Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that Councillor Calum Watt be appointed as the Chair of Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee for the 2022/23 Municipal Year.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 8 February 2022 be confirmed and signed by the Chair as an accurate record.

No declarations of interest were received.

Councillor Calum Watt, Chair of the Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee, opened the first meeting of the Municipal year and provided the Committee with a brief introduction to guest speakers and the topic of discussion which was an update on the creation of a Cultural Consortium.

Simon Walters (Director for Communities and Environment) introduced the item with an overview and background on the purpose of the discussion which was to receive an update on the creation of a cultural consortium following a successful award of funding to the University of Lincoln, which would bring together arts, community groups and young people, with a view of supporting these groups to develop cultural programmes throughout the city. 

The Committee received a presentation from Toby Ealden (Zest Theatre) accompanied by Lachlan Madin, a young person involved throughout the consultation process and Suhky Johal MBE (Director of the Centre for Culture and Creativity, University of Lincoln) During consideration of the presentation, the following points were noted:

• The creation of a Cultural Consortium was a joint commission between the University of Lincoln and the City of Lincoln Council and funded by Arts Council England
• The desire was to become nationally renowned for cultural offers to enable a bid for City of Culture in 2029
• Zest Theatre were commissioned to implement expanded practise and facilitate the consultation for the benefit of young people in Lincoln
• Consideration was given to the mental health crisis faced by young people, compounded by the pandemic and NHS Digital 2020 suggested that five pupils in every classroom had a probable mental health problem
• The consultation process aimed to engage 10% of Lincoln’s aged 10-19 population and ran from January – March 2022
• Zest Theatre interviewed, employed and trained seven youth facilitators, aged 16-20 to co-facilitate workshops and all were paid above the National Living Wage
• 1,094 young people were engaged throughout the process which resulted in engagement of 8.7% of Lincoln’s population aged 10-19, based on 2018 census data
• 66% of participants were aged between 10 and 13 and  23% were aged between 14 and 19
• Post-pandemic pressures placed on schools facilitated the age difference during the consultation process and this was due to exam targets for older age ranges which resulted in restricted access to older teenagers for workshops
• Consideration was given to students that lived outside of the City and RAF Waddington were engaged to provide a voice for temporary residents within which Lincoln formed part of their identity
• Steering groups were led by Year 6 students at St. Peter at Gowts and Level 3 Performing Arts students at Lincoln College which totalled 62 young people
• Young people were asked ‘When you think of Lincoln, what do you think of?’ and sense of place featured significantly in the responses with the Cathedral and the City’s history which ranked in the top twenty responses
• It was noted that McDonald’s provided some of the only clean, colourful and warm public space where young people were allowed to exist within the City
• McDonald’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Consideration was given to the Committee’s work programme. Following a discussion, it was agreed that the Committee’s meeting in August be moved to September.

The Chair advised that further to scoping discussions with officers, the focus of the Committee’s work programme for the remaining municipal year would include work with LocalMotion for the creation of an anti-poverty in truth commission, Community Policing and Suicide Rates in Lincoln.

Discussion took place regarding the presentation of the Poverty Truth Commission and it was agreed that the item would be brought before the Committee in September 2022. It was agreed that remaining work would be considered under the work programme update during the Committee meeting in September.

Discussion took place regarding the presentation of Community Policing and it was agreed that the item would be brought before the Committee in October 2022.

The Chair confirmed that the Committee’s work would include a focus on suicide rates in Lincoln. It was agreed that this item would be brought before the Committee in December 2022.

Following discussions, it was agreed that Toby Ealden and Sukhy Johal would update the Committee on the creation of a cultural consortium in January 2023 as significant progression was expected by that date.

The Democratic Services Officer confirmed the work programme for the municipal year and it was agreed that should the need arise; a meeting would be scheduled in February 2023.