South Kesteven District Council

The Housing Revenue Account faced a £2.7m in-year increase to repairs and maintenance budgets and ended with a £500k overspend against the latest budget. The council also invested £21m in housing stock, including energy efficiency, refurbishment and compliance works, showing continued capital commitment to social housing.

Cabinet approved the council’s draft responses to MHCLG’s invitation for representations on the content of the structural changes order for Greater Lincolnshire reorganisation. The responses cover governance, electoral arrangements and the council’s preferred unitary model, and the Chief Executive was instructed to submit them before the deadline.

The committee approved a deed of variation to redirect remaining Section 106 transport funding away from a shuttle bus requirement and toward a cycleway linking Elsie Park to Bourne town centre. The original obligation included a £50,000 commuted green transport contribution, but only some of it had been used, leaving £21,000 to be reallocated. This is a procurement-relevant infrastructure decision because it changes the council-backed delivery mechanism for sustainable transport works.

The committee approved a modest rear extension at 151 Homer Lane, Grantham to create a bedroom and shower room for a disabled occupant. The officer report said the works matched existing materials, were of limited scale, and would not cause harmful impacts to character or neighbour amenity.

Cabinet approved a package of parking changes, including a feasibility study for additional capacity in Stamford, a new £3 charge at Cattle Market, consultation on a maximum three-hour free parking limit for blue badge holders, revised time limits in Bourne, and a six-month review. Officers also received delegation to establish a new season ticket offer at Cattle Market.

Repairs performance improved substantially, with overdue repairs falling from 2,276 in March 2025 to 1,264 in February 2026. Officers said the backlog reduction is being driven by diary management, contract management, and better productivity, but non-emergency repairs still need improvement.

The meeting focused on community leisure and culture provision, with a major presentation from Grantham Town Football Club about its growth plans and need for a 3G pitch and lease stability. Members then scrutinised leisure performance, cleanliness, visitor numbers, and the financial outturn for Leisure SK, including reuse of surplus funds for maintenance and refurbishment. The committee also discussed future reports on markets, the Grantham Canal partnership, the Isaac Newton Festival, and how to handle reserve-funded projects such as parks and sports infrastructure.

The committee spent much of the meeting on South Kesteven's financial position, including a £1.7m general fund underspend, reserve strengthening and an additional £200k allocation for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) preparatory work. Members also reviewed the Housing Revenue Account, noting £21m capital investment, continued repair pressures and the need to protect tenants through the transition. Treasury management and the risk register were both approved, with a notable discussion on adding climate change and energy supply issues back into strategic risk monitoring.