Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors C Allen, Boothby, Cope and H Williams.

To confirm the minutes of the meetings held on 25 February and 14 July 2020.

It was moved by Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor Nichols and

RESOLVED – the minutes of the meetings held on 25 February and 14 July be approved.

No interests were declared.

Madam Mayor and Members you will note from the agenda tonight that we continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. Our latest projections on the financial implications are included in the Financial Outturn report. Even in these difficult times it is good to see we are still making positive progress on key priorities. You will be considering the latest progress report on the multi-million pound investment on Ambion Court, a new sheltered scheme in Market Bosworth. We also have on the agenda, in private session, a report that will help accelerate future investment in MIRA Technology Park to help boost jobs and employment locally.

I set out below some other key matters that I want to update you all on.

LCC’s Unitary Position

You will have all seen the report that LCC has published for consideration by its Cabinet this week, seeking to gain support for the County Leader to write to Government requesting an invitation for the submission of a proposal for the establishment of unitary local government in Leicestershire.

I am not sure what planet the leadership of LCC are on but, whilst the rest of the country is concerned over the COVID crisis and economic recovery, they continue to spend time and resource on a vanity project about structures. I will repeat what I have said before - our residents and businesses support this Council and what it does. We provide vital services to our community, we empty their bins, provide affordable housing, tackle ASB, ensure our residents stay safe and well by inspecting food establishments, maintain our parks and support our economy and our high streets, provide great leisure facilities and put on great events and support our vulnerable and much more - all at the lowest council tax rate in the county!

I will continue to fight to retain these vital services for our residents and for them to be delivered by this Council and not a much larger organisation that is remote from our residents and communities. We should all be focussed on economic recovery and supporting our residents and businesses through this crisis and not be diverted on bureaucratic nonsense.

I therefore call on all Members of all parties of this Council to play their part in challenging LCC’s position on this.

We will obviously have the opportunity more formally to respond to the Devolution and Recovery White Paper when it is published, which we expect to be late October or early November and can debate this matter further.

COVID Impact - Events

You will have picked up last week that further restrictions are in place on social gatherings and social distancing requirements. It is therefore, with understandable disappointment, we are not able to run some of our key events in the way we intended this year. We are, however, taking every opportunity to do things virtually, as far as is possible.

Free Town Centre Car Parking

During the Leicester October half term a range of discount initiatives are being proposed by  ...  view the full agenda text for item 460.

In presenting his position statement, the leader referred to Leicestershire County Council’s report to its Cabinet seeking to gain support for requesting an invitation to submit a proposal for the establishment of unitary local government for Leicestershire, the impact of Covid-19 including alternative arrangements for events, town centre parking, planning reforms, MIRA Enterprise Zone, jobs and growth and the National Forest. Members wished to thank council staff, volunteers and residents for their hard work and support over the previous few months.

To receive for information only the minutes of the Scrutiny Commission meetings held on 12 March, 2 July and 20 August 2020.

The minutes of the Scrutiny Commission were received for information.

To inform members of the draft financial outturn for 2019/20, the impact of Covid-19 on the first quarter’s financial position and the longer term outlook.

This report will be considered by Finance & Performance Scrutiny on 9 September and comments of that body will be reported to Council.

Council received a report on the draft financial outturn for 2019/20, the impact of Covid-19 on the first quarter’s financial position and the longer term outlook. During discussion, the following points were raised:

·         Concern over the financial impact of Covid-19

·         Concern about action to mitigate the impact of being unable to access properties to carry out asbestos surveys. It was agreed that more information and reassurance would be provided to the councillor

·         The financial savings of moving to a unitary authority were not evidenced or convincing

·         Savings that would be required were not yet known and some difficult decisions may have to be taken.

It was moved by Councillor Lynch, seconded by Councillor Bray and

RESOLVED –

(i)            The general fund outturn for 2019/20 be approved;

(ii)           Transfers to earmarked reserves and balances as outlined in the report be approved;

(iii)          The general fund revenue carry forwards of expenditure and income to 2020/21 be approved;

(iv)         The housing revenue and housing repairs account outturn for 2019/20 and transfers to and from balances as details in sections 3.8 to 3.9 be approved;

(v)          The capital programme outturn for the general fund and housing revenue account from 2019/20 be approved;

(vi)         The HRA carry forwards be approved;

(vii)        The capital carry forwards be approved;

(viii)       A £60,000 contribution to a new HRA rent equalisation reserve to assist in smoothing of any future rental deficit be approved;

(ix)         The first quarter impact of Covid-19 on the in-year performance be noted;

(x)          The longer term financial pressures be noted.

To present the proposed HBBC Pay Policy Statement for 2020/21 for approval.

This report was considered by the Scrutiny Commission on 20 August. An extract from the minutes of that meeting is attached.

The HBBC pay policy statement for 2020/21 was proposed for approval. It was moved by Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor Bill and

RESOLVED – the HBBC pay policy statement for 2020/21 be approved.

To provide an update on the Ambion Court sheltered scheme redevelopment.

This report was considered by the Scrutiny Commission on 20 August. An extract from the minutes of that meeting is attached.

Members received an update on the Ambion Court sheltered scheme redevelopment. It was moved by Councillor Mullaney, seconded by Councillor Bray and

RESOLVED –

(i)            The progress with the project be noted;

(ii)           The estimated tender sum of £3,068,200.00 for a 54 week programme be noted and the revised budget of £3,769,668.00 for delivery of the scheme be approved;

(iii)          The ongoing discussions with Homes England regarding their funding allocation be noted.

To consider waiving the “six month rule”.

Consideration was given to a report which recommended temporarily extending the period of absence for any councillor who is unable to attend meetings for a six-month period. A member queried whether this was also relevant for parish councils. In response, it was noted that this decision applied only to the borough council and that parish councils would need to take their own advice on the requirements. It was moved by Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor Bill and

RESOLVED – a waiver of the six month rule be granted for members who fail to attend meetings for the reasons outlined in the report until 7 May 2021 or until revocation of The Local Authority and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020, whichever is the later.

To consider the calendar of meetings for 2021.

The draft calendar of meetings for 2021 was discussed. In addition, the Leader highlighted the intention to adhere to dates in the original calendar of meetings for the remainder of this calendar year. It was moved by Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor Bill and

RESOLVED – the calendar of meetings for 2021 be approved.

Motion from Councillor Roberts, seconded by Councillor Morrell:

Declare an expression of wish to extend the National Forest borders from the north of the Borough to the south, east and west of its borders.

Whilst the Council has already declared a climate emergency in July 2019, since this declaration few changes have been made.

However, with rapidly rising and increases of traffic and congestion, much tougher and much more ambitious plans will need to be implemented if the Borough is to become carbon neutral within the intended time scale.

Currently the Government has expressed an interest in extending and creating new woodland and forests to help mitigate some of these issues, along with extensive technology and infrastructure changes.

25 years ago, large swathes of the Midlands landscape had been left scarred by centuries of coal mining and other heavy industry. But a passionate group of people had a vision: a forest. The first forest to be created at scale in England for over 1000 years, it transformed the landscape from black to green. But the story doesn't stop here. This is Our National Forest. It belongs to us all.

The National Forest is right in the heart of the country, embracing 200 square miles of the Midlands. It spans across parts of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Staffordshire and aims to link the two ancient Forests of Charnwood and Needwood. With a history of coalmining and heavy industry, the landscape is now that of rolling farmland, ancient forests and new planted woodlands. Its main towns and villages include Burton upon Trent (famous for its brewing), Coalville and Swadlincote (formerly associated with the clay and coal mining industries) and the historic town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch and reaches as far down as Bagworth and extending Thornton Reservoir in Hinckley and Bosworth.

Therefore to make the Climate emergency declaration and give it more emphasis, this motion proposes the following actions as a council:-

§  Cross party agreement to pursue government support for the National Forest to extend the current forest to the North of Hinckley, to the South level with A47 and to join with Charnwood Forest to the East and A5 to the West to the extent of Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Borders.

§  Draw up plans with the National Forest and Woodland Trust Organisations to identify sites.

§  Identify Grants and funding sources to permit the acquisition of land and resource, plus cover the costs of planting and the legal framework required.

§  Identify landowners willing to participate in the scheme, bearing in mind Central Government is already drawing up plans with Defra to look at land set aside with possible subsidies for landowners and farming communities to actively encourage participation in such a scheme.

Councillor Roberts, seconded by Councillor Morrell, proposed the following motion:

“Declare an expression of wish to extend the National Forest borders from the north of the Borough to the south, east and west of its borders.

Whilst the Council has already declared a climate emergency in July 2019, since this declaration few changes have been made.

However, with rapidly rising and increases of traffic and congestion, much tougher and much more ambitious plans will need to be implemented if the Borough is to become carbon neutral within the intended time scale.

Currently the Government has expressed an interest in extending and creating new woodland and forests to help mitigate some of these issues, along with extensive technology and infrastructure changes.

25 years ago, large swathes of the Midlands landscape had been left scarred by centuries of coal mining and other heavy industry. But a passionate group of people had a vision: a forest. The first forest to be created at scale in England for over 1000 years, it transformed the landscape from black to green. But the story doesn't stop here. This is Our National Forest. It belongs to us all.

The National Forest is right in the heart of the country, embracing 200 square miles of the Midlands. It spans across parts of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Staffordshire and aims to link the two ancient Forests of Charnwood and Needwood. With a history of coalmining and heavy industry, the landscape is now that of rolling farmland, ancient forests and new planted woodlands. Its main towns and villages include Burton upon Trent (famous for its brewing), Coalville and Swadlincote (formerly associated with the clay and coal mining industries) and the historic town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch and reaches as far down as Bagworth and extending Thornton Reservoir in Hinckley and Bosworth.

Therefore to make the Climate emergency declaration and give it more emphasis, this motion proposes the following actions as a council:-

§  Cross party agreement to pursue government support for the National Forest to extend the current forest to the North of Hinckley, to the South level with A47 and to join with Charnwood Forest to the East and A5 to the West to the extent of Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Borders.

§  Draw up plans with the National Forest and Woodland Trust Organisations to identify sites.

§  Identify Grants and funding sources to permit the acquisition of land and resource, plus cover the costs of planting and the legal framework required.

§  Identify landowners willing to participate in the scheme, bearing in mind Central Government is already drawing up plans with Defra to look at land set aside with possible subsidies for landowners and farming communities to actively encourage participation in such a scheme.”

Upon being put to the vote, the motion was CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED – the motion be approved.

To consider the passing of a resolution under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 excluding the public from the undermentioned item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 3, 5 and 10 of Schedule 12A of the 1972 Act.

On the motion of Councillor Bray seconded by Councillor Bill, it was

RESOLVED – in accordance with section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 3, 5 and 10 of Part I of Schedule 12A of that Act.

This report was considered by the Scrutiny Commission on 20 August 2020. An extract from the minutes of that meeting is attached.

Members received a report in relation to the MIRA Enterprise Zone. It was moved by Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor Bill and

RESOLVED – the recommendations within the report be approved.