Agenda item

An update was provided by the Democratic and Civic Officer regarding forthcoming items scheduled for consideration by the Committee. It was confirmed that, in addition to the item titled West Lindsey District Council’s Approach to Battery Energy Storage in the Planning System, the meeting on 18 November would also include the 2026/27 Progress and Delivery Measure Setting report.

Members were also advised that the meeting scheduled for 24 February 2026 would include the Review of the Draft Annual Report and Operating Methodology.

The Chairman noted that a motion had been submitted to Council in September of the previous year, requesting a comprehensive needs assessment to be undertaken by the Integrated Care Board (ICB) in relation to GP practices. Concerns were expressed that no report had yet been brought before the Committee in response to this motion and Members requested an update on its progress.

It was proposed that the Committee could formally request a report on the matter and invite the relevant officer to attend a future meeting. In response, the Chairman advised that an initial update would be preferable at this stage, to allow officers time to progress the work. It was noted that the ICB was currently undertaking related work, which was expected to be presented to Lincolnshire County Council.

A further suggestion was made that a written update from officers be provided prior to the submission of the report to Lincolnshire County Council. The Chairman acknowledged that the report in question was classified as a confidential item and that the timeframe for producing a full report was limited. Consideration was given to the possibility of undertaking pre-scrutiny work in advance of the formal report.

Members discussed the Pride in Place initiative and its relationship to the wider committee structure. It was noted that the item was expected to be considered by the Prosperous Communities Committee, although no formal information had been made available at this stage. A view was expressed that all Members received reports from all committees to ensure transparency and awareness, with the understanding that items would be brought back to Overview and Scrutiny if issues arose.

The Chairman welcomed the continued monitoring of the initiative and supported maintaining oversight through the Committee’s work plan. A suggestion was made to include Pride in Place on the Committee’s work plan. It was acknowledged that the item would progress through the relevant policy committees, and Members agreed to await its development through those channels.

It was enquired whether a standing agenda item could be introduced to provide brief updates on matters considered by the Prosperous Communities Committee and the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee, reflecting the views of Overview and Scrutiny. The Chairman encouraged all Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to attend policy committee meetings where possible, to support cross-committee understanding and engagement. Members were also advised that caution should be exercised in distinguishing between an Executive governance model, where decisions could be taken in isolation, and the committee system of West Lindsey District Council, where decisions were made by majority vote in a committee meeting.

Concerns were raised regarding the timeliness and visibility of information shared between committee chairs. It was questioned whether some items were being withdrawn during Chair’s briefings prior to committee meetings, resulting in the relevant committee not having sight of the papers. It was suggested that coordination between the Governance and Audit Committee and Overview and Scrutiny should be strengthened to ensure that such items were not lost from the committee process.

In response, the Senior Democratic and Civic Officer clarified that the Forward Plan served as the mechanism through which all Members were informed, and could be involved in, the progression of items.

Training was referenced as a means of improving understanding of the Forward Plan and committee processes, with it being noted that there was a training session scheduled for the following week. It was confirmed that progress was being made in this area and that the same principles applied to the Governance and Audit Committee.