The Community Safety Scrutiny Committee of Lincolnshire Council met on Tuesday, 24 February 2026, to discuss a range of important issues affecting community safety across the county. Key decisions were made regarding the proposed budget for 2026/27, with the committee supporting the recommendations to be passed to the Executive. The committee also reviewed and approved its work programme for the coming year.

Revenue and Capital Budget Proposals 2026/27

The committee considered the budget proposals for 2026/27, which cover areas within the remit of community safety and the Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue service. Pam Clipson, Head of Financial Services, introduced the report, with supporting comments from Mark Baxter, Chief Fire Officer, and Martyn Parker, Assistant Director of Public Protection. The budget aims to address growing cost pressures and demand for fire and rescue services, with planned investments in recruitment, training, officer remuneration, and equipment.

During the discussion, members raised concerns about the lack of specific cost pressures cited for the fire service relating to solar infrastructure, highlighting the potential implications of specialist breathing apparatus and cross-contamination from lithium batteries. Officers assured the committee that these concerns had been factored into other cost assessments and that all planning applications must meet fire safety demands. Queries were also raised regarding additional funding from government grants, particularly for pensions, and the general provision of the service. Officers explained the process of budget preparation and analysis of cost pressures and savings, noting that savings from pension reductions were built into the budget proposal at the council level. Details on the Fairer Funding scheme were referenced in an Executive Paper.

The committee received a comprehensive overview of existing and new grants, with funding confirmed for the Domestic Abuse (DA) grant for the next three years. Cost savings measures, such as the merging of coroner services and the cost neutrality of the registrar's service, were also detailed. Members inquired about the impact of flooding on resources and forecast costs, as well as changes to on-call firefighter remuneration. Officers explained the use of historic data for predictive planning and targeting at-risk areas, with provisions for exceptional events. A new national agreement for on-call firefighters, providing improved remuneration, was also highlighted.

Discussions also covered the adoption of new technologies and the disposal of fleet vehicles, with officers confirming that old vehicles were sold at auction and income returned to the council. The provision of vehicular CCTV ('dashcams') was discussed, with officers promising to circulate specific costs later, noting that the delay was due to the need for a strict procurement process to identify the most appropriate equipment. Concerns were raised about the limited number of fully competent fire engineers nationwide and whether the training budget included provisions for new fire safety assessors. Officers confirmed that a portion of the budget was dedicated to the recruitment and training of fire protection officers and fire engineering training, with additional funding available from the Grenfell inquiry. The availability of on-call officers was noted as improving, with a renewed focus on retention rates. Members proposed liaising with local businesses to assist with the release of employees for service, and a further briefing was agreed.

The committee also queried funding and programmes needed to maintain successes in reducing anti-social behaviour, with officers noting this would be covered in a separate report but acknowledging the need for sustainable activities and integration with local organisations.

RESOLVED:

• That the Committee supports the proposed budget to the Executive as detailed in the report.
• That a summary of the Committee's comments be passed to the Executive for its consideration ahead of their decision.

Engagement Strategy 2026-2030

The committee reviewed the County Council's engagement strategy and review protocols, introduced by Christopher O'Rourke, Head of Communications and Engagement. The strategy aims to ensure statutory obligations are met and to build trust within local communities through modern engagement methods. The council's engagement platform has reached 6,000 registered users, with thousands of responses recorded across 93 engagement projects, utilising both in-person and digital interactions.

Members questioned whether engagement levels were comparable to other authorities of a similar size, with officers noting that while benchmarking is difficult, engagement levels are consistent with other County Councils. The measures in place for the transition period to the next engagement review were discussed, with a particular focus on engaging children and young people. Concerns were raised about ensuring a broad range of public stakeholders were engaged, with officers highlighting that registration on the platform is not mandatory and engagement increases with the distribution of the County News newsletter. The committee also discussed methods for capturing data on lapsed users and the use of AI in feedback analysis. Officers assured the committee that AI is only used for theming responses and is manually checked, with trends consistent with officer findings, and not used in a decision-making capacity.

RESOLVED:

• That the Committee supports the recommendation to the Executive as detailed in the report.
• That a summary of the Committee's comments be passed to the Executive for its consideration ahead of their decision.

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

Ian Reed, Head of Emergency Planning & Business Continuity, presented an annual progress report on the Lincolnshire Local Resilience Forum (LRF) Strategy and Business Plan 2023-26. The report highlighted positive ratings for all LRF areas over the past three years, with no concerns reported. The relocation to Orchard House has reduced the number of property offices, and digital registration is being more widely adopted.

Members noted that four parish councils had declined to submit a resilience plan, with officers attributing this to a perceived lack of resources or human capital. Discussions also covered alternative means of engaging with communities, with officers confirming a broad approach and ongoing discussions with DEFRA for funding extensions. The LRF's self-funding nature and potential costs were discussed, with officers clarifying that costs are traditionally funded by other departments, but central government provides a grant to all LRFs. The innovation fund, covering projects such as drones for survey work and automation of rest centre systems, was also mentioned.

RESOLVED: That the Committee is satisfied with the contents of the report and has been assured on the work undertaken by Lincolnshire Local Resilience Forum (LRF) in respect of the LRF Business Plan 2023-2026 annual progress update, and that a further annual update be brought to the Committee in 12 months' time.

Registration and Celebratory Service Annual Report

James Chapple, Head of Registration, Celebratory and Coroners Services, provided an annual update on the Registration and Celebratory Services. Registration services are broadly on target, with new digital improvements facilitating online bookings. Google reviews have been adopted for each office, and the service is working with the LCC digital team for technological adaptations. Property changes include the relocation of Lincoln Register Office into Orchard House, and future legislative changes are expected to introduce new digital registration options.

Members queried if birth figures were skewed due to children being born outside Lincolnshire, with officers explaining the use of registration districts detached from county borders. The funding of the statutory medical examiner was clarified as an NHS function. Concerns were raised about the timeliness of death registrations, with officers assuring that the medical examiner scheme provides scrutiny and that deaths recorded in hospitals are dealt with more promptly. However, deaths in the community may take longer due to differing processes and GP availability.

RESOLVED: That the Committee is satisfied with the contents of the report and has been assured on the work undertaken by Registration and Celebratory Services in respect of the Registration and Celebratory Services annual progress update, and that a further annual update be brought to the Committee in 12 months' time.

Public Health Substance Use Services & Partnership Working

Lucy Gavens, Consultant in Public Health, presented an annual update on Public Health Substance Use Services and Partnership Working. The report outlined the national strategy for breaking up supply chains and providing treatment, supported by local intelligence and a combination of public health and national grants. Local services are providing treatment to over 200 children and young people, preventative interventions through the Stay Safe partnership, and family and friend support services.

Members raised concerns about the lack of mention of veterans in the report and trends of alcoholism and self-medication of PTSD in individuals with military backgrounds. Queries were made regarding the number of police officers trained to use Naloxone and plans for talks with junior pupils to combat drug use early. Officers confirmed discussions to expand Naloxone availability and noted work with various school year groups. The statutory nature of the substance abuse service was confirmed, and its commissioning separately from the Integrated Lifestyle Service (ILS) was clarified. Support for families through the new Beacon service was detailed, and the demand for this service was highlighted. An explanation of nitazene-infused drugs was provided, with local intelligence systems in place to alert authorities to overdoses.

RESOLVED: That the Committee is satisfied with the contents of the report and has been assured on the work undertaken by Public Health Substance Use Services & Partnership in respect of the Public Health Substance Use Services & Partnership annual progress update, and that a further annual update be brought to the Committee in 12 months' time.

Community Safety Scrutiny Committee Work Programme

The committee reviewed and agreed its work programme for the coming year.

RESOLVED: That the work programme be agreed.

Trading Standards Fair Trading Activity 2024-2025

Mark Keal, Head of Trading Standards, presented a report outlining the Fair Trading Enforcement activities carried out by Lincolnshire County Council's Trading Standards Service during the 2024/25 financial year. The report detailed the team's structure, priorities, and regional collaboration efforts. It highlighted the 7,992 complaints received relating to fair trading matters, with key categories including doorstep crime, intellectual property, used cars, lettings, and pricing.

The report provided detailed information on enforcement activities, including successful prosecutions for doorstep crime and intellectual property offences. It also outlined the Used Car Sector project, Operation OXBOW, and initiatives to address intellectual property infringement. The Lettings Project identified compliance issues among letting agents, and Operation Flamingo focused on hallmarking inspections. Pricing inspections at convenience stores in rural locations were also detailed. The Buy with Confidence scheme, a national Trading Standards-run trader approval scheme, was recently launched in Lincolnshire. Business advice services and media and social media awareness campaigns were also discussed. The report concluded by outlining progress and challenges for 2025-2026, noting capacity constraints and the importance of apprentice development.

LFR Community Risk Management Plan 2024-2028 - Update Report

Joe Haustead, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, and Ryan Stacey, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, provided an annual update on Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue's (LFR) Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) 2024-2028. The report summarised the review of the community risk profile, incorporating an expanded PESTELO analysis and updated National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA), which elevated the risk of utility disruption.

The report detailed strategic priorities, including sustainable interventions to mitigate the impact of changing communities, with over 16,000 Home Fire Safety Visits completed. Partnership arrangements with FireStoppers and the Environmental Crime Partnership were highlighted. The service demonstrated effective risk management in developing a new Battery Energy Storage System policy. The optimisation of data to target those at greater risk of fire and other emergencies was discussed, with the use of the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) and the Resource Scoring Index. The report also covered the provision of skilled professionals to monitor fire safety legislation, sustainable mobilising and command infrastructure, and streamlining data management and technology.

The health and safety of staff, including a dedicated project to mitigate contamination risks, was a priority. Investment in training and development facilities at Waddington was outlined, along with efforts to develop leadership and management capability. Innovative practices to attract, select, and champion talented people, enabling diversity, were discussed, including a 26 per cent year-to-date increase in on-call applications. The development of diverse skillsets and the creation of a happy, healthy, and resilient workforce were also key themes.

Anti-Social Behaviour Project - Update

Clare Newborn, Head of Community Safety, and Ann Beck, Community Safety Service Development Manager, provided an update on the Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Project. The project, funded by £1 million of non-recurrent funding, aims to tackle and reduce ASB across Lincolnshire. The report detailed activity across two key strands: adults and children.

For the adults' strand, a rapid review of ASB in Lincolnshire highlighted increasing police-recorded incidents and a disproportionate number of incidents reported by a small cohort of repeat and vulnerable victims. A deep dive into the journeys of 17 individuals in this cohort revealed significant underlying complexities, including impaired cognitive function, substance misuse, financial harm, and domestic abuse. Systemic challenges such as a lack of coordinated response, reactive systems, and inconsistent record-keeping were identified. The Project Board concluded that systemic change, rather than additional operational delivery, was required, and the Lincolnshire Safeguarding Adults Board (LSAB) will lead on this work.

The children's strand, the 'Beyond' project, is a collaboration between Future 4 Me (Positive Futures) and Community Safety (Stay Safe). It offers a 12-week programme to young people, focusing on education, positive community relationships, and individual development. The project has been piloted in Sleaford and delivered in Gainsborough and Louth, reaching 657 children and engaging with 671 through detached work. Preliminary analysis shows a decrease in youth-related crime and ASB in Sleaford and Gainsborough during the project's intervention periods. The report noted that while preliminary findings are encouraging, the short-term nature of the funding poses challenges for sustainability. The project aligns with national strategies for youth matters and violence prevention.