Agenda and minutes

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There were none.

All Committee Members were present.

Members are asked to disclose any interests in matters for consideration at the meeting.

There were none.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 10 March 2026 (partially exempt).

The minutes from the meeting held on 10 March 2026 were proposed, seconded and AGREED as an accurate record.

There were no actions agreed at the previous meeting.

There were no actions agreed at the meeting held on 10 March 2026.

The Leader of the Council thanked all Members and Officers involved in the investment ‘net zero’ works put into Grantham Meres Leisure Centre.  

The Leader of the Council presented the report which outlined a review of the Housing Revenue Account.

The recent pressures and financial challenges facing the HRA, and the repairs and maintenance budgets, have been consistently communicated to the Committee. Firstly, via the HRA outturn £2.3m overspend in 2024/25, and more recently to the Full Council meeting of 20 November 2025 when a further £2.7m to the revenue budget was approved.

The HRA has encountered and continues to face financial challenges caused by a combination of: changes to legislation; increasing landlord responsibilities; and improving a range of local performance targets including backlog repairs, repair times, and void times.

However, as has been stated at previous meetings, the continued uplift in repairs and maintenance budgets is unsustainable. There was an overspend in 2024/25, an uplift in 2025/26 and three-year budget projections are set at a similar high level.

One Member queried whether the Council undertook repairs and maintenance above and beyond their legal requirement to do so.

The Leader of the Council confirmed Council properties were brought up to a decent, habitable standards as set out by Local Government.

It was emphasised that the Council were aiming to put financial resilience and sustainability back into the HRA.

A report on rent convergence was due to be heard at Cabinet in June 2026, to request approval on the adoption of it. This would then be implemented from 2027/28, which would make a contribution to the income side of the HRA.

Savilles had been appointed alongside the Council to provide peer support and provide an action plan to break down actions into metrics with clear timelines.

One Member noted a change in legislation from Government meaning some responsibility lay with them. It was queried whether any money would be given to Local Authorities from Government for the HRA.

The Leader of the Council highlighted that Government could be lobbied, alongside the Local Councils Network and the LGA.

The HRA did not receive any funding from Council as it does not operate in the same way as the general fund in terms of grants and business rate retentions.

It was noted that the table of repairs and maintenance spend, and budget summary forecasted over £13m being spent in 2025-26. It was queried how future estimations would be calculated on how a forecast of £13m per year could be reduced and by what extent.

The Deputy Chief Executive and S151 Officer clarified the table demonstrated at what point the Council moved away from a sustainable HRA. During 2022/23 and 2023/24, the HRA was balanced against budgets set at that time. In 2024/25, the Council started to move around £1.6m away from the set budget, which then increased by £3.6m in 2025/26. It was noted that majority of the money was spent clearing repairs and maintenance backlog.

One Member requested this item being a standing item on all Committee meetings.

Concern was raised that a root cause of overspends could not be viewed within the report. A  ...  view the full minutes text for item 83.

The Leader of the Council presented the report.

The Government launched the Future High Street Fund in December 2019 as part of a £830m investment in town centres across England. It was one of a range of town-centre focused grant schemes administered by MHCLG.

Following an extensive application process, which included community and stakeholder consultation, the Council was successful in securing £5.5m in grant funding for improvements to Grantham.

In addition to the funding, the Council committed £379,000 in match funding to be used to deliver a revenue programme supporting the creation of a Town Centre Engagement Manager post, creation of Grantham Town Team and the delivery of cultural events.

The delivery of the programme was managed by the Economic Development Team and regular updates had been provided to the Committee throughout the programme, which ran from September 2021 to March 2026.

In addition to those meetings, there was an operational Future High Street Fund Board which also met throughout the duration of the programme.

The programme delivered improvements in Grantham Town Centre, including two public realm schemes in the Market Place and the Station Approach junction. The scheme also created 22 new residential units in previously vacant upper-floor retail spaces and an extensive programme of additional works which included investment in the Guildhall Arts Centre, Grantham Museum, Conduit Lane toilets and improvements to St Peter’s Hill green.

The programme formally completed in March 2026 and all of the allocated grant funding had been spent.

Consequently, because of the programme, £1.9m in private sector and third-party match funding had been leveraged and includes £243,800 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the Grantham Community Heritage Association’s Grantham Museum.

The final elements of delivery would include the installation of street furniture, planters and power infrastructure in the Market Place were paused to prevent disruptions to the Mid-lent Fair. The works were due to commence on 26 May 2026.

Alongside the Capital Programme, a pilot programme of community and cultural events was delivered, using the improved Market Place and drawing footfall into the Town Centre.

(Councillor Graham Jeal declared he was a Member of the Board and a Chairman of the Grantham Community Heritage Association).

(Councillor Lee Steptoe declared he was a trustee for Grantham Museum).

One Member felt underwhelmed on how the fund had been spent and felt more could have been done with the money.  

Clarification was sought around the benefit cost ratios set by MHCLG at the time and how the Council performed.

A query was raised on a large sum of money on strategic sites acquisition which was consequently removed from the programme in November 2023. Further clarity was sought on how much money was spent on the masterplan of the project between the Council being given the money and removing it from the programme.

The Leader of Council highlighted the change in personnel of Officers and Members between 2019 and November 2023.

The Assistant Director of Planning and Growth confirmed the benefit cost ratio was a calculation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 84.

The Deputy Leader of the Council presented the report which provided an update on phase 1 of the leisure improvements programme.

Following on from the previous report to the Committee on 18 November 2025, where the funding application was agreed. Officers had been working with consultants to finalise the scope of the works.

The procurement attracted high levels of interest, and a total of nine formal submissions were received.

Following the evaluation, Northdown Property Services were identified as the preferred contractor and subsequently Cabinet approved the contract award on 5 May 2026.

Northdown Property Services are a leading property refurbishment and maintenance company based in Peterborough, with experience of delivering similar projects.

The total cost of the contact was under the proposed budget of £500,000 at a cost of £321,222 with some savings seen particularly at Grantham Meres leisure centre.

Officers had carried out due diligence checks which included pricing clarifications during the tender evaluation process and receiving written confirmation from Northdown Property Services that their submission was correctly priced.

This meant that £162,778 would be carried forward into phase 2 of the programme and would allow a greater scope of works to be included.

In addition to mobilising the contract with Northdown Property Services included liaison with LeisureSK Ltd. Officers were engaging with consultants to identify the scope of works for phase 2, which would be procured.

The Deputy Chief Executive and S151 Officer confirmed that a delegation had been put into place for himself in consultation with the Deputy Leader of the Council, to vary contract works on the site if further works are required.

A query was raised on when the works would commence.

It was confirmed works were due to take place at the end of June 2026, after mobilisation of the contract and liaison with LeisureSK Ltd.

Concern was raised on disruption of the works to users of the leisure centre. The level of disruption and impact on timetables was queried.

The Deputy Leader of the Council confirmed the biggest disruption would be at Grantham Meres leisure centre. The works were due to be scheduled during summer time, when the swim club closes.

One Member sought clarification on whether the works would be completed prior to the 6-week school holidays.

It was noted the pool at Grantham Meres leisure centre was less utilised in the school holidays and therefore the works would most likely take place during that time. Works would take place on a sequential basis, meaning that works would take place on one leisure centre at a time.

A query was raised on the level of threat from other privately operated leisure facilities in terms of losing members at Stamford leisure centre.

The Deputy Leader of the Council clarified that at present there was no threat from privately operated leisure facilities, however, this may peak in the future.

Further concern was raised around the Grantham Meres swimming pool being closed for the duration of the 6-week school holidays.

The Team Leader –  ...  view the full minutes text for item 85.

The Committee noted the Work Programme 2025/26.

ACTION: For an update on the HRA to be a standing item for each Committee meeting.

To provide an update regarding the finance performance of LeisureSK Ltd during the financial year 2025/26.

The Director of LeisureSK Ltd presented the report which outlined the financial performance of the company.

The report provided the latest forecast figures for 2025/26, based on information at the end of February 2026.

LeisureSK Ltd had an operating surplus of £136,000, which was an overachievement against the budget, which was set when the business plan was agreed.

The figures for 2026/27 had predicted an increase of a surplus of around £183,000.

LeisureSK Ltd were looking into their own investment works from the Capital Programme. A sum of £95,000 was allocated into the programme for 2025/26, with the potential to update the gym at Stamford leisure centre.

It was noted that overall fitness memberships had decreased. It was queried whether an increase of gym memberships had been seen at Grantham Meres as a result of the newly refurbished gym.

The Director of LeisureSK Ltd confirmed there had been an improvement on membership level as a result of the newly refurbished gym at Grantham Meres. It was noted there was more social media marketing around Grantham Meres than previously following an introduction of a new post.

Clarification was sought around the surplus and the repayment of loans for investment at Bourne and Grantham. The proposed repayments timeframe for the loans was queried.

The Council provided the loans to LeisureSK Ltd to undertake the investments and a particular interest rate and payments were made back to the Council on a monthly basis. The loan would be repaid over 7 years.

It was proposed, seconded and AGREED to go into closed session:

‘Under Section 100(a)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public may be excluded from the meeting during any listed items of business, on the grounds that if they were to be present, exempt information could be disclosed to them as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.’

The Committee noted the contents of the report.

There were none.

The Vice-Chairman closed the meeting at 12:14.