The North Lincolnshire Council Cabinet is scheduled to meet to discuss the council's financial performance, strategies for children and families, housing, and employment policies. The cabinet will also review progress on a corporate peer challenge and consider an age-friendly employer pledge. It is not possible to say whether any decisions will be made during the meeting.

Housing in North Lincolnshire

The cabinet will consider the Housing Market Position Statement, which provides an overview of the housing market in North Lincolnshire. The report notes that the annual housing requirement has increased to 637 homes per year, and that there is a need for 115 affordable homes per year. It also notes that by 2038, 29% of residents will be aged 65 or over, highlighting the need for adaptable, age-friendly housing. The report identifies a need for:

• 230 wheelchair accessible homes
• 200 supported living homes for people with learning disabilities, mental health needs and/or neurodiversity
• 890 homes for older people
• 520 Extra Care units
• 4 Homes for Children
• 16 homes for Care Leavers

The report also notes that the council has a number of available sites for redevelopment, including land off Jack Brownsword Way, Former Sandfield House, and Land at Yealand Flats.

The cabinet will also discuss the Draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025-30. The strategy is focused around three key themes:

• Accessible and Transparent Pathways of Support
• Safe, Suitable and Sustainable Accommodation
• Opportunity to Participate and Contribute

The report states that the strategy has had significant input from people with lived experience and has been drafted in conjunction with partners at the Changing Lives, Changing Futures partnership.

Supporting Children and Young People

The cabinet will consider the Care Experience Partnership Plan 2025 -2027 and Care Experienced Young Persons Offer. The plan sets out the key priorities and commitments to care experienced children and young people. The offer sets out what is available to care experienced people as a care leaver from North Lincolnshire Council and partner agencies. The offer includes support in relation to:

• Accommodation
• Money
• Education, Employment, Training and Aspirations
• Health and Wellbeing

The cabinet will also discuss the Sufficiency Strategy and Delivery Plan 2025-2027. The strategy outlines how the council will ensure that there is sufficient accommodation for children in care. The report notes that the number of children in care has increased over the last 2 years, and that there has been an increase in children remaining within their family through the effective use of family solutions.

The cabinet will also discuss the Children and Young People's Challenge 2025-2028. The challenge sets out the 'Big 7' priorities that children and young people in North Lincolnshire have identified as important to them. The priorities are:

• Our trusted people
• Our future
• Our voice, our story
• Our sense of belonging
• Our emotional health and wellbeing
• Our digital world
• Our places to go, things to do and people to talk to

The cabinet will also discuss the Children and Young People Voice Framework From Loud to Loudest. The framework sets out the council's commitment to children's voice and engagement, and provides an overview of the arrangements in place to ensure that the voices of children and families are heard and that they shape and co-produce offers of help and support.

Employment and Skills

The cabinet will discuss an Apprenticeships Policy, which aims to increase the uptake of apprenticeships within the council. The policy outlines what an apprentice is, what they will be paid, and the responsibilities of each party involved in apprenticeships. The policy states that:

When any training need for an existing council employee has been identified, apprenticeship training should be considered as a possible route to meet the need.

The cabinet will also discuss an Age Friendly Employer Pledge, which is a nationwide initiative for UK employers who recognise the importance and value of older workers. By signing the pledge, the council would commit to:

• Identify a senior sponsor for age-inclusion in our workforce and publicly state our commitment to the pledge
• Ensure that age is specifically named within our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies
• Take action to improve the recruitment, retention and development of workers over 50 from one of the following areas:
  • Create an age-friendly culture
  • Hire age-positively
  • Be flexible about flexible working
  • Encourage career development at all ages
  • Ensure everyone has the health support they need

The cabinet will also discuss a revised Recruitment of Ex-Offenders and DBS Checks Policy. The policy provides a framework to demonstrate that the council will not unfairly discriminate based on an individual's offending background, but also how the council will balance this with keeping vulnerable service users safe.

Financial Performance

The cabinet will review the Financial Performance 2024/25. The report states that:

Robust revenue investment in services totalled £204.7m with a £0.7m (0.3%) variance against budgeted spend. An additional £0.7m funding received resulted in an overall underspend of £0.036m (0.02%).

The report also notes that £43.3m of capital investment was achieved, representing 95.1% delivery against the revised budget.

Corporate Peer Challenge

The cabinet will receive an update on the Corporate Peer Challenge Progress Review. The Corporate Peer Challenge took place in November 2024 and explored the following key themes:

• Local Priorities and outcomes
• Organisational and place leadership
• Governance and Culture
• Financial planning and management
• Capacity for improvement
• Transformation

The report states that verbal feedback from the review was extremely positive.

Other Items

The agenda for the meeting also includes:

• Declarations of interest
• Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting

A report on the Children and Families Assurance, Practice Learning and Development Framework 2025-28 will be considered in private session.