No apologies were received.

At this point in the meeting, Members were invited to declare any relevant interests.

Declarations were made as follows:

Councillor Jill Makinson-Sanders requested it be noted that she was on the Board of Directors for PSPS Limited.

Councillor Fiona Martin requested it be noted that she was a landowner in the Horncastle conservation area.

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on Tuesday 2 September 2025.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 2 September 2025 were agreed as a correct record.

Actions from the previous Overview Committee Meeting.

Members noted that the following Actions were now complete.

Actions from the Meeting held on 3^rd September 2025 Action No. 39 (a) (b) (c) (d), 45 (a) (c) (d), 47 (a) and (c) – completed.

Actions from the Meeting held on 17^th June 2025 Action No. 10, 14 and 16 – completed.

Comments were received as follows:

• In reference to the outstanding Actions, a Member queried the reasons that updates had not been received in advance of the Meeting.  In response, the Chairman advised Members that following a discussion at the Overview Committee Pre-Meeting on Friday 10^th October 2025, the Assistant Director (Corporate) had given his assurance that more timely responses from officers would be sought in future. 

Action No. 37 – ‘Actions – Section 106 Agreements Update’ from the Meeting held on 3^rd September 2025, page 53 of the Agenda refers.

An update to Action No. 37 was tabled at the Meeting and is attached at Appendix A1 to the Actions.

The Chairman advised Members that the Action would be marked as outstanding for further follow-up and monitoring.

• A Member highlighted concerns following news that the Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) was going to be divided and merged with Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. 

Members noted that an update for Actions No. 39 c), d), e) and 47 b) was tabled at the Meeting and which is attached at Appendix A2 to the Actions.

Action No. 39 (d) – ‘Update on Cultural and Town Boards’ – ‘Members to receive a copy of the Action Plan for Vital and Viable’ from the Meeting held on 3^rd September 2025, page 53 of the Agenda refers.

• In reference to the Vital and Viable Action Plan, a Member highlighted concerns with the purpose of having an Action Plan in such circumstances where achievements had not been observable.

• A Member highlighted concerns with only one officer being assigned to promoting tourism in East Lindsey district.

At this point in the Meeting Councillor Jill Makinson-Sanders requested it be noted that she was on the Board of Directors for PSPS Limited.

• The Chairman advised Members that she was happy for the Committee’s comments to be passed to the relevant officers for responses after the meeting.

Action No. 47 (b) – ‘Executive / Forward Plan’ – ‘Members requested clarification on the ways in which Leicestershire is working with East Lindsey to promote tourism in Lincolnshire’ – from the Meeting held on 3^rd September 2025, page 55 of the Agenda refers.

• A Member expressed dissatisfaction with the response provided in relation to the ways that East Lindsey was working with Leicestershire.  In response the Chairman confirmed that further and more relevant information would be requested.

Action No. 45 (a) – ‘Quarter 1 25/26 Performance Report’ – ‘In reference to Percentage of fly-tips collected within 5 working days of being reported and missing commentary’ from the Meeting held on 3^rd September 2025, page 54 of the Agenda refers.

• A Member commented on the conflicting  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.

To receive a report from the Chief Executive, PSPS Limited.

The Chairman welcomed Lewis Duckett, Chief Executive (PSPS) and Sam Knowles, Chief Finance Officer (PSPS) who were in attendance to deliver a verbal update on the Transformation Programme.

Members were advised that a year had passed since PSPS had presented the Public Sector Partnership Services (PSPS) Business Plan 2025 to 2027 and the Council/PSPS transformation and service modernisation programme to the Committee.

Lewis Duckett, Chief Executive (PSPS Limited) explained to Members that PSPS who was a Local Authority Trading Company (LATCO) was required to bring forward a business plan covering a three-year period alongside developing a transformation plan to deliver efficiencies, improvements and innovation.

Members were advised that the last business plan had received approval from two out of the three Partnership Councils and that more recently Boston Borough Council had given its support to partake in the ongoing transformation plan.

Members were provided with an overview of the following:

• PSPS was currently on track with delivering year one of programmed projects
• The income management project had been completed early which had delivered savings of approximately £135,000
• Work was being undertaken on the Unit4 finance system with cloud migration of the system completed in March 2025
• Work was being undertaken on options for HR and payroll systems with a programme of work expected to be finalised within the next 3 months
• Proof of concept (POC) projects were being undertaken outside of the original transformation plan in line with advancements in technology
• PSPS were 6 months into using robotics across the Revenues and Benefits service to automate claims from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and to increase staff capacity
• The next Transformation Board was taking place on 22^nd October 2025 with representatives from all 3 Councils to receive proposals for projects for 2026 and 2027

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward:

• A Member queried the scalability of the transformation plan in relation to Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).

N.B Councillor Dick Edginton left the Meeting at 10.26am.

In response, the Chief Executive (PSPS Limited) explained to Members that the transformation programme had been developed prior to LGR being proposed, and that greater scalability and operability had been intended regardless of which council would be delivering any projects.  Members were advised that the impact of LGR had been that some decisions had needed to be made earlier in relation to contracts with suppliers and systems, including commitments to platforms due to the variety of systems in operation across Lincolnshire alone.  Members were further advised that soft market tests were being undertaken to understand the systems operated by neighbouring councils and to determine what services and functionalities may need to be delivered.

• A Member sought clarification on the top perceived opportunities in relation to LGR.  In response, the Chief Executive (PSPS Limited) explained to Members that the Council had operated a LATCO for 15 years to deliver all of its current services with the exception of procurement, and that the company had significantly invested in technology and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

To receive a report from the Assistant Director, Communities and Housing Services.

The Chairman welcomed Jon Challen (Safer Communities Service Manager) to present the Crime and Disorder Report, pages 59 to 126 of the Agenda refer.

The Safer Communities Service Manager further introduced Peter Hunn (Safer Communities Manager – Operations), Sarah Cocker (Community Safety Partnership Officer), Dee Bedford (Safer Communities Manager - Partnership Delivery) and Inspector Evans from the Lincolnshire Police.

N.B Councillor Alex Hall left the Meeting at 10.47am.

Members were advised that the report provided an overview of the work undertaken by the South & East Lincolnshire Community Safety Partnership at a local level and the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership at County level including information on Anti-Social Behaviour enforcement activity in East Lindsey.

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

• Councillor Graham Marsh, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Leisure and Culture, and Carbon Reduction explained to Members that the crime strategy had evolved from a time when each division and area had its own local crime group and that he was proud of the work undertaken by the Council to focus on issues that were unique to East Lindsey district.

• A Member commented in support of the measures being taken to address domestic abuse and requested more information be made available in relation to Male Victims Awareness Day, page 63 of the Agenda refers.  In response, Sarah Cocker (Community Safety Partnership Officer) advised Members that significant work had been undertaken in relation to domestic abuse across the Partnership which included working towards obtaining the domestic abuse housing accreditation and successful outcomes had been achieved where officers had supported customers who had experienced domestic abuse.

N.B Councillor Alex Hall returned to the Meeting at 10.49am.

• A Member highlighted the differences in the quantity of information that was being reported to the Overview Committee compared to reports that were presented to Full Council.

• A Member further commented that the reports included at Appendices 1 to 5 appeared to be disconnected from each other and did not demonstrate how the different organisations were working together.  In response, the Safer Communities Service Manager assured Members that the reports and strategy moving forward aimed to demonstrate the ways in which everyone was working together across the three Councils and with wider partners.

• A Member stressed the importance of version control measures being observable on reports to ensure consistency and traceability.  In response, Councillor Graham Marsh, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Leisure and Culture, and Carbon Reduction explained to Members that a version had not been included for the South and East Lincolnshire Community Safety Strategy 2025-2028 as the report was the first version of the document.

• A Member commented that it was beneficial for the Council to maintain good relationships with Lincolnshire Police.

• In reference to the White Ribbon Day/16 days of action campaign for the safety of women and girls, a Member expressed her disappointment that neither of the Council’s two White Ribbon Ambassadors had been given a white ribbon pin badge or been invited to the Ambassador’s Days, page 87 of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.

To receive a report from the Director of Economic Development.

The Chairman welcomed Emilie Wales, Heritage Manager, Councillor Wendy Bowkett as the Council’s Heritage Champion and Councillor Tom Ashton as the Portfolio Holder for Planning to provide Members with the conservation area appraisals update.

Members were provided with a presentation that highlighted the following:

• Work underway
• Conservation Areas
• Management Plan
• Consultation
• SELCP Design Guide

A copy of the presentation can be viewed at the weblink below:

Item 7 - Heritage Update Conservation Area Appraisals Presentation

At this point in the Meeting the Chairman declared an interest due to owning land that was in the Horncastle conservation area.

The Heritage Manager further highlighted the progress made by the conservation team and informed the Committee of the new email address that had been created for conservation advice which was noted as conservation.advice@e-lindsey.gov.uk.

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

• Councillor Wendy Bowkett as the Council’s Heritage Champion thanked the conservation team for all their hard work and commented on the benefits of the extension of the conservation area in Wainfleet and the value of the online Design Guide.

• Councillor Tom Ashton, Portfolio Holder for Planning highlighted to the Committee that local protections were vital, particularly when the planning system primarily focused on location rather than the design.  Councillor Ashton further spoke in support of the good work undertaken by the Heritage team and in producing the Design Guide.

• The Chairman advised Members that Horncastle had received funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to improve buildings and shop fronts in the conservation area. 

• Pranali Parikh, Director for Economic Development explained to Members that the Design Guide was aimed to inform what could be achieved to enhance areas rather than to document and note any restrictions.

• A Member highlighted concerns with the archaeological contract moving from Heritage Lincolnshire to Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) to align with SHDC and queried why this was being pursued with impending LGR.

• A Member expressed disappointment that LCC had been willing to sell off heritage assets.

• A Member welcomed the work being undertaken to protect local areas.

• The Chairman commented in support of the Council’s efforts to re-establish a larger conservation team.

• A Member highlighted the challenges faced by Louth and stressed the need for support of the conservation for the town’s historic buildings.  In response, the Heritage Manager assured Members that Louth was on the list of areas for future consideration.

• A Member further highlighted the discrepancies with having a design guide where buildings in the south of the county had very different characteristics to buildings in the north.

• Councillor Graham Marsh, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Leisure and Culture, and Carbon Reduction further clarified to Members that the list of areas was not limited to East Lindsey and included areas within the South and East Lincolnshire Council’s Partnership (SELCP).  Members were further advised that heritage areas should be regarded as an asset, provided that they were used and enforced correctly.

• Councillor Tom Ashton, Portfolio Holder for Planning appreciated Members’ concerns in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.

To receive a report from the Deputy Chief Executive, Programme Delivery.

The Chairman welcomed Adrian Sibley, Deputy Chief Executive, Programme Delivery to provide Members with a Towns Fund Projects Update.

A copy of the presentation can be viewed at the weblink below:

Item 8 - Towns Fund Projects Update Presentation

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward in relation to the following projects:

Sutton on Sea Colonnade

The Deputy Chief Executive, Programme Delivery advised Members that the Sutton on Sea Colonnade had successfully attracted between 20,000 and 30,000 visitors since its opening at the end of July 2025.

N.B Councillor Alex Hall left the Meeting at 11.56am.

• The Chairman commented on concerns raised at the Full Council Meeting on 8^th October 2025 in relation to responsibilities for running and managing the rest of the Colonnade, excluding the café.    In response, the Deputy Chief Executive, Programme Delivery confirmed to Members that Council had gone to the market twice to secure an operator, and that uptake had been slow due to the lack of interest in attracting commercial outlets to the east coast.   Members were advised that the Council had run the Colonnade on a temporary basis in order to allow time to secure a full operator lease.

N.B Councillor Alex Hall returned to the Meeting at 11.58am.

·         A Member highlighted an issue with the Colonnade balcony being locked and visitors being unable to enjoy the views.  In response, the Deputy Chief Executive, Programme Delivery explained to Members that one side of the building was not intended for public access and that the balcony should be accessible unless a health and safety issue had been identified.  A Member further commented that the issue relating to balcony access was believed to be related to the size of gravel installed in a drainage channel.  In response, the Deputy Chief Executive, Programme Delivery assured Members that further clarification would be obtained.

• A Member further highlighted the limitations of the Colonnade building where art had been unable to be displayed on the walls during an art exhibition.

• A Member requested information on the business case and the ongoing costs to the Council.  In response, the Deputy Chief Executive, Programme Delivery assured Members that current discussions with the preferred bidder would mean that there were no costs to the Council for operating the facility.

• A Member queried the purpose of the operator bids and whether overspends were accounted for.  In response, the Deputy Chief Executive, Programme Delivery explained to Members that the bids would be to run the entire facility.  Members were further assured that there was no expected cost to the tax-payer and that the only costs to the Council would be for works outside of the building and grounds maintenance.  The Deputy Chief Executive, Programme Delivery concluded that a £20m overspend had been incurred against an overall budget of £48m.

• A Member queried the ownership of the old beach huts and future plans for the derelict land, and the justification for the spend to tarmac the carpark.  In relation to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57.

To receive a report from the Director of Economic Development.

The Chairman invited Pranali Parikh, Director of Economic Development to provide Members with a presentation on the East Lindsey Investment Fund.

A copy of the presentation can be viewed at the weblink below:

Item 9 - East Lindsey Investment Fund Presentation

Members were provided with an overview of the following:

• A breakdown of the four key priority themes for the allocation of £10m from the corporate priorities reserve to support activities across the district for the next 2 years
• An overview of spending approvals
• An overview of activities to date including Grant Schemes, Community Development, Tourism and Events and Business Support

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

• A Member queried the definition of a ‘welcoming gateway’ for car parks and the number of these that could be created for £1m.  In response, the Director of Economic Development explained to Members that a welcoming gateway related to examining the Council’s assets which included carparks to make them welcoming and attractive.  Members were further advised that welcoming gateways were the first point of entry for people and that this included provisions for surfacing, lighting, signage and displaying promotional information to anyone who utilised the space.

• A Member commented that £1m was a lot of money and highlighted a lack of communication as Members had been previously unaware of the initiative for welcoming gateways.  In response, the Chairman supported the value of presentations coming forward to Overview Committee to give Members the opportunity to learn new information.

• The Chairman highlighted the need for information to be distributed in the Members’ Point Brief and queried whether regular updates had already been provided to all Members.  In response, the Director of Economic Development advised Members that updates were provided when work was commencing, when work was close to completion or when funding was being made available.  Members were further advised that awareness of the work in relation to the creation of welcoming gateways in car parks had not been communicated previously as work had not commenced.

• A Member commented that Members had not been kept informed in relation to car parks.  In response, the Director of Economic Development assured the Committee that Members’ concerns would be relayed to the Assistant Director, General Fund Assets and that more joined up working would be undertaken in future to improve communication.

• A Member highlighted issues with car parking signage in Tattershall.  In response another Member encouraged that any concerns in relation to car parking signage could be referred to the current Scrutiny Panel.

• The Chairman further highlighted issues with signage in Horncastle and explained that a signage audit was under consideration.  In response, the Scrutiny and Policy Officer advised Members that the team leader from lines and signs at Lincolnshire County Council was attending the Car Parking Scrutiny Panel meeting on 27^th October 2025.

• A Member commented that two village halls in her ward were without internet capabilities and queried the availability of funding.  In response, the Director of Economic Development encouraged Members  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58.

To receive a report from the Director of Economic Development.

The Chairman invited Pranali Parikh, Director of Economic Development and Councillor Tom Ashton, Portfolio Holder for Planning to provide Members with the Annual Update on Enforcement and Caravan Recommendations.

A copy of the presentation can be viewed at the weblink below:

Item 10 - Update on Enforcement Unauthorised Caravan Occupancy Presentation

Members were advised that positive progress had been made on all of the recommendations and that a multi-agency stakeholders task group had been established.

Councillor Tom Ashton, Portfolio Holder for Planning provided thanks to the Director of Economic Development and the Enforcement Service Manager for progress made with recruitment to the new caravan enforcement roles.  Members were advised that following discussions with colleagues and the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to make the case for additional funding, the challenge was to sustain the funding for a longer period than one year.  Councillor Ashton explained that the Council was looking to sustain the roles and that working together would ensure the best visitor experience for those who wished to visit the area and to support those that were vulnerable.  In response, the Chairman commented in support of the intension to extend the posts.

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

• A Member sought clarification on the title of the presentation provided as ‘unauthorised caravan occupancy’.  In response, the Chairman clarified to Members that the title of the report was related to recommendations following scrutiny panel work from two years previous and that the current update focused on the wider recommendations that were included in the recommendation tracker.

N.B Councillor Claire Arnold left the Meeting at 13.23pm.

• In follow up, the Director of Economic Development advised Members that all of the recommendations had been actioned and that the focus of the update had been on the two overdue actions that had not been completed.

• A Member commented on the longstanding concerns that the Council had not addressed issues with unauthorised caravan occupancy for 40 years and further highlighted the need to consider the wider risks to human safety including an increase in caravan fires and inland flood risks.  In response, the Chairman commented that in her experience internal drainage boards had been more effective than the Environment Agency for addressing flooding challenges, particularly in relation to in-land flooding.

N.B Councillor Claire Arnold returned to the Meeting at 13.29pm.

• Councillor Tom Ashton, Portfolio Holder for Planning assured Members that the Council took recruitment very seriously and that additional recruitment to the enforcement team for work in relation to caravans would be invaluable.  Members were advised that it was critical to ensure caravan occupants safety which was the reason that seasonal occupancy restrictions had been applied.  Councillor Ashton concluded that East Lindsey district had a twofold flood risk both in relation to rainfall and internal drainage, and had the greatest challenge in terms of flood risk from the sea defences on the coast where the impact on caravan occupancy could be greater than any other area of the country.

• Councillor Graham  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.

To receive a report from the Assistant Director, Communities and Housing Services.

The Chairman welcomed David Postle (Wellbeing Service Manager and Deputy Strategic Safeguarding Lead) to present the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership (SELCP) Safeguarding Policy, pages 127 to 156 of the Agenda refer.

Members were advised that a new Safeguarding Policy covering all three councils in the SELCP was intended to create a joined-up approach to safeguarding that was clear to residents, officers and councillors and to ensure a clear understanding of the Councils responsibilities under the Children Act 1989 and the Care Act 2014.

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

• A Member highlighted the need for consistency in the formatting of reports across the three Councils and queried whether a version control page would be added to the new policy, and whether it was recommended practice to include the name of officers in the report rather than job title.  In response, the Wellbeing Service Manager and Deputy Strategic Safeguarding Lead advised Members that a version control page was being added following feedback from the other Partnership Councils.  In further response, Emily Spicer, Assistant Director, Communities and Housing Services explained to Members that the rationale for including the name of individual officers had been due to a preference in relation to the sensitive nature of any discussions.

• A Member further commented that it was generally accepted practice for policies and procedures to have titles and roles listed and a separate appendix sheet with the names of officers.

• A Member supported the recommendation that individual officer names were included in the policy for easier approachability.

• A Member queried whether Councillors received annual safeguarding training.  In response, the Wellbeing Service Manager and Deputy Strategic Safeguarding Lead advised Members that an e-learning programme provided by Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) would be rolled out through the Partnership’s First4HR system and made available to officers and Members.

N.B Councillor Graham Marsh, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Leisure and Culture, and Carbon Reduction left the Meeting at 13.42pm.

• A Member queried what measures would be in place to ensure that safeguarding training was completed.  In response, the Wellbeing Service Manager and Deputy Strategic Safeguarding Lead advised Members that safeguarding was a statutory responsibility, and that awareness training would be trackable for audit purposes and for monitoring by service managers.

• The Chairman queried whether there was a mechanism in place to make safeguarding training mandatory for councillors, and who was responsible for tracking progress.  In response, the Wellbeing Service Manager and Deputy Strategic Safeguarding Lead advised Members that the training was already classed as mandatory, and liaison would be undertaken with PSPS who managed the First4HR system to track participants.  Members were assured that greater joined up working would be undertaken following the appointment of a safeguarding officer across the Partnership.

• A Member queried whether there had been an increase in safeguarding reports.  In response, the Wellbeing Service Manager and Deputy Strategic Safeguarding Lead advised Members that significant increases had not been observed, however it was highlighted that all reported cases were not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60.

To receive a report from the Housing and Homelessness Manager.

The Chairman welcomed Tom Marsters, Housing and Homelessness Manager, Carol Rippin, Team Leader (Rough Sleeping Prevention) and Councillor William Gray, Portfolio Holder for Communities and Better Ageing to present Members with the Rough Sleeping Intervention Team Annual Report 2024 - 25, pages 157 to 168 of the Agenda refer.

Members were provided with an overview of the following:

• An introduction to the Rough Sleeping Intervention Team
• Accommodation initiatives and housing demand
• Outcomes, support needs and partnerships
• Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (S.W.E.P)
• Challenges and what is happening for 2025-26
• New staff structure and floating support officers
• Rough Sleeping Team statistics since April 2025

A copy of the presentation can be viewed at the weblink below:

Item 12 - Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Team Presentation

N.B Emily Spicer Assistant Director, Communities and Housing Services left the Meeting at 13.59pm.

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

• The Chairman commented in support of the report and highlighted a perceived increase in rough sleepers in Horncastle.  In response, the Team Leader (Rough Sleeping Prevention) explained to Members that leaflets had been created in efforts to inform others of the support available.

• The Chairman commented further on the efforts of people who had attempted to assist rough sleepers rather than referring them to the Council.  In response, the Housing and Homelessness Manager explained to Members that the Council intended to introduce a volunteer charter for the tertiary sector to demonstrate how the Council can work with them to help and support others.

• A Member spoke in support of the report and acknowledged the work undertaken by the Rough Sleeping Intervention Team to reach out and help save people’s lives.

• Councillor William Gray, Portfolio Holder for Communities and Better Ageing praised the work undertaken by the Rough Sleeping Intervention Team and advised Members that the report provided an effective and independent view of what was happening, together with the Council’s plans for the future to focus on the most vulnerable people in our communities.

• A Member queried the difference between referrals received and individuals verified.  In response, the Team Leader (Rough Sleeping Prevention) explained to Members that referrals could be for the same person who went in and out of accommodation numerous times whereas individuals verified identified specific individuals.

• A Member queried whether inter-agency collaboration was undertaken to help locate and track people.  In response, the Team Leader (Rough Sleeping Prevention) explained to Members that it was not possible to know where individuals were going and that relationships with other Councils were maintained to assist with identifying people coming into an area.

• A Member queried whether contact information could be made available for people who were struggling to get help and support with accommodation.  In response, the Housing and Homelessness Manager advised the Committee that people can be signposted to the East Lindsey District Council Housing Options Team which was led by Jason Oxby, Group Manager Housing Services.

• A Member queried whether mental health support was provided for people experiencing homelessness. In  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.

To receive a report from the Group Manager, Organisational Development.

The Chairman welcomed Rachel Robinson, Group Manager (Organisational Development) to present the Review of HR Policies, pages 169 to 198 of the Agenda refer.

Members were advised that HR policies required regular review to ensure they were within the legal framework and reflected best practice.  The report brought forward the Pensions & Pensions Discretions Policy for review.

The Group Manager (Organisational Development) advised Members that the policy has been developed by Public Sector Partnership Services, as the Councils’ HR provider; with input from a Readers’ Panel consisting of Officers and Trade Union Representatives (Local and Regional), and that  the Readers’ Panel had confirmed that operationally the policy was practical to implement.

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

• A Member queried whether joining the Council’s pension scheme was discretionary.  In response, the Group Manager (Organisational Development) explained to Members that employees were automatically enrolled in the pension scheme to encourage people to protect their futures and retained the ability to opt out of the scheme.

• A Member commented in support of the benefits for employees participating in the local government pension scheme and expressed concerns in relation to taxes on pensions.

• A Member queried whether HR would directly approach employees that were approaching retirement age.  In response, the Group Manager (Organisational Development) explained to Members that HR did not actively make contact with individuals and that the Council’s previous policy had a discretion statement that was silent on other alternatives for taking pensions which was intended to be rectified.  Members were assured that better information would be provided on retirement planning by working with the West Yorkshire Pension Fund (WYPF).

• A Member commented in support of Members receiving an update from the WYPF.

• The Chairman commented on the local government pension fund that was available for elected Members.  In response, the Group Manager (Organisational Development) advised Members that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) had launched a consultation until 22^nd December 2025 in relation to pensions for Members.  The Group Manager (Organisational Development)  advised Members that additional information would be provided to all Councillor’s in the Members’ Point Brief.

• A Member spoke in support of the report being well written and concise.

• A Member queried who was responsible for making decisions on when discretions were agreed and the way to ensure that consistency was maintained in similar cases.  In response, the Group Manager (Organisational Development) advised Members that HR was involved in the request which could stem from recommendations from Assistant Directors.  Members were assured that there would be no impact on service delivery and that the final decision was held by the Head of Paid Service and the Section 151 Officer.  Members were assured that records of decisions would be maintained and monitored to ensure consistent decisions were made across the Partnership.

• A Member queried whether the subjects of the process could remain anonymous.  In response, the Group Manager (Organisational Development) explained to Members that while anonymity was possible, the level of information  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

To receive a verbal update from the Business Intelligence and Change Manager.

The Chairman welcomed Corey Gooch, Business Intelligence and Change Manager who was in attendance virtually to provide Members with an update on the Artificial Intelligence Policy (AI).

Members were provided with an overview of the following:

• AI in ELDC and the wider Partnership
• Operational application and efficiency gains
• Teams supporting AI
• Next steps

A copy of the presentation can be viewed at the weblink below:

Item 14 - Artificial Intelligence Update Presentation

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

• A Member queried whether AI technology could be utilised by the Democratic Services Officer to write the minutes of a meeting.  In response, the Business Intelligence and Change Manager explained to the Committee that all Members of staff had access to Copilot.  The Democratic Services Officer further advised that testing of Copilot to write meeting minutes had been undertaken and that it was currently proving more successful on shorter sets of minutes and had the ability to remove general ‘chit chat’ from the discussion and focus on key points.

In follow-up, the Business Intelligence and Change Manager supported that each Council had its own style and format for writing minutes and that the challenge was to teach Copilot how to draft minutes from recorded transcripts in the required style through asking the right questions.

• A Member queried whether there was a reason that Copilot had been chosen over Chat GPT.  In response, the Business Intelligence and Change Manager explained to Members that Copilot sat under the Microsoft group and had financial and security benefits from being part of current systems rather than using an external provider.  Members were further advised that Microsoft had greater data compliance elements due to being part of the same system as the Council’s email service whereas Chat GPT had listening elements.

The Business Intelligence and Change Manager provided reassurance to Members that AI technology such as Copilot was assisting with Democratic Services and Executive Assistant teams’ as appropriate..

• A Member highlighted a past request to bring young people from Universities into the Council to assist with advances in AI technology to save money. In response, the Business Intelligence and Change Manager advised Members that the Council needed to be ahead of the curve in relation to AI and fully supported examining ways to utilise university students.

• A Member commented that it was unacceptable that minutes from Portfolio Holder Meetings could not be provided as they had been in the past and queried the need for a more adequate response.

• A Member queried whether there had been money set aside in the budget for developing and utilising AI technology. In response, the Business Intelligence and Change Manager advised Members that more information would be obtained and brought back to the Committee.  Members were further advised that the technology budget could be utilised for AI and that more staff had been trialling the features and capability of Microsoft Copilot.

• A Member queried ELDC’s progress with AI implementation and utilisation compared to other Councils.  In response,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63.

To receive a report from the Outside Body Appointee.

The Chairman referred Members to the briefing papers from Councillor Jill Makinson-Sanders, the Outside Body Appointee to the Health Scrutiny Committee (HSC) for Lincolnshire following its Meeting held on 10th September 2025, pages 199 to 202 of the Agenda refer.

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

• The Outside Body Appointee highlighted concerns coming forward following LGR meetings where areas would be based around health clusters.  In response, the Chairman supported that there was currently a lack of knowledge surrounding health clusters.

• The Scrutiny and Policy Officer advised Members that the LGR meetings were publicly recorded and notes of all questions and answers were maintained.

No further comments or questions were received.

The Chairman thanked the Outside Body Appointee for her valuable contribution on reporting back from the HSC.

To receive a written update.

The Chairman referred Members to the briefing paper, Pages 203 to 204 of the Agenda refer.

Members were advised that the panel held its first meeting on 20th May 2025 and had further meetings on 30th June 2025, 28th July 2025 and 8th September 2025.  Two further meetings had been scheduled with the payment machine provider for 13th October 2025 and with Lincolnshire County Council on 27th October 2025 to discuss lines and signs.

A Member highlighted that the panel would be looking at a range of issues in addition to car parking charges.

To receive a written update.

The Chairman referred Members to the briefing paper, pages 205 to 206 of the Agenda refer.

Members were advised that a call for members for the panel has been advertised in Members’ Point Brief a number of times and a direct email had been sent from the Scrutiny and Policy Officer. The panel currently had seven Members with work expected to commence shortly.

A Member queried the status of the Member development panel.  In response, the Scrutiny and Policy Officer explained to Members that a questionnaire had been agreed in place of a formal panel and that the questionnaire had been delayed.  The Chairman confirmed that results of the questionnaire was intended to be presented to the December 2025 Overview Committee Meeting.

A Member further queried the reasons for the delay.  In response, the Scrutiny and Policy Officer advised Members that input from Councillor Tom Ashton as the proposer of the Scrutiny topic had been obtained and that he had suggested further ways to support greater Member development which would be brought back to the next Meeting for discussion.

No further comments or questions were received.

To note the Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Tracker.

Members were referred to the Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Tracker, pages 207 to 234 of the Agenda refer.

Members were invited to review the tracker and put their comments and questions forward.

The Chairman sought clarification whether the Committee was in favour of removing the recommendations that were marked as green on the tracker.

Sutton on Sea Colonnade Project

Recommendation No 4 ‘Explore opportunities with universities and museum services to develop the exhibition, page 207 of the Agenda refers.

·         A Member commented that developing the exhibition space at the Sutton on Sea Colonnade had not occurred and the recommendation remained no longer relevant.  In response, the Scrutiny and Policy Officer sought Members guidance to keep the recommendation on the tracker until circumstances changed.

Recommendation No 5 ‘Include more soft landscaping in the final design’, page 209 of the Agenda refers.

• A Member commented that there had been no relations formed between the Council and the local gardening group as the relationship had broken down.   In response, the Scrutiny and Policy Officer advised Members that a request for a written update would be made to Richard Hodgson (Assistant Director, Strategic Projects). 

How can ELDC help improve the design, quality, and choice of new and existing housing in the district?

• In reference to recommendations 2, 4 and 5 in relation to approaches that would be part of the Local Plan, a Member queried whether the recommendations were being referred to the Planning Policy Committee, page 218 to 220 of the Agenda refers.   In response, the Scrutiny and Policy Officer advised Members that some of the items would be presented to Planning Policy Committee and confirmed the date of the next Meeting as 20th October 2025.

To review the running of Invest East Lindsey Limited, with a particular focus on Kingfisher Caravan Park.

• In reference to Recommendation No 1 in relation to Kingfisher Caravan Park, a Member sought clarification on the date of the court case, pages 227 to 231 of the Agenda refer.  In response, the Scrutiny and Policy Officer confirmed that an update would be sought from Andy Fisher, Assistant Director (General Fund Assets).

No further comments or questions were received.

Following which it was,

RESOLVED:

That the Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Tracker be noted.

To receive a copy of the Executive/Council Forward Plan.

Members were presented with the Executive/Council Forward Plan 2025-26 and were invited for their comments, pages 235 to 250 of the Agenda refer.

In reference to the item for the approval of the award and spend of funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, a Member queried the name of the Deputy Chief Executive responsible for making the decision, page 235 of the Agenda refers.  In response, the Scrutiny and Policy Officer confirmed that the request would be noted as an Action.

Following which it was,

RESOLVED:

That the Executive/Council Forward Plan 2025-26 be noted.

To consider the Overview Committee Work Programme 2025/26.

Members were presented with the Overview Committee Work Programme 2025/26, pages 251 to 258 of the Agenda refer.

The Chairman advised that past meetings would be removed from the Committee Work Programme for future Agendas.

Following which it was,

RESOLVED:

That the Overview Committee Work Programme 2025/26 be noted.

The programmed date for the next Meeting of this Committee is 9 December 2025.

The programmed date for the next Meeting of this Committee is 9 December 2025.