Agenda item

(To receive a report by Sarah Moody, Programme Officer – Community Engagement, which provides the Committee with an opportunity to consider a draft response to the Government consultation on the Integrated Communities Strategy Green paper prepared by the Community Engagement Team on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council)

Consideration was given to a report which provided the Committee with an opportunity to consider a draft response to the Government Consultation on the Integrated Communities Strategy Green Paper which the Committee had asked the Community Engagement Team to coordinate on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council.

It was reported that the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government had released its vision for building strong integrated communities where people, whatever their background – live, work, learn and socialise together, based on shared rights, responsibilities and opportunities in 2018.  The green paper set out an ambitious programme of actions which they proposed to take across government to deliver this vision at the local and national level.

It was reported that, after being tasked by the Public Protection and Communities Scrutiny Committee to co-ordinate a council-wide response to the green paper from a Lincolnshire perspective, the Community Engagement Team invited comment by e-mail from all heads of service (or equivalent).  A response was received from each director area and those responses were compiled into one unified draft consultation submission.  Members were advised that the response had been submitted on 8 June 2018.  The scrutiny committee members had also been asked to contribute.

Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions to the officers present in relation to the information contained within the report and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

·         It was commented that South Kesteven District Council had held a working group for members where the proposed response was discussed.  It was queried why this approach was not taken by the County Council.  Members were advised that the draft response was circulated by e-mail to all members who were asked to respond.  Comments regarding holding working groups for these situations would be taken on board by officers.

·         It was clarified that the Join the Dots events were organised through the Engagement Team and would be held in each district.  The aim was to bring communities and local organisations together to work out what the local issues were and how they could be improved.  However, it was emphasised that this was not just about negatives, but also about what good things were taking place.  These events could generate positivity and resilience in communities.  Officers agreed to circulate the details of the remaining events with the Committee.

·         It was queried whether hate crime was a problem across Lincolnshire.  Members were advised that it was a concern in Lincolnshire, as it was throughout the country, and it was not seen as a greater risk than in any other part of the country.

·         Thanks were recorded for Paul Drury, Community Engagement Officer, who had helped the working group at South Kesteven District Council formulate their responses to the consultation questions.

RESOLVED

1.    That the comments made in relation to the County Council's response to the Integrated Communities Strategy Green paper be noted.

2.    That the draft Integrated Communities Strategy Green Paper consultation response be endorsed.

3.    That the details of the Join the Dots community events be circulated to the members of the Committee.