Report of the Chairman of Executive Board.

Councillor Leyland, Chairman of Executive Board offered his thanks to Councillor Stan Avison for 23 years’ service to the Council and extended his very best wishes for the future.

The Chairman of Executive Board presented his report, pages 29 to 32 refer.  Further to the update published, Councillor Leyland reflected that it was the last meeting of full council of the current administration and wished to add the following:

·       Consistent with the published report was the Council’s ambition and action to offer support for vulnerable residents, the economy and driving positive change for residents, including challenging social deprivation.

·       Looking to drive the economy with the Economic Growth Team and to succeed with partnership working, the Council had engaged with the government’s Levelling Up Agenda.

·       The Council understood the impact of climate change and how the council needed to operate to meet the targets. 

·       In 2019 the Council observed developing technologies, for example video conferencing. 

·       There were many challenges and issues faced, not least the Covid virus in early March 2020 and putting plans into place for dealing with the possible impacts on residents, businesses and council services and recognising all of the changes as a result of that.

·       Teams across the Council worked tirelessly to help those most affected during the resulting pandemic.  The Economic Development Teams delivered government support to businesses across the district in a very short space of time.  Communities came together and Ward Members organised and facilitated many services to residents and to date continued to take on this role with cost-of-living challenges.  Notably, enquiries for council services remained well above pre-pandemic levels.

·       The Council had seen many benefits of the Partnership with Boston Borough Council and South Holland District Council, having louder voices were collectively better understood and achievements had been recognised in securing national grants and funding.

A further update to the published report was received and is attached at Appendix A to the Minutes.

Following which, questions and comments were put forward:

L G Challenge

Councillor Jackson was pleased to note that the Partnership had hosted the 2023 LG Challenge and welcomed the Partnership’s own challenge ‘How can the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership lead the way for flood resilience in the sub-region, and through innovation maximise the benefit for communities and businesses across all coastal economies’ and asked whether the final proposals from the teams that took part could be made available to Members.  In response, the Chairman of Executive Board advised Members that it was a very worthwhile event and was happy to share that information.

Green Homes Grant

Councillor Jackson further offered her congratulations to the Green Homes Grant Team being shortlisted for the Local Authority Retrofit Programme Category, page 31 of the Agenda refers, however considered that the numbers involved was a fraction of what was actually required.

In response to points raised in relation to the Green Homes Grants, the Chairman of Executive Board stated that the Council would continue to take on the challenges ahead and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 68