Agenda item

The Leader of the Council provided a written update to the Committee:

Award nomination for SKDC

I am sure you have heard that South Kesteven District Council is in the running for a prestigious national award, having been shortlisted in the Most Improved Council category in the Local Government Chronicle Awards 2023.

These awards share best practice across the local government community, promoting and sharing work to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of local government services across the UK.

Simply being shortlisted for an award is recognition of the hard work and dedication, on a daily basis, of all the Offices striving to provide the best possible service to our residents and businesses, and we should all take pride in it.

Deepings Literary Festival

You may or may not be aware that this year’s Deepings Literary Festival, on May 27th and 28th, is being supported by South Kesteven District Council with a £2,179 Community Fund grant.

This donation will help facilitate a book-themed weekend of activities specifically for young families, involving local children's authors and performers.

Preparations are well under way for this year’s festival, where free activities will add to the high-quality educational opportunities already scheduled.

As usual, events will take place at the Deepings Library and Community Centre and other venues.

This is one of the first awards from our Community Fund for 2023/24 and we are looking forward to supporting many more throughout year.

If you would like to see if any groups you are involved with can apply, simply visit the South Kesteven District Council website and search for Community Fund.

Tourism Update

I was so pleased to see the statistics which point to the sector recovering well after COVID. In 2021 tourism contributed £168m to the SK economy, recovering from the £90m economic contribution during the pandemic lockdown and restrictions.

We are waiting for the 2022 figures, but it does very much show that the sector is bouncing back.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund

You will know of course Council has £1 million available for community projects across the District through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

As you know the applications can now be made by town and parish councils, parish meetings, charter trustees and community groups to finance projects that deliver community improvements and build pride in place.

Please encourage any community groups to submit a bid if their project falls within one of the project categories: building improvements; green space and outdoor improvements; culture, arts and heritage and heritage initiatives and of course meets the project criteria.

Digital upgrade for CCTV

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is also helping to make our District a safer and more secure place. A £284,000 project will see ageing CCTV technology upgraded, with a digital line installed and existing analogue cameras replaced with digital equipment.

We will have much clearer imaging and better picture and video sharing capabilities, far superior to analogue, and the new functionality could also allow us to deploy mobile CCTV in the future so good news all-round.

SKToday has landed!

Your latest edition of SKDC’s community magazine, SKToday should be with you by now.

This issue is another important one as it contains the bin collections details for the various upcoming Bank Holidays.

Our editorial team has also put together advice on how households can better cope with the cost of living, facts and figures on the Council Tax and what we do with your payments – and it also features our vital homelessness prevention work and highlights some inspirational women of South Kesteven