Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 14 January 2020 be confirmed.

No declarations of interest were received.

Angela Andrews, Chief Executive and Town Clerk:

a)    presented the proposed Vision 2025 document which detailed where the Council would focus its resources between now and 2025.

b)    explained that the Vision 2025 strategic plan outlined the direction for the City of Lincoln Council for the period 2020-2025, forming phase two of the council’s wider vision for the city to be delivered by 2030.

c)    advised that Vision 2025 had been developed by working with staff, residents, businesses, elected members and key partners across the city.

d)    referred to the four existing priorities outlined at paragraph 4.1 of the report and advised that in addition and as a result of evidence presented and opinions collected a new priority had been introduced:

·         Let’s address the challenge of climate change

e)    advised that the five strategic priorities would be supported in Vision 2025 by a programme called One Council which would replace Professional High Performing Services.

f)     discussed the outcome of the considerable consultation undertaken between October 2019 and January 2020 in developing the Vision 2025.

g)    invited members’ questions and comments.

Question: If  climate change and inequality were both implicit in everything that the Council did why was it necessary to have them as separate priorities?

Response: Separate priorities would accelerate the work that would be done and would provide an opportunity to focus resources in those areas. Also having them as priorities demonstrated the importance of these areas to the Council and its political leadership.

Comment: Climate change and inequality was important there would be concerns if these were not included in the priorities.

Response: They were key areas for the Council and important to the city.

Comment: There had been a drop in life expectancy in some areas of the City, inequality was a big issue and still needed to be addressed.

Response: There was life expectancy inequality in certain areas of the city. We would be working together with partners to improve this.

RESOLVED that the Vision 2025 Strategic Plan be noted and referred to Executive.

Yvonne Fox, Assistant Director – Housing Management:

a.    presented the proposed new Allocations Policy for comments prior to referral to Executive.

b.    advised that following an interim review of the Allocations Policy in 2017 in preparation for the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2018, a full review of the policy was carried out as part of the review of the Allocations and Homelessness Teams.

c.    explained that in addition, consideration had been given to advice and guidance provided by the MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government) Specialist Homelessness Advisor; the Codes of Guidance; Case Law and the provisions of the Localism Act 2011.

d.    advised that the proposed policy would ensure that the City would operate a policy that fully complied with legislative requirements whilst ensuring that the Council best used all of the social and affordable housing in the City. The Council would ensure that those in most need were secured accommodation swiftly whilst also recognising that people who lived and worked in the City should be prioritised for housing.

e.    gave the background to the report as detailed at paragraph 3 of the report.

f.     referred to paragraph 4.2 of the report and highlighted the proposed change to introduce a residency qualification to the waiting list and explained that this would prioritise residents with a connection to Lincoln and would reduce homelessness and rough sleeping in the City.

g.    advised that North Kesteven District Council didn’t want to introduce the same residency qualification, however, the City of Lincoln Council and North Kesteven District Council would continue to work in partnership as Lincs Homefinder.

h.    highlighted the proposed changes to the policy and changes to procedures as detailed at paragraph 4.4 and 4.5 of the report.

i.      advised that consultation on the policy would take place between 24^th January 2020 and 24^th February 2020.

j.      invited members questions and comments.

Question: Would this Policy be joint with West Lindsey District Council as well as North Kesteven District Council?

Response: No, West Lindsey District Council separated from the partnership in 2018.

Comment: The Tenancy Agreement needed to be explained to tenants to ensure that they understood their responsibilities.

Response: A simplified summary of the Tenancy Agreement had been introduced and tenants were asked to accept that they understood it when they signed up for a tenancy.

Question: Asked for clarification on how the Council worked with other agencies such as Women’s Refuge to house vulnerable people?

Response: The Council worked very closely with Women’s Refuge. The process was that applicants would be directly matched to a property rather than bidding for a property.

Question: Asked for clarification on the residency qualification?

Response: In law homelessness could override the residency qualification. The residency qualification would apply to everyone else that the Council did not have a statutory duty to house. Exceptional circumstances would be considered to go onto the waiting list.

Question: Were there still any groups of people that would not be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 69.

Francesca Bell, Public Protection, ASB and Licensing Service Manager

a.    presented the RSPCA draft Motion on fireworks for local authorities and advised that it had been adopted at Council on 21 January 2020.

b.    advised that the purpose of the report was to outline how the motion could be implemented and enforced.

c.    gave the background to the motion as detailed at paragraph 2 of the report and advised on the impact of fireworks on animals and vulnerable people.

d.    referred to paragraph 3.2 of the report and highlighted the four requirements that the RSPCA were asking local authorities to adopt.

e.    suggested that the following actions be implemented to address the requirements of the motion:

1.    Fireworks events be registered on the Council website for the public to view. Requesting that a minimum of 14 days’ notice be given to the Local authority.

2.    Those planning displays should ensure compliance with the relevant guide either The Blue Firework Guide or The Red Firework Guide.

3.    Premises licences had conditions around fireworks displays, where premises licences did not have this condition it could be added as and when the licences were varied or refreshed.

4.    Initial communication could be done around the adoption of the motion and a commitment to support any communications that the RSPCA published.

5.    A letter to central government could be sent in support of introducing a lower noise threshold for fireworks.

6.    A letter could be sent to all major retailers in the district along with any communications strategy that would urge the use of quieter or silent fireworks.

f.     highlighted the procedure for dealing with any reports of unregistered fireworks displays as detailed at Appendix D of the report.

g.    invited members questions and comments

Question: Did this apply only to organised fireworks displays?

Response: No, it would also apply to anyone wishing to set off fireworks from their gardens.

Comment: Supported the motion with regards to public displays but expressed concern that this would not be enforceable for people setting off fireworks from their gardens.

Response: The Council had broad powers to take action to tackle ASB. It would be a staged approach, with the first unregistered fireworks display they would receive a warning, the second time they would receive a legal notice and the third time a fixed penalty notice would be considered. Bonfire night, New Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year were exempt and fireworks could be set off until 1am the following day on these occasions.

Comment: Expressed concern that if large reputable companies stopped selling fireworks then they would be sold by unauthorised suppliers.

Response: This would be a matter for Trading Standards.The large retailers were being encouraged to sell quieter or silent fireworks

RESOLVED that the report be noted

Francesca Bell, Public Protection, ASB and Licensing Service Manager

a.    presented a report to:

                      i.        inform the committee of the councils roles and responsibilities relating to Modern Slavery.

                    ii.        update the committee of the revised Modern Slavery Statement.

                   iii.        appraise the committee of achievements made in this area and any areas of risk.

                   iv.        update the committee on compliance with the Modern Slavery Charter.

b.    referred to paragraph 3 of the report explained the term Modern Slavery and the City Councils role in stopping Modern Slavery.

c.    highlighted the City of Lincoln Council revised Modern Slavery Statement 2020/21 at appendix A of the report.

d.    referred to paragraph 5 of the report and gave an overview of the achievements made in this area and any areas of risk.

e.    referred to the Modern Slavery Charter at Appendix B of the report and advised that the Council proactively vetted its supply chains to ensure that no instances of Modern Slavery were taking place.

RESOLVED that the report be noted and referred to Council for approval.

The Chair of Policy Scrutiny Committee updated members of the business that had been discussed at the Health Scrutiny meeting held on 22^nd January 2020 these were:

·            United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust – Update on Care Quality Commission Inspection.

·            Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

·            Lincolnshire Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust: Older Adults Mental Health Home Treatment Team.

·            Community Pain Management Service.

·            NHS Dental Services Overview for Lincolnshire.

·            The Burden of Disease in Lincolnshire.

The committee discussed the closure of the walk in centre and suggested that it be referred to Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee for a Post Implementation Review.

RESOLVED that

1.    the report be noted.

2.    a review of the closure of the Walk-in Centre be referred to Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee for consideration

The Democratic Services Officer:

a.    presented the report ‘Policy Scrutiny Work Programme 2019-20 and Executive Work Programme Update’.

b.    presented the Executive Work Programme January 2020 – December 2020.

c.    requested councillors to submit what items they wished to scrutinise from the Executive Work Programme and policies of interest.

d.    invited members questions and comments.

Members requested that Parking on Grass Verges be scheduled into the work programme

RESOLVED that the Policy Scrutiny work programme be noted and be updated to include the following reports:

·         Parking on Grass Verges

·         Procedures prior to referrals to Housing Appeals Panel