The Executive of Lincolnshire County Council met on Tuesday 14 July 2026 to discuss several key issues, approving changes to Household Waste Recycling Centres, an IT infrastructure rationalisation programme, and an extension to short breaks and emergency provision contracts. The council also reviewed its financial performance for the 2025/26 financial year.

Household Waste Recycling Centres Operational Changes and Infrastructure Improvements

A decision was made to approve the implementation of a booking system for all Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) across Lincolnshire. This move aims to address increasing operational pressures, including rising visitor numbers, growing waste tonnages, and significant queuing issues. The current system, which allows unrestricted access, has led to congestion, traffic management problems, and staff confrontations. The new booking system is expected to improve site access control, reduce queues, enhance safety, tackle misuse by traders and non-residents, and ultimately improve recycling performance. It is estimated that the system could reduce waste tonnage by around 20%, generating approximately £1 million in annual revenue savings through reduced disposal and haulage costs. Authority was delegated to the Executive Director of Place, in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Environment, to manage the procurement process for the necessary capital infrastructure improvements.

The Environment Scrutiny Committee had previously considered the report and acknowledged the recommendations. Members noted the potential for a 5% increase in recycling rates in other authorities that have implemented similar systems and supported the dynamic and user-friendly nature of modern booking technology. Concerns were raised about public engagement, with some members questioning the value of research that did not include open-ended questions, though officers explained this was due to budget restrictions preventing increased opening hours. The committee also supported the provision for users without digital access to book via the Customer Service Centre and noted that on-the-day bookings would still be possible at less busy centres. The system's ability to identify and address commercial misuse through number plate recognition and DVLA links was also highlighted.

During the Executive meeting, Councillor Thomas Charles Catton, Executive Councillor for Resources, questioned the opening hours for the call centre bookings, and Councillor Natalie Rebecca Oliver, Executive Councillor for Children's Services, sought clarification on when savings from the new system would be realised, with officers indicating that savings could begin within the current financial year. Councillor Oliver also raised concerns about fly-tipping, but was reassured by evidence suggesting no correlation between booking systems and increased fly-tipping. Councillor David East, Executive Councillor for Highways and Transport, sought assurance on benchmarking against best practices, with officers citing Kent County Council as a positive example. Councillor Robert Antony Gibson, Deputy Leader of the Council, welcomed the data the booking system would provide for future operational adjustments. Councillor Danny Brookes, Executive Councillor for Environment, proposed the recommendations, framing the decision as a modernisation to meet future demand. Councillor Gibson also inquired about measures to combat cross-border misuse and plans to extend reuse options, with officers detailing the postcode verification process and ambitious plans for reuse shops. Councillor Jimmy William Brookes, Vice-Chairman of the Council, seconded the proposal.

IT Core Infrastructure Rationalisation and Core Platform Support

The Executive approved a programme of IT infrastructure rationalisation, application consolidation, and platform support to complete the council's transition to a modern, cloud-based technology platform. This decision includes a variation to the existing contract with strategic technology partner Version 1, increasing its financial envelope by approximately £1.7 million to accelerate delivery. The revised financial model is expected to reduce the council's overall IT cost base, accelerate savings, eliminate legacy supplier costs, and avoid future capital expenditure. Authority was delegated to the Executive Director of Resources, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, Councillor Sean Matthews, to finalise the contract variation.

The Overview and Scrutiny Management Board, chaired by Councillor Philip Roberts, had previously reviewed the report and provided assurances that the investment would deliver tangible benefits for both residents and employees. They noted that moving to a secure cloud-based environment would improve system stability, resilience, and reliability, reducing service disruption. The board also explored the investment's appropriateness in the context of potential local government reorganisation, receiving assurances that the cloud-based infrastructure would offer flexibility for future structural changes.

During the Executive discussion, Councillor Natalie Rebecca Oliver questioned why this was not factored into the original IT contract, with officers explaining it was part of the initial analysis and an extension of the original objectives. Councillor Thomas Charles Catton proposed accepting the recommendations, which was seconded by Councillor Catton, and the decision was unanimous.

Short Breaks and Emergency Provision Contracts Extension

The Executive approved the extension of existing contracts for short breaks and emergency respite provision with the incumbent provider, Making Space. The extension is for a period of 11 months, with a total combined contractual value of £1,013,514. This extension is intended to allow sufficient time to re-commission the services following a period of further consultation. The services are crucial for supporting adults with assessed care needs to live with their families and communities, and also provide vital respite for unpaid carers.

The Adult Care and Public Health Scrutiny Committee, chaired by Councillor Steve Clegg, had considered the proposal and expressed majority support for the extension, highlighting the stability it would provide for service users and families during the ongoing consultation. Concerns were raised that consultation documentation could be misinterpreted as assuming facility closures, but officers assured members that no decisions had been made. The committee also sought assurance that the extension was not driven by savings targets, with officers confirming it was a like-for-like continuation of the current service.

Councillor Natalie Rebecca Oliver expressed her understanding of the importance of this service and praised the thoroughness of the consultation process. She also cautioned against opportunistic political exploitation of the situation, urging responsible language from politicians and the media. Councillor Steve Clegg, Executive Councillor for Adult Care and Health, echoed these sentiments, stressing that the process was people-centred and that no decisions had been made. He also highlighted the positive role of scrutiny in informing the process. Councillor Oliver seconded the proposal to accept the recommendations, which was unanimously approved.

Review of Financial Performance 2025/26

The Executive reviewed the council's financial performance for the 2025/26 financial year. The report indicated a revenue surplus of approximately £499,000 on council budgets, although there was an overspend of £13.4 million on schools budgets, primarily due to pressures in the high-needs block for SEND provision. The capital programme outturn showed an underspend against the planned programme, largely due to the timing of project deliveries. The report made recommendations regarding the carry-forward of over and underspends into the current financial year, including proposals for the treatment of the remaining surplus. An updated reserve statement was also presented, confirming that the council did not need to draw on its general fund reserves. The Annual Treasury Management Review was also noted, reporting performance against prudential indicators for 2025/26.

The Overview and Scrutiny Management Board had previously reviewed the report and welcomed the positive outcomes from the Anti-Social Behaviour Programme. They expressed concern regarding the overspend within children's services, which was attributed to increased demand and high-cost placements, and welcomed the transformation initiatives being implemented. For adult social care, the board recognised budget pressures driven by increasing demand and welcomed confirmation that all planned savings had been delivered. Concerns about the highways maintenance programme being deprioritised were addressed with reassurance that the reported underspend reflected financial management decisions rather than reduced activity. The board also noted the significant capital programme underspend, advising that it primarily reflected delays to major infrastructure schemes.

During the Executive meeting, Councillor Natalie Rebecca Oliver congratulated the team on a comprehensive SEND Reform Plan. Councillor Thomas Charles Catton thanked the finance officers for their work in managing the budget and increasing cash reserves. The recommendations on page 73 and 74 of the pack were proposed and unanimously approved.