Agenda and minutes

Venue: Virtual meeting. View directions

Contact: Rebecca Owen  Democratic Services Manager Email: rebecca.owen@hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

389.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 142 KB

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 12 March 2020.

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor H Williams, seconded by Councillor Pendlebury and

 

RESOLVED – the minutes of the meeting held on 12 March be approved.

390.

Declarations of interest

To receive verbally from members any disclosures which they are required to make in accordance with the Council's code of conduct or in pursuance of Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.  This is in addition to the need for such disclosure to be also given when the relevant matter is reached on the agenda.

Minutes:

Councillors Crooks, Lay, Sheppard-Bools, P Williams declared non-pecuniary interests in item 6 as parish councillors.

391.

Parish & Community Initiative Fund pdf icon PDF 379 KB

To endorse the allocation of funding for 2020/21.

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the allocation of funding for the Parish and Community Initiative Fund 2020/21. There was some discussion on academies and churches and whether they had to demonstrate wider community interests.

 

It was suggested that a report be brought to a future meeting to undertake a minor refresh of criteria for the scheme. It was not intended that this be a full review of the scheme as it was working well, but would consider questions such as those raised in relation to academies and churches.

 

It was moved by Councillor Crooks, seconded by Councillor Collett and

 

RESOLVED

 

(i)            The funding allocations of £136,914 for 33 schemes be endorsed;

 

(ii)           SLT be RECOMMENDED to allocate a further £5,479 to provide extra funding for the central heating system at Newbold Verdon Baptist Church and for Bagworth Whistlestop Bridge Club;

 

(iii)          The carry forward of £36,571 to enable completion of previous years’ schemes be endorsed;

 

(iv)         The budget be phased £150,000 in 2020/21 and £28,964 in 2021/22;

 

(v)          SLT be RECOMMENDED to provide a one-off supplementary budget of £2,000 from the developing communities fund payable to the Rural Communities Council to assist in future scheme development;

 

(vi)         A report to refresh the scheme be brought to a future meeting.

392.

Environmental Improvement Programme 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 388 KB

To endorse the programme of enhancement schemes for 2020/21.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Scrutiny Commission received a report which outlined the Environmental Improvement Programme for 2020/21. A member referred to the benefits of the scheme over the years and the importance of the work carried out. It was moved by Councillor Crooks, seconded by Councillor Webber-Jones and

 

RESOLVED – the enhancement schemes for 2020/21 be endorsed.

 

Councillor Cartwright left the meeting at this juncture.

393.

Coronavirus - the council's response pdf icon PDF 491 KB

To provide an update on the impact of the coronavirus on our communities, council services and finances and to set out the council’s response to the challenges presented.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members received two reports in relation to coronavirus which were taken together. The first provided an update on the impact of coronavirus on our communities, council services and finances and set out the council’s response to the challenges presented. The second presented the council’s coronavirus recovery strategy. During discussion, the following points were raised:

 

·         The council’s positive response despite being under pressure

·         The huge amount of work undertaken to process grants for businesses – 95% of which had been paid

·         The predicted increase in council tax support payments as a result of the pandemic

·         Lack of information from external sources in regard to the local lockdown in Leicester

·         The worst case projected cost to the council at the end of the financial year of £3.4m

·         Local information on the infection rate would be helpful and would help the public to understand the risks and impact

·         Recovery was being undertaken in partnership with other agencies.

 

Some members expressed concern that the number of deaths in Stoke Golding and Fenny Drayton were very high. In response it was noted that these were being linked to the high rates in Nuneaton and that ward level data would be included in the next update. It was also agreed that the pillar 2 figures available for the borough would be checked and circulated to members.

 

Members particularly wanted to acknowledge the hard work of staff who, they felt, had provided an exemplary service in relation to the business rate grants, had provided a fantastic level of care for vulnerable people in the community via the residents’ support scheme and had worked to continue business as usual as much as possible.

 

It was moved by Councillor Lay, seconded by Councillor Webber-Jones and

 

RESOLVED

 

(i)            The positive steps taken in response to the coronavirus pandemic be endorsed;

 

(ii)           The draft recovery strategy by RECOMMENDED to Council;

 

(iii)          Staff be commended for their hard work.

394.

Coronavirus - recovery strategy pdf icon PDF 326 KB

To consider the draft recovery strategy in response to the issues and challenges raised in the preceding report.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

This was discussed with the report ‘Coronavirus – the council’s response’ above – minute xxx refers.

395.

Hinckley Crematorium Project Update pdf icon PDF 432 KB

To review the progress of the Hinckley crematorium project following the tender period.

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the progress review of the crematorium project following the tender period for selection of a main contractor for the construction phase. Members were informed that predictions were modest and a contingency had been included. Members were supportive of the scheme but it was requested that figures should clearly show the return on investment. It was moved by Councillor Crooks, seconded by Councillor Webber-Jones and

 

RESOLVED – the report be noted and RECOMMENDED to Council.