Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 28 April 2020 be confirmed.

No questions were received.

No questions were received.

It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that:

(1)       Council adopts by resolution Sections 14 and 17 of Part VIII of the 1982 Act (as amended by the 2003 Act) in their entirety, to come into force on 22 September 2020 within the administrative area of the City of Lincoln Council for the proper regulation of tattooing, acupuncture, cosmetic piercing (including ear piercing), electrolysis and semi-permanent skin-colouring, to ensure greater protection to those undergoing these treatments by ensuring that businesses providing such treatments operate hygienically and in a manner that would minimise risk of infection to their customers.

(2)       Council authorises the making of Byelaws regulating the practise of acupuncture under Section 14(7) of the 1982 Act as soon as section 14 of that Act was adopted as in (1) above within the administrative area of the City of Lincoln Council.

(3)       Council authorises the making of the Byelaws regulating the practises of tattooing, semi-permanent skin-colouring, cosmetic piercing and electrolysis under Section 15(7) of the 1982 Act as soon as section 15 of the 1982 Act was adopted as in (1) above within the administrative area of the City of Lincoln Council.

(4)       Council authorises the Strategic Director for Communities and Environment to make the consolidated Byelaw, attached at Appendix A of the report, under the provisions of Sections 14(7) and 15(7) of the 1982 Act, as amended, and take all necessary steps to secure their confirmation with the Secretary of State and carry them into effect.

(5)       Council authorises that the authority’s common seal be affixed to the Byelaws and that, following advertisement, the Byelaws be submitted to the Secretary of State for Health for approval.

It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that a dispensation be granted to Councillor Andrew Kerry from attending meetings of the Council in order to avoid him potentially ceasing to be a member of the authority under Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972.

Councillor Ric Metcalfe, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Our People and Resources, presented a report on the work of his portfolio which focussed predominantly on the significant effects of the Covid-19 virus on the Council’s services, the way services were currently being delivered and the ongoing recovery process.

Councillor Metcalfe highlighted, like all other organisations, that the Council had been forced to make dramatic changes not only to ensure critical services could still function since the commencement of the outbreak but also in order that it could perform its important community leadership role for the city in this time of crisis.

Councillor Metcalfe praised the Council’s staff and its elected members who he said throughout the pandemic had demonstrated remarkable strength and resilience and reiterated his gratitude for what they had achieved during this very challenging period. He recognised that members were aware of the devastating impact Covid-19 had inevitably had on the Council’s finances, however it had been possible to balance the authority’s budget for 2020/21. He acknowledged that some very difficult and unwelcome decisions had been made into order to balance the budget for next year and warned members that, unfortunately, there would be more to come. Despite this, however, Councillor Metcalfe highlighted that services had remained up and running, with vital services still being made available for the city’s communities which he said was the Council’s overriding priority at this time.

In view of the current situation and the challenges posed over the last six months, Councillor Metcalfe expressed his astonishment that Lincolnshire County Council had instigated local government reform proposals for Greater Lincolnshire back in May 2020 without any consultation with Lincolnshire District Councils. He added that his view that this was not a priority at such a critical time appeared to have prevailed as the Government’s programme for local government reform and the publication of its Devolution and Recovery White Paper had been delayed. He reported, however, that no formal confirmation of the Government’s intentions in this respect had yet to be received.

Councillor Metcalfe reminded members that the threat of Covid-19 was by no means over and would continue to pose challenges to everyone. He was of the view, however, that his report on the Council’s response to the pandemic over the past six months demonstrated that the City Council would be ready to meet any future challenge.

Councillor Donald Nannestad, Deputy Leader of the Council, added his thanks to the Council’s staff for their work over the last six months under extremely difficult circumstances, in the knowledge that there would be more challenges to come. He asked whether the Leader of the Council agreed that the instigation of local government reform by Lincolnshire County Council had resulted in an unnecessary distraction when concentration and resources should have been focussed on the Covid-19 pandemic, highlighting that a significant amount of time and resources had been diverted to respond to proposed reform measures in the county.

Councillor Chris Burke agreed with Councillor  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61a