Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 26 February 2019 be confirmed.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 4 March 2019 be confirmed.

No declarations of interest were received.

No questions were received.

No questions were received.

Councillor Fay Smith, Portfolio Holder for Remarkable Place, presented a report which covered the work of her Portfolio since her last report to Council.

A significant new addition to the Portfolio this year had been a range of duties associated with open space management, with updates on the following functions set out in the report:

·         allotments;

·         equipped play areas;

·         parks;

·         Hartsholme Country Park and camp site;

·         park advisory groups;

·         common land;

·         volunteering.

The report also provided updates on the following service responsibilities of the Portfolio:

·         arboriculture;

·         street scene;

·         waste and recycling;

·         street cleansing;

·         public toilets;

·         food safety;

·         enforcement;

·         bereavement services;

·         air quality;

·         carbon reduction;

·         licensing;

·         sport recreation and leisure services;

·         Yarborough and Birchwood Leisure Centres in partnership with Active Nation;

·         fairs and circuses.

Councillor Ronald Hills welcomed the development of a masterplan for Hartsholme Country Park, and was particularly pleased to see reference made in the report to bringing buildings at the Park back into active use as soon as possible.

Councillor Smith was convinced that something would be happening in respect of the buildings at Hartsholme Country Park as part of delivery of the masterplan.

Councillor Thomas Dyer asked what steps the Council was taking to achieve plastic free status and cut out its use of single-use plastic, stating that there was a lot the authority could do internally to take action in this respect. More provision should be included in high-use areas of the high street in particular for recycling bins, allowing disposal of food, glass and plastic waste. Water filling stations should also be introduced across the city, which should reduce the need for people to buy plastic bottles of water and refill their own containers.

Councillor Smith agreed that the Council should be looking at its own status regarding use of single-use plastics and recycling and was sure that whoever succeeded her as Portfolio Holder in the new municipal year would seek to address this. She referred to the Government’s recently launched Waste Strategy which specifically committed the Government to cease using single-use plastics within its buildings by 2021. The countywide Lincolnshire Waste Partnership’s Waste Strategy was consistent with many of the themes of the Government’s Strategy.

Councillor Smith added that the Council was currently in the process of reviewing its litter bin provision and agreed that water refilling points in the city were an excellent idea, with one soon to be placed at the Lincoln Central Market.

Members took this opportunity to pay tribute to Councillor Fay Smith, who had decided not to stand for election this year, for her dedicated and conscientious service since being elected in 1998. She was presented with a certificate by the Mayor to thank her, on behalf of the residents of Lincoln, for her 21 years of service to the Council.

Councillor Smith thanked the Council’s officers for their hard work and commitment.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Councillor Jackie Kirk, Portfolio Holder for Customer Experience and Review, presented a report which covered the work of her Portfolio since her last report to Council. Councillor Kirk provided updates on the following aspects of her Portfolio:

·         high performing services;

·         customer services;

·         customer experience board;

·         business development and information technology;

·         audit arrangements;

·         electoral activity;

·         performance overview;

·         new performance system;

·         complaints.

Councillor Kirk thanked service managers for their help and assistance in her time as Portfolio Holder, particularly the time they took to explain what their respective service areas were responsible for and how they operated.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Councillor Bob Bushell, Chair of the Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee, presented a report which covered the work of the Committee since his last report to Council. The report provided Council with an overview of the Committee’s scrutiny review into welfare reform and, in particular, its impact on local communities with the review focussing on Universal Credit and housing.

As part of the scrutiny review a range of internal and external representatives attended meetings and provided evidence which helped shape the Committee’s recommendations, noted as follows:

1.    That the Council, as part of the City Centre Masterplan and associated work already underway, seeks to increase the vibrancy of the city centre and undertake a review of empty commercial units, particularly units above shops to ascertain whether there are any opportunities to convert them to residential use.

2.    In view of the fact that the Welfare Advice Team, Universal Credit Team, Customer Service Team and Citizen's Advice all currently work independently to provide support to Universal Credit claimants and customers and in light of the national decision to withdraw funding from local authorities and relocate this to Citizens Advice, that the Council undertakes a comprehensive review of the areas within its service delivery that supports welfare advice to the city's residents.

3.    That the Council agrees to lobby local and regional Department for Work and Pensions representatives to better understand why there continues to be a delay in the payment of Universal Credit payments, which causes significant issues for Council's tenants as well as tenants in the private sector.

4.    That the Council's Housing Directorate undertakes a review of housing allocations and tenant services in order to increase and improve the sustainability of Council tenants.

5.    That the Council reviews the provision and considers a re-launch of a scheme with the Acts Trust, which had previously been set up under a Service Level Agreement regarding the re-use and distribution of abandoned furniture to Council tenants, and identifies any further opportunities to work with other charities or organisations to improve access to free furniture or white goods for those tenants struggling to furnish their homes.

6.    That recommendations 1) to 5) be referred to the relevant Vision 2020 Groups for consideration and addition to their respective work programmes.

These recommendations were subsequently approved by the Executive on 5 March 2019.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Councillor Jim Hanrahan, Design Advocate, presented a report on his role as the Council’s Design Advocate.

The report outlined the principles behind the Lincoln Good Design Awards and provided details of the winners at the 2019 Awards held at the Lawn in Lincoln.

In launching this initiative three years ago it was hoped that it would stimulate debate and interest amongst a wider audience, especially those who lived with the Council’s planning decisions. Councillor Hanrahan believed that the holding of the Lincoln Good Design Awards every two years kept good design in the minds of developers and their agents and boded well for the positive reputation the City had for investors and developers alike.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

It was proposed, seconded and RESOLVED that the proposed increase in Hackney Carriage Fares be approved.

At the close of the meeting members paid tribute to Councillors Gill Clayton-Hewson and Jim Hanrahan who had both been elected in 2012 and would not be standing for re-election this year.

Councillor Clayton-Hewson had contributed significantly to the equalities agenda, promoting the rights and needs of people with disabilities. Members thanked her for everything she had done.

Councillor Jim Hanrahan had previously been an officer of the Council, so members had benefitted from his extensive knowledge. He was currently the Chair of the Planning Committee and the Leader of the Council said that he had become very distinguished in that role.

Certificates for Councillor Clayton-Hewson and Hanrahan had been presented by the Mayor in recognition of their service.