Agenda item

Any questions submitted under the Public Question Time Scheme will be published once the deadline for submissions has expired.

The Chairman advised the meeting that one question had been submitted to the meeting.  The question had been submitted by the Reverend Jon Harper, from Scotter.  Unfortunately Mr Harper had not been able to attend the meeting due to a prior commitment and therefore the Chairman requested that an Officer read the question aloud to the meeting.

The Monitoring Officer read the question as follows: -

“Recent reports - eg https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news/local-news/lincolnshire-community-highest-child-poverty-4075844 - have revealed shockingly high Gainsborough poverty levels, including an indefensible child poverty rate of 44% in one area.

Increasing numbers are dependent on food parcels from Gainsborough Food Bank, Affordable Foods, the Salvation Army etc. The Venue at Roses alone has already provided over 700 meals.

What are WLDC doing about this unnecessary problem in the 21^st century? Should this major concern not be an item at every council meeting until resolved?

Will the Council consider bringing in an organisation such as Child Poverty Action Group, or similar, to help formulate an action plan?”

The Chairman thanked the Reverend Harper, in his absence, and invited Councillor Giles McNeill , Leader of the Council to respond.

The Leader provided the following statement in response: -

“I welcome the question from Rev. Harper and the opportunity to respond to it.

What are WLDC doing about this unnecessary problem in the 21st century?

West Lindsey District Council have a proactive approach to supporting vulnerable  communities, each year we prepare our State of the District report, which looks at  the current position of the District and the characteristics of the people who live  and work here.  This work is vital. It enables us to understand what issues need to be addressed, to achieve our vision for the District and to see the effects of the work that we have been doing. Current active work includes, Contextual Safeguarding, the Safer Streets Fund, an Affordable Housing Solution together with numerous community engagement and development projects 

·         Contextual Safeguarding – which seeks to understand the impact on young people, of their circumstances and the behaviour they are exposed to.

·          Safer Streets Fund (CCTV and community engagement work) – Working  jointly with Lincolnshire Police with a successful bid for funds from the Government’s Safer Streets Fund that has resulted in £250,000 award for CCTV provision and enhancement, along with community engagement work in Gainsborough

·         Affordable Housing Solution – Council approved in July 2020 a package including £1m funding and transfer of 12 properties to deliver: 

·         Significant intensive holistic support to households designed to enhance education, training and life skills; 

·         Increased neighbourhood management;

·         Improving the quality of housing stock; and our longer term aim of open, green spaces with a community feel to expand on existing green spaces  

·         Various community engagement/development projects in South West Ward are already active and we are actively working to support the linking of these projects. 

Should this major concern not be an item at every council meeting until resolved? 

I would like to reassure Rev Harper that improving the lives of all our residents is the primary concern of the Council. However, my understanding of Council Procedure Rule 2 is that it does not allow for standing agenda items as he suggests. Nor do I accept that Full Council would be the right place to try and engage in solving the issues he highlights, owing to our fourth option governance structure.  

Will the Council consider bringing in an organisation such as Child Poverty Action  Group, or similar, to help formulate and action plan? 

I am pleased to say that the Council already works in partnership with numerous groups and organisations to improve the life chances of the district’s children. But the Council is not just focused on efforts in Gainsborough South West ward; 

·         Intensive support to the Hemswell estate from 2017 to date, working in  partnership with other agencies has seen real progress in stabilising  and normalising the area.  

·         Following the Vulnerable Communities Audit in 2019 we have acted on the areas highlighted for improvement including the introduction this year of the new Communities at Risk Policy and Action Plan.  

·         During the ongoing pandemic our COVID-19 Community Fund has supported a wide mix of projects that in-turn are supporting vulnerable people in Gainsborough. This includes over eleven thousand pounds to organisations involved with feeding projects in Gainsborough.

As part of our bid to the Local Access Fund for Gainsborough; the town is one of  six communities that will share £33m of funding.

We are part of a successful partnership between, Lincolnshire Community Foundation, Key Fund, Sortified, Voluntary Centre Services. The money will support charities and social enterprises in Gainsborough to grow the local social  economy to tackle local issues. 

This partnership will develop the local infrastructure required to support and fund an evolving social economy. This will include developing a package of support and investment around planning, infrastructure, development and funding for charities and social enterprises. These organisations play a vital role in helping to address inequalities in Gainsborough. The partnership is now in a co-design process with Access and Big Society Capital to refine our plans. 

We are all tremendously grateful to our teams and the legion of volunteers who support those most in need in our society. It is proper that we record out thanks to them, particularly those who have continued to do so – or taken up additional responsibilities – during the pandemic.”

The Chairman thanked the Leader for the response and advised the meeting that he would ensure the Reverend Harper received the same response in writing within 7 days.