i) Chairman of Council
ii) Leader of the Council
iii) Head of Paid Service
Minutes:
Chairman
The Chairman started her announcements by wishing the Chamber a Happy New Year! Noting that since Council last met the Nation had lost a Queen and gained a King!
Referencing the loss of the Sovereign, the Chairman advised she had been required to attend the Official Proclamation in front of Lincoln Cathedral before delivering the Proclamation back to the District to be announced in Gainsborough outside of the Council Offices. She remarked on what a moving and historic event it had been.
In October, the Chairman had attended at the Lincoln College Graduation Ceremony again held at Lincoln Cathedral. Graduation ceremonies were always special to see.
The Chairman advised Members that she had been invited to form part of a Panel, to determine receipts for Lincolnshire Care Awards in coming months.
November had seen Armistice and Remembrance Events held across the District. The Chairman had had the pleasure of attending both the Services and Parades held in the Market Place Gainsborough and at Caistor.
A wonderful evening had been had during November attending the “Illuminate Walls” along the Gainsborough Riverside leading to the Old Hall where there had been the most magnificent Fire Display. She congratulated all those involved in what had been something quite spectacular.
And, in the run-up to Christmas the Chairman had undertaken Christmas visits to the Arts Centre, the Council’s Crematorium and Depot and of the course the Guildhall. Ending the day with a visit to see the terrific Wizard of Oz at the Trinity Arts Centre.
Leader
The Leader made the following address to Council: -
“Good evening colleagues, I hope everyone had the opportunity to spend some time away from their desks over the Christmas and New Year period and have resumed their duties refreshed and ready for what will undoubtedly be an especially busy period for us individually and collectively.
In November, I was privileged to attend the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership’s Annual Conference and AGM at the Epic Centre, which proved to be most inspiring in setting out the vision for our historic county and the work already underway toward achieving that ambition. West Lindsey’s Director of Planning, Regeneration and Communities gave a timely update in relation to the RAF Scampton opportunity area and joined a Q&A Panel and a new Agricultural Growth Zone that will greatly support innovation in that sector in our District was announced.
It is most pleasing to report that our Operational Services teams were nominated in no fewer than four categories in the 2022 Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Awards, which were held in December. The nominations were for, in Street Cleansing, the Best Performer and the Most Improved Performer and in Waste Collection, for the Best Performer and the Most Improved Performer, with West Lindsey winning the two categories.
Colleagues will be aware that work to demolish the Lindsey Centre in Gainsborough town centre commenced shortly before Christmas. This will enable the construction of a new multi-screen cinema and associated retail units and is the most visible of the many changes and improvements currently being made in the area. Others include the opening of the first buildings refurbished through the Townscape Heritage Initiative and the installation of new way finding signs.
Hearing sessions in the Examination in Public of the new Central Lincolnshire Local Plan ended on Friday, 16th December, as scheduled. In response to the Inspector’s Post Hearing Letter the Central Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee has prepared a schedule of Recommended Main Modifications to the Plan. This was published on Friday, 13th January and will remain open for consultation until 23:59 on Friday, 24 February. For further information please visit: https://central-lincs.inconsult.uk/CLLP.Main.Modifications/consultationHome
Our annual Strategic Away Day will take place in the picturesque setting of Riseholme Park this Friday, with a most impressive line-up of guest speakers and including presentations on the future of food and agricultural productivity and the development of the Agricultural Growth Zone in West Lindsey. Then, next month, our newly formed Further Education Task Force will begin its work. The response and support from invitees and partners in the sector has been incredible, fully reflecting the importance of this initiative for the future not only of our young people, but also in ensuring that ‘Team West Lindsey’ can maximise and secure its full economic potential.
Finally, Chairman, whilst I believe this to be an especially exciting time with unparalleled opportunities available to our District, I do fully recognise that we can always achieve our best, working in partnership with others. Accordingly, I’d like to place on record my deep appreciation for the commitment and dedication of all the individuals and organisations working on behalf of their communities, bringing so much to the quality of life we collectively benefit from and enjoy”
Chief Executive
The Chief Executive addressed Council and advised of recent Conference speeches he had given, promoting the work of the organisation across the sector; one being the recent Local Government Conference, where the Chief Executive had spoken regarding streamlining and digital transformation in Local Government, reflecting on the Authority’s work with its Together 24 Project and new ICT systems.
The Chief Executive had also, in October, presented at a Conference the Authority’s development of its new remote application for Bulky Waste, with both presentations being well received.
The Chief Executive paid recognition to and congratulated the Council’s Building Control Team Manager, Mr Phil Westmorland who had been a finalist for the Jim King Leadership Awards at the recent annual Local Authority Building Control Conference.
Thanks, were publicly expressed to the Finance Team with the Authority’s Annual Accounts for 2021/22 having been approved by the 30November deadline. It was recognised that many other authorities had not been able to meet that deadline, and as such recognition was given to all those involved.
Referencing Levelling-Up Funding, Members’ attention was drawn to the publication of a case study. ‘A Thriving Gainsborough’ which had been published on the Government Website, alongside the round two bids, which had seen more funding awarded to Lincolnshire.
Members were advised agreements with Government for the delivery of the Levelling Up Parks Fund and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund had now been signed. Full business cases were due for consideration at Corporate Policy and Resources Committee the following week, ahead of spend, commencing in earnest.
The Council had successfully delivered the Council Tax Energy Rebate scheme that closed 30 November 2022. A total of 37,023 households had received funding. Under the Mandatory Scheme, with each council tax payee receiving £150, a total payment of £5,553,450 had been made, payments under the Discretionary Scheme – had totalled £169,704.
And finally, referencing the demolition of the former Lindsey Centre, as the Leader had, the Chief Executive highlighted that a ‘time slip’ video was available on the Invest Gainsborough website for those wanting to watch the demolition take place.
With the permission of the Chairman, Councillor David Cotton addressed the Chamber and advised that this would be his last Council meeting. Sharing openly with Members the reasons for this. He spoke of the family nature which existed within Lindsey, how he would miss the friendships formed over many years and bid the Chamber a final goodbye.
In responding numerous Members from across the Chamber including the Leader, Deputy, Leader of the Opposition and fellow Committee Members paid tribute to Councillor Cotton. They shared their experiences of working along-side him and spoke of his characteristics which had made him a valued Member in the Chamber. His experience, support and dedication would be missed.
With Members bidding Councillor Cotton, all the very best for the future, Announcements were concluded.