Agenda and minutes

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

There was no public participation.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the Prosperous Communities Committee held on 4 December 2018.

(a)          Meeting of the Prosperous Communities Committee – 4 December 2018.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Prosperous Communities Committee held on 4 December 2018 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Setting out current position of previously agreed actions as at 21 January 2019.

Members gave consideration to the Matters Arising Schedule which set out the current position of all previously agreed actions as at 21 January 2019.  It was noted that all items were now marked as completed.

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.

There were no declarations of interest made at this stage of the meeting.

Members gave consideration to a report which sought approval to the introduction of an electronic bi-monthly newsletter for Town and Parish Councils.

The Council had previously issued a Parish Matters magazine with key Council information, press releases and some pictures. An electronic version was now being proposed on a bi-monthly basis and it would be at the discretion of the Town and Parish Councils how they presented the information to local residents. This could be via noticeboards, social media, websites, council meetings or in a newsletter.

It would be a consistent way of West Lindsey District Council ensuring all parishes received the same information at the same time, whilst at the same time allowing them the freedom to use it how they felt necessary.

Debate ensued and Members as a whole generally supported the proposal. It was suggested that the magazine should act as two-way channel of communication with Parishes with Members also able to contribute to the content. It was also suggested that any urgent communications from the Council to Parishes should be published under the same banner, in order that it became the recognisable form of communication.

Opposition Members stressed that the newsletter should be politically unbiased, focussing on service information and useful information for residents, as opposed to free advertising for some.

In response to comments, Officers clarified that the newsletter would be focussed at Parish and Town Councils as opposed to residents directly, and they could use the information in any way they choose, ie display it on their website, include it parish magazines etc.  It was not intended to compete with local magazines, rather complement them and provide additional information that Parishes may wish to include in any newsletters they already produced.  There was capacity within the team to undertake the work and the software used had a built in analytical tool which would allow monitoring of impact.

RESOLVED that a bi-monthly newsletter for Town and Parish Councils be introduced.

Members gave consideration to a report which provided an update on the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan Review and revised Local Development Scheme following a decision by Central Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee (CLJSPC) at their meeting on 14 January 2019.

The Local Plan had been produced in accordance with the legislation and national policies set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (2012) applicable at that time, and included a detailed policy framework for Central Lincolnshire that included planning policies for all forms of development within West Lindsey.

Since the adoption of the plan there had been a number of local and national changes, including significant amendments to national planning policy, as set out in the Government’s new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) updated in July 2018. Notably, this had included a statutory requirement to undertake local plan reviews within 5 years of adoption and new requirements for housing supply and delivery. 

As a result of these changes, the Central Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee (CLJSPC) had considered a report at their meeting on 14 January 2019 that set out the rationale for a local plan review.

The report considered by the CLJSPC had been appended and clearly set out the justification for a review in Section 3 of the report and the risks associated with the review.

The intention to develop a comprehensive joint communications strategy was noted.

Members welcomed the review, and considered it an ideal opportunity to review Neighbourhood Plans in tandem.

RESOLVED that the contents of report that was considered and agreed by the Central Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee at their meeting on 14 January 2019, in particular the decision to commence a review of the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan later in 2019, in accordance with the revised Local Development Scheme timetable shown at appendix 1 of the CLJSPC report be endorsed and supported.

The Committee gave consideration to a report which advised Members of a bid which had been submitted by the Central Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee (CLJSPC),  to the Greater Lincolnshire One Public Estate (GLOPE) Board, for grant funding to support project work arising from the MOD’s announcement that RAF Scampton would close in 2022.

The appended CLJSPC report summarised the nature of the bid and typical projects that were expected to be funded should the bid succeed.

Successful bids were expected to be announced before the end of the current financial year. In the meantime the lead partners were continuing to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise the partnership working arrangements.

All Members were saddened by the decision but congratulated Officers on having taken action quickly on hearing the RAF’s decision. In light of the impact base closures had historically had within the District, it was important that previous mistakes were not repeated.

The Armed Forces Champion  spoke of the international heritage status of the site and urged that any consultations, particularly in respect of Heritage, be as far reaching as possible not just local. The MoU was welcomed.

Members urged Officers to take the opportunity to consider much wider uses for the site and not simply housing; there was an opportunity to consider leisure uses, support healthy lifestyles and build a community and infrastructure preventing social problems experienced on former RAF bases. Appropriate infrastructure such as highways and street lights needed to be in place, responsibilities clearly defined and facilities adopted.  It was suggested that the site’s proximity to the Lincolnshire Showground should also be considered and maximised.

In response, Officers concurred with all the comments put forward. A full and thorough Master Planning exercise of the site would be undertaken as soon as feasibly possible however, as advised in the report, at the current time future uses of the site could not be planned in any detail due to the uncertainties over the exact timescales for the relocation of existing operations, and as a direct result of the very limited information available relating to the land and buildings. 

Once this was better understood suitable potential future uses could start to be considered, the first priority being to identify how to stabilise the existing community and ensure it had an independent, sustainable future.

RESOLVED that the contents of the report, considered at the Central Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee (CLJSPC) on 14 January 2019, including the proposed projects that could be supported by the grant funding applied for, be supported and endorsed.

Members gave consideration to a report which followed a recommendation from the ProsperousCommunities Committeein July2018 requesting theCouncil to considerforming astrategic healthpartnership followingthe endof theHealth Commission inDecember lastyear.

Since thattime, Officersand Membersof theformer HealthCommission hadbeen workingtogether toidentify arole andassociated workplanfor astrategic healthpartnership. As a result of this work it had become increasingly apparentthat dueto thesuccess ofthe HealthCommission, the Council hadembraced theimportance ofhealth andwellbeing andthis had been incorporated into many strands of work. 

AppendixOne highlightedsome ofthe workbeing undertakenand howthis relatedto theseven strandsof theLincolnshire Healthand Wellbeing Strategy.

Thereport further advisedin detailsome ofthe keystrands ofwork thatthe Councilwas currently engaged in,but also acknowledgedthat therewas stilla clear rolefor Membersand Officersto lobby for improved health care provision.

Due to the positive work being undertaken across the organisation as a whole it had not been possible to establish a clear role for a strategic health partnership.

Debate ensued and some Members challenged the idea that the Group had met its original objectives and were of the view that the issues around health had actually grown. 

In response, Officers both acknowledged and did not dispute the statements made around access to services and over stretched budgets, however, it was not considered that a formal Strategic Health Partnership was the required vehicle by which to address such matters.

It was stressed that the Authority needed to focus on the areas where it could directly make an impact such as improved housing and planning, whilst at the same time making a focussed, targeted and concerted effort to lobby.

The original Health Commission had potentially been of a too broad remit however it had helped build relationships, raise the profile of health across the organisation and help Members and Officers understand where the gaps truly were, resulting in targeted lobbying. Health was more than GPs and doctors and issues in such areas were of such a scale that West Lindsey alone would not resolve these. The majority of Members were supportive of the approach and urged Officers and Members alike to “continue to bang the drum”.

RESOLVED that:

(a)     the work currently being undertaken across the Authority be supported and it be agreed that a formal Strategic Health Partnership was not required at this time;

(b)     an update report on progress of health related work be submitted to the Committee in one year’s time;

(c)     subject to the appropriate governance being in place, specific health related task and finish groups be formed as and when these were appropriate; and

(d)     a Member representative be appointed by Full Council at its annual meeting to sit on the West Lindsey Dementia Action Alliance.

Note:         Councillors Trevor Young  ...  view the full minutes text for item 68.

Members gave consideration to report which sought to provide an update on the implementation of the Leisure Contract and progress to-date.

The Leisure Contract had begun on 1 June 2018 and an independent audit of the Leisure Contract award was carried out by Assurance Lincolnshire who had found that the procurement process and subsequent award were robust and risks were well managed.

The Leisure Contract had been transformational for the Council in terms of its finances and instead of paying for leisure services the contract now generated in the region of £136,000pa.

The refurbishment of the Leisure Centre had commenced at the start of the contract and was due for completion at the end of the month.  The Health and Well-being hub had been officially opened in September and had demonstrated significant throughput to-date and generated excellent feedback.

Work was currently taking place on a range of health and wellbeing programmes which were due for launch this Easter.

The Active Seniors hub had been officially launched on 1 October and this area was also proving very popular. As a result the programme was being extended. In addition to the use by individuals this area was also used by community groups and organisations.

The outreach service was headed up by the Active Communities Manager and the report detailed progress to-date as well as the programmes currently operating. Pilot schemes had been launched in Sudbrooke and Scothern and discussions were currently taking place with Hemswell and Glentham.

In relation to Market Rasen Leisure Centre a site had been secured and designs completed. A report was expected before the Planning Committee on 6 February.

As well as delivering on financial objectives the contract outcomes were aligned to health improvements which were grouped into:

*           Encouraging people to be more active more often

*           Engaging with people from specific groups to increase the frequency that             they are active

*           Delivering a positive customer experience

In addition to the contract outcomes there was a robust series of operational performance standards. During year one of the contract, baseline data was being collected and targets for improvement would be set on an annual basis.

Members were invited to review the facilities by way of a tour being held on 7 March 2019.

The Challenge and Improvement Committee had reviewed the report and had recommended that a further report be submitted at the end of year one, however as previously advised, base line data was currently being established and it was considered that a report at the end of year one would demonstrate nothing further to Members.

Debate ensued and Opposition Members strongly disputed the figures contained in Section 2 of the report.

Assurance was given that the statistics had been thoroughly integrated and were an accurate reflection of the visitors seen. In response to further suggestions that the statistics were not accurate Officers outlined the methodology which had been used and the extended opening hours of the centre.

Opposition Members were of the view it would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 69.

Consideration was given to a report which sought to secure support for a Lincolnshire Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which set out shared common aims and principles for housing, health and care in the county.

The MoU articulated the benefits of collaborative working and created an opportunity for better understanding of the preventative role that housing could play in achieving better health outcomes and sustaining independence.

Section 2 of the report set out the background to the MoU having been developed.

The MoU set out: -

*             A shared commitment to joint action across local government, social care and housing organisations;

*             Principles for joint working for better health and well-being outcomes;

*             A framework for local organisation and cross sector partnerships to provide healthy homes, communities and neighbourhoods; and

*             Conditions for developing integrated and effective services to meet the needs of individuals, carers and families with a range of stakeholders.

Debate ensued and all Members were supportive of the document’s contents and intent.

The Armed Forces Member Champion urged that consideration be given to the Armed Forces Community, who were now recognised as a community in their own right.

RESOLVED that the content of the Memorandum of Understanding be agreed and its aims and ambitions be supported.

Note:         Councillor Trevor Young declared a personal interest in the above item of business as, through his employment, he would be a sitting member of the Housing Health and Care Delivery Group, although to-date he had not attended a meeting.

Consideration was given to a report which had been prepared in response to a motion to Full Council in 2018, reporting back on the need and viability of setting up a West Lindsey Housing Company.

Some Members were of the view that the report had failed to address the original motion.

In response, the intentions of a Social Lettings Agency and the benefits it could possibly achieve were outlined in detail to the Committee. The ways in which it would address the current issues with the private sector rental market were also highlighted.

It was stressed that the possibility of establishing a Local Housing Company had not been dismissed, however, it would be critical to first establish the need and viability; the ongoing work as detailed within the report would assist in doing this. It was also stressed that the Authority had no current stock and no in-house teams or expertise having transferred its stock, unlike other authorities who were establishing Housing Companies.

RESOLVED that: -

(a)     there was insufficient evidence of need and viability to warrant and necessitate setting up a West Lindsey Housing Company at the current time; and

(b)     Officers be authorised to investigate the principle of establishing a Social Lettings agency in order to bring back a viable proposal to present to the Prosperous Communities Committee in June 2019.

Note:         Councillor Gillian Bardsley declared a personal interest in the above item of business as a landlord.

The Challenge and Improvement Committee had established a member Task and Finish Group to scrutinise the effectiveness of services offered in maintaining rural public realm.

A Delivery Plan for the work had been developed and approved in January 2018 and since that date, the Task and Finish Group had met on a number of occasions to progress the actions identified.

The report for consideration set out the outcome of this work and set out a number of arising recommendations for consideration by the Committee.

Communication had been identified as a key area for improvement and it was noted that the earlier report regarding a parish newsletter would be one tool that could be used to improve this. The possibility of re-invigorating a Parish Charter was also being explored.

The Committee congratulated the Challenge and Improvement Committee for the work they had undertaken.

Clarification was sought and received regarding the intention of recommendation five. Members indicated they would be supportive of amending the ratios of current funding streams but were less supportive of the creation of a separate funding stream, considering the raft that were already available. 

Members noted the very low survey response rate and it was suggested that greater use should have been made of Ward Members to encourage completion of the survey.

RESOLVED that: -

(a)     the recommendations of the Challenge and Improvement Committee be acknowledged, namely: -

*        review existing communication and reporting channels between WLDC and Parish/Town Councils;

*        establish a scheme or clear suite of tools/support that WLDC can provide to Parish/Town Councils to support local action on dog fouling, fly-tipping and littering;

*        undertake a review of legal responsibilities for grass verges and explore options for the transfer of ownership/responsibility with LCC;

*        review current ability to provide community support and advice to Parish/Town Councils on local issues and community projects; and

*        consider the need to re-allocate funds within the Community Grants Programme to respond to and support local issues around public realm; and

(b)     Officers prepare and submit to the Prosperous Communities Committee in June 2019, detailed proposals as to how to take forward the recommendations made by the Challenge and Improvement Committee, as detailed above.

Members gave consideration to a report which sought a decision on the future waste collection methodology for areas of the District currently receiving sack collections.

The report followed a resolution by Prosperous Communities Committee in September 2018 which had tasked officers with reviewing the waste collection methodology in the ten foot areas of Gainsborough, supported by an appointed a task and finish group, and in response to a motion submitted to Full Council.

In presenting the report, Officers outlined the actions which had been undertaken and the methodology used in conducting the review, as set out in Section 2 of the report.

The full outcome of the satisfaction survey had been included at Appendix 1 of the report, with the key findings being highlighted to the Committee, namely: -

*             The majority of respondents were happy with the current sack collections and there was little desire to move to bins and/or fortnightly collections;

*             The majority of respondents were happy with the street scene following collections, however there were concerns that between collections dumping and early presentation took place and it was this that caused concern to residents.

*             Residents had felt strongly that direct action should be taken against offenders

The outcome from Environmental Assessment was also highlighted to Members, with the Committee noting that within a six week period, 11 tonnes of waste from 333 recorded incidents had been collected.

As a result of the other work undertaken as part of the review, Officers had found no evidence from other authorities that any other collection method was more successful than the one currently in place. The West Lindsey regime of linking street cleansing activity with the waste collection regime produced visibly better results than any other authority which Officers visited.

The collection cost was similar to other areas within the district, however, street cleansing costs were higher.

Members noted the conclusions set out in Section 4 of the report and the resulting recommendations.

The study and associated work would be fed into the review of the South West Ward Place Based Strategy which had originally been agreed by Members in January 2018 and there were plans to expand the number of cameras in the area, to assist with enforcement. These would be in-situ by March 2019, subject to relevant permissions being granted.

Members congratulated Officers for the thorough way in which the review had been conducted, commenting that both the consultation and methodology had been excellent and executed well.

It was suggested that as part of the review, other collection methods could have been piloted particularly in light of the costs associated with keeping the area clean, questioning whether this was sustainable in the future.

In response, Officers were hopeful that with the increased camera provision, increased use of enforcement and continued education, these costs could be reduced.

RESOLVED that: -

(a)     the current sack based collection methodology in ten foot areas of Gainsborough continue; and

(b)     an updated Environmental Assessment be presented to the Prosperous Communities Committee  ...  view the full minutes text for item 73.

Members gave consideration to a report which set out the details of the Committee’s draft revenue budget for the period 2019/2020 and estimates to 2023/24.

In presenting the report the budget preparation process, as detailed in Section 1 of the report, was highlighted to the Committee, together with the significant variances as detailed on Section 2. It was also noted that a number of budget consultation events had been held with Parish Councils, businesses and the wider community. The results of the consultation had been included at Appendix E for the Committee’s information.

RESOLVED that the draft Prosperous Communities budget 2019/2020 and the revenue estimates to 2023/2024 be RECOMMENDED to the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee for the purpose of budget setting 2019/2020 and for inclusion in the Medium Term Financial Plan 2019/2020 – 2023/2024.

Members gave consideration to the Committee Work Plan.

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