Home Office Meeting Notes

NOTES FROM HO MEETING – 21ST SEPTEMBER 2023

• The HO announced to the meeting that it had created 2 more engagement meetings.  25.09.2023 – parents from pupils at Pollyplatt School and Spring Nursery and 27.09.2023 – an online teams meeting for the wider Scampton community.
• LCC asked what the timescales were for a meeting with businesses from the surrounding area and also Lincoln City Centre.  The HO advised that this would be happening soon and that it would be another face to face meeting but it is likely to be post go live.
• SPC advised the HO that there were 4 local PC’s that had been missed of the distribution list for the online meeting.  The HO will take away an action to find out why.
• The HO asked SPC what support they were looking for.
• SPC advised the HO that the list of concerns was far too long to recite at the meeting and that they had been mentioned numerous times since March during these meetings and also in a letter written to Robert Jennerick that was still awaiting a personal response rather than a generic letter sent back to all of the public, but that the HO must come up with some sort of support for the residents.
• The HO advised SPC that Scampton has received a very generous package, the largest offered to any site.  They would appreciate a list of the top 3 issues.
• WLDC advised the HO that the money to Lincolnshire Police was to help support local services and does not help the immediate residents directly so that ‘package’ was not sufficient.
• The HO reiterated their request for the top 3 issues.
• SPC stated that security to the residents from 2000 illegal immigrants, Pollyplatt school (screening is not enough), local shop & A15 are some of the issues but not the top 3 and not the only issues.
• The HO responded by stating that the Police were working with them, there is a meeting next week with the parents of pupils at the schools and that the Service Users would be briefed on how dangerous the A15 was!
• SPC asked if a PC was able to attend the school meetings but the HO refused this request stating that they wanted the parents to be able to talk freely without the Parish Council being there.
• WLDC advised the HO that a ‘Go Live’ date was needed ASAP.  The HO confirmed that as soon as the date was known this would be disseminated to all of the stakeholders.
• WLDC further asked how much notice would be given for the date to which the HO reiterated that as soon as they were told a date they would let everyone know but would try and give as much notice as possible.
• WLDC advised the HO that it must be them who issue the comms out to the community with regards to the Go Live date, this was not the responsibility of the local councils to which the HO agreed.
• WLDC noted that the information online regarding the Teams meeting was very misleading as it implied that residents would be able to ask questions on the night.  They have had residents advising them that they are expecting to talk to the HO and are unaware that this is not an option.
• The HO advised the group that there would be no option to speak on the night and that all questions must be submitted online before the event.  They agreed to try and change the narrative .
• WLDC asked if there are any more face to face meetings planned?  The HO advised that they are waiting for dates but that there are 3 more pencilled in 1. People not the internet, 2. local business, 3. Wider local area but that these would now all take place after Go Live.  WLDC expressed their disappointment that these would not take place before Go Live.
• UK HEALTH advised that they had been receiving a lot of interest from locals with regards to the service users and asked if there was any official comms in place for if there was an incident and would the HO answer these questions/enquiries regarding the health issues?  The HO agreed it would answer the questions posed.
• SPC advised the HO that despite their thoughts as to how the face to face meetings went, they can confirm that the local residents were extremely disappointed.  There was no confirmation or assurances from anyone within the HO with regards to residents fears and concerns and that they all feel that it was purely  tick box exercise.
• The HO replied that they couldn’t answer any hypothetical or what if questions but they were able to answer all of the technical questions.
• SPC responded that no questions were answered with regards to the safety & security on our side of the fence or on the A15.
• The HO responded that if an issue arose our side of the wire then they will look at the mitigation to prevent it happening again and also advised that the service users would be made aware how busy the A15 is and not to go on it.
• LCC asked the HO if it had been in contact with SPC to discuss the local concerns?  The HO agreed it would contact SPC.
• The HO asked SPC for their top 3 concerns for them to look into.
• SPC advise the HO that since April they had been talking about the concerns of the local residents and that it was impossible to pick just 3.
• LCC asked if another newsletter was planned to which the HO replied with that it should be published within the next week and that they are hoping to issue them monthly.
• WLDC advise the HO that their factsheet was very out of date and that there was nothing on there with regards to any of the meetings.  The HO agreed to get this updated ASAP