To receive a report from the Chairman of Executive Board.

The Leader of the Council presented Members with his report, pages 41 to 46 of the Agenda refer.

Following which, Members were invited to put their questions and comments forward.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

The Leader of the Council advised that an all?Member briefing would be held in early February 2026.

Homelessness Pods in Skegness now operational

A Member reported concerns raised by local homeless individuals regarding the temporary accommodation pods and advised that one person had stated the pods were damp and prone to significant condensation.  He further noted that a homeless gentleman who had recently moved from Mablethorpe to Skegness had expressed feeling vulnerable at the current location, as its visibility made residents easily identifiable, and issues such as car park misuse by ‘boy racers’ contributed to a sense of insecurity.

In relation to the pods and their location, the Leader of the Council explained that the current site was not the location originally preferred by East Lindsey District Council and that a compromise had been required.  He assured Members that the pods and their operation were supported by a comprehensive team providing assistance to some of the most vulnerable individuals in the community.  He noted that, while some negative comments had been reported, the feedback he had received indicated that the pods had generally been well received.

A Member raised further concerns regarding the pods, stating that the provision of a pod alone was not sufficient support for individuals experiencing homelessness.  She emphasised the need to consider whether any of the homeless accommodation was warden?controlled and how the availability of warden?supported spaces could be increased and highlighted that support was essential not only in providing accommodation but also in helping individuals to live safely within it, ensuring they had someone to speak to and access to assistance with any issues that might otherwise lead to vulnerability.

In relation to the pods, the Leader of the Council suggested that a Member briefing may be beneficial to provide a fuller understanding of the wide-ranging support offered to some of the Council’s most vulnerable residents.  He noted that significant officer time, financial investment and partnership working were dedicated to this area.  He stated that, while recent comments might imply otherwise, he wished to assure Members that extensive work was being undertaken within the Portfolio Holder for Housing Communities and Better Ageing and the Portfolio Holder for Partnerships to support vulnerable individuals.

A National Plan to end Homelessness

A Member referred to the Homelessness Scrutiny and the national plan to end homelessness, and queried whether a review could be undertaken to consider how much of the grant funding received from central government could be allocated towards providing warden?supported accommodation for homeless individuals.

In response, the Leader of the Council advised Members that the Council would look into the provision of warden?supported accommodation.  He confirmed that the Council already provided substantial support to vulnerable homeless individuals and continued to work closely with a wide range of partners to ensure that support was as effective as possible.

A Member highlighted that while the national plan to end homelessness was welcomed, its effectiveness was being significantly undermined by the continued freeze on Local Housing Allowance (LHA), which was a key driver of homelessness locally.  He further highlighted that the LHA had been frozen since April 2024, with no indication that it would be unfrozen before April 2026, and that this was negatively impacting homelessness?prevention efforts.  He reported that only a small proportion of properties were affordable to those in receipt of housing benefits, resulting in increased reliance on temporary accommodation and creating severe financial insecurity for low?income households who were forced to bridge the gap between benefit levels and rent costs.  He further noted that the freeze reduced landlord willingness to rent to tenants receiving benefits and risked undermining wider anti?poverty measures.  He stated that, although the Council had achieved some success in alleviating homelessness locally, lifting the freeze would materially support the work of the rough?sleeping teams, and  urged the Leader to use his influence to press for this change.

In response, the Leader of the Council stated that he was willing to examine the implications of the Local Housing Allowance freeze and to consider whether it would be appropriate for the Council to make representations to the Government seeking a change.  He emphasised that the Council already undertook substantial work to support its most vulnerable residents and reiterated his commitment to reviewing the matter and the potential impact of issuing such a letter.

Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse Grant Funding confirmed until 2029

The Leader of the East Lindsey Independent Group asked the Leader of the Council to explain the implications of the Homelessness Prevention Grant being incorporated into the Revenue Support Grant, noting that the brief reference provided had not made the consequences clear.

UK Shared Prosperity and Rural England Prosperity Fund (UKSPF)

A Member referred to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the likelihood of it ending during the year.  He noted the valuable support it had provided to grassroots programmes, including several projects within his ward, and expressed his appreciation for the positive outcomes achieved.  He asked whether there was any indication of how future funding streams might be sourced to replace those currently available, and whether the District Council would consider allocating additional resources, particularly in the light of reduced external funding and the transition towards Local Government Reorganisation to utilise some of its surplus for community benefit.  He was further appreciative that the Councillor Community Grants were being maintained.

In response, the Leader of the Council confirmed that the UKSPF had been highly successful and had delivered significant investment in Louth, which had been welcomed.  He advised that additional funding had already been made available through the East Lindsey Investment Fund and that, subject to budget capacity, the intention was to continue this approach and allocate a substantial sum to ensure that the positive work supported by the Fund could continue.  He emphasised that throughout the Local Government Reorganisation process, the Council had been committed to remaining fully effective and high?performing, and that its strong financial management would continue to ensure that communities and residents benefited from its resources.

District Council’s Network (DCN)

The Leader of the East Lindsey Independent Group commented on the recent period of heavy rainfall and emphasised the value demonstrated by the Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) in managing the local landscape.  Having attended a Drainage Board meeting earlier that day, she highlighted the complexity of their work and expressed hope that the District Council’s Network would help ensure that their importance was recognised nationally.

In relation to the IDBs, the Leader reiterated the Council’s recognition of the vital work it undertook and noted the efforts made in partnership with the Local Government Association and relevant special interest groups to raise awareness of the funding pressures placed on local authorities as a result of the IDB levies.  He emphasised that this work was not intended to undermine the IDBs but to ensure their essential functions were fully acknowledged.  He added that the Council had consistently argued that IDBs were often better placed than the Environment Agency to maintain river courses, particularly given the challenges currently faced by the Agency, and that the Council was happy to continue making this case.

Campus for Future Living (CfL)

Further to the update provided, the Portfolio Holder for Housing Communities and Better Ageing advised Members that the Campus Team had worked closely with the NHS Trusts, Estates and Legal teams and had followed a rigorous programme process to enable the Campus site to accommodate additional NHS services.  He was pleased to report that Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT) would shortly be joining the Campus to deliver community mental health services, taking all consultation room space within the main building.  This represented a significant step and demonstrated the long?term commitment to the Campus and the coastal area, particularly in addressing difficulties in accessing local mental health services.  He added that this development aligned with the new NHS ten?year strategy, and that with neighbourhood teams, social prescribers and community connectors operating from the Campus, the authority was well placed to support these services.

The Portfolio Holder further stated that the Campus was proving to be an exemplar model in tackling health inequalities.  He reported that the Europa team, representing clinicians across Europe who worked in inland, coastal and island communities had visited the Campus the previous year and had expressed strong interest in continued collaboration, using the project as an exemplar across Europe.  He noted that significant progress had been made within the first six months and that the increasing number of partners based at the Campus reflected this success.  He emphasised that such outcomes had only been possible due to the sustained hard work of the Council’s core officer team working closely with the ACIS team to facilitate the programme.

He concluded by reminding Members of the forthcoming Reserve Members’ Day on 9 February 2026, which would focus on the Campus and provide an update on current developments.  The Health and Communities Team, together with the ACIS team would present progress to date.  He further advised that, should Members wish, a dedicated visit to the Campus could be arranged later in the year to enable Members to see the facilities and meet partner organisations, and that the team would be pleased to facilitate this.

N.B.  Councillor Jimmy Brookes joined the Meeting at 2.22pm.

A Member commented that he was pleased for the opportunity to receive briefings on Towns Fund projects and requested that future updates included progress on the Sutton on Sea Colonnade project.  Further to a previous question to Council, and a written response still outstanding, clarification on the strategy for the Colonnade and confirmation of the intended future operator was requested.

In response, the Leader of the Council confirmed that work on the Colonnade project was ongoing and that an equally vibrant future was anticipated, comparable to the Campus for Future Living.  He noted that the Portfolio Holder for Coastal Economy would no doubt apologise for the delay in providing a written update and offered to brief the Member outside the meeting due to the remaining commercial sensitivities.  He added that while the Colonnade was being used, the Council still needed to secure an operator capable of ensuring year?round activity, and that this work would continue.

A Ward Member for Mablethorpe reported that having been involved with the Campus project from its inception through to its official opening, she was pleased to see the level of use and the number of partner organisations now based there.  However, she expressed disappointment that the facility was not being used for its original purpose as a national and international research centre of excellence.  She noted that the recently approved ancillary building had been intended to house incoming researchers, and that a world?class laboratory had been constructed on site.  To the best of her knowledge, the laboratory remained unused since the initial tour at the opening.  She stated that it was regrettable that funding allocated for the intended research function had not resulted in the outcomes originally envisaged and asked why this had been the case.

In response, the Leader of the Council reported that the Campus for Future Living was being well used and that the increasing involvement of the National Health Service represented a significant step towards realising the Campus’s intended purpose.  He added that the Lincoln Institute for Rural and Coastal Health (LIRCH) continued to play an important role in its development.

The Portfolio Holder for Housing Communities and Better Ageing added that the Campus continued to be used for research, which remained central to its purpose.  He acknowledged that the original business plan had referenced laboratory provision, but emphasised that research undertaken by organisations such as LIRCH had allowed the Campus to focus on work that most directly benefited residents along the coastal strip.  He confirmed that should a laboratory be required in future, the designated space on the first floor currently being used for temporary storage due to the number of partner organisations now operating within the building had been retained and remained available for that purpose.

The Leader of the Reform UK Group thanked the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holder for Housing Communities and Better Ageing for their thorough reports.