Issue - meetings

Report number POI134 by the Leader of the Council.

                                                                (Enclosure)

DECISION: To approve the Lincolnshire wide Sustainable Community Strategy including the chapter on South Kesteven.

The Leader of the Council presented report number POI34 in which she updated members on the progress being made by the Lincolnshire Assembly to develop a new county wide Sustainable Community Strategy.

Members had considered the draft document including the local South Kesteven chapter at its last meeting.  The final version of the document now before the Council (as agreed by the Lincolnshire County Council at its meeting on 13 February) contained an expanded economy section as suggested by South Kesteven members.

Following some revisions made to the local SK chapter as a result of consideration by the South Kesteven Local Strategic Partnership, it was planned to publish the new strategy for 2009-2030 by the end of March 2009.

A member asked why there was little reference to Stamford and the Deepings in the local chapter.  Another member commended the way the local chapter had been written in clear, easily understood language.  By contrast, he considered the County part of the document to contain “flowery” language.  He suggested that the County Council be asked to write their part of the document with the same clarity of vision as the South Kesteven District Council chapter.

The Leader responded by explaining that the SK chapter only included the issues that are were current at the moment and would be revised and developed over time to reflect other parts of the district.  The Leader acknowledged the points raised about the format of the document and explained that the County had asked that the local chapter confirm to their format.  However, she undertook to refer the comments on the style of language used to the Sustainable Community Strategy Board.