Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor A Hagues.

It was reported that, under Regulation 13 of the Local Government Committee and Political Groups) Regulation 1990 that the following substitutions applied for this meeting only.

·   Councillor Mrs M Overton MBE replaced Councillor A Baxter

·   Councillor A Hall replaced Councillor I Carrington

No declarations of members’ interest were made at this stage of the proceedings.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 22 February 2022 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Councillor Davie, Executive Councillor for Economic Development, Environment and Planning, made the following announcements:

·   Financial institutions were starting to anticipate a global recession in 2023.

·   A delegation had attended the UK Food Valley and South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone, championing food value growth, food sector growth, tourism investment and alternative fuel.

·   The Holbeach Food Hub was within budget on programme for hand over in July 2022.

·   November saw the launch of the UK Food Valley initiative with the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

·   The Skegness Countryside Business Park extension was soon to commence, which provided small commercial units for local businesses.

·   The Huttoft Boat Shed Café had officially opened, which helped raise the quality and seasonal extension of the coast’s tourism offer and visitor economy.

·   The Visit Lincolnshire tourism conference took place on 22 March 2022, attended by approximately 170 visitor economy businesses. The green tourism toolkit was launched at the event and was positively received by businesses and speakers.

·   Green pilot workshops were to follow between May and December for the benefit of local businesses.

·   Workshops on becoming a Council supplier were to be launched at the end of the month, which aimed to explain public sector contract regulations, new procurement pipelines and how to identify supply chain opportunities to local businesses.

Members were asked to help promote these workshops and events to the local business community.

(To receive a report by Matthew Harrison, Flood and Water Manager, which enables the Committee to review the Greater Lincolnshire Groundwater Project and Outline Business Case, and make any additional recommendations prior to a key decision being taken by the Executive Councillor for Economic Development, Environment and Planning between 15 - 29 April 2022)

Consideration was given to the report by Matthew Harrison, Flood and Water Manager, which enabled the Committee to review the Greater Lincolnshire Groundwater Project and Outline Business Case, and make any additional recommendations prior to a key decision being taken by the Executive Councillor for Economic Development, Environment and Planning between 15 - 29 April 2022. The Committee was advised of the following:

·       The project was the result of a partner and stakeholder submission to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for funding of £7.5 million.

·       The project aimed to investigate ground water flooding in Lincolnshire to better inform risk strategies and identify opportunities to resolve issues.

·       Ground water flooding was currently the least understood flood risk in Lincolnshire.

·       An outlined business case needed to be submitted by the end of April in order to secure the funding, which would be drafted following inputs form this Committee and decision by the Executive Councillor for Economic Development, Environment and Planning.

During consideration of this item, the Committee raised some of the following comments:

·   Members echoed that the report was very comprehensive, exceedingly well written and paved a great way forward and congratulated Officers for their efforts.

·   Members recognised that a partnership approach was adopted for the whole of Greater Lincolnshire, however, asked for clarity around how it was ensured that in addition to large projects, funds would be used to tackle issues in small villages which had experienced significant flooding. The project did not set out to address specific issues in the county, rather aimed to develop learning and understanding of the effects of groundwater and what that meant as to use, that when issues emerge in the county by enabling the roll out of works on the ground to mitigate issues emerging from groundwater. The areas initially identified were Scopwick, Grimsby and Barton and Barrow Upon Humber across three authority areas where groundwater issues had previously been identified. Community engagement in terms of warning and informing to ensure preparedness against the effects of groundwater was to be ensured.

·   Potential opportunities to harness groundwater either for environmental benefits or for increased water capacity were to be studied.

·   Members noted concerns related to potential for coastal inundation and the risks of flooding and other defences of water courses failing. Hydraulic pressure being a major force may infiltrate the foul water drains and overflow into properties. Specific examples of areas similar in terms of geology and hydrology to Scopwick were mentioned, with emphasis on the complexity of issues emerging from groundwater, which required a great level of understanding before implementing any mitigations.

·   Members were pleased to see that the project viewed groundwater as a resource to be managed rather than as a problem to be mitigated. 

·   25 other local areas had been successful in bidding for funds across the country. Two major projects focused on groundwater: the Groundwater Resilience and Community Engagement project, located in Buckinghamshire, and the Sunderland and East Durham Ground Water Stations in North East Durham. Links  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65.

(To receive a report by Adrian Winkley, Minerals & Waste Policy and Compliance Manager, which enables the Committee to review the Issues and Options document of the Lincolnshire Minerals and Waste Development Scheme prior to decision by the Executive at its meeting on 4 May 2022)

Consideration was given to the report by Adrian Winkley, Minerals & Waste Policy and Compliance Manager – Planning. The following matters were highlighted:

·   The adopted Lincolnshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan (LMWLP) was in two parts:

a)      The Core Strategy and Development Management Policies, which set out the key principles to guide the future winning and working of minerals and the form of waste management in the county up to the end of the year 2031.

b)      The Site Locations document which included  specific proposals and policies for the provision of land for minerals  and waste development.

·   The LMWLP formed part of the statutory development plan for the county, alongside the district local plans and neighbourhood plans.

·   It was a statutory requirement that planning applications were determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicated otherwise.

·   Performance of the policies in the LMWLP were monitored to assess whether applications were being determined in full accordance with the plan. A recent review found that 11 policies were not fully effective, and so needed to be updated. However, to improve the clarity and consistency of policies in the LMWLP, the full County Council had authorised the updating of the whole plan.

·   The process for updating the plan was outlined to Members with an anticipated timeline as follows:

a)      Seek approval from the Executive to go out to consultation with the Issues and Options Document commencing in June.

b)      Consult on a Preferred Approach in Spring 2023.

c)      Consult on the proposed submission version of the new LMWLP in Spring 2024.

d)      Submit the final draft to the Secretary of State together with the consultation responses in Summer 2024.

e)      Hold Examination Hearings in Autumn 2024.

f)       Seek adoption of the new LMWLP by the full County Council in Winter 2024/2025.

·   The Issues and Options stage was the first formative stage of plan making and identified issues for consideration together with options for improving the plan. It proposed to roll the plan forward to cover the period to the end of 2040.

·   It was proposed to base the future level of aggregate provision on the latest Local Aggregate Assessment. It was proposed that this would be partially met by carrying forward existing allocations in the adopted plan where appropriate. Any remaining shortfalls would then be met from new allocations.

·   To facilitate this approach, it was proposed to undertake a “call for sites exercise” to run alongside the consultation on the Issues and Options document. This invited interested parties to nominate sites for future mineral working. Nominated sites would then be assessed in accordance with the Proposed Site Selection Methodology.

·      A new Waste Needs Assessment had been prepared which indicated that there will be no waste management capacity gaps up to 2045 and that the county will remain net self-sufficient.  Despite this, it was anticipated that new sites will be required for a number of reasons including: the closure of existing sites; the emergence of new technologies, changes in cross boundary movements,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66.

(To receive a report by Kiara Chatziioannou, Scrutiny Officer, which enables the Committee to comment on the content of its work programme for the coming year to ensure that scrutiny activity is focussed where it can be of greatest benefit)

Consideration was given to a report by Kiara Chatziioannou, Scrutiny Officer, which invited the Committee to consider and comment on the content of its own work programme for the coming year to ensure that scrutiny activity is focussed where it can be of greatest benefit.

Members requested that a visit to Gibraltar Point Visitor Centre planned for the next Committee meeting was moved to a future meeting. The Chairman advised that a future meeting was being planned later in the year.

RESOLVED:

That the work programme presented be received subject to the amendment identified to the agenda for the next Committee meeting.