Agenda and minutes

To sign as a correct record the minutes of the following meetings:

The minutes of the following meetings were agreed and signed by the Leader:

• Cabinet 8 July 2025
• Special Cabinet 21 July 2025

(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.)

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To provide an update on risk as at the end of March 2025 (report of the Assistant Director – Governance enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Governance which asked the Cabinet to consider and note the quarterly risk monitoring information for Quarter 4 of 2024/25.

The Deputy leader introduced the report and provided an update on the Council’s risk position as at the end of March 2025 (Quarter 4). He advised that although some time has passed since Quarter 4, the report was coming to Cabinet now because it first needed to go through Governance and Audit Committee which it did so back in July 2025.

The Deputy Leader advised of the key points as follows:

·           Retention of Staff:

Wording and planned actions had been reviewed and updated.  This risk was now being removed from the strategic risk register as it was covered in the partnership risk register.

·           Net Zero Target:

The wording and risk score had been reviewed and updated. The likelihood had been reduced from 5 to 3 as a plan had been agreed by Cabinet.  The overall risk was reduced from high to medium.

The Deputy Leader advised all that full details of all risks, including the strategic, partnership, fraud, and HRA risk registers, were available in the appendices to the report.

DECISION:

That the quarterly risk monitoring information for Q4 of 2024/25 be noted.

(Other Options considered)

·           Alternative reporting arrangements.

Reasons for decision:

·           To ensure risks which have an impact on the achievement of the Council’s objectives are identified and reviewed).

To set out the current financial position for the Council at the end of the first quarter of 2025/26 (report of the Interim Director of Finance (Section 151 Officer) enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Interim S151 Officer which set out a summary of the current financial position for the Council at the end of the first quarter of 2025/26 forecasting to the year end.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance introduced the report which outlined the forecast full-year financial performance as at 30 June 2025, based on the quarterly monitoring undertaken throughout the year.

He drew attention to the following key areas:

General Fund Revenue Forecast

The revenue outturn forecast indicated an overspend position of £462,000 at year-end.

Key points highlighted included:

·                     The 2025/26 net budget for investment income was £0.771m. The forecasted full-year outturn as at Quarter 1 was £1.142m, representing an overachievement of £371,000.

·                     The 2025/26 budget included a savings efficiency target of £1.203m. As at 30 June, 54% of this target had been identified. The forecast assumed the remaining target would be met, with work ongoing to support this. Details were provided in Table 1b.

General Fund Capital

·                     Table 1a of Appendix B provided details of all capital schemes. The capital budget for the General Fund as at Quarter 1 was £14.880m. Changes to the capital programme totalling £304,000 were identified and detailed in Table 1c.

·                     Slippage continued to be monitored and budgets refined as the financial year progressed.

General Fund Reserves

·                     Table 2 of Appendix A set out the reserve balances held at 30 June 2025, totalling £7.699m. The overall movement in reserve balances during Quarter 1 was a decrease of £24,000, reflecting adjustments either budgeted or previously approved via Proforma B by the S151 Officer or Cabinet.

Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Revenue

·                     Section 2.4 detailed the HRA revenue outturn, which showed a surplus of £373,000. This was primarily due to underspends in Supervision and Management (£163,000) and investment income (£247,000).

HRA Capital

·                     Table 4a outlined all HRA capital schemes, with the programme totalling £20.356m for 2025/26. Forecasted capital spend at the end of Quarter 1 was £20.356m, indicating the budget was expected to be met.

Treasury

·                     Section 2.6 of Appendix A provided details of the Council’s treasury investments. The Council’s cash continued to perform well, with £371,000 forecast to be achieved in excess of budget.

Cllr Barnes queried the £70k overspend on the General Fund assets, specifically questioning the £35k allocated for utilities at Priory Road. He questioned why the budget did not reflect last year’s actual costs and where the forecasting may have gone wrong for this year.

The S151 officer acknowledged that occasional variances in estimates were not unusual. Officers were actively monitoring such discrepancies and would ensure appropriate in-year adjustments were made. Specific attention would be given to this issue, with the aim of bringing the budget back on target by Quarter 4.

Cllr Barnes queried the recurring issue of not achieving salary efficiency targets. It was asked where these targets were being derived from.

The S151 officer confirmed Finance were working closely with Assistant Directors to ensure these areas received particular attention in the preparation of Quarter 2  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

To provide Cabinet with the Housing Landlord Service Regulatory Judgement issued by the Regulator of Social Housing (report of the Assistant Director – Housing enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Housing in relation to the formal regulatory judgement following a programmed inspection of South Holland District Council’s Housing Landlord Service. 

The Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational Housing introduced the report and advised that on 30 July 2025, the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) issued a regulatory judgement following a scheduled inspection of the Council’s Housing Landlord Service. The outcome reflected the second highest grading, indicating a generally positive assessment. However, the judgement also identified areas where the Council had not fully met consumer standards.

The Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational  Housing advised that the inspection acknowledged several strengths within the service, including compliance with health and safety regulations, proactive management of damp and mould issues, effective complaint handling procedures, and transparent performance monitoring.

The Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational Housing noted that the RSH also highlighted areas that required further development. They included the need to complete outstanding stock condition surveys (with 80% of homes surveyed at the time), improved tenant satisfaction with repairs and maintenance, establishment of formal mechanisms for tenant scrutiny, expansion of methods of tenant engagement, and the refinement of the management of antisocial behaviour cases.

DECISION:

That the Regulatory Judgement of a C2 Grade issued by the Regulator of Social Housing on 30th July 2025, following a programmed inspection of South Holland District Council, as a Registered Social Landlord, be noted.

(Other options considered:

·                     Do nothing – This option is not considered to be appropriate as the Regulator of Social Housing is clear that Councillors are responsible for ensuring that the Council, in its role as a registered provider, is meeting the regulatory standards set.

Reasons for decision:

·                     To provide oversight, awareness and assurance of the Council’s compliance with regulatory requirements as a Social Landlord).

To inform Cabinet of the requirements and timeline of Awaab’s Law and how the Housing Landlord Service is changing to meet the phase 1 of the legislation (report of the Assistant Director – Housing enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Housing which was to inform Cabinet of the requirements and timeline of  Awaab’s Law and how the Housing Landlord Service was changing to meet Phase 1 of the legislation. 

The Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational Housing introduced the report summarising the Council’s Phase 1 implementation of Awaab’s Law, which addressed issues of damp, mould, and emergency repairs in council homes.

The Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational Housing identified the key actions which had been undertaken by the Housing Landlord Service, including:

·                     Updating internal procedures;

·                     Completing formal training on hazard identification;

·                     Scheduling briefings for staff and contractors;

·                     Planning a tenant awareness campaign, and

·                     Bringing previously contracted work in-house to improve oversight and achieve cost savings.

The Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational Housing advised that existing policies, namely the Damp Condensation and Mould Policy and the Housing Repairs and Fitness for Habitation Policy had been revised to reflect those changes. Although the timing of the revisions meant they were not presented to the Policy Development Panel, the Chair had been consulted informally.

The Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational Housing added that the service was well-prepared to meet the new statutory duties coming into effect from October and aimed to implement changes ahead of the deadline.

Cllr Woolf referred to the response times for emergency hazards which listed attendance within 4 hours outside office hours and within 8 hours during office hours which he found counterintuitive. He noted that he had raised this issue on several occasions and had received explanations regarding staff availability.

Cllr Woolf advised that he appreciated that efforts were being made to review and potentially realign these timeframes to ensure safety, and expressed hope for improvement in the near future.

The Leader confirmed that Cllr Woolf’s concerns were fully noted and agreed that the current arrangements did seem unusual. It was acknowledged that a broader review of response timeframes was already being considered.

DECISIONS:

1)    Following Cabinet’s consideration of the Housing Landlord Service’s preparations to respond to Awaab’s Law (Phase 1), that further reports will be brought forward to update on the implementation progress of Phase 1, as well as development of Phase 2 and 3, be noted.

2)    That the revised Housing Repairs and Fitness for Habitation Policy (Appendix A), be adopted.

3)    That the revised Damp Condensation and Mould Policy (Appendix B), be adopted.

4)    That minor operational changes and any legislative amendments to the Housing Repairs and Fitness for Habitation Policy be delegated to the Assistant Director – Housing in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational Housing.

5)    That minor operational changes and any legislative amendments to the Damp Condensation and Mould Policy be delegated to the Assistant Director – Housing in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational Housing.

(Other options considered:

·           Do nothing. To not receive assurance on the Council’s preparedness to respond to emergency hazards. This option is not recommended

Reasons for decision:  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

To provide an overview of the first two years of the South and East Lincolnshire Crowd Funding Scheme (report of the Assistant Director – Housing and Communities enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Housing and Communities, which provided an overview of the first two years of the South and East Lincolnshire Crowdfunding Scheme.

The Deputy Leader introduced the report and reiterated that this was a 2 year progress report on the Crowdfunding Scheme, which was known as the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Crowd.

He advised that the South and East Lincolnshire Crowdfunding scheme had launched in Spring 2023 and the innovative platform enabled community groups to raise funds for their projects, fostering community involvement from the outset.  The Deputy Leader added that without the buy-in and contributions from the community, those projects would not be able to proceed. 

The Deputy Leader advised that currently projects were eligible to up to £5,000 from the South Holland pot while also crowdfunding for the remainder of their project costs.  He noted that as set out in the report the scheme had supported 15 projects across the partnership with a total value of £149,887, of which £77,117 had been contributed by the crowd.  The Deputy Leader informal those present that this demonstrated a strong return on investment. 

The Deputy Leader advised members that as they could see from the Impact Report, the scheme had performed well against its original targets and outcomes which had been set.

He added that with the South Holland funding pot exceeding the financial target set out of a return of £3 for every pound, the scheme saw a return of £5 for every £1 contributed alongside overall achievements of improvements to community buildings, new events, increased community engagement and an increase in Volunteer opportunities

The Deputy Leader explained that South Holland had seen a number of successful projects over the past 2 years including support plans for the refurbishment of the museum of Spalding Gentleman’s Society, Taste It Lincolnshire which was an arts theatre production and a dog play area in Tydd Saint Mary.

It was added that further details of these and all the successful projects could be found in the attached Impact Report in Appendix A.

It was acknowledged that further work was required in relation to publicity and in raising public awareness. It was also noted that individuals may require additional support when engaging with crowdfunding initiatives. For further guidance or assistance, interested parties were encouraged to contact the Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Community leadership.

DECISION:

That the progress of the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Crowdfunding scheme be noted and that its continuation by Members be supported.

(Other options considered:

·                     Draw the current scheme to a close (not recommended) and not offer financial support to local community and voluntary groups raising funds for projects.

Reasons for decision:

·         To continue to raise funds for local voluntary and community groups across South and East Lincolnshire via the South and East Lincolnshire Crowdfunding scheme for local projects.

·         To further support Voluntary and Community groups within South Holland to raise funds for local projects).

To seek approval for a Partnership Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Strategy (report of the Assistant Director – Corporate enclosed).

The Cabinet considered the report of the Assistant Director – Corporate, which sought approval for a Partnership-wide Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Strategy.

The Deputy Leader introduced the report and advised that the strategy set out a clear framework to ensure services were fair, accessible, and inclusive for all residents and staff.

He advised that it aligned with legal duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty, and it responded to feedback from the LGA Peer Challenge and had been developed after consultation with staff, Councillors, tenants (HRA) and community partners (Lincs Digital, Citizens advice and Shine).

The Deputy Leader informed all those present that the approach was built around four key objectives which in summary were:

•           understanding our communities,

•           inclusive leadership,

•           accessible services,

•           and a diverse workforce.

He added that it included a high-level action plan, supported by a two-year fixed-term post to drive delivery included as part of the recommendation.

The Deputy Leader advised that the Strategy had been supported unanimously by the Policy Development Panel. 

The Deputy Leader summarised by advising that the governance arrangements meant the implementation of the Strategy and Action Plan would be overseen by an Equalities Board, with regular feedback to the Portfolio Holder and Senior Leadership Team.

Clarity was sought on the make up of the Governance Board. 

It was confirmed that the group would comprise representatives from the Senior Leadership Team, the Workforce Development Board, and support advisors from HR Services. Updates and outcomes would be reported back to the wider Senior Leadership Team and to the relevant Portfolio Holder.

DECISION:

1)    That the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan at Appendices A and B, be approved.

2)    That contribution be made to a 2-year fixed term officer role to provide expertise and to oversee the implementation of the high-level action plan.

Other options considered:

·           Do nothing: this option was rejected as it would not address the gaps in equality, diversity and inclusion within the Council that were identified through the Peer Challenge process.

Reasons for decision:

·         To ensure South Holland District Council further the development of service provision to ensure services are accessible to all and is committed to promoting inclusion within its workforce and communities it serves.

·         To comply with legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty.

·         To enhance the reputation of South Holland District Council as an inclusive and progressive Council).

To agree consultation proposals for the local Council Tax Support scheme, 2026/27 (report of the Interim Director of Finance (Section 151 Officer) enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Interim Director of Finance (S151) which provided an update on the current scheme and expenditure, and sought Cabinet approval to consult on proposals for 2026/27.

The Portfolio for Finance introduced the report and by way of background, reminded members that since 2013, billing authorities had been required to develop local Council Tax Support (CTS) schemes to assist low-income working-age households.

Prior to this, support had been provided through a national Council Tax Benefit scheme, which was administered by councils but operated under rules set by central government.

It was noted that the Government continued to prescribe the scheme for pensioners, who could receive up to 100% support. The Council had no discretion in this area.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance added that the report presented focused on the scheme for working-age claimants. Members were advised that the Council was required to review its working-age CTS scheme annually and consult with major precepting authorities and other interested parties on any proposals for the forthcoming year. It was further noted that schemes could not be amended mid-year.

Following a fundamental review in the previous year, South Holland’s current scheme provided a maximum level of support of up to 85% for households with children and 75% for other households.

It was noted that forecasted expenditure for the CTS scheme in 2025/26 was approximately £5.2 million, with £2.5 million supporting around 2,500 low-income working-age claimants.

The cost of the scheme was shared between the major precepting authorities, with South Holland Council contributing approximately 12% of the total cost, as detailed in section 2.2 of the report.

DECISION:

1)    That the consultation on continuation of the current Council Tax Support scheme, including uprating in line with DWP’s annual update of allowances and premiums for 2026/27, be approved.

2)    That oversight and approval of the consultation approach be delegated to the Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance.

(Other options consider:

·           Whilst recognising the challenges South Holland District Council faces to present a balanced budget for 2026/27, options to reduce the maximum level of Council Tax Support are not being considered for 2026/27 due to the impact this would have on working age claimant households.

Reasons for decisions:

·         To agree consultation proposals for the local Council Tax Support scheme, 2026/27).

Note:         (i)      No other business is permitted unless by reason of special circumstances, which shall be specified in the Minutes, the Leader is of the opinion that the item(s) should be considered as a matter of urgency. 

(ii)     Any urgent item of business that is a key decision must be dealt with in accordance with the Constitution’s Access to Information Procedure Rules.

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