Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 9 January 2020 be confirmed.

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.

Cllr Bob Bushell, Portfolio Holder for Remarkable Place, presented a report to Performance Scrutiny Committee to show the progress made in the following areas over the past year:

-       Allotments

-       Equipped Play areas

-       Parks

-       Boultham Park

-       Hartsholme Country Park and camp site

-       Commons

-       Volunteering

-       Arboriculture

-       Park Advisory Groups

-       Travellers

-       Street Scene

-       Waste/Recycling

-       Street Cleansing

-       Public Toilets

-       Bereavement Services

-       Crematorium

-       Climate Change

-       CoLC commitment to reduce single use plastics

-       Licensing

-       Food, Health and Safety

-       Health and Safety (Enforcement)

-       Sport Recreation and Leisure Services

-       Obesity

-       Leisure Centre Provision

-       Yarborough and Birchwood Leisure Centres in Partnership with Active Nation

-       New Artificial Grass Pitches

-       Fairs and Circus’s

-       City of Lincoln 10K

-       Playing Pitches

Invited members’ comments and questions.

Question: Members asked when the allotments at Melbourne Road were allocated?

Response: Once the contractors were on site, it should take 6-8 weeks for 12 allotments to be ready for allocation.

Question: Members asked how many play parks were closed and whether feedback was sought from users of the play park?

Response: There were no play parks closed. The Citizens Panel was a cross section of people so not necessarily users of the parks. There would be a community event for St Giles for users of the new play park to attend.

Comment: Members commented that the advocate for play parks was not invited to the meeting regarding the Play Area Strategy.

Response: The first meeting for the Play Area Strategy was regarding costs. Officers were to include the advocate on future meetings

Question: Members asked if the cleaning of parks and the repairs had targets associated with them, whether hot spots for anti-social behaviour were monitored and how were decisions made on where new parks were to be placed?

Response: The location of new parks is within the Play Area Strategy. Repairs were dealt with by property services and the amount of time it took to repair  depended on whether a part was needed or not. There was a degradation timescale that was used when play parks needed cleaning. Reports were received for drug paraphernalia at play parks through the performance board.

Question: Members asked if there was proof of litter bins being emptied?

Response: The trucks that empty the bins were tracked. Officers were looking at smart bin technology which would track when they are half full etc.

Question: Members asked how much communication provision was in the Play Area Strategy and what could be done to improve the Media Strategy?

Response: The media strategy was to be included in the Play Area Strategy.

Question: Members asked what was done with allotments that were not being looked after by tenants?

Response: Officers try to work with the tenant to increase the usage and get the site back to a manageable state. Tenants also receive letters.

Question: Members asked whether information was available to show the length  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.

Simon Walters, Director of Communities and Environment, presented Performance Scrutiny Committee:

a)    with an annual update on progress made towards the ‘Let’s enhance our remarkable place’ strategic priority in Vision 2020. This included a comprehensive overview of what had been achieved over the last three years as this was the last report under Vision 2020 along with a position statement (Appendix A) and a Project monitoring Table (Appendix B)

b)    highlighted that there were 19  outstanding projects covered in Appendix B, which represent the remaining programme for 2019/20

c)    explained the position of project as follows:

·         Completed/achieved projects:

-       Crematorium design work and planning permission sought

-       Biodiversity – wildlife sites

-       Heritage Action Zone

-       Allotments

-       Outdoor Leisure Facilities

-       Boultham Park Phase Two

-       Street Scene Contracts

-       Play Strategy

-       Visitor Information Service

-       Lincoln Christmas Market 10 year vision

-       Car Parks

-       Residents Parking Scheme

-       Whitton’s Park Play Areas

·         Amber Projects:

-       Traffic Flows in Sincil Bank

-       St Giles Youth Centre/Play Area

-       Contaminated Land Strategy

-       Deliver a multi-agency Events and Festivals strategy

·         Red Projects:

-       Leisure Village

-       Hartsholme Country Park Cottages

d)    invited members’ questions and comments.

Comment: Members commented that what had been achieved was brilliant and should be promoted.

Question: Members asked whether the Leisure Village would help bring the Western Growth Corridor to fruition?

Response: The Leisure Village was part of the Western Growth Corridor and would take seven years from start to finish. Lincoln City Football Club were keeping their options open regarding their location.

Question: Members asked whether the cottages in Hartsholme Park would deteriorate more than they had?

Response: Officers don’t know for sure but some vegetation had been removed to help prevent further deterioration.

RESOLVED that the progress made within the Vision Group Remarkable Place be noted.

Clare Stait, Democratic Services Officer:

a)    presented the draft work programme for 2019/20 as detailed at Appendix A of her report

b)    advised that the work programme for the Performance Scrutiny Committee was put forward annually for approval by Council; the work programme was then regularly updated throughout the year in consultation with the Performance Scrutiny Committee and its Chair

c)    reported that items had been scheduled in accordance with the existing work programme and officers’ guidance regarding the meetings at which the most up-to-date information could be reported to the committee; the work programme also included the list of portfolio holders under scrutiny

d)    requested any relevant comments or changes to the proposed work programme for 2019/20.

RESOLVED that the work programme 2019/20 as detailed at Appendix A to the report be noted.