Council leader ‘delighted’ that combined authority held its first meeting in the district
Council leader 'delighted' that combined authority held its first meeting in the district v.1
Hearings of a countywide body will be taken on tour around different towns – to the ‘delight’ of one district leader.
The Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCCA) held its first meeting at the South Kesteven District Council (SKDC) offices in Grantham this week.
The GLCCA had previously only held its public meetings in Lincoln and Grimsby – but now plans to hold more of them in other council chambers across Greater Lincolnshire.
After an employment and skills board meeting on Wednesday, April 22, SKDC leader Ashley Baxter (Independent – Market and West Deeping) said he was ‘delighted’ that the GLCCA had held its first meeting in the district.
He added: “As a district (council) leader, I’m involved in various meetings of the combined authority, and I’ve been asking for a meeting in Grantham since day one.
“I’m delighted that we’ve finally been able to host a meeting and show off our superior facilities.”
Coun Baxter told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that plans for the GLCCA to hold its meetings at council offices across the county would help to shine a light on local issues.
He added: “The mayoral authority is supposed to be serving the whole of the county and so there should be a rotation around the different parts in order that we learn about the different geographies, the different industries, the different outlooks and perspectives.
“As we begin the run up into local government reorganisation, we do need to be aware of how people work differently in different parts of this enormous county.”
Deputy Mayor Ingrid Sheard (Reform UK – Spalding Elloe) said that the GLCCA is ‘absolutely’ considering holding more of its meetings at councils across Greater Lincolnshire.
She added: “The meetings obviously need a chamber, so council offices that do have a chamber, we would be open to looking at utilising them.
“We obviously have to do a fair share and make sure – for all councillors involved – that everybody is getting an equal amount of travel.
“So, yes we would be open to the suggestions of them and finding out if we could use them.”
Coun Sheard added that there would be certain ‘requirements’ that would be have to met – including the ability to ‘live stream’ the meeting.
At the meeting, GLCCA members discussed a careers action plan to help more young people to get into work and the government’s £18.2 million adult skills fund which is set to be devolved to the GLCCA later this year.