Agenda and minutes

Mayor’s Engagements

The Mayor referred to her engagements since the last meeting of the Council, which had included:

·         Holocaust Memorial Services;

·         High Sheriff’s Legal Service;

·         University of Lincoln’s Graduation Services;

·         Royal Anglian Regiment Freedom Parade;

·         MK Dons v Lincoln City Football Club at Milton Keynes;

·         Annual School Visits; and

·         St Barnabas Warehouse Opening.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 18 January 2022 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

No declarations of interest were received.

No questions had been submitted by members of the public.

Councillor Clare Smalley to Councillor Donald Nannestad, Portfolio Holder for Quality Housing

Question

I understand from residents that there have been delays with housing repairs recently. Could the portfolio holder provide an update on how many council units are currently void, how many units have been void for over twelve months and how many rented properties have outstanding repairs?

Reply

Council Donald Nannestad stated in reply that the overall total of voids stood at 103, comprising: general needs housing 69, purchase and repair / rough sleeper accommodation programme 10, miscellaneous 3, homeless licence 4, decant 1, and sheltered 16. Of the 103, 85 related to general needs housing, comprising 69 and 16 sheltered housing units.

Councillor Nannestad added that the number outstanding for longer than a year as of 15 February 2022 was one (in John Street), where there was a plan for its sale, due to condition, with approval for this disposal due to be sought from the Executive.

Supplementary

Councillor Smalley asked the portfolio holder to update council on the plans in place to reduce the backlog of repairs and ensure Lincoln residents in council homes really had quality housing. 

Reply

Councillor Nannestad replied that the number of outstanding repairs stood at 1,750, but there was no backlog as such, and this was average for a council which undertook up to 17,000 repairs in any given year.

Councillor David Clarkson to Councillor Neil Murray, Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth

Question

How will elected member oversight be built into the Western Growth Corridor project?

Reply

Councillor Neil Murray stated that councillors would continue to have oversight on the project through the existing mechanisms, including the Performance Scrutiny Committee and the annual scrutiny of the portfolio holder. In addition, there would be Executive decision-making process and briefing sessions for all councillors at key stages.

Supplementary

Councillor Clarkson requested clarification of the role, composition and purpose of the Charterfields Committee, which had been referred to at a recent meeting of the Audit Committee.

Reply

Councillor Murray undertook to provide a written response to this supplementary question.

Councillor Eddie Strengiel to Councillor Neil Murray, Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth

Question

How will the Council ensure that local residents are kept up to date with the development progress of the Western Growth Corridor, ensuring that where possible, residents can be aware of any disruption at the earliest point?

Reply

Councillor Neil Murray referred to the development at Swanpool as a good example of levelling up and stated in reply that a new community engagement and communication plan was being developed at the moment from the landowner and developer that would look at a range of methods by which to not only update residents, but also to involve them in the development. This would include leaflets, social media channels, community-based events and through local councillors, who would be kept informed of progress. Councillor Biff Bean, as a local ward councillor, had offered to facilitate a community forum for this purpose and officers were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47.

Councillor Rebecca Longbottom, Chair of the Audit Committee, presented her report, which summarised the work of the Committee between January 2021 and January 2022. During this period seven meetings of the Committee had taken place and Councillor Longbottom had become chair in May 2021. 

The report made reference to the main purpose of the Audit Committee, including its roles in relation to the annual statement of accounts; the annual governance statement; the audit strategy and the audit plan; the external audit plan; and risk management arrangements. 

The Chair thanked members and officers for their work in support of the activities of the Committee.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Councillor Patrick Vaughan, Chair of Performance Scrutiny Committee, presented his report to the Council, which covered the period from November 2020 to February 2022. During this time, ten meetings of the Committee had been held. Councillor Vaughan had become Chair in November 2021. Councillor Vaughan also thanked Councillor Gary Hewson, former Chair of the Committee, for his work during this period.

The report made reference to the Committee’s activity, including quarterly financial and performance monitoring; consideration of target setting and budget review.

The Chair thanked members and officers for their work in support of the activities of the Committee and paid particular thanks to the council’s Business Manager – Corporate Policy, Pat Jukes who was due to retire in March 2022. Furthermore, Councillor Gary Hewson also paid thanks to Pat Jukes for her hard work and commitment to the Committee over many years.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

In the absence of Councillor Naomi Tweddle, Chair of the Equality and Diversity Advisory Panel, the Council was requested to direct any comments or queries to the Democratic Services and Elections Manager.    

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

It was duly moved and seconded that the Vision 2025 Interim Review (February 2022), including the three-year delivery plan, as set out in Appendix A to the report, be approved.

During the debate on this item, Councillor Tom Dyer made reference to the need for maintenance of some of the Council’s current assets, particularly at the Lincoln Bus Station and to remove outdated signs on Carholme Road, which had referred to events in 2018 before focusing attention on the Council’s vision. Councillor Dyer advised that for this reason the Conservative Group would not support the motion. 

On being put to the meeting, the motion set out above was declared carried.

RESOLVED that the Vision 2025 Interim Review (February 2022), including the three-year delivery plan, as set out in Appendix A to the report, be approved.

The recommendations to the Council, as set out on page 90 of the agenda and report pack, were duly moved and seconded.

On being put to the meeting, the motion set out above was declared carried.

RESOLVED

(1)         That the basis of rent calculation for changes to individual Council house rents, as set out in paragraph 6 of the report, which represented an increase in the average calculated 52-week council house net rent in 2022/23 of 3.6% for social housing rents (an average increase of £2.57 per week) and for affordable rents (an average increase of £4.06 per week), which was in accordance with Government policy, be approved.

(2)         That the increase in garage rents for 2022/23 by 3%, as set out in paragraph 6.1 of the report, be approved.

Consideration was given to a report from the Independent Remuneration Panel on its recent review of the Members’ Allowances Scheme, which recommended a 5% increase on councillors’ basic allowances for 2022/23.

Councillor Metcalfe thanked the members of the Independent Remuneration Panel for their hard work on the review. However, Councillor Metcalfe advised that at a time when households across the city were struggling to make ends meet due to the significant increase in the cost of living in recent months, it was not possible to justify accepting the recommended amount. Therefore, Councillor Metcalfe moved that the annual basic allowance paid to all members of the council be increased by £88.00 per annum with effect from 1^st April 2022, representing an increase of 1.75%, which was in-line with the anticipated staff pay award. 

Councillor Metcalfe advised that in addition to its proposal to increase councillors’ basic allowance, the Independent Remuneration Panel had suggested that there was no increase this year in the special responsibility allowances granted to those councillors with additional duties, such as committee chair, political group leader, executive member etc, but that the amounts allocated to each role were looked at ahead of next year’s allowance review. Councillor Metcalfe also moved that this was accepted by the Council. 

Councillor Chris Burke seconded the motion.

Councillor Tom Dyer supported the motion and requested that all those in receipt of a special responsibility allowance fully engaged with the Independent Remuneration Panel at its next review, as it had been critical over the lack of member engagement during this review. Councillor Metcalfe committed to full engagement.

RESOLVED

(1)  That the annual basic allowance paid to all members of the Council be increased by £88.00 per annum with effect from 1^st April 2022.

(2)  That the levels of Special Responsibility Allowances remained the same for 2022/23.

(3)  That a further comprehensive review of the Members’ Allowances Scheme be undertaken in 2022/23 by the Independent Remuneration Panel, specifically focusing on all Special Responsibility Allowances, with any recommendations arising from the comprehensive review being considered for implementation from 1 April 2023.