importance of any consultation undertaken being meaningful.  It was considered that the review provided a great opportunity to engage with the community and to make improvements.  Some were of the view that the current approach posed reputational risks and did not create an appealing gateway to the town.   Community buy-in was an important factor in delivering change and ensuring residents were part of the solution.  Several Members commented that a range of solutions may need to be identified as every street within the area was different. 

In responding to a request to condense the proposed timeline, Officers indicated that this had been a matter of much debate, but in order to ensure consultation and engagement was meaningful and in order to allow proper analysis of all the information gathered through the review, Officers were of the belief the timescale indicated was the most appropriate.  Members indicated their satisfaction with this response.

RESOLVED that: -

1)      the proposed process for reviewing the waste collection methodology in the South West Ward of Gainsborough be approved, namely:

a)      a steering group consisting of Councillors, including ward Members and representatives from Prosperous Communities Committee, supported by officers be established;

b)      engagement with all sections of the community in the South West Ward be undertaken;

c)      Communications with the community to support this engagement including delivering newsletters, drop-in sessions and door to door sample surveys be undertaken;

d)      a Satisfaction survey with residents and all other stakeholders including Councillors, businesses, landlords, the town council, residents groups, Lincolnshire Highways and any other relevant bodies be undertaken;

e)      Environmental Assessment Surveys be undertaken;

f)       Consultation with national forums such as APSE and LARAC regarding best waste collection practice in this area be undertaken;

g)      an initial options analysis of alternative collection methods and regimes, considering those undertaken by other authorities, both locally and nationally be carried out;

h)      a financial analysis of identified options be undertaken;

i)       potential methods and areas to carry out pilots of alternative collection methods be identified

j)        a risk register for these activities be maintained.

k)      an equalities impact assessment for identified options be produced.

Having been supportive of recommendation 1a) (the establishment of a Member Steering Group), nominations were sought and received for Members to serve on the Group.

On that basis it was further RESOLVED that

2)      In connection with resolution 1a above, the following Members be appointed to serve on the Members Steering group to oversee the delivery of the work as specified in the report.: -

Councillor Sheila Bibb

Councillor Chris Darcel

Councillor Pat  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

Members gave consideration to a report which sought approval to the adoption of a Youth Housing Protocol.

The Protocol did not require any additional commitments of West Lindsey District Council, moreover it brought together in one place the existing housing pathways for young people and set out the current legislative framework that applied to young people in housing difficulty.

The protocol was required in order to pull together into one document a number of current areas of joint working. By bringing these strands together the protocol sought to create smoother transitions for young people from homelessness or care, through supported accommodation and on to independence.

In brief the protocol consisted of:

·         Introduction & background

·         Summary of current services across the county

·         Overview of the statutory responsibilities

·         Further detail on current provision

·         Overview of the youth housing single gateway first introduced in 2012

·         Detail of transition processes between Youth Housing and Adult Housing Related Support services both commissioned by Lincolnshire County Council.

Discussion ensued and Members expressed concern regarding the basis on which provision was being offered at the facility on Wembley Street.  This was not in accordance with the previous agreement or understanding, and West Lindsey had supported the project financially.

Officers outlined briefly the variances which had been made to the contract which had seen changes to the way the project was funded.

Members were of the view that they needed to better understand the operations of the Service considering the financial investment they had made and suggested that an Officer from the County Council be invited to address the Committee.

The Executive Director of Operations advised that this matter had been identified by Challenge Improvement Committee who intended to invite representatives to attend.  The issues raised by Members could be brought forward to that meeting.

Members were agreeable to this approach.

RESOLVED that the Youth Housing Protocol, attached at Appendix 1 of the report be adopted.

Members gave consideration to the Committee Work Plan.

RESOLVED that the workplan as set out in the report be received and noted.