The Community Safety Scrutiny Committee of Lincolnshire Council met on Tuesday 13 January 2026 to discuss the revenue and capital budget proposals for 2026/27, the proposed Engagement Strategy for 2026-2030, and annual progress updates for the Lincolnshire Local Resilience Forum and the Registration and Celebratory Service. The committee also reviewed public health substance use services and partnership working, and agreed its work programme for the coming year.

Revenue and Capital Budget Proposals 2026/27

The committee considered the revenue and capital budget proposals for 2026/27, focusing on services within the community safety remit, including the fire service and public protection. The proposals outlined a cost pressure of approximately £2.75 million for the fire and rescue service, primarily due to increasing demand and the need to maintain capabilities, particularly within the on-call cadre. Investment is planned for training, whole-time firefighter recruitment, and operational response modelling. A capital programme of an additional £4.4 million is proposed, largely for the replacement of nine fire appliances and investment in battery-powered cutting tools and pumps.

For public protection services, the budget for 2025/26 was £6.3 million, with a projected £7.9 million for the current year, largely due to government funding changes for domestic abuse safe accommodation. For 2026/27, a cost pressure of £235,000 is anticipated against savings of £523,000.

During discussions, concerns were raised about the absence of specific cost pressures related to solar farm infrastructure and the potential implications of lithium-ion battery fires. Officers assured the committee that existing equipment and training were sufficient and that the situation was being closely monitored. Questions were also raised about additional government funding, pension changes, and the impact of flooding on resources. It was explained that savings from pension reductions were built into the council's budget, and details of the Fairer Funding scheme were available in the Executive Paper. The committee was assured that no services were being cut and that the remuneration for on-call firefighters had been updated through a national agreement. Investment in new technologies for fire appliances was discussed, with a project team evaluating innovations. The committee supported the proposed budget and agreed to pass its comments to the executive.

Engagement Strategy 2026-2030

The committee reviewed the proposed Engagement Strategy for 2026-2030, which aims to place residents at the heart of decision-making and service delivery. The strategy, which forms part of the council's policy framework, has been updated to reflect current best practices and legal requirements. It outlines how the council will involve residents, businesses, and stakeholders in shaping decisions and services. The strategy builds on previous engagement efforts, with a significant increase in responses recorded in recent years. The council maintains a database of over 6,000 engaged individuals, which continues to grow.

During the discussion, members inquired about benchmarking engagement levels against comparable authorities, with officers noting the difficulty in direct comparison but confirming that Lincolnshire's engagement levels were consistent with other county councils. The strategy for engaging under-18s was discussed, with officers highlighting a preference for face-to-face events and the use of various networks to ensure their voices are heard. Concerns were raised about the potential for an echo chamber effect with the existing engagement platform, and officers explained that registration was not mandatory and that efforts were made to refresh the list with diverse participants. The use of AI in analysing feedback was also discussed, with assurances that it was used for theme analysis only and that manual checks were conducted. The committee supported the recommendations to the executive and agreed to pass on its comments.

Lincolnshire Local Resilience Forum (LRF) Business Plan 2023-2026 - Annual Progress Update

An update was provided on the work undertaken by the Lincolnshire Local Resilience Forum (LRF) in relation to its Business Plan for 2023-2026. The report highlighted that all strategic objectives and deliverables were on track, with ongoing work to ensure continuous delivery. The LRF has five strategic objectives, including mitigating risks identified in the Community Risk Register, supporting a whole societal approach to emergencies, ensuring flexible and agile supporting structures, and aligning with the principles of the Stronger LRF Programme.

Progress has been made in community resilience, with a Community Resilience Officer recruited and a significant number of communities developing or having completed Community Emergency Plans. The Ready for Anything volunteer programme is also being developed. Training for strategic and tactical commanders is ongoing, and a Training Needs Analysis is underway. The LRF has successfully delivered a major national exercise, Exercise Pegasus.

During the discussion, members inquired about parish councils that had declined to submit resilience plans, with officers noting that this was likely due to resource constraints. The committee also discussed other community groups that could be engaged, such as church groups and cadet forces. Concerns were raised about the financial burden on community groups, but officers clarified that the LRF provided training, venues, and equipment once a plan was validated. The committee was assured that funding for the LRF comes from central government, not directly from Lincolnshire County Council, and that the county's LRF receives additional funding due to its high rating. The innovation fund was discussed, covering projects such as drone capability and the automation of rest centre systems. The committee expressed satisfaction with the report and the work undertaken by the LRF, agreeing to receive a further annual update.

Registration and Celebratory Service Annual Report

The committee received an annual update on the services delivered by the Registration and Celebratory Service for 2024/25. The report highlighted that birth registrations had increased slightly, with timeliness exceeding national targets. Death registrations remained comparable to the previous year, and the introduction of the Statutory Medical Examiner Scheme was noted to improve accuracy. While death registrations within five days were below the national target, this was attributed to customer choice in a rural county.

The service has seen significant digital improvements, including a new ceremonies website integrated with booking and payment systems, and over 85% of registration appointments are now booked online. The service has also expanded its ceremony offerings and is working with local businesses to increase its licensed venue portfolio. Property changes have included the relocation of the Lincoln Register Office and the co-location of registration appointments with other services. Future legislative changes are expected to bring further digital options for registration, making the service less reliant on a property model.

During discussions, members queried the impact of birth registration figures being skewed by births outside Lincolnshire, with officers explaining the use of registration districts. The funding of the statutory medical examiner was clarified as an NHS function. Concerns were raised about the potential impact of expanding licensed venues on the revenue generated by the council's own registration venues, but officers stated that pricing variations and venue appeal would likely mitigate any significant impact. The timeliness of death registrations was also discussed, with assurances provided regarding the medical examiner scheme and the swift service offered by the registration department upon receiving the necessary documents. The committee expressed satisfaction with the report and agreed to receive a further annual update.

Public Health Substance Use Services & Partnership Working

An update was provided on the commissioned drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services across Lincolnshire. The report outlined the national strategy From Harm to Hope and Lincolnshire's local strategy, which focuses on prevention, early intervention, treatment, and enforcement. The Lincolnshire Recovery Partnership (LRP) and its young person's service, Horizon, supported over 3,500 adults and 200 children and young people in 2024/25. Key achievements included an increase in new adult presentations, a high number of harm reduction sessions, and the issuance of Naloxone kits.

The report also detailed the Beacon family support service, which provides specialist support to individuals affected by others' drug or alcohol use. Partnership working with criminal justice agencies, including the police, courts, probation, and prisons, was highlighted as crucial for supporting individuals into recovery. Collaboration with the Integrated Care Board and NHS Trusts was also emphasized, particularly in addressing dual diagnosis and developing pathways for specific health issues. The service works closely with housing support providers to address the intertwined issues of homelessness and addiction.

During discussions, members raised concerns about the absence of specific mention of veterans and the link between alcoholism, PTSD, and military backgrounds. Officers acknowledged the importance of understanding underlying issues in treatment and committed to gathering more information on veterans accessing services. Questions were also raised about the number of police officers trained to carry Naloxone and plans for early intervention in primary schools. The committee was assured that the substance use service was a mandatory service, and concerns were raised about potential cuts to the Integrated Lifestyle Service impacting early intervention. The effectiveness of the Beacon service and the demand it had received were praised, and the committee was assured that efforts were being made to address the risks associated with nitazene-infused substances. The committee expressed satisfaction with the report and agreed to receive a further annual update.

Community Safety Scrutiny Committee Work Programme

The committee reviewed and agreed its work programme for the coming year. The planned items for the next meeting on 24 February 2026 include an update on the Voluntary Sector, Trading Standards Fair Trading Activity, and the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Community Risk Management Plan. The committee also noted items scheduled for March and May 2026, including updates on service level performance, the Waddington Training Facility, Domestic Abuse Strategy, illicit tobacco and vaping, and Prevent. Members were encouraged to highlight any additional scrutiny activities for inclusion in the work programme.