Agenda and draft minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 24 February 2025 be confirmed and signed by the Chair as a true record, subject to the following typographical amendment:

Minute No 85: Accredited Real Living Wage Increase October 2024 - All references made to the Accredited Living Wage to be corrected to ‘Accredited Real Living Wage.’

Please note that, in accordance with the Members' Code of Conduct, when declaring interests members must disclose the existence and nature of the interest, and whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI) or personal and/or pecuniary.

No declarations of interest were received.

Purpose of Report

To present to Executive the strategic performance measure targets for 2025/26 for final approval.

Decision

That the strategic performance measures and their targets for 2025/26, as set out within Appendix A to the officer’s report, be approved.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Reasons for the Decision

Performance measure targets were reviewed on an annual basis This ensured the measures being reported to senior management and members on a quarterly basis continued to provide a clear picture of the council’s service area performance. Additionally, all performance measure targets were reviewed annually to ensure the targets remained achievable but suitably challenging.

Target setting for 2025/26 had focused largely on the analysis of the council’s performance outturn trend over recent quarters/years, alongside the expected impacts over the coming year. Benchmarking data had been used by service areas in this process, however, the availability of this data was limited due to local authorities reporting on the measures most relevant to their own authority and services, rather than there currently being a requirement for all local authorities to report on all measures in the same way.

As with previous years, some measures had seen their targets relaxed due to increasing financial pressures on the council, resource impacts, recruitment pressures and the cost-of-living crisis, all of which would inevitably continue to impact on performance. However, in some cases the targets had been made more stretching where some improvement in performance was expected.

The proposed measures were presented to Performance Scrutiny Committee for feedback on 13 March 2025. There were a couple of clarification questions asked on customer services and Public Protection and Anti-Social Behaviour and these were answered satisfactorily in the meeting.

Performance measures and targets were also reviewed with Portfolio Holders.

The performance measures, their high and low targets and details of the removed/new measures for 2025/26 were provided at Appendix A of the report.

Those measures performing above or below target were highlighted within a quarterly Operational Performance Report as success stories or measures of concern requiring monitoring action.

Purpose of Report

To consider proposals for ICT provision and approve budget allocations in the General and Housing Investment Programmes for implementation.

Decision

The inclusion of the budget allocations of £300,000 in the General Investment Programme and £125,000 in the Housing Investment Programme (funded through capital receipts and Direct Revenue Funding) for investment in the Council’s ICT provision be approved.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

To do nothing – delaying replacing devices was not recommended at this time given the regular challenges the workforce was experiencing in connecting and operating their devices and systems and in turn undertaking their roles.

To replace all devices at once - this was not recommended, as although further existing laptops would need replacing in future years, they had not yet reached end of life and had value.

Reasons for the Decision

A number of interdependent workstreams needed addressing to support the ongoing provision of ICT at the Council. This included, replacement or alternative delivery of core infrastructure, review of applications and investment in desktop equipment.

When workstyles were introduced, different job roles were assigned different types of desktop equipment suited to the requirements of their work. Some roles were issued laptops and others retained fixed terminals at their workspace. For those issued laptops in the initial roll out, these devices were now ageing which was affecting how well they currently operated. For officers using the remaining terminals, these were no longer fit for purpose causing significant operating challenges.

The platform that terminals currently needed to operate relied heavily on core infrastructure processing power (over 50%) and with the current infrastructure close to capacity, users were receiving a poor experience. Additionally, the desktop on terminals was slow to refresh as it was not carried with an individual and terminals could not be taken into meetings which was inefficient for the user when needing to access information to contribute, thus being reliant on taking notes by hand and then typing up or adding into the system.

The age of devices used by the Housing Repairs Service (HRS), alongside the need for devices that were compatible with applications and ways of working meant that these devices were also in need of replacement.

An assessment across services reviewing device models, options and docking stations needed over the coming year had been undertaken. 269 terminals need replacing with laptop devices and 99 laptops need replacing. The cost of this investment was £345,000. This included docking stations and monitors that were important for workplace health and safety requirements.

The HRS team were currently trialling device options to determine the most suitable rugged tablet device for the workforce. A budget of up to £60,000 would be needed, subject to final selection on the preferred device following the trial.

Members may find a laptop device more practical to undertake their roles, being able to view and annotate papers and to easily navigate the hub and other online directories, enabling them to find information to signpost and support residents, make online reports and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 104.

Purpose of Report

To seek Executive approval to submit Lincoln’s project programme for the one-year UKSPF (UK Shared Prosperity Fund) funding available for 2025-26.

Decision

1.    That the proposed programme for the 2025-26 UKSPF funding in Lincoln as detailed within the recently circulated revised Appendix A to the report, be submitted to North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) for inclusion in the Greater Lincolnshire Mayoral County Combined Authority (GLMCCA) government submission.

2.    Subject to approval of the overall Investment Plan by GLMCCA partners, that the budget allocations set out in paragraph 4.1 of the officer’s report be included in the General Investment Programme and General Fund revenue account in 2025/26.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Reasons for the Decision

City of Lincoln Council was previously directly awarded £2,810,773 of funding from the government’s UKSPF programme between 2022-25 which had enabled us to deliver a comprehensive programme of projects across Lincoln particularly focusing on community and people projects within our most deprived areas, alongside business support, employment, and skills. That programme needed to be fully spent and delivered by 31 March 2025 and was on track to do so.

The government announced in the Autumn Budget on 30 October 2024 that there would be a further one-year stand-alone UKSPF programme for 2025-26. As Lincoln was now part of a devolved combined county authority, this new allocation had been pooled into a single allocation for Greater Lincolnshire. North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) was the accountable body for the funding in 2025-26 and would be managing, monitoring and reporting on the overall programme for the Greater Lincolnshire Mayoral County Combined Authority (GLMCCA).

Lincoln had been allocated a total of £874,295 under the one-year stand-alone UKSPF programme for 2025-26, which comprised £143,680 capital and £730,615 revenue funds for spend delivery by 31 March 2026.

An update from NELC on 5 March 2025 confirmed the following further requirements:

-      NELC would issue a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to each council area in April 2025.

-      Individual Investment Plans should be locally approved with a target date of 21 March 2025 (Lincoln had notified NELC that Executive would be held on 24 March 2025 and that was acceptable).

-      Overall Investment Plan to be agreed by GLMCCA partners and uploaded by 18 April 2025.

-      First payments by early June 2025 (anything prior was at risk).

-      Review of delivery in September 2025 so programme needed to be well underway and committed to avoid clawback/reduction of funding.

-      Full review of programme in January 2026 to ensure spend and delivery achievable by 31 March 2026.

The draft investment plan prioritised funding for the community and place and people and skills priorities given the GLMCCA’s approach to the supporting Business priority.

Under the original UKSPF allocation for 2022-2025 the Council acted as the accountable body, for 2025/26 that responsibility now sat with NELC.

The administration of the scheme would continue in the existing way with the Council directly delivering a number of schemes itself along  ...  view the full minutes text for item 105.

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 items of business because it was likely that if members of the public were present there would be a disclosure to them of ‘exempt information’ as defined by Section 100I and Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

Purpose of Report

As detailed in the exempt report to the Executive.

Decision

That the recommendation to the Executive, as set out in the exempt report, be approved.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

As detailed in the exempt report to the Executive.

Reasons for the Decision

As detailed in the exempt report to the Executive.

Purpose of Report

As detailed in the exempt report to the Executive.

Decision

That the recommendation to the Executive, as set out in the exempt report, be approved.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

As detailed in the exempt report to the Executive.

Reasons for the Decision

As detailed in the exempt report to the Executive.

Purpose of Report

As detailed in the exempt report to the Executive.

Decision

That the recommendation to the Executive, as set out in the exempt report, be approved.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

As detailed in the exempt report to the Executive.

Reasons for the Decision

As detailed in the exempt report to the Executive.