Agenda item

Cllr Rosie Kirk,  Portfolio Holder for Reducing Inequality, presented a report to Performance Scrutiny Committee and highlighted the following key achievements:

-       Two Syrian refugee families were welcomed into Lincoln during March 2019 as part of the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS)

-       So far 67 local organisations had signed up to the Social Responsibility Charter

-       The Lincoln Community Lottery celebrated its 1^st anniversary in August 2019. Within that year the lottery had raised over £57,000 for local good causes in and around the City

-       The Universal Credit Support Team helped 1,743 Lincoln residents to make (or maintain) their UC claim digitally in 2018/19. In the same year the team also provided 822 Lincoln customers with Personal Budgeting Support. This support helped customers to access almost £700,000 in UC and related benefits

-       Additional benefits claimed by Lincoln customers who sought the advice and assistance of the Welfare Team in 2018/19 totalled a weekly value of £44,421. Over the full year these additional benefits amounted to £2,309,894.

-       The highly successful four-year Assisting Low Income Households (ALIH) project led by City of Lincoln Council ended in September 2019. 327 learners took part in the project, with 94% successfully achieving the employability course.

-       The Intervention Team had worked with 103 different individuals since the start of the project in October 2018 and had logged in excess of 704 actions on the case management system

-       The CCTV Team had provided over 800 evidential DVD’s to Lincolnshire Police over the past year for use in the judicial process, including a number of high profile cases.

Invited members’ comments and questions.

Comment: Members commented that the report from the Portfolio Holder and Officers was fantastic.

Question: Members asked how incorporating the Green Agenda in the Social Responsibility Charter was progressing?

Response: The Green Agenda had already been incorporated. A forum was set up every 6 months to report updates on the progress and changes. The Council had good relationships with the companies that had signed up to the charter.

Question: Members asked how long a customer may have been NEET at the point when they first contacted The Network?

Response: Head of Shared Revenues and Benefits agreed to try and find out this information and feed back to the Committee.

Comment: Members commented that the work the Public Protection and Anti-Social Behaviour Team had done was fantastic.

Question: Members asked whether Lincoln Neighbourhoods together was City wide and covered every ward?

Response: Some wards were not covered such as Carholme and Hartsholme and there were some neighbourhood boards that needed more support.

Question: Members were impressed with the figure from The Lincoln Lottery and asked what was being done to progress this further?

Response: The Lincoln Lottery was advertised through social media but was advertised more through word of mouth. Charities that had benefitted would be publicised.

Question: Members asked whether there were any assessments that had taken place regarding how well statutory bodies were performing such as Citizens Advice?

Response: A liaison meeting had taken place between officers and Citizens Advice today, - such meetings take place regularly.  The Council no longer received funding from Central Government to support Universal Credit. Claimants for Universal Credit would be made an appointment and seen by Citizens Advice, although sometimes vulnerable claimants would been seen by the Council if they presented at City Hall.

Comment: Members commented that the report on Universal Credit was a great credit to the Council and was a fantastic piece of work. Members gave thanks to officers for helping Council Tenants keep their tenancies while waiting for Universal Credit payments.

Question: Members asked how big the businesses were that got Business Rate Relief?

Response: One of the Businesses was big and the others were small in comparison. The Policy was put in place to attract businesses to the City and included relocations or expansions.

Question: Members asked whether there had been an evaluation of the effectiveness of refugee families coming into Lincoln?

Response: This was being reviewed nationally. Lincoln welcomed more families if needed as this was beneficial to the families and to the communities in which they would be placed.

Question: Members asked whether there was a long waiting list for Universal Credit?

Response: There was still a minimum of 5 weeks for payments being processed.

Question: Members asked whether there was scope to roll out CCTV into other areas such as Witham?

Response: There needed to be a rationale for more cameras to be placed through crime etc. There had to be a solid case put forward.

Question: Members asked what the figures were for deprivation within the City?

Response: The 2019 figures were already released. These would be sent to the committee.

Question: Members asked for more information on how individuals were put forward for the skills and training funding?

Response: This was a very good project and further funding opportunities were being sought. Individuals were identified through benefit claims, referrals from Job Centre, employers were approached and referrals from staff.

RESOLVED that:

a)    the figures on deprivation within the city for 2019 be circulated to committee members

b)    the content of the report be noted.