Agenda and minutes

To sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 26 April 2022 (copy enclosed). 

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 April 2022 were agreed and signed by the Leader.

(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 present the Task Group’s Final Report for consideration (report of the South Holland Centre Task Group enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the South Holland Centre (SHC) Task Group which presented the Task Group’s final report for consideration.

The Chairman of the Task Group, Councillor B Alcock introduced the report and noted a small error on page 23 of the report which stated that there was 5 members of the Task Group – there had been 6 members with one co-optee. He advised that the Task Group had been set up after the Centre had been closed for a long time due to the Covid pandemic, had no manager in post and an audience that was nervous to return to the venue following Covid. At the present time, the Centre was back in business. Councillor Alcock apologised for the delay in bringing the Task Group’s report to Cabinet and stated that this had been due to the sudden loss of the food and drink provision within the Centre in April.

Councillor Alcock advised that the Task Group had felt the facility had a wider role to play in the wellbeing of the district. He stressed the importance of the cultural role the Centre played, which gave a challenge in terms of how to improve the reach of the Centre.

He added that there had been encouraging signs that new ideas were available across the partnership and the feedback received from external professionals was positive.

The facility may not be able to avoid some public financial support, but the aim should be to continue to minimise the subsidy required.

Councillor Alcock advised that the five main recommendations of the Task Group would help to move the Centre forward and the sub-recommendations clarified in more detail as to how those main recommendations could be implemented.

He thanked all of the Task Group members and officers who had provided information and support to the group to assist with their work.

The following points were raised by those present:

• Members thanked the Task Group for their comprehensive report and for the time taken to produce the report.
• The Portfolio Holder for Communities and Facilities highlighted the following points:
  • Some of the conclusions made within the report had already been addressed and work had been ongoing at the Centre since it’s re-opening.
  • The staffing restructure agreed at Council in July 2021 was needed as the previous model was unsustainable - a new Manager had been appointed in December 2021, and the new structure and the team was working well in a challenging environment.
  • There had been a phased re-opening of the Centre in an uncertain Covid recovery period and the Manager was investigating commercial opportunities in light of rising utility costs and the increased cost of living for residents, which could impact on their ability to visit the Centre.
  • Function Hall hire had increased in recent weeks, and it was pleasing that audience numbers for films and shows were also starting to increase.
  • Plans for the Centre were flexible and box office opening hours had been extended  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To consider the updated Safeguarding Policy and Procedures (report of the Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Community enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Community Leadership which sought to approve the updated Safeguarding Policy and Procedures.

The Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing, Conservation and Heritage introduced the report stating that Safeguarding covered a broad range of topics and to safeguard residents, there needed to be collaboration with other statutory services including adult social care, children’s social care and Lincolnshire Police.

Agencies worked together through countywide strategic partnerships including Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children’s Partnership, Lincolnshire Safeguarding Adults Board and Safer Lincolnshire Partnership. SHDC needed a policy that was clear on the responsibilities for a district council, across services.

The key parts that the policy needed to cover to ensure that the Council was complying with their statutory duties were:

·         Having clear roles and responsibilities

·         Recognising abuse or concerns

·         Using Professional curiosity

·         Being clear on how to report a concern and escalate if needed

·         Recruitment and training

·         Responding to allegations

·         Supporting Staff

·         Audit

·         Appropriate Record Keeping and Information Sharing

The updated policy and procedures had an overarching framework for the Council which covered these areas and supported the Council to fulfil its statutory responsibilities and demonstrate competence and compliance. The policy had been presented to the Policy Development Panel on 24 May 2022 and amendments had been supported.

The following points were raised by those present:

• Hate and Mate crime was very serious as there could potentially be multiple victims over a period. Did the Lincolnshire Safeguarding boards work with similar boards across the borders in Cambridgeshire or Norfolk?
  • Officers confirmed that there can be cross border working for individual cases and that learning and best practice was shared across areas and boards.

• Concern was raised about the public perception of safeguarding - members had experienced frustration from residents who had attempted to report their concerns to  relevant agencies, only to be advised that  relatives needed to be involved for the concern to go any further. There needed to be a lower-level arrangement for residents to be able to raise their concerns about people within their community who did not necessarily need to be referred to social services.

• Members asked whether the Council gave any advice to community groups who had their own safeguarding policies as to what should be included within their procedures.
  • Officers confirmed that community and voluntary groups had their own safeguarding policies and procedures in place following feedback, the Safeguarding Children’s Partnership held regular briefing sessions via Zoom that groups could participate in.
  • It was suggested that it may be pertinent for an All-Member Briefing session to be held to explain to Councillors their duties in relation to safeguarding and how they could raise any concerns they had.

• Members praised horticultural and agricultural businesses within the district who had taken a lead and promoted the issues surrounding modern slavery.

• It was agreed that the public wanted a one stop shop to raise their concerns.

DECISION:

1. That the Safeguarding Policy and Procedures be approved;
2. That the Deputy Chief Executive –  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

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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