The Growth Scrutiny Committee of Lincolnshire Council was scheduled to meet on Tuesday, 24 March 2026, to review performance against the 2025-26 framework, discuss priorities for the food and farming sector, and examine support for manufacturing and apprenticeships. The committee was also set to review its work programme for the upcoming year.

Service Level Performance Reporting

The committee was scheduled to receive a report summarising service level performance against the 2025-26 Performance Framework as at Quarter 3. This report detailed performance indicators (PIs) for the Growth services.

• PI 69 Businesses supported by the Council: This measure exceeded its target, with 3,561 businesses supported between April and December 2025, surpassing the Quarter 3 target of 2,012. The report highlighted support provided through the Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub, the UK Shared Prosperity Funding, the Inward Investment Service, the Made Smarter Programme, the UK Food Valley Team, the Greater Lincolnshire Careers Hub, and the Economic Infrastructure Business Accommodation Portfolio.
• PI 70 Qualifications achieved by adults: This measure achieved its target, with 1,365 qualifications achieved by the end of Quarter 3, slightly below the target of 1,466 but within the 10% tolerance. The report detailed the Adult Skills funding and commissioning process, as well as quarterly performance and case studies of participants.
• PI 71 Amount of external funding attracted to Lincolnshire: This measure did not meet its target, with £6,518,275 secured by the end of Quarter 3, below the target of £9,000,000. The report attributed this shortfall to financial grant payment delays caused by changes within Government Departments and contractual delays, meaning some anticipated funding would be received in the 2026/27 financial year. The report detailed funding received from various government departments and programmes.

Food and Farming Sector Priorities Greater Lincolnshire

A report was scheduled to be presented by Vanessa Strange, Head of Infrastructure Investment, providing an update on Food and Farming Sector Priorities for Greater Lincolnshire. The report highlighted the strategic importance of the sector to the county's economy and UK food security. It outlined the County Council's leadership and delivery through two partnerships: the UK Food Valley (UKFV) and the Greater Lincolnshire Forum for Agriculture & Horticulture (GLFFAH). The report proposed that Greater Lincolnshire act as a national testbed for implementing key recommendations from the Batters Review, focusing on planning, water, skills, innovation, and supply-chain fairness. The committee was invited to endorse this proposal and agree to a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

Manufacturing Sector Support and Next Steps

Linsay Hill Pritchard, Strategic Programme Manager, and Jeannine Thornley, Senior Project Officer (Enterprise), were scheduled to present a report on support for Lincolnshire's manufacturing sector and future steps. The report emphasised the sector's significance to Lincolnshire's economy, detailing its contribution to employment and Gross Value Added (GVA). It outlined the role of the Greater Lincolnshire Manufacturing Board and highlighted challenges and opportunities related to skills, innovation, energy costs, supply chain resilience, and finance. The report also detailed business support programmes delivered through Business Lincolnshire and the Made Smarter East Midlands Programme. The committee was invited to support the continued administration of the Manufacturing Board and to task officers with better promoting the sector's profile.

Increasing Participation in Work Experience, Internships and Apprenticeships

Lee Douglas, Careers Hub Lead – Strategic, was scheduled to present an update on increasing participation in work experience, internships, and apprenticeships. The report indicated that awareness was not the primary barrier, but rather system fragmentation, employer capacity constraints, wage competitiveness, and a lack of strategic oversight. The report discussed structural constraints on apprenticeship growth, including wage competitiveness and SME capacity, and noted the potential impact of recent national reforms to apprenticeship assessment. It also highlighted pressures on work experience provision due to system fragmentation and uncoordinated employer engagement. The report explored the potential of a structured, employer-led sector internship model, drawing on lessons from the Made Smarter digital internship delivery. The committee was invited to comment on the accuracy of the report, the proposed delivery model, and how the authority and partners can best support employers.

Growth Scrutiny Committee Work Programme

Kiara Chatziioannou, Health Scrutiny Officer, was scheduled to present a report on the Growth Scrutiny Committee's work programme for the coming year. The report aimed to ensure that scrutiny activity remained focused on areas where it could deliver the most impact. The committee was invited to review the proposed work programme and suggest any additional scrutiny activities for consideration. The work programme included scheduled items for the current meeting, as well as future meetings in May, June, July, September, October, and December 2026, covering topics such as the visitor economy, investment zones, youth guarantee, and capital repairs. It also listed items to be programmed, including updates from the Federation of Small Businesses and strategies related to traveller sites and county farms.