i) Chairman of Council
ii) Leader of the Council
iii) Head of Paid Service
Minutes:
i) Chairman
The Chairman addressed Council advising it had been a very busy, but enjoyable period, particularly in the run up to Christmas. Over recent weeks she had had the pleasure of attending a number of Events, Award Ceremonies and Civic Carol Services, including her own for which she thanked those Councillors who had attended. Reference was also made to the following: -
· Honour to attend the Fire and Rescue Awards in Lincoln;
· Attended the Gainsborough and Market Rasen Christmas Light Switch Ons;
· Took part in a wonderful lantern parade. Children from many schools had attended workshops prior to the event to make their lanterns. It had been a very windy evening but enjoyed by all and set the tone for future “illuminate” events, culminating in 2020;
· A very moving “Light up a Life” service organised by St Barnabas;
· Visits to a plethora of Care Homes, taking part in their Christmas festivities;
· Officially opened the new Lidl store;
· Hosted a Christmas reception for the staff and volunteers at the Trinity Arts Centre;
· Visited and hosted receptions for the operatives at the depots, to thank them for their hard work throughout the year;
· On Christmas day attended the Lunch hosted by Gainsborough House and visited the John Coupland Hospital;
· Attended a presentation evening at the Queen Elizabeth’s High School in Gainsborough; and
· Attended a memorial service for Tony Worth held in in the Cathedral.
The Chairman concluded her announcements by making special reference to an event she had hosted here in the Council Chamber on 8 December, this being a Gainsborough Junior Schools’ Council meeting.
Local schools had been asked to give ideas for the future use of the Butter Market building. A total of 11 schools took part and presented their ideas. Their ideas will be considered as part of the Gainsborough Neighbourhood Plan. This had been a most enjoyable and informative event enjoyed by all who took part.
ii) Leader of Council
The Leader addressed Council and advised that the previous Friday, a roundtable meeting of a number of agencies covering the Heath, Housing and Care agenda had been held at the Guildhall. This was an area of work the Council was keen to progress due to a number of social issues across the County and District.
The Leader handed over to Councillor Sheila Bibb, Chairman of the Prosperous Communities Committee, the Committee responsible for progressing the Health agenda, and invited her to sum up the event’s proceedings.
Councillor Mrs Bibb addressed Council, outlining the plethora of agencies which had been in attendance. The meeting had provided an opportunity to bring together a vast range of agencies to present information to them particularly around the Well-Being Service which would be place from April 2018 and which West Lindsey would be a key partner in. The meeting had also provided opportunity for data to be shared and for agencies to outline their current action plans. The aim of the meeting had been to facilitate greater engagement and partnership working across the agencies.
The meeting had been well received and the emphasis of the meeting had been to do less talking about what was required, but rather to agree a set of definitive actions to be undertaken. A number of key actions for implementation had been agreed as a result of the meeting and a full report would be submitted to the next Challenge and Improvement Committee and subsequently the Prosperous Communities Committee as part of the six month review of the Health Commission.
The Leader then addressed Council and advised that he recently attended an Energy, Environment and Transport Forum in Westminster in order to better understand the national view, impetus and direction required for the future handling of both residual waste and recyclate. Unfortunately as a collection authority, the Authority would have the financial burden and have to deliver the service with little chance of any income. In an attempt to reduce the need to build additional energy from waste plants a popular solution was to collect food waste separately. This, however, would also come at an additional financial cost to West Lindsey. The Leader suggested a way such costs could be mitigated. A notional example was offered of how this could achieved but it was stressed that this matter would likely need addressing at some point in the future.
The Chairman thanked the Leader for his updates.
iii) Head of Paid Service
The Head of Paid Service addressed Council, on behalf on the Management Team, advising that since the last meeting the Directors had been progressing both the corporate agenda of the Council and ensuring that the Authority continued to influence the national agenda.
The Director of Resources had been working with the Rural Services Network especially through the establishment of a Social Care and Health Group and a Rural Economy Group. West Lindsey would be fully participating in both.
The Chief Operating Officer had attended the Chief Executives’ Group of the District Councils’ Network. A group who lobbied on behalf of District Councils nationally. They had established an all-party parliamentary group to lobby for the interests of District Councils and Officers would be briefing the local MP when he attends.
Locally there had been a number of key milestones which had been achieved. The Director of Commercial and Economic Growth, assisted by the Director of Resources had been assessing two bids from potential development partners to regenerate Gainsborough. The evaluation of these bids would be considered by a special joint meeting of the Prosperous Communities Committee and Corporate Policy and Resources Committee on 6 February.
The Council together with its partners, East Lindsey District Council and City of Lincoln Council had been successful in their bid to run the well-being service.
A provisional funding settlement with the Government had been agreed. This included a £90,000 provision for West Lindsey as part of the Rural Services Delivery Grant.
The Community Infrastructure Levy Scheme had gone live across the District today, information was available on the website.
The Head of Paid Service concluded his announcements advising that further information would appear in the Committee agendas over the next cycle and in the new Member Bulletin/ Newsletter which would be launched next month.