Agenda and minutes

Members observed a minute’s silence in memory of Doug Best, who had served as a Councillor at South Holland for many years and had sadly passed away at the end of September 2025. Councillor Alcock paid tribute to Mr Best who he had served with for many years at the Council.

To sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 1 October 2025  (enclosed).

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting of Full Council held on 1 October 2025.

DECISION:

That the minutes of the meeting of Full Council held on 1 October 2025 be signed as a correct record.

(Where a Councillor has a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest the Councillor must declare the interest to the meeting and leave the room without participating in any discussion or making a statement on the item, except where a Councillor is permitted to remain as a result of a grant of dispensation.)

There were none.

The Chairlady reported that since the previous meeting, she had attended the following events across South Holland:

• A bingo night and a Slimming World presentation;
• The unveiling of the Grade I Lutyens War Memorial at Ayscoughfee Gardens;
• Participation in several community lunches, including a project at St Thomas’ Church; thanks were extended to Councillor Tracy Carter for her work;
• An art exhibition at the Sessions House;
• Remembrance services;
• Awards presentation at the Welland Yacht Club alongside Councillor James Le Sage;
• A celebration with the local tennis group following the securing of winter premises; and
• Local democracy event with pupils from Holbeach Primary School;

In addition, thanks were extended to Councillor Tyrrell for fundraising at the recent bingo night.

The Chairlady advised of the following forthcoming events:

• The Spalding Christmas Lights Switch-On on Friday 28 November 2025; and
• A performance by Wygate Academy Choir at Ayscoughfee Hall on 1 December 2025.

The Chairlady concluded by expressing thanks to all who had supported recent events.

To note Portfolio Holder updates on work being undertaken within each of their Portfolios (report of the Leader enclosed).

The Chairlady invited members to note the written Portfolio Holder updates, which had been circulated with the agenda which provided a summary of work undertaken by each Portfolio Holder within their respective areas of responsibility.  

Members were reminded that the report was for noting only and that any questions arising from its contents should be raised under Agenda item 8 – Questions Asked Without Notice.

DECISION:

That the Portfolio Holder updates be noted.

The Leader made the following announcement:

An induction session for the Student Council had recently taken place, with a good turnout of students. The session had been interactive, and three students had remained to observe the Cabinet meeting which followed. The first official meeting of the Student Council, including the election of a Chairman and Vice-Chairman, was expected to take place towards the end of January 2026, subject to agreement with schools on a suitable date. The Chairman or Vice-Chairman would be invited to attend Cabinet meetings and to be represented on the Town Board. It was noted that students had already contributed to the ‘Vision for Spalding’ and progress on the initiative was welcomed.

There were no further announcements.

There were none.

Question to: Councillor Astill

Question from: Councillor Barnes

Subject: Garden Waste Scheme

Councillor Barnes expressed disappointment at the lack of progress on the garden waste scheme, as referenced in the Portfolio Holder update. He questioned the routing system and queried why a more adaptable approach, similar to that used by the Post Office, had not been adopted. He highlighted that a period of six months had been spent developing an internal system now deemed unworkable, with a further four months required for improvements. Councillor Barnes queried why additional residents could not be accommodated on existing routes given confirmed bin availability and capacity and stressed that delays had resulted in wasted expenditure and lost revenue. He requested details of the total cost to date, the number of brown bins at the depot, the number of residents on the waiting list, and how many were on current routes. Councillor Astill advised that approximately 200 bins were held at the depot, some new and some used. There was no capacity on existing rounds, which had led to the creation of a waiting list that was closed in February or March 2025 due to uncertainty over expansion, although some residents had since joined the scheme. He confirmed that the Council’s internal team, at no additional cost, had been working on new rounds, with some rework required following testing, and that software changes for uploading routes were being implemented. Councillor Astill acknowledged delays but emphasised the need to get the system right, confirming that the work would be completed by the end of Quarter 1 and that a factual briefing note would be provided.

In response, Councillor Barnes challenged the assertion of zero cost, noting officer time as an expense, and reiterated concerns about wasted resources and the need for urgency. He recommended that normal waste collections were not altered and highlighted that residents had been waiting for bins for 18 months. Councillor Astill responded that the work completed so far had not been wasted and confirmed the scheme’s popularity, evidenced by a waiting list of 700–800 residents. He concluded that the work would be completed and a summary provided.

Question to: Councillor Astill

Question from: Councillor Eldridge

Subject: Waste Rounds

Councillor Eldridge queried whether the work on the waste rounds would be completed by March 2026.Councillor Astill confirmed that he was confident that the target date would be met.

Question to: Councillor Worth

Question from: Councillor Gibson

Subject: Spalding Remembrance Parade Road Closures

Councillor Gibson asked whether the Council had been charged by Lincolnshire County Council for road closures during the Spalding Remembrance Parade, noting that criticism had been directed at the County Council in this regard. Councillor Worth confirmed that Lincolnshire County Council did not charge for road closures. South Holland District Council was required to appoint a traffic management company, and this year an alternative provider was used, which incurred a cost. He explained that the parade route had been shortened to minimise town centre closures  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

To receive the minutes of the following Committees and Panels:

a)    Planning Committee – 10 September 2025.

b)    Governance and Audit Committee – 11 September 2025.

c)    Policy Development Panel – 23 September 2025.

d)    Planning Committee – 8 October 2025.

e)    Performance Monitoring Panel – 15 October 2025.

f)     Special Joint Performance Monitoring Panel and Policy Development Panel – 21 October 2025.

The minutes of the following Committees and Panels were noted:

• Planning Committee – 10 September 2025
• Governance and Audit Committee – 11 September 2025
• Policy Development Panel – 23 September 2025
• Planning Committee – 8 October 2025
• Performance Monitoring Panel – 15 October 2025
• Special Joint Performance Monitoring Panel and Policy Development Panel – 21 October 2025

Consideration was given to the Key Decision Plan.

DECISION:

That the Key Decision Plan be noted.

To provide Members with an update on Treasury Management performance and activity to ensure best practice is maintained (report of the Director of Finance (S151 Officer) enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Finance (Section 151 Officer) which provided members with an update on Treasury Management performance and activity to ensure best practice was maintained.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance introduced the report and advised that the Council was required to review Treasury Management activities and provide an update on Prudential and Treasury indicators for the year. The report, at Appendix 1, had previously been considered by the Governance and Audit Committee on 13 November 2025, in addition to quarterly updates throughout the financial year. The following main points were highlighted:

• The latest revised budget for capital expenditure was £35 million, with actual expenditure at the end of September recorded at £6.7 million;
• The Council’s underlying need to borrow for capital expenditure as at 30 September 2025 had increased to £84.5 million. Investments totalled £43 million, and external borrowing remained at £67.5 million. In addition, the Council had issued loans of £6.5 million to Welland Homes;
• The bank base rate started the year at 4.5% and had reduced to 4% by the end of September 2025. The overall rate of return on investments during the first half of the financial year was 4.67%;
• The Council had budgeted to borrow £10 million from the Public Works Loan Board for HRA capital expenditure, however, following the receipt of £15 million in grant payments during the first half of the year, this borrowing was not expected to be required in the current financial year;
• At Quarter 2, borrowing costs less investment income totalled £231,000 compared to the original budget of £661,000, representing a favourable variance of £430,000; and
• The forecast outcome for the year was predicted to be £440,000 against a budget of £1.493 million, representing a favourable variance of just over £1 million.

Members considered the report and made the following comments:

• Members expressed appreciation for the clarity and detail of the Treasury reports and thanked officers for their work.

• A member asked whether councils affected by a former Government decision to place significant debt on council tenants had sought to have this reversed by the current Government.
  • The Portfolio Holder for Finance acknowledged this remained a legacy issue for the authority, and while the Council had taken on the debt, it continued to maintain a substantial and high-quality housing stock. A potential impact on this matter resulting from Local Government Reorganisation was noted as an area for future monitoring.

DECISION:

That the contents of the report at Appendix 1 be received.

To adopt the proposed Statement of Licensing Policy (report of the Assistant Director – Regulatory enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Regulatory to adopt the proposed Statement of Licensing Policy.

The Portfolio Holder for Public Protection introduced the report, and the following main points were highlighted:

• The Statement of Licensing Policy set out the approach the Licensing Authority would apply to promote the licensing objectives when carrying out its functions under the Licensing Act 2003;
• The authority was required to review, adopt and publish a Statement of Licensing Policy every five years, with the current review due by the end of January 2026;
• The Committee of the Licensing Authority had considered a draft revised policy on 22 May 2025 and agreed that consultation should be undertaken. Public consultation took place between 2 June 2025 and 27 July 2025, and responses were reviewed by the Committee on 9 September 2025, with amendments made where appropriate;
• The Policy Development Panel had recommended that 75% of windows facing retail areas remained free from signage, decoration or obstruction; and
• The final draft policy, attached at Appendix 2, was now being presented to Council for adoption and publication. Failure to adopt and publish the policy by the statutory deadline would leave the authority open to challenge against licensing decisions.

Members considered the report and made the following comment:

• The Chairman of the Policy Development Panel thanked the Portfolio Holder for Public Protection and the Committee of the Licensing Authority for their consideration and inclusion of the recommendation from the Policy Development Panel, as noted above.

DECISION:

That the Statement of Licensing Policy be adopted and published by the statutory deadline.

To seek Council’s approval for the revised HR policy (Pensions & Pensions Discretions Policy) (report of the Assistant Director – Corporate enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Corporate which sought Council’s approval for the revised HR policy (Pensions and Pensions Discretions Policy)

The Portfolio Holder – Corporate and Environmental Services introduced the report and the following main points were highlighted:

• The policy was a statutory requirement under the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) regulation and set out how the Council would apply certain discretionary powers relating to pensions;
• The policy had been developed by PSPS and had been considered by the Readers’ Panel, including officers and trade union representatives, as well as by the Policy Development Panel; and
• Approval of the policy would strengthen consistency across the partnership, safeguard compliance, and provide a fair and transparent approach to pension-related decisions. 

Members queried the meaning of ‘mandatory’ within the ‘discretionary’ policy. The Head of HR and Organisational Development explained that certain matters were classed as mandatory discretions under the LGPS framework and must be included in the Council’s policy.

DECISION:

That the HR policy (Pensions and Pensions Discretions Policy) be approved.

To seek Council approval to commence a Community Governance review for the unparished area of Spalding (report of the Assistant Director – Governance enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Governance (Monitoring Officer) which sought Council approval to commence a Community Governance review for the unparished area of Spalding.

The Leader introduced the report and stated that:

·         The matter had been under discussion for a considerable period and that the likelihood of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) had prompted the issue to be brought before full Council to ensure that Spalding retained a local voice to address issues that might otherwise be remote from a unitary council;

·         The report set out the detail and process of the proposed Community Governance Review (CGR). It was clarified that there was no difference in powers between a parish council and a town council; the distinction lay solely in the name;

·         The process would be lengthy and did not guarantee the establishment of a town council, as this was dependent upon two stages of consultation. The final decision would rest with full Council;

·         In respect of recommendation 2, consultation had taken place with Group Leaders to ensure appropriate representation on the Working Group, which would comprise the following Councillors:

o   Councillor J Le Sage,

o   Councillor M Le Sage,

o   Councillor D Ashby,

o   Councillor G Taylor,

o   Councillor J Whitbourn,

o   Councillor M Hassan and

o   Councillor I Sheard.

Councillor Barnes queried whether it would be advisable to appoint at least one member who was an existing parish councillor to the Working Group. In response, the Leader stated that the intention had been to ensure representation from all Spalding wards, which had been considered a key priority.

DECISION:

That Council:

1) Approved the terms of reference for a Community Governance Review and the publication of Stage 1 consultation;

2) Appointed seven members (as named above) to a CGR Working Group to consider consultation responses and present draft proposals and final recommendations to full Council; and

3) Delegated authority to the Chief Executive to undertake the CGR, including making and publishing any necessary modifications to the Terms of Reference.

To receive the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2024/2025 (report of the Assistant Director – Governance (Monitoring Officer) enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Governance (Monitoring Officer) which asked the Council to receive the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2024/25.

The Chairmen of both overview and scrutiny committees addressed the meeting with the following comments:

• Councillor Alcock, the Chairman of the Performance Monitoring Panel, acknowledged the support provided by officers and members, which was essential to the work of the committees and expressed his appreciation for the assistance of his Vice-Chairman, Councillor Booth.
• Councillor Woolf, the Chairman of the Policy Development Panel, extended his thanks to Councillor Eldridge as Vice-Chairman and to the panel members. He highlighted that the work undertaken by the panel had real impact, as exemplified at agenda item 12.

DECISION:

That the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2024/2025 be received.

To provide South Holland District Council with an update following the latest meeting of the Health Scrutiny for Lincolnshire Committee (report of Councillor Glynis Scalese enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of Councillor G Scalese which provided South Holland District Council with an update following the latest meeting of the Health Scrutiny for Lincolnshire Committee.

DECISION:

That the report be noted.

To receive, from political groups, nominations for any changes to Committees and other seats and to consider any proposed changes to the Constitution.

There were none.

There are none.

Members resolved that, under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

To seek member approval to make permanent the existing temporary s113 agreements within the Partnership Climate Change and Environment Team (report of the Director – Communities enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Regulatory which sought member approval to make permanent the existing temporary s113 agreements within the Partnership Climate Change and Environment Team.

DECISION

That the recommendations detailed within the exempt report be approved.