Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Phil Dilks.

Minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2023.

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2023 were agreed as a correct record.

There were no disclosures of interests.

To request an offer of external funding from the Swimming Pool Support Fund is formally approved.

Purpose of report

To consider an offer of external funding from the Swimming Pool Support Fund.

Decision

That Cabinet approves the receipt of £344,659 from the Swimming Pool Support Fund, the funding being utilised to offset the management fee of £500k provided to LeisureSK Ltd. for the financial year 2023/2024.

Alternative options considered and rejected

To not accept the funding.

Additional funding streams were being explored to improve both the energy and carbon efficiency of the District’s leisure centres.

Reasons for decision

In line with the Council’s Financial Regulations the level of funding secured required approval by the Cabinet.

The costs of running the Council’s leisure facilities had increased significantly during the current financial year, particularly in relation to utilities and pool chemicals.

In recognition of national issues the Swimming Pool Support Fund was launched by central government in March 2023. It had been necessary to support LeisureSK Ltd. with a management fee in the current financial year; to cover the increases in utilities and pool chemicals that had previously been unbudgeted.

Note:  Both Councillor Charmaine Morgan and Nicola McCoy-Brown left the Council Chamber during the debate and vote on this item, as they were Directors of LeisureSK Ltd.

The following points were raised during debate of this item:

·         Both Stamford and Grantham Meres Leisure Centres would benefit from this funding. There was no funding available for Bourne Leisure Centre. It was reported that there were only five leisure centres across Lincolnshire that received this funding, so it was a huge success for the Council to receive support for two of their sites.

·         LeisureSK Ltd. would present their proposal for the upcoming financial year at a future Culture & Leisure Overview and Scrutiny meeting.

This report provides information regarding options for the introduction of a domestic battery recycling service along with the recommendation by the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee (3rd October 2023).

Note:  Councillor Charmaine Morgan and Nicola McCoy-Brown returned to the Council Chamber.

Purpose of report

This report provided information regarding options for the introduction of a domestic battery recycling service along with the recommendation by the Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 3 October 2023.

Decision

That Cabinet:

1.    Noted the report and the outcome and agreed recommendation from the Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 3 October 2023:

a) Noting the contents of the report.

b) Recommended that option D - Kerbside Collection -The implementation of akerbside scheme with residents providing their own bags as the most cost efficient and sustainable method’.

2.    Agrees and approves the recommendations by the Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee, namely that a kerbside scheme be implemented with residents providing their own bags as the most cost efficient and sustainable method.

Alternative options considered and rejected

a) Status Quo - Continue as currently, with residents using the take back scheme and household waste recycling centres.

No Additional Cost

b) Communications Campaign - Carry out a managed communications campaign promoting the “take back” scheme through social media, the Council’s website and other communication channels to raise the profile and benefits of recycling batteries safely.

Cost - up to £5,000 depending on the type, timescale and extent of campaign.

c) Kerbside Collection - Implement a kerbside scheme with bags provided for residents’ use (supply of 4 bags per annum but has an ongoing cost)

Cost £71,800

d) Kerbside Collection - Implement a kerbside scheme with residents providing their own bags and run alongside a communication campaign. Retrofit Vehicles £8,000, Communication Campaign £5,000

Total Cost £13,000

Summary of Estimated Costs

Reasons for decision

A number of reasons behind the decision were set out in the report, and repeated below:

·       Local Authorities were not required to collect used batteries from households.

·       The collection of batteries showed commitment from the Council for recycling additional items safely.

·       The introduction of a battery recycling scheme would not necessarily eliminate incidents of waste collection vehicle conflagration.

·       The waste freighter fire at Ingoldsby in March 2023, where rubbish from a bin lorry had to be dumped onto the road to be extinguished was the only recorded incident of this type for the Council.

·       There were varying costs for each of the options above which the service would need to absorb.

·       Retailers and distributors had responsibilities if they sold or supplied 32kg or more of portable batteries per year, in terms of providing free collection points for the ‘takeback scheme’.

·       The ‘takeback scheme’ scheme aligned with producer responsibility as identified in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.

This report sets out the progress made in the proposals for a new Customer Service Centre at Grantham and seeks a number of recommendations in order to enable the delivery of the project.

Purpose of report

This report set out the progress made in the proposals for a new Customer Service Centre at Grantham and sought a number of resolutions in order to enable the delivery of the project.

Decision

That Cabinet:

1.    Approves the delivery of a new Customer Service Centre at Unit 1 The Picture House Grantham.

2.    Approves a budget of £350,000 to deliver the new Customer Service Centre.

3.    Approves an in-year budget amendment of £150,000 from the Local Priorities Reserve towards the required capital allocation.

4.    Approves the movement of £200,000 from the SK House Refurbishment budget in order to provide a funding contribution towards the Customer Service Centre project.

5.    Approves the commencement of the procurement process in order to appoint a contractor to undertake the fit out works.

6.    Delegates to the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Cabinet Member for People and Communities and the Cabinet Member for Property and Public Engagement to enter into a construction contract in order to undertake the necessary works.

Alternative options considered and rejected

In order to provide a full and varied options analysis, a number of locations had been explored; the focus had primarily been on Council owned locations in an attempt to avoid incurring any new unnecessary external costs. This analysis reviewed the follow sites:

·       Unit 1 & 2– St Catherine’s Road

This location was considered for the previous partnership option, but that proposal incorporated both vacant units into one single space. This would be over and above the space required for the new Customer Service Provision and would not be financially viable as sole occupants.

·       Witham Room – South Kesteven House

Consideration had been given to reconfiguring the current meeting room in SK House, the Witham Room, into the Customer Service Centre. This would have resulted in the loss of further meeting space available to the Council and would have incurred significant cost associated with reconfiguration of the space.

·       Newton Room – Guildhall Arts Centre

The current temporary Customer Service Centre was located in the Guildhall Arts Centre; therefore options had been explored for keeping it in this building but in a different larger space. This room however did have disadvantages as it was a heavily used room by external companies, the Arts Centre, and the Council itself.

·       Museum – Ground Floor

The Museum was currently underutilised, so the option was explored to share this space with the museum trust. The space was too large for SKDC Customer Service provision alone and following discussion with the Museum Trust representatives it was evident the space available via a partnership would be insufficient for the Council’s needs.

·       Former Customer Service Centre – Abbey Gardens, St Peters Hill Office

This would have involved returning to the former Customer Service Centre, however the space was larger than the Customer Service Provision needed, and the building had now exchanged contract of sale.

·       Bus Station – Tenant Resource Centre

Officers had also explored the Tenant Resource Centre, as it is in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47.

To seek approval from Cabinet of the adoption of the new Housing Repairs and Maintenance Policy which sets the framework for the delivery of the repair service.

Purpose of report

To seek approval from Cabinet of the adoption of the new Housing Repairs and Maintenance Policy which sets the framework for the delivery of the repair service.

Decision

That Cabinet:

1.    Approves the adoption of the new Housing Repairs and Maintenance Policy.

2.    Delegates authority to the Chief Executive to make minor alterations and amendments to the Policy post adoption as required by changes to regulations and expectations by the Regulator for Social Housing.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Continue without an adequate policy or procedure.

Reasons for decision

The clarity provided by the Housing Repairs and Maintenance Policy enabled staff working in the service to make operational decisions efficiently and consistently. This in turn provided greater transparency and understanding for tenants of the standards and activities the repairs and maintenance service would deliver.

The policy was considered and recommended to Cabinet by the Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee in July 2023.

The Council was still on the path to improving its housing offer, and this can be seen through the consideration of policies such as this, and the fact that the Regulatory Notice had been lifted after three years in special measures.

Having a Housing Repairs and Maintenance Policy that people could look at and understand would make it easier to explain to tenants when and why repairs were being carried out.

The following points were raised during debate:

·       Housing officers would not expect their contractors to be ‘cold-calling’ tenants. Contact with tenants would be picked up through contractor meetings where possible.

·       There were a number of properties where adaptations had been made for families with disabilities. The Aids and Adaptations Policy supported this.

·       Housing Overview & Scrutiny had an upcoming agenda item on issues surrounding the Housing Revenue Account. There had also been a series of workshops for members; the next scheduled workshop was on the issue of repairs.

To report a recommendation from the Council’s Employment Committee that Cabinet does not support the introduction of a Health Cash Plan as a benefit for South Kesteven District Council’s employees. 

Purpose of report

To report a recommendation from the Council’s Employment Committee that Cabinet does not support the introduction of a Health Cash Plan as a benefit for South Kesteven District Council’s employees.

Decision

That Cabinet notes that Employment Committee has recommended against introducing the proposed employee Health Cash Plan which it was asked to approve.

Alternative options considered and rejected

The report was for noting only.

Reasons for decision

At the meeting of the Employment Committee on 6 September 2023, the following points were highlighted by Members in consideration of the Medicash proposal:

• Questions raised as to whether employees would have to fund private medical healthcare initially without confirmation that they would be reimbursed at a later date.

• Complex cases were not necessarily straightforward according to feedback from similar plans.

• There appeared to be a capped limit on the amount of financial assistance available. Employees on lower incomes would not necessarily benefit in comparison to those on higher incomes.

• Questions raised as to whether Medicash presented the best Health Cash Plan available.

• 24/7 access to a virtual GP service was considered beneficial. Complex health issues were questioned as potentially costly.

• The proposal had the potential to reduce absenteeism and enhance the quality of remuneration to retain staff.

• The proposal provided an opportunity to invest in the workforce, both in their physical and mental health, as a priority.

• Early intervention with routine health issues could reduce longer-term problems alongside access to mental health services.

• Employee’s children are included in the plan and receive 50% of the entitlement of the employee.

• The current opt-in scheme is not highly utilised.

Upon voting on the proposal, four members of the Employment Committee voted in favour and five voted against. The Employment Committee therefore recommended that the Council did not implement the proposed Health Cash Plan for its employees.

The following points were raised during debate:

·       The proposal on the table at Employment Committee in September was not the right one for the Council at that time. This did not mean that the proposal would not come back to Cabinet in some form at a later date.

·       Members wished to convey to staff that they had in mind their best interests as an employer.

·       A lot of work was carried out on this issue by staff, senior management and the unions and this should not be ignored. It was clear that there were reservations from Members about the scheme, but it was highlighted that the Plan had been supported by the trade unions, but rejected in its current form by Members.

·       The Cabinet Member for People and Communities had contacted the Chairman of the Employment Committee to hold a meeting on the Health Cash Plan and its future. It was the firm hope that a proposal would be formed during this meeting that would come back for consideration by Members at a later date.

Following a public consultation, a revised Climate Action Strategy has been developed setting out South Kesteven District Council’s aspirations to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change within the district.

Purpose of report

Following a public consultation conducted, a revised Climate Action Strategy had been developed setting out South Kesteven District Council’s aspirations to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change within the District.

Decision

That Cabinet approves the adoption of the revised South Kesteven Climate Action Strategy.

Alternative options considered and rejected

There was no statutory obligation to monitor or report on carbon emissions which arose from Council operations or from the wider District. Nevertheless, by doing so and setting out how the Council proposed to address these, it was acting in alignment with its climate emergency declaration of 2019.

Cabinet could have amended the South Kesteven Climate Action Strategy and propose an alternative approach for addressing climate change within the District.

Cabinet could have rejected the South Kesteven Climate Action Strategy and have chosen not to progress work on climate change within the District.

Reasons for decision

The ‘Strategy’ set out a robust framework for action and how the Council was able to respond across different areas to the problems presented by climate change and the need to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

The Strategy was a key document in addressing the climate emergency. Three-quarters of UK authorities have already declared a climate emergency.

In March 2023 the Environment Overview and Scrutiny met and agreed that a consultation on the Strategy would take place in July 2023 for a period of four weeks. 73% of respondents the commitments made by the Council in 2019 (when they declared a climate emergency).

Valuable feedback had been gathered from the consultation exercise, particularly around the need for guidance and support for residents. Also highlighted was the ambition for tackling climate change, and concerns around climate change adaption.

The updated Strategy was the first stage of a two-step process. Detailed plans around eight strategy themes would be presented in a subsequent Climate Action Plan.

The revised Climate Action Strategy was presented to Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 3 October 2023. The Committee recommended to Cabinet to approve the adoption of the revised South Kesteven Climate Action Strategy whilst undertaking to engage with the wider community to further inform the development of the Climate Action Plan.

The following points were highlighted during debate:

·       Emergency planning was taken very seriously. It was important to encourage Parish Councils to formally sign up to the Local Resilience Forum to be part of this.

·       The Terms of Reference were being finalised for the Climate Change Working Group.

·       New obligations were being placed on Councils by the Environment Act. The government had put the onus on Councils to consider biodiversity net gain within Planning from January 2024.

·       A future report would be required on what was intended for the biodiversity action plan, and to report what was already happening in relation to grounds and open spaces.

This report highlights matters on the Cabinet’s Forward Plan.

The Forward Plan was noted.

The meeting closed at 3:28pm.