Agenda and minutes

The public open forum will commence at 2.00 p.m. and the following formal business of the Council will commence at 2.30 p.m. or whenever the public open forum ends, if earlier.

There were four questions or statements submitted to Full Council by members of the public. Questions numbered 1 and 2 were answered during the meeting as below. The questioner for numbers 3 and 4 was not present to ask their questions, and would receive a written response:

1)    Ahilan Sivanadeyan to the Chairman of the Council

We, the Tamil Association Lincolnshire together with Tamil School Lincolnshire, representing various aspirations of the Tamils living in South Kesteven, are fully supporting individually and collectively to proclaim and declare the month of January as the “Tamil Heritage Month” in South Kesteven in recognising the Tamil language, Tamil art, Tamil culture, Tamil food, Tamil history, Tamil personalities and many more.

Our community started on 22 Oct 2023, and we celebrated our first ever Tamil heritage month in January 2024.

At the moment we are using Harrowby Lane Methodist Church in Grantham for our weekly community gathering. We have members from across South Kesteven and wider Lincolnshire who travel hours to attend.

We as the Tamil community would like to invite the Chairman of SKDC Councillor Paul Fellows to our Tamil Heritage Festival, which is called Pongal, in the month of January. I will soon share the invitation with Councillor Matthew Bailey. We hope he will accept and welcome him to our community.

The Chairman of the Council responded:

Thank you for the statement and question. It was an absolute pleasure to meet the Tamil community and once an invitation had been sent through to the Chairman’s Office email I hope to respond positively to it. Thank you for the work you are doing.

Ahilan Sivanadeyan asked a supplementary question to the Leader of the Council:

We hope that the Council can support our Tamil community which help to connect and bring more people together. Will Councillor Ashley Baxter, the Leader of South Kesteven District Council support us by thanking the Tamil community for their contribution to South Kesteven and our country, and help us to highlight the celebration of Pongal and use the communications channels of the Council to raise awareness of our group?

The Leader of the Council responded:

It is good to see representatives of the Tamil community here today, as it is to see any community here at the Council, and I thank the Tamil community for their contribution to the lives of residents within South Kesteven. I am also grateful to Councillor Matthew Bailey for explaining some of the history of the local Tamil community prior to the meeting. I am delighted that Harrowby Lane Methodist Church are offering a venue for you to be together. I have no hesitation in highlighting the celebration of Pongal and using the Council’s communications channels to promote a part of our community. We have a strong, rich and diverse community; for example, I recently had an evening with the Nepalese community in Grantham.

The day of Pongal is 14 January – I would suggest that we fly the Tamil flag on that day  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

Apologies for absence were received from:

Councillor David Bellamy

Councillor Nick Robins

Councillor Penny Robins

Councillor Rob Shorrock

Councillor Ian Stokes

Councillors Charmaine Morgan, Rosemary Trollope-Bellew and Sue Woolley were running late and joined the meeting later in proceedings.

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 September 2024 were proposed, seconded and agreed as a correct record.

The Council noted the Chairman’s engagements. The moving events related to Remembrance weekend were highlighted by the Chairman.

The following updates were provided by Cabinet Members:

Deputy Leader

·         The works to complete Bourne Leisure Centre’s wave machine would take place around the New Year and were not completed as reported to Full Council back in September. There had been three complaints about the wave machine being unavailable; however, the number of swimmers at Bourne had increased.

Cabinet Member for Property and Public Engagement

·         Contracts had been exchanged at St. Martin’s Park, Stamford.

·         The Planning Committee had approved planning permission for an additional 140 spaces at the Stamford Cattle Market Car Park.

·         The planned new depot in Grantham was looking to attract a new contractor.

Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste

·         Waste Services at South Kesteven were finalists at the national APSE Performance Networks Awards, in the category of ‘Most Improved Performer’. The awards ceremony would take place on 4 December 2024.

Cabinet Member for People and Communities

·         Members and officers were thanked for their work on the SK Community Awards.

·         A consultation was taking place on the Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP), and members were encouraged to engage with this.

·         Stamford Christmas lights were being turned on in the evening of 21 November by Craig Revel Horwood.

Leader of the Council

·         St. Mary’s Street in Stamford had been named the best for independent shopping in the UK. Stamford was a great place to live with a thriving market, an arts centre, and many independent shopkeepers.

To consider recommendations from the Governance and Audit Committee to make amendments to the Council’s Constitution.

Members considered a recommendation from the Governance and Audit Committee to make amendments to the Council’s Constitution.

Note:  The meeting was adjourned at 2:35pm to allow a test of the electronic voting system. The meeting reconvened at 2:46pm.

The following points were highlighted during debate:

·         This report outlined the option for a committee Chairman to discern when a vote may be contentious and therefore opt for an electronic casting of votes.

·         Councillors took the decision to cease using the electronic voting buttons several years ago.

·         Councillors tended to have lengthy debates, therefore it was a good option to potentially minimise the time spent voting. All votes could be recorded electronically.

·         There were many ‘back to back’ votes, a show of hands was an open and transparent way of dealing with this issue.

·         The motion did not decide which method of voting would be used at committees, but it would give permission for the Council to be able to use the electronic voting system, with the Chairman of each committee being responsible for deciding whether its use was appropriate and necessary

·         The second recommendation related to the co-opted member for the Governance and Audit Committee, and clarification was given that they would not be a voting member of that Committee. Advice from external independent sources had been received.

Having been moved and seconded, following a vote it was AGREED:

DECISION

That Full Council:

1.    Approves the amendment to Council Procedure Rules in Part 4 (Rules of Procedure) of the Constitution be amended, as set out in paragraph 3.4 of the report, to allow use of the electronic voting system in the Council Chamber.

2.    Approves the amendment to Article 9 in Part 2 (Articles of the Constitution) to reflect that externally appointed Co-opted Members do not have voting rights on the Governance and Audit Committee.

This report seeks approval for the establishment of a District Joint Committee comprising the seven district authorities in Lincolnshire further to the Greater Lincolnshire Devolution Deal and the creation of the Greater Lincolnshire Mayoral Combined County Authority.

Note:  Councillor Charmaine Morgan arrived.

Members considered a report requesting approval for the establishment of a District Joint Committee comprising the seven district authorities in Lincolnshire further to the Greater Lincolnshire Devolution Deal and the creation of the Greater Lincolnshire Mayoral Combined County Authority.

A new layer of government was expected to come into force in May 2025 with specific funding and powers. The decision on devolution for Greater Lincolnshire had been supported by the previous government and had so far been supported by the incumbent government. It was anticipated that the first meeting of the Greater Lincolnshire Combined Authority Board would be early in 2025 with a mayoral election on 1 May 2025.

The Greater Lincolnshire Combined Authority Board consisted of the three unitary authorities in Greater Lincolnshire who were also constituent members: Lincolnshire County Council, North East Lincolnshire Council and North Lincolnshire Council. As constituent members they would each have three members on the Board. The seven districts within Lincolnshire were non-constituent members and would have four members in total on the Board. District Council members of the Board would not have the same voting rights as the constituent members.

The Constitution for the Greater Lincolnshire Combined Authority had not yet been released, which could be problematic as there was limited time to view it prior to the launch of the shadow Combined Authority. One reason for this delay was the General Election held in July 2024.

All seven districts had either decided on their membership of the District Joint Committee and agreed its terms of reference and standing orders or were shortly to do so. Agreeing to membership of the District Joint Committee would ensure South Kesteven District Council’s ‘seat at the table’.

There was a typographical error within the Terms of Reference at Appendix A of the report – the election of a Chairman and Vice-Chairman would be on a biennial basis (every two years), rather than bi-annual (twice yearly).

In the opinion of the Leader of the Council, once the Combined Mayoral Authority was established, it was inevitable that local government reorganisation would follow.

The following points were highlighted during debate:

·         Another tier of local government was being created. The Council had voted against devolution previously but had not been given the opportunity this time around.

·         The Greater Lincolnshire Authority would receive £24 million per year for the next 30 years. However, the overall budget for Lincolnshire County Council was around £600 million per year, so £24 million was a small number in comparison. This followed approximately 14 years of reduced spending power.

·         The Greater Lincolnshire Mayor would have tax raising powers.

·         One member was unclear on the role of the District Joint Committee and therefore would withhold support until they had sight of the Constitution.

·         Another member suggested that the creation of a Mayoral Combined Authority would take government away from local people rather than rather than bringing it down to a local level.

·         The seven districts in Lincolnshire were split into: Conservative-led authorities  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.

A 45-minute period in which members may ask questions of the Leader, Cabinet Members, the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees and opposition group leaders excluding the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Planning Committee, Licensing and Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment Licensing Committees and Governance and Audit Committee.

Question 1 – Councillor Mark Whittington to Councillor Paul Stokes, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture

Councillor Whittington asked the Cabinet Member for an update on progress at the Deepings Leisure Centre.

Councillor Paul Stokes awaited news and updates on the centre. As the Chairman of the Deepings Community Interest Company, Virginia Moran could give Councillor Whittington a further update outside of the meeting.

Question 2 – Councillor Max Sawyer to Councillor Ashley Baxter, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, HR and Economic Development

Councillor Sawyer asked whether spending c£50,000 on external solicitors was the best way of dealing with Councillor Code of Conduct complaints.

The Leader of the Council would have preferred that the money hadn’t been spent, however it was for statutory officers to ensure that investigations were conducted properly. Informal discussions had taken place to try and resolve issues. There were an unprecedented number of complaints from both sides of the Council Chamber. Of those complaints scheduled to go to a Hearing Review Panel, one was from the administration, and the others were from the opposition.

Question 3 – Councillor Charmaine Morgan to Councillor Rhys Baker, Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste

Councillor Morgan asked the Cabinet Member whether he could work with other organisations to make a commitment to public safety in relation to fly tipping and bins.

Councillor Rhys Baker was thankful for ongoing dialogue with Councillors and other groups. Local input was required when discussing public safety. Officer time was being set aside to ensure these issues were discussed, and there was a commitment to finding a bespoke solution. Fly tipping was a blight on the district and its borders. A multi-agency approach had been agreed, involving staff from the Council’s waste, street scene and environmental protection teams. The first priority was to organise a community event to aid solutions; Lincolnshire County Council would also be involved with this event.

Question 4 – Councillor Paul Wood to Councillor Lee Steptoe, Chairman of the Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Councillor Paul Wood asked the Chairman of the Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee how housing services would be actively scrutinised.

Councillor Steptoe asked Councillor Paul Wood to clarify what information he was searching for at that committee. On the issue of voids, these had been discussed at a previous Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting under an item related to Key Performance Indicators. Councillor Steptoe urged Councillor Paul Wood to remain for the whole of a committee meeting rather than leaving prior to the end.

Question 5 – Councillor Ben Green to Councillor Ian Selby, Chairman of the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Councillor Green asked the Chairman of the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee whether the Council should be contacting National Highways to co-ordinate litter collections from verge sides, as they were planning nighttime rolling road closures from January to March 2025.

Councillor Selby highlighted that the A1 was a treacherous stretch of road. He asked that the issue  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

Motion to Phase Out Synthetic Pesticides on Council-Owned Land

South Kesteven District Council commits to phasing out the use of all synthetic pesticides, including glyphosate, on Council-owned land by both Council operatives and third-party contractors, through the implementation of a Pesticide Elimination Strategy to be adopted by 2026. The development of this Strategy will be overseen by the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee, be subject to public consultation, and will outline a detailed plan for the gradual, phased elimination of all synthetic pesticides on Council land within 24 months of its adoption. This motion initiates the process.

Reasons:

• Nature Crisis: Recent research highlights a significant decline in insect populations across Europe, including the UK, which is one of the most nature-depleted countries globally. A study using a ‘splatometer’ method revealed a 50% reduction in insect splatters on vehicle registration plates between 2004 and 2019. This trend mirrors a broader decline in insect abundance, which has fallen by up to 80% at some European sites over the past two decades. We have witnessed a silent summer, with pitiful populations of butterflies and wasps, among many other species. This is troubling as decreased insect abundance threatens ecosystem health by disrupting pollination, food chains and soil fertility. Reducing synthetic pesticide use on land we control will contribute to halting this decline and support nature.

• Public Health and Safety: Phasing out synthetic pesticides on Council land will significantly reduce health risks for residents, particularly children and pets, by minimising exposure to harmful chemical residues. These chemicals can linger in the environment, contaminating soil, air, and water, potentially entering the food chain and affecting public health. Pesticides also pose a serious threat to watercourses, as run-off can contaminate rivers and groundwater, harming aquatic life and degrading water quality. By reducing pesticide use, we not only protect public health but also preserve cleaner water sources and support healthier ecosystems.

• Respect for Agricultural Practices: This policy focusses solely on the management of Council-owned land under the Council’s responsibility and will not impact or interfere with the agricultural methods or practices employed by local farmers and private landowners. It aims to enhance the stewardship of public land while respecting existing agricultural operations. We recognise and value the essential role that pesticides play in food production and acknowledge the significant contributions of our farmers to the economy and national resilience. Lincolnshire’s status as the nation’s breadbasket is a point of immense pride and this policy is intended to support effective public land management without affecting agricultural productivity.

• Strong Precedent: Furthermore, it is noteworthy that numerous cities across France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, and many other locations throughout Europe and the UK, including Cambridge, have successfully eliminated the use of synthetic pesticides. These serve as compelling examples of how urban areas can transition to more sustainable practices that protect public health and the environment. Their achievements highlight the viability of phasing out harmful chemicals in favour of alternative pest control methods, demonstrating that such measures not only benefit local  ...  view the full agenda text for item 52.

Councillor Ben Green proposed the following motion:

Motion to Phase Out Synthetic Pesticides on Council-Owned Land

South Kesteven District Council commits to phasing out the use of all synthetic pesticides, including glyphosate, on Council-owned land by both Council operatives and third-party contractors, through the implementation of a Pesticide Elimination Strategy to be adopted by 2026. The development of this Strategy will be overseen by the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee, be subject to public consultation, and will outline a detailed plan for the gradual, phased elimination of all synthetic pesticides on Council land within 24 months of its adoption. This motion initiates the process.

Reasons:

• Nature Crisis: Recent research highlights a significant decline in insect populations across Europe, including the UK, which is one of the most nature-depleted countries globally. A study using a ‘splatometer’ method revealed a 50% reduction in insect splatters on vehicle registration plates between 2004 and 2019. This trend mirrors a broader decline in insect abundance, which has fallen by up to 80% at some European sites over the past two decades. We have witnessed a silent summer, with pitiful populations of butterflies and wasps, among many other species. This is troubling as decreased insect abundance threatens ecosystem health by disrupting pollination, food chains and soil fertility. Reducing synthetic pesticide use on land we control will contribute to halting this decline and support nature.

• Public Health and Safety: Phasing out synthetic pesticides on Council land will significantly reduce health risks for residents, particularly children and pets, by minimising exposure to harmful chemical residues. These chemicals can linger in the environment, contaminating soil, air, and water, potentially entering the food chain and affecting public health. Pesticides also pose a serious threat to watercourses, as run-off can contaminate rivers and groundwater, harming aquatic life and degrading water quality. By reducing pesticide use, we not only protect public health but also preserve cleaner water sources and support healthier ecosystems.

• Respect for Agricultural Practices: This policy focusses solely on the management of Council-owned land under the Council’s responsibility and will not impact or interfere with the agricultural methods or practices employed by local farmers and private landowners. It aims to enhance the stewardship of public land while respecting existing agricultural operations. We recognise and value the essential role that pesticides play in food production and acknowledge the significant contributions of our farmers to the economy and national resilience. Lincolnshire’s status as the nation’s breadbasket is a point of immense pride and this policy is intended to support effective public land management without affecting agricultural productivity.

• Strong Precedent: Furthermore, it is noteworthy that numerous cities across France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, and many other locations throughout Europe and the UK, including Cambridge, have successfully eliminated the use of synthetic pesticides. These serve as compelling examples of how urban areas can transition to more sustainable practices that protect public health and the environment. Their achievements highlight the viability of phasing out harmful chemicals in favour of alternative pest control methods, demonstrating  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

The meeting closed at 4:27pm.