Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 25 July 2022 be confirmed and signed by the Leader as a correct record.

No declarations of interest were received.

Purpose of the Report

To seek approval of the proposed new Social Media Policy, along with the Yammer Policy, which incorporated aspects such as the council accounts available for use, employee wellbeing, the best use of social media, personal accounts, councillor use of social media and the use of a new social media networking tool for staff.

Decision

That the proposed Social Media Policy and the Yammer Policy be approved.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None were considered.

Reasons for the Decision

The proposed Social Media Policy set out how the City of Lincoln Council would use social media, outline responsibility for channels, set out procedure and assist employees and councillors to manage risk. 

The Yammer Policy was to be used in conjunction with the Social Media Policy by employees. Yammer was being introduced by the Council in September 2022 and would be used by employees to connect and engage with colleagues across the organisation. 

Staff use of Yammer would be governed by the Social Media Policy, along with associated IT policies.

The Social Media Policy had been considered and supported by the Ethics and Engagement Committee on 10 November 2021.

It was reported that the Mayor had recently introduced a TikTok account, which was supported by the Council’s Communications team.  A suggestion of introducing a corporate TikTok account would be considered, along with a suggestion to copyright future material produced by the Council.  The revised Policy would be shared with all councillors and officers.

Purpose of the Report

To present an outturn summary of the Council’s operational performance in quarter one of 2022/23.

Decision

That the achievements described and the issues identified in the quarter one Operational Performance Report for 2022/23 be noted.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None were considered.

Reasons for the Decision

The outturn summary report detailed performance against a total of 76 measures, of which 14 were below target; 23 were within target boundaries; and 22 had exceeded a higher target. A further 17 measures were volumetric, and provided context to overall service delivery. Commentaries on each measure were detailed in the report.

It was noted that the on-going effects of Covid-19 recovery, cost of living increases, staffing retention and movement, and supply shortages had impacted a range of services, full details of which were provided within Appendix A to the report. A summary of the outturn was also provided at Appendix B to the report.

There continued to be less demand for face to face appointments at City Hall.  However, there had been an increase in demand for telephone appointments with Customer Services and owing to recruitment and retention issues, the waiting times for telephone calls were higher than expected.  It was highlighted that the turnover of staff related to employees moving to other areas of the Council following successful recruitment.  The issue of increased waiting times for calls were being considered by officers.  It was noted that there were automated messages for those waiting on a call and an offer of an automated call back.

The report had been considered by the Performance Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 18 August 2022.

Purpose of Report

To provide a status report on the revised Strategic Risk Register as at the end of the first quarter 2022/23.

Decision

That the Council’s strategic risks, as at the end of quarter 1 2022/23, be noted.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None were considered. The Strategic Risk Register contained the key strategic risks to the delivery of the Council’s medium and longer term priorities. A failure to monitor the action that was being taken to manage those risks would undermine the Council’s governance arrangements.

Reasons for the Decision

The previous update of the Strategic Risk Register had been reported in June 2022.  Since the last update, the Strategic Risk Register had been refreshed and updated by the Corporate Management Team. The refresh had reviewed each risk in terms of the level of assessed risk (likelihood and impact), target risk scores, control measures in place and mitigating actions required in order to; avoid, seek, modify, transfer, or retain the risks. The refreshed register was detailed in Part B of the agenda (Minute 32 refers), as it was considered to contain exempt information.

The report had been considered by the Performance Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 18 August 2022.

Purpose of Report

To seek approval of the Draft Building Safety – Resident Engagement Strategy 2021 and Action Plan, as detailed at Appendix A to the report.

Decision

That the Building Safety Resident Engagement Strategy 2021 and Action Plan be approved.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None were considered. 

Reasons for the Decision

Following the Grenfell tragedy in 2017, the Government had launched a review to improve building safety in Higher Risk Residential Buildings.  Following the review, the Building Safety Act 2022 had been developed.

The Act contained a requirement to have a specific building safety resident engagement strategy, which set out how local authorities would involve residents in building safety and communicate key messages. The strategy covered high risk buildings, such as multi-storey blocks over 18 metres and potentially second legislation was expected to cover sheltered housing.  In response to this requirement, the Council had developed a strategy for Lincoln in consultation with elected councillors, employees and the Lincoln Tenants’ Panel.  The draft strategy and action plan was detailed at Appendix 1 to the report.  It was confirmed that the strategy applied to private leaseholders, specifically the requirement for gas and electric certificates.

The strategy had considered both the legal responsibility, whilst also exploring for innovative and engaging ways to tackle the issues around communication with residents. The strategy’s wider implications around ensuring fire safety management and emergency plans had been enacted, which would result in a clear approach to meeting the legislative requirements.

The draft strategy had received the support of the Policy Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 23 November 2021 and the Housing Scrutiny Sub-Committee on 24 January 2022.

Purpose of Report

To seek agreement to use a specific Council owned site for the development of a new woodland. The proposed location was detailed at Appendix A to the report.

Decision

That the identified site, as detailed at Appendix A to the report, be transferred to Community Services to develop the site as a new woodland / wildlife habitat to improve biodiversity for the City.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

To not proceed with this proposal.

Reasons for the Decision

The City of Lincoln Council had declared a climate change emergency, and was taking a number of steps to drive local changes where it could, specifically to contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change. One way in which the Council proposed to achieve this was to develop a project where more trees could be planted, helping not only to make a physical change, but also to promote the benefits and value of trees in the wider city, signifying as they do, that there was still hope that the most severe impacts of climate change could be avoided.

To achieve this, it had been necessary to consider a wide range of possible sites in Council ownership, and to assess their viability for planting by being mindful of other competing pressures for development, and their existing habitat value.

The proposed site was currently grassland, approximately 3.45ha in size, and was situated between Simon’s Hill allotments and the River Witham. It could be accessed from the cycle / footpath, which ran between Newark Road and Boultham Park.  It was not proposed that this area would be fully open to the public for two reasons: a) public access spaces carried a higher level of maintenance requirements that imposed an extra cost and b) it would be a nature conservation area, so disturbance by the public would be minimised to protect the ecological value.

You are asked to resolve that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following items because it is likely that if members of the press or public were present, there would be disclosure to them of 'exempt information'.

In accordance with the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, notice is hereby given of items which will be considered in private, for which either 28 days' notice has been given or approval has been granted by the appropriate person specified in the Regulations. For further details please visit our website at http://www.lincoln.gov.uk or contact Democratic Services at City Hall, Beaumont Fee, Lincoln.

X. This item is being considered in private as it is likely to disclose exempt information, as defined in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. No representations have been received in relation to the proposal to consider this item in private.

Y. This item is being considered in private as it is likely to disclose exempt information, as defined in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, and has not been deferred for the reasons established in the published notice.

RESOLVED

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business because it was likely that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure of ‘exempt information’ as defined by Section 100I and Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

Purpose of Report

To provide a status report on the revised Strategic Risk Register as at the end of the first quarter 2022/23.

Decision

That the Council’s strategic risks, as at the end of quarter 1 2022/23, be noted.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None were considered. The Strategic Risk Register contained the key strategic risks to the delivery of the Council’s medium and longer term priorities. A failure to monitor the action that was being taken to manage those risks would undermine the Council’s governance arrangements.

Reasons for the Decision

The previous update of the Strategic Risk Register had been reported in June 2022. Since the last update, the Strategic Risk Register had been refreshed and updated by the Corporate Management Team. The refresh had reviewed each risk in terms of the level of assessed risk (likelihood and impact), target risk scores, control measures in place and mitigating actions required in order to; avoid, seek, modify, transfer, or retain the risks. The refreshed register was detailed in Part B of the agenda (Minute 32 referred), as it was considered to contain exempt information.

The report had been considered by the Performance Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 18 August 2022.