Agenda and minutes

(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.

To allocate and authorise the use of a budget for the development of a final plan to Government (report of the Assistant Director – Corporate).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director Corporate which requested allocation and authorisation of the use of a budget for the development of a final plan (Local Government Re-organisation) to Government.

The Leader presented the report and provided an overview of the proposals that had been put forward by SHDC and other local authorities, and this was detailed further within the report, along with reasons for the requested budget.  The Leader also advised that it was possible that some Government funding could also be forthcoming and the full amount of £175,000 being requested may not be required, but it was important to get funding in place should it be required.    .

Consideration was given to the report, and the following issues were raised:

·         This was a good chance to shape what a future unitary should look like, and a partnership with North Kesteven and South Kesteven should reap further rewards.

·         Why was there no mention of any area within South Holland at paragraph 4.3 (Criteria 4) of the proposals attached at Appendix A?

o   Paragraph 4.3 focussed on the north of the County however, rural areas of the County were very different to the northern part of Lincolnshire.  It was important to look at what was done in the more rural areas of Lincolnshire, spending time and money looking at the data around this.  It was also important to consider the balance of deprivation in the east as opposed to the west of the County.

·         Could there be a detrimental effect in potentially splitting East Lindsey in half?  The north of the district generated more revenue with the south bringing more costs.

o   Reassurance was provided that there was no proposal to split East Lindsey.

·         Paragraph 6.3 (Criteria 6) of the proposals at Appendix A referred to community engagement – at what stage would Parish Council involvement occur?   There were concerns with regard to responsibilities filtering down either with or without finance. 

o   LALC was a main stakeholder and liaison with them had already been set in motion.  Parish Councils were an important part of the process and it was important to ensure that they were adequately funded for any additional responsibilities that would potentially arise, although it was still too early to say what these could be.   The Leader also advised that he would attempt to liaise with all Parish Councils to find out their concerns. 

·         Paragraph 2.7 of the covering report stated that the budget of £175,000 may be supplemented by contributions from other Councils – would additional monies be coming forward from other Councils?
Members were advised that ELDC’s  Executive Board would meet tomorrow evening and it was the  intention that ELDC would also be contributing £175,000.

·         It was stated that contractors would be required as there were insufficient skills/expertise held by existing staff.  What confidence was there that  there was sufficient skill to monitor the contractors themselves?

o   Members were advised that a broad range of skills was required to move the proposals  ...  view the full minutes text for item 93.