The Community Safety Scrutiny Committee reviewed the annual report of His Majesty's Senior Coroner for Greater Lincolnshire, the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Statement of Assurance for 2025/26, and the Food Standards Activity for 2025-26. The committee also discussed and approved the Community Safety Scrutiny Committee Work Programme.

HM Senior Coroner Annual Report

The committee received the annual report from His Majesty's Senior Coroner for Greater Lincolnshire, Paul Smith, detailing the service's performance for the calendar year 2025. Mr. Smith highlighted that while the number of referrals, post-mortem examinations, and inquests opened had decreased, the complexity of cases had increased due to medical examiner scrutiny. He noted a thankful decline in suicide conclusions but expressed concern over the continued high number of road traffic collision deaths, with 51 cases recorded in 2025. The report detailed achievements in reducing the backlog of older cases, with open inquests falling from over 900 to below 500 by the end of 2025. However, the average time taken to process an inquest remained at 47 weeks, above the national average, reflecting the historical backlog. Looking ahead, Mr. Smith anticipated increased complexity due to the upcoming implementation of Hillsborough Law in early 2027, which will extend legal aid for families in inquests involving public authorities.

Councillor Lindsey Cawrey asked for more detail on the increased workload and its impact on resources, questioning if the situation was unsustainable. Mr. Smith explained that while the volume of cases had decreased, the complexity had risen, requiring more detailed scrutiny. He assured the committee that the service was not grinding to a halt and that discussions were underway regarding the potential need for more assistant coroners and increased sitting days.

Councillor Mrs Jane Smith inquired about the potential financial burden of Hillsborough Law. Mr. Smith acknowledged it would likely increase costs but stated the exact scale was unknown until the law's practical implications became clearer. Councillor Trevor John Bridgwood thanked Mr. Smith for his service and highlighted the significant work involved in merging the coronial services and implementing the medical examiner system.

Councillor Ingrid Sheard asked about feedback from bereaved families and communication with agencies. Mr. Smith confirmed that family feedback was monitored, and in the main, families were pleased with the service. He acknowledged past issues with the local hospital trust regarding report provision but stated these had been addressed through mature conversations.

Councillor Bayleigh Leon Tyler Robinson sought clarity on when more detail would be available regarding the impact of Hillsborough Law. Mr. Smith indicated that national coroner training was ongoing, and the impact would likely be felt from April 2027 onwards. Councillor Martin Ian Colin Christopher, as Executive Councillor for Community Safety, provided assurance that recruitment of an additional assistant coroner was underway and that budgetary impacts were being considered for the next financial year.

The committee also discussed the sustainability of coroner's courts and the potential impact of local government reorganisation. It was confirmed that the coroner's jurisdiction would not be affected by local government reorganisation.

The committee reviewed and was satisfied with the progress and performance of the coroner's service up to 31 December 2025 and agreed to receive a further report in 12 months.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Statement of Assurance 2025/26

Joe Haustead, Assistant Fire Chief, and Mark Baxter, Chief Fire Officer, presented the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Statement of Assurance for 2025/26. The report confirmed that the authority was satisfied with its financial, governance, and operational matters for the period, operating in accordance with law and proper standards, and using public money economically, efficiently, and effectively.

Councillor Bayleigh Leon Tyler Robinson questioned an overspend on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry budget and how budgeting accuracy could be improved. Mr. Haustead explained that the overspend was due to government grant funding for training recommendations that came in after the budget was set.

Councillor Sheard raised concerns about the lack of data in the report, the suitability of training for on-call firefighters, and the uptake of emergency plans by parishes. Mr. Baxter acknowledged the feedback on data presentation and assured that training for on-call firefighters was being made more flexible. He also highlighted recruitment campaigns for on-call firefighters and the ongoing work with parish councils on emergency planning.

Councillor Trevor John Bridgwood asked about the sustainability of part-time fire stations and the availability of volunteers. Mr. Baxter stated that this was a recognised risk and that targeted recruitment campaigns were in place.

The committee also discussed the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in decision-making, with Mr. Baxter confirming a blended approach of AI and human intervention. Questions were also raised about electric vehicle fires and solar panel safety, with assurances that the service was monitoring trends and had specialist training and equipment.

The committee reviewed and was satisfied with the contents of the Statement of Assurance.

Food Standards Activity 2025-26

Mark Keal, Head of Trading Standards, presented the annual overview of Trading Standards' food standards activity for 2025-26. The report highlighted an increase in the number of food businesses to 7,636 and detailed 312 interventions, including inspections and sampling. Food labels and allergens remained the most common consumer concerns.

The implementation of the Food Standards Delivery Model (FSDM) was noted as having increased the required frequency of interventions, particularly for non-compliant businesses. However, the service currently operates with approximately 2.8 full-time equivalent competent officers, significantly below the estimated requirement of 7 FTE to meet Code intervention frequencies.

Councillor Mrs Jane Smith asked how the extent and severity of food hazards were communicated to restaurants, takeaways, and schools. Mr. Keal explained that communication varied depending on the nature of the issue, ranging from direct engagement with specific premises to national alerts managed by the Food Standards Agency for widespread problems.

Councillor Ingrid Sheard inquired about the easiest way for consumers to raise concerns and how recipe box companies were inspected. Mr. Keal advised contacting the City's Advice Consumer Service for concerns, and explained that recipe box companies, as food businesses, must comply with food labelling requirements, including allergen information.

Councillor Raymond John Whitaker questioned the estimated time to deliver the full level of interventions required by the FSDM. Mr. Keal stated this was difficult to gauge due to increasing business numbers but confirmed ongoing investment in training apprentices and officers.

Councillor Bayleigh Leon Tyler Robinson raised the issue of businesses ceasing trading without informing the local authority. Mr. Keal confirmed this was a known issue that had been raised nationally with the Food Standards Agency, and that steps were being taken to mitigate its impact on the database.

The committee reviewed and was assured on the delivery of food standards work undertaken by Trading Standards.

Community Safety Scrutiny Committee Work Programme

Hannah Colclough, Scrutiny Officer, presented the proposed work programme for the committee. The next meeting on 8 September 2026 was scheduled to include the quarter one performance report, Trading Standards metrology activity, and an update from the Stay Safe Partnership. The committee reviewed and agreed the work programme.

The committee then took a 10-minute break before continuing with one further item as the Crime and Disorder Committee.