This week, the South Holland District Council held a Policy Development Panel meeting on Tuesday, 25 June 2024. The main topics of discussion included the South Holland Centre, ICT policies, and the panel's work programme.

South Holland Centre

A progress report on the South Holland Centre was presented. This follows the joint task group meeting of the Performance Monitoring Panel and the Policy Development Panel on 18 April 2024, where concerns were raised about the absence of a business plan for the venue. The chairmen of the panels had previously praised the venue's manager and the relevant portfolio holder for their work but emphasized the need for detailed financial planning.

The latest report indicates that a Business Development Plan has now been produced. It outlines various scenarios for the future operation of the venue, which will be explored further. This development is crucial as it aims to minimize the financial burden of the South Holland Centre on the district while ensuring its sustainability.

ICT Policies

The panel approved five key information and communications technology policies. These policies are essential for maintaining and improving the council's ICT infrastructure and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations.

• Environment Policy
• ICT Policies
• Appendix 1 for ICT Policies
• Appendix 2 for ICT Policies
• Appendix 3 for ICT Policies
• Appendix 4 for ICT Policies
• Appendix 5 for ICT Policies

Policy Development Panel Work Programme

The panel also discussed their work programme for the upcoming year. They received an update on the Business Frontages Task Group, which focuses on enhancing the appearance of shop fronts across the district. In addition, the panel considered adding the new Local Plan to their work programme. This Local Plan is a comprehensive document that will outline the council's planning policies for the next 15 years. The panel agreed to request officers to include the Local Plan in their agenda for the next meeting.

For more details on these discussions and decisions, you can access the meeting's transcript and documents.