Agenda item

Leader of the Council's Position Statement

We have some important strategies on our agenda this evening and it is those that I shall concentrate on in this statement, although I do wish to comment on recent proposals for Junction 2 of the M69.

 

Our Volunteering Strategy comes at a time when Government has recently announced an expectation that the NHS will deliver an increase in social prescribing. Our borough will need a thriving voluntary and community sector for this to work well, and this is something that we have worked to improve over recent years. Our strategy reaches the heart of what Government is now encouraging, recognising that prescription medicines are not always the best way to treat some of our health and wellbeing problems and that community groups can provide solutions to improve mental health, reduce loneliness, and improve physical health.

 

Our strategy will ensure that groups have the support to establish themselves, to grow and to provide a wide range of services in our communities. We must also continue to seek ways to secure additional funding to commission programmes of work in our Borough. Our community houses, existing and new community groups, next generation, our flagship VCS programme and all volunteers and community groups can be supported.

 

Volunteering itself is often seen as having health benefits, and I am pleased that SLT has also agreed to increase the number of days which staff can take away from their day job to support community projects. This will provide alternative sources of inspiration for our staff to engage with residents, and I hope that it is an area where we can have flexibility and see further increases in the future.

 

Young People Strategy

We all want our young people to be safe, healthy and to enjoy their lives as they prepare for adulthood and the world of work. This strategy sets out our commitment to take on a much bigger role in the achievement of these aims in our borough.

 

We already have an excellent relationship with many schools and young people, but this strategy will ensure that we increase our efforts to engage with young people, addressing their needs, and making them feel even more a part of the community.

 

Resident Involvement Strategy

Ensuring our council tenants have improved service is one reason for involving residents in shaping our work, but this strategy is far more than that. Yes we need to ensure our homes are of a decent standard, maintained and decent for people to live in, but we also need to make sure that we tackle other issues, making sure that we strengthen our communities and remove the stigma often attached to living in a council house.

 

This strategy will ensure that we take the views of our tenants into account when shaping our services, and I have ensured that young people living with parents also have their views taken into account.

 

I would like to remind members of the HNRFI working party that we have a meeting tomorrow, and as many of you know this is a subject which is becoming of increasing concern to many local residents. I have to say that this position has not been helped by Leicestershire County Council, who seem to want to build on every acre of land between Burbage and Stoney Stanton, and are actually seeking HIF funding to support some of their own proposals. These will be opposed by this council.

 

In putting forward their proposals, LCC is trying to override Local Plans with determining road routes, location of houses, and using the HNRFI proposals to justify their own actions. I have made my thoughts about these proposals known to the MPs for Bosworth and South Leicestershire and I shall continue to work with local action groups to support the gathering of the evidence needed to oppose these proposals.

Minutes:

In his position statement, the Leader referred to the items on the agenda and the proposed rail freight interchange.