Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor Calum Watt, Chair of the Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee, opened the meeting with a warm welcome to all attendees.

Apologies for absence were received from Karen Harvey MBE, Founder of Toiletries Amnesty and Councillor(s) Bill Mara and Aiden Wells.

Councillor(s) Clare Smalley and Hilton Spratt were in attendance as substitutes.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 28 January 2025 be confirmed and signed by the Chair as an accurate record.

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.

Councillor Rachel Storer wished it be noted that she volunteered for one of the projects through the Acts Trust.

Councillor Calum Watt, Chair of the Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee, introduced the topic of discussion which was an update on the Lincoln Against Poverty Assembly.

The Committee received a collaborative presentation from guest speakers, Charlotte Brooks (Director of Change, LocalMotion Lincoln), Simon Hawking, (Chief Executive, Acts Trust) and Martin Walmsley (Assistant Director - Shared Revenues & Benefits, City of Lincoln Council and North Kesteven District Council). During consideration of the presentation, the following points were noted:

Charlotte Brooks, LocalMotion Lincoln

Charlotte Brooks commenced the presentation with background information on two videos that would be played to the Committee. During consideration of the presentation, the following points were noted:

• The first video was co-produced by Poverty Truth Commissioners. The aspiration was to ensure that Community Commissioners were the main focus of the video and as such, they designed the story that they wanted people to hear.
• The second video showed the story of the event. £6K of UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF) was accessed through the City of Lincoln Council (CoLC) which contributed to the event.

(The Committee were played the first video which could be found using the following link: Lincoln Poverty Truth Commission - This Work Starts Now - Subtitled)

• Martin Walmsley (Assistant Director - Shared Revenues & Benefits, City of Lincoln Council and North Kesteven District Council) was a Civic Commissioner in addition to nine others
• Consideration had been given to what lay under the surface and what the root cause was of how individuals found themselves in situations of poverty
• The purpose of the commission’s work was not to present CoLC with a wish list to be delivered on a limited budget but a request to join the journey for individuals to be enabled to make changes themselves
• The event was designed by commissioners who decided the stories they wanted to tell, how they wanted to share them and focussed on how creativity was used to tell a story in order that real life experiences were used to drive change
• Thanks were offered to Martin Walmsley and the City of Lincoln Council for the support that had been offered which enabled the event to be different, not a stakeholder meeting or conference
• Consideration had been given to how groups of diverse individuals could be convened in order to work collaboratively and how power could be handed to the people with real life experience
• Table facilitators had carried out Lewis Deep Democracy training in order that an agreement could be reached
• The event was a chance for voices to be weaved together, especially young people in order that their voices be amplified

(The Committee were played the second video which could be found using the following link: Lincoln Against Poverty - sharing, collaborating and celebrating event)

• Recognition was given to the community commissioners for their creative talents which made the event feel different
• As part of the event, a learning report had compiled interesting points that had been learnt along the way
• It was acknowledged that more than  ...  view the full minutes text for item 93.

Councillor Calum Watt, Chair of the Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee advised members that due to ill health, Karen Harvey, MBE, Founder of Toiletries Amnesty was unable to attend the meeting.

RESOLVED that the agenda item titled ‘Hygiene Poverty and Sustainability – Karen Harvey, MBE, Founder of Toiletries Amnesty’ be deferred to a future meeting of the Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee, scheduled for 15 July 2025.

Councillor Calum Watt, Chair of the Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee:

a)    presented the Scrutiny Annual Report for 2023/24 for comments, prior to being referred to Full Council for approval.

b)    advised that the Constitution stated that the scrutiny committees should produce an annual report to Council. Chairs of the Scrutiny Committees produced individual reports to Council during the municipal year, however, the attached Scrutiny Annual Report summarised the work of the scrutiny committees for the full year and highlighted the key achievements made under scrutiny in 2023/24.

RESOLVED that the content of the report be noted.

Consideration was given to the Committee’s Work Programme. Further to scoping discussions, it was agreed that the focus of the Committee’s upcoming work would include further attendance in relation to Anti-Poverty Strategy Development and an update on Youth Engagement.

It was agreed that an invitation be offered to Krishna Vyas, Health Inequalities Improvement Manager, NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board, to attend Committee in June to present Members with information on poverty and health inequalities – mental and physical health.

It was agreed that a further invitation be offered to Karen Harvey, MBE - Founder of Toiletries Amnesty, to attend Committee in July to present Members with information on hygiene poverty.

It was agreed that an update on Youth Engagement would be brought before the Committee in July 2024.

RESOLVED that:

1. Krishna Vyas – NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board be invited to the next meeting.

2. The content of discussions be noted with thanks.

Date of Next Meeting: Tuesday 17 June 2025 (18:00)