Issue - meetings

To provide an update on the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership Asset Management Strategy 2023 – 2028 (report of the Joint Deputy Chief Executive – Programme Delivery and Assistant Director - General Fund Assets enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Joint Deputy Chief Executive – Programme Delivery and Assistant Director – General Fund Assets which provided an update on the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership Asset Management Strategy 2023-2028.

The Joint Deputy Chief Executive – Programme Delivery and Assistant Director – General Fund Assets introduced the report.

• The South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership Asset Management Strategy 2023-2028, approved by Council in May 2023, was at Appendix A;
• A progress update against five strategic priorities was outlined within the covering report, with more work to do.

Members considered the report and made the following comments:

• Members thanked the officers and Portfolio Holder for the achievements outlined within the report.

Regarding Strategic Priority 2:

• Members queried the capacity of the council’s Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS).
  • The Joint Deputy Chief Executive – Programme Delivery and Assistant Director – General Fund Assets responded that the UPS covered the whole building as well as the IT infrastructure. The UPS specification gave the council a minimum battery power period of two hours to drawdown its systems in the event of total power loss. This was a sufficient period for the generator to be engaged, enabling business continuity.

• Members asked for a tour of the acquired former Travis Perkins site.

o   The Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Community Leadership understood that plans for a site visit had been discussed by the Assistant Director – Environmental Services and that appropriate communications would be circulated once this was possible; and

• Members noted the £200,000 investment for the remodelling of the Sheep Market toilets, which had recently been completed, and gave credit to the team involved. The public had also given positive feedback for the facility via social media.  A discussion ensued around the rationalisation of public toilets and whether other facilities around the district would be upgraded. Whilst some members suggested that an investigation of public toilet usage data could inform a potential rationalisation exercise, other members strongly supported the safeguarding and upgrading of current facilities to retain and attract visitors to the district’s towns, and that further investment in the facilities was needed.
  • The Joint Deputy Chief Executive – Programme Delivery and Assistant Director – General Fund Assets responded that whilst a budget for further upgrades had not been allocated in the current financial year, members were encouraged to suggest sites for improvement ahead of the next budget setting process; and

o   The Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Community Leadership added that a funding proposal for additional toilet upgrades, such as for the Winfrey Avenue/Spalding Bus Station may be made through the Long Term Plan for Towns. Further advice should be sought from the Assistant Director – Economic Growth.

• Members asked whether any criminal damage to the Sheep  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27