South Kesteven is to source more of its legal services from a consortium involving other Lincolnshire councils as its legal needs increase.

The district council reports declining numbers of staff in its own legal department, due to its abilities to attract and retain staff. This leaves the department with two staff and two vacancies.

Yet, the council says, it as it 'innovates', the need for a variety of legal services continues to grow, which it cannot supply internally.

Last year, a report prepared for yesterday's meeting of SKDC's cabinet, said in 2020/21, the council spent £124,900 on external legal services.

Council leader Kelham Cooke told the cabinet meeting that the council has agreed an ambitious corporate plan and more legal services will be needed as part of it.

The council, he said, has considered four options.

The first was totally outsourcing its legal requirements, which would leave it with no legal staff, when some are needed for day-to-day legal matters.

The council could carry on as now, but this carried 'significant risk' as it lacks certain legal capabilities.

The council could also build up its own legal team in-house. With up to five more lawyers need, this might take two years and there would be times where skills would not be fully utilised.

Therefore, the most efficient way would be a 'hybrid model' where SKDC was part of a shared service agreement known as Lincolnshire Legal Services Partnership (LSL), involving the county and other district councils.

It would still keep a small number of in-house staff.

This, Coun Cooke explained, would give the council access to a large range of high quality and timely legal support covering matters as diverse as planning, licensing, conveyancing, employment law, etc.

In addition to efficient legal advice, SKDC would also benefit from a share of any surpluses the entity made.

Cabinet Member of Housing and Planning, Coun Robert Reid, told the meeting he was "comforted" by the prospective arrangement, which councillors then voted for.

"We have had it in planning since December. I was desperately seeking additional support. It's been first rate."

Cabinet Member for Culture and Visitor Economy, Coun Rosemary Trollope-Bellew, said: "We are a forward moving council. I see this as a way of improving our legal services. It's been a while in coming."

Shahin Ismail, the council's Assistant Director Law and Governance, added: "We used Lincolnshire Legal Services all of last year. They are completely geared up to the specialist areas we can't gear up for. They provide SKDC with the best of both worlds for legal support."