The Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Wednesday 10 June 2026 to discuss the Greater Lincolnshire Brownfield Housing Fund, the Greater Lincolnshire Local Growth Fund Delivery Plan, and the GLCCA Performance Framework. The committee reviewed and commented on these proposals before they were due to be considered by the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority.

Greater Lincolnshire Brownfield Housing Fund

The committee considered the proposed Greater Lincolnshire Brownfield Housing Fund prospectus, which aims to unlock housing projects on stalled or underutilised brownfield sites. The fund has a total allocation of £34 million, with £16.5 million earmarked for the first year. Ruth Carver, Deputy Director of Investment and Growth, presented the report, explaining that the fund is a national programme implemented by the Combined Authority. The process will involve an open call for applications from local authorities, housing associations, private developers, and landowners. Schemes will be assessed based on criteria including deliverability, alignment with strategic housing principles, and evidence of market failure.

During the discussion, councillors raised several points:

• Concerns were voiced about whether the fund would duplicate existing efforts or encourage developers to seek public funds for projects they would undertake anyway. Ms. Carver clarified that applications would be assessed for their full project scope, including infrastructure and development, and that the funding is intended for sites that are not commercially viable without intervention.
• Questions were asked about the timeline for starting construction, with the government's deadline being March 2031. Ms. Carver explained that contracts could specify milestones such as golden brick or keys in door, and that clawback arrangements would be in place for ten years.
• The potential for developers to set up special purpose vehicles to avoid clawback was raised. Ms. Carver stated that this would be handled on a case-by-case basis, potentially involving parent company guarantees or equity shares, and that complex or risky schemes might be deprioritised.
• The possibility of co-funding schemes, where brownfield sites could be linked to greenfield developments as enabling development, was discussed. Ms. Carver indicated this would be assessed on a case-by-case basis and might fall outside the specific criteria of this fund, potentially being considered as part of the broader housing pipeline.
• Concerns were raised about the viability of the market for new homes, given the current economic climate. Ms. Carver acknowledged this as a tricky assessment but stated that commercial viability assessments would consider market opportunities.
• The inclusion of converting commercial properties to residential use was confirmed as a possibility under the fund, provided planning permission was secured and the sites were ready for delivery within the timescale.
• The question of whether solar panel sites, once decommissioned, would be considered brownfield sites was raised. While not a direct answer, it was noted as an interesting concept for future consideration.

The committee unanimously endorsed the proposed Greater Lincolnshire Brownfield Housing Fund prospectus and requested that the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority consider the comments made regarding risks, market viability, and the potential for future brownfield sites arising from solar farms.

Greater Lincolnshire Local Growth Fund Delivery Plan

The committee reviewed the Greater Lincolnshire Local Growth Fund Delivery Plan, which outlines how the £52 million allocated to the region until 2029/30 will be spent. The fund is intended to unlock productivity through infrastructure investment, business support, and skills development. Ruth Carver presented the plan, which details six core programmes: Strategic Sites Acceleration, Digital Skills & Skills Capital, Innovation Programme, Workforce Development, SME Start-Up Fund, and Investment and Trade.

Key points raised during the discussion included:

• The role and appointment of the Innovation Panel and Economic Advisory Panel were clarified. The Economic Advisory Panel was a requirement of the devolution deal to advise the Mayor and Combined Authority on business and economic matters. The Innovation Panel, also advisory, shapes innovation policy and strategy, with members drawn from the private, public, and academic sectors.
• Questions were asked about future-proofing and flexibility in the face of rapidly changing business practices. Ms. Carver explained that the plan was designed to be flexible, with annual reviews and ongoing stakeholder engagement.
• The potential for keeping regulatory licences for sites like explosive sites, even if not currently in use, was raised as a challenging but potentially important consideration.
• The relevance of the objective diagram to Lincolnshire was questioned, with assurances given that the objectives were bespoke to Greater Lincolnshire's challenges and opportunities, although derived from government guidance.
• The appointment and accountability of the Innovation Panel were clarified, stating that the Combined Authority appoints the panel, which advises the Mayor and the Combined Authority, and its processes are set out in the constitution.
• The £2.1 million budget for programme management was discussed, with Ms. Carver explaining it was an indicative figure based on experience and would be subject to business case development.
• The rationale for the largest allocation (£16.5 million) to the Strategic Sites Acceleration Programme was explained as being evidence-based, addressing significant challenges in preparing sites for development and housing.
• Councillor Philip Roberts commented on the difficulty of achieving government KPIs when policies are dictated by central government, and the potential impact of employment rights changes.
• The committee unanimously endorsed the proposed Greater Lincolnshire Local Growth Fund Delivery Plan, with a specific request that it be responsive to Lincolnshire's needs and flexible to changing circumstances.

GLCCA Performance Framework

James Beatty, Interim Performance and Research Lead, presented the GLCCA Performance Framework, which sets out how the Authority will manage performance, ensuring accountability, strategic planning, and data-driven decisions. The framework includes an interim approach for 2026/27 with 'bellwether' indicators and a focus on programme delivery, while a full outcomes framework is developed.

Key discussion points included:

• The need for greater visibility of stretch targets within the Balanced Scorecard approach.
• A concern that the use of quarterly monitoring might contradict the agility offered by real-time data from Power BI. Mr. Beatty explained that real-time data would inform internal officer decisions, while quarterly reports would be presented to members to avoid information overload.
• The issue of young people not in education, employment, or training (NEETs) was raised, with a request for more focus on this cohort in future KPIs. Mr. Beatty acknowledged this challenge and stated that work was underway to improve data standards around NEETs.
• Questions were raised about the sickness target of 8.8% for office staff and the proportion of the operating budget allocated to staff costs. Mr. Beatty explained that these were national benchmarks intended to stimulate debate and would be reviewed and stress-tested.
• The role of the Combined Authority as a facilitator versus a deliverer was questioned, with a suggestion to utilise existing skills and facilities to avoid increased salary demands. Mr. Beatty confirmed that existing assets and skills would be taken into account in programme design.
• The committee agreed that the report as an interim KPI was acceptable and that the path forward should incorporate observations on young people not in education and training, and the utilisation of existing skills and data sets.

GLCCA Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme

Michael Carr, Interim Statutory Scrutiny Officer, presented the committee's planned work programme for 2026-2027. The report outlined a provisional list of items for future meetings, including performance reporting, the Local Growth Plan, and the draft Medium Term Financial Plan. The committee was encouraged to suggest additional scrutiny activities.

Councillor Andy Quarmby, the Independent Chairman, highlighted that only three of the six major topics delegated to the Combined Authority had so far come to scrutiny, and suggested that net zero would be an important and potentially emotive topic for future consideration.

The committee agreed to approve the planned work programme as it stood, subject to the consideration of items highlighted in the day's discussions and any new suggestions. A workshop was planned for members to further refine the work programme.