Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 28 June 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 meeting and provided the Committee with a brief introduction to guest speakers and the topic of discussion which was the Cost of Living Crisis.

The Committee received a presentation from Charlotte Brooks (Director of Local Change, LocalMotion). During consideration of the presentation, the following points were noted: -

• LocalMotion was founded on building a social, economic, and environmental justice movement of six communities across the UK.
• It was created by six established funders in the UK who shared a desire to find new and better ways to tackle the common social, economic and environmental issues communities faced.
• The six places were Lincoln, Enfield, Torbay, Middlesborough, Oldham and Carmarthen.
• Lincoln was selected to benefit from additional funding from LocalMotion until November 2023.
• After investigating what was happening from the perspective of individuals and organisations over the eleven wards within Lincoln, three common themes occurred: community prosperity, aspiration, and sustainability.
• The purpose of the Commission was to hear from people who had a story to share or who had experienced struggle. This may include those who suffered from issues surrounding mental health, housing, education, employment, and digital poverty.
• Launched in September 2022, Poverty Truth Lincoln sought to identify approximately fifteen community commissioners to take part in the overall commission. In addition, the cohort of collaborative working would include fifteen civic/business commissioners.
• The ten-year LocalMotion programme was currently in the exploration stage, phase 2. This phase was less ‘outcome focused’ and more person centred.
• The ambition was to have tested a number of projects by June/July 2023 and to secure future funding up to 2030/31.
• The Commission was resourced until August 2024 with an 8-year collaboration action plan to be co-designed by the commissioners.
• There would be an annual impact report and analysis post 2024.
• The 2025-30 strategy plan, by Lincoln, for Lincoln, would ensure that delivery of ideas.

The Chair thanked guest speaker Charlotte Brooks for her work, informative update and presentation and welcomed comments and questions from the Committee. As a result of the discussions between Members and Charlotte Brooks, the following points were made: -

• The scheme would address absolute and relative poverty. Within the eleven wards of Lincoln, there were approximately 17,000 people Just About Managing (JAM’S). If the cost of living continued to rise, it was suspected that over the duration of the next six months this figure could significantly increase.
• The panic and pressures of poverty could not be understood unless experienced and the exit routes from poverty could not be executed in isolation – a collaborative and holistic approach was essential.
• Concerns were raised about the difficulties of reaching those in need and whether individuals that suffered from poverty realised that they were in poverty. This was often subjective.
• Development Plus allowed community connectors who worked with communities in Lincoln to have personal conversations. In addition, Civic commissioners could potentially share their stories of struggle.
• There was a positive working relationship with Poverty Truth Network and the term ‘Poverty Truth’ was chosen to represent the reality of the crisis faced.
• Rather than be spoken about, people needed to be involved.
• There appeared to be a bias towards those in financial  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12a

The Committee received a presentation from Martin Walmsley (Head of Shared Revenues and Benefits), Kate Bell (Climate Change Manager) and Sara Boothright (Food Health and Safety Manager) regarding the Cost-of-Living Crisis and the support available to residents. During consideration of the presentation, the following points were noted: -

• It was confirmed that the information provided during the presentation was correct and accurate as of Friday 2 September 2022.
• New Prime Minister, Liz Truss was due to make an announcement on Thursday 8 September 2022 regarding the freezing of energy prices.
• The City of Lincoln Council had a cost-of-living support button on their website as a live and fluid area of knowledge to advise residents on the support available to them.
• As community lead, we had worked in partnership with a number of organisations in the delivery of national and local schemes. This included the private and voluntary sector, communications and the Portfolio Holder for reducing inequality.
• 19% of residents were ‘just about managing’ and classified as fuel poor.
• The Council Tax Energy rebate scheme of £150 had been a difficult scheme to deliver with work nearly concluded and due to cease at the end of September 2022 (mandatory scheme) and end of November 2022 (discretionary scheme).
• During the presentation, it was noted that customers on pre-payment meters were paying more than those paying by direct debit. As such, additional vouchers had been made available for the previous two winters for residents that struggled to top up their meter.
• A presentation on the Disabled Facilities Grant informed members that Lincoln received £750,000 per year for the scheme however previously, it was very restrictive.
• In 2018, the Regulatory Reform Order provided a more flexible approach to how we improved home facilities within the city.
• The applicant would need to demonstrate a physical health-related issue through the discretionary route. However, the new approach also considered chronic mental health issues.
• The City of Lincoln Council Private Housing Health Assistance Policy Grants included the Safe, Warm & Well and Gas Central Heating schemes worth up to £10,000 subject to eligibility criteria being met.
• Funding of £200,000 had been ring fenced to target and encourage more people to come forward for help.
• For residents who privately rented their home, it was confirmed that under the Housing Act, we had powers to enforce landlords to make changes to substandard accommodation.
• Funding of £72,000 had been secured to facilitate education of local landlords where their properties had an energy performance certificate (EPC) of below E to ensure that work was carried out to make homes more efficient.
• There had been a collaborative approach with West Lindsey and North Kesteven District Councils on the Home Energy Upgrade Scheme.
• The Home Energy Upgrade Scheme detailed a range of fully funded energy efficiency home improvement to eligible homeowners with an annual income below £30,000.
• The amount of individual home funding available could be up to £25,000, however most properties would receive upgrades to the value of £10,000.
• The scheme was available to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

Consideration was given to the Committee’s work programme. 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 Community Policing and Suicide Rates in Lincoln.

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 requested that officers work with the communications team to arrange a press release for the meeting.

The Chair confirmed that the Committee’s work would include a focus on suicide rates within Lincoln. It was agreed that this item would be brought before the Committee in December. The Democratic Services Officer confirmed attendance had been received from Sarah Connery, CEO of Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Lucy Gavens, Consultant in Public Health, Lincolnshire County Council. The Chair requested that officers work with the communications team to arrange a press release for the meeting.

Discussion took place regarding an update on the Cost-of-Living Crisis and it was agreed that the update would be brought before the Committee in January 2023.

It was agreed that feedback from the Poverty Truth Commission would be brought before the Committee in March 2023. The Democratic Services Officer confirmed the work programme for the remainder of the municipal year.

NOTE: - Future meetings would include the use of name plates for all attendees.