Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors C Allen, Collett and Findlay.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 1 November.

It was moved by Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor W Crooks and

RESOLVED – the minutes of the meeting held on 1 November be confirmed as a correct record.

No interests were declared.

The Mayor informed Council of recent events attended.

To deal with questions under Council Procedure Rule number 14.

“Will the Leader please provide an update on works to remedy the flooding issues at the Ashby Road Cemetery?”

Response from the Executive member for Streetscene Services:

“The new drainage was installed in the cemetery extension by the contractor in October 2021.

An additional gully was installed in autumn 2022 adjacent to the hardstanding to capture surface water from the road way during heavy rain.

Additional sand slitting is currently underway between the existing graves and this should be complete by the end of December 2022.

Officers will continue to monitor the cemetery extension for surface water issues and if necessary consider further works. At present all the drainage is currently working well and dealt with the very increased rainfall of the last month as expected.”

“Will the Leader please provide an update on works to remedy the flooding issues at the Ashby Road Cemetery?”

Response from the Executive member for Streetscene Services:

“The new drainage was installed in the cemetery extension by the contractor in October 2021.

An additional gully was installed in autumn 2022 adjacent to the hardstanding to capture surface water from the road way during heavy rain.

Additional sand slitting is currently underway between the existing graves and this should be complete by the end of December 2022.

Officers will continue to monitor the cemetery extension for surface water issues and if necessary consider further works. At present all the drainage is currently working well and dealt with the very increased rainfall of the last month as expected.”

“Can the Executive member for Planning please provide an update on the status of plans to redevelop the former leisure centre site please?”

Response from the Executive member for Planning:

“I thank Councillor Allen for his question.

I am pleased to confirm that progress on the former leisure centre site at Trinity Vicarage Road has been made.

To implement the planning consent the developers, Green 4 Developments Ltd, started commencement of works on the site back in October this year. These construction works took place on the Marchant Road side of the site and consisted of highway works. Due to the method of construction they are intending to use for the properties they are currently testing the materials on another site which should be complete in April 2023. The permission granted is for the erection of 66 apartments within two apartment blocks together with the erection of seven houses together with access, open space and associated infrastructure.”

“Can the Executive member for Planning please provide an update on the status of plans to redevelop the former leisure centre site please?”

Response from the Executive member for Planning:

“I thank Councillor Allen for his question.

I am pleased to confirm that progress on the former leisure centre site at Trinity Vicarage Road has been made.

To implement the planning consent the developers, Green 4 Developments Ltd, started commencement of works on the site back in October this year. These construction works took place on the Marchant Road side of the site and consisted of highway works. Due to the method of construction they are intending to use for the properties they are currently testing the materials on another site which should be complete in April 2023. The permission granted is for the erection of 66 apartments within two apartment blocks together with the erection of seven houses together with access, open space and associated infrastructure.”

Welcome to our December Council and our last before the Christmas break. May I take this opportunity to wish you all a safe and peaceful Christmas and New Year. On tonight’s agenda we will debate three key reports that cover our Local Development Scheme and timetable for the new local plan, our new Acquisition and Development Strategy and an independent report on allowances.

I have the following brief updates.

Free tree scheme

The United Nations held a major biodiversity conference last week and in recognition of the importance of this, I wanted to highlight the great work our Green Spaces team have been undertaking on our own key initiative to improve the biodiversity of the borough. This autumn we ran our first residents free tree scheme. Over 23,000 trees were given to residents, businesses, parish councils and community groups to plan on their land. Over 4,000 trees were also planted on HBBC land as part of this initiative. The scheme will help increase tree canopy cover across the borough, improve biodiversity and, if all trees reach maturity, over 10,000 tonnes of carbon will be absorbed over the next 40 years.

I would like to express my thanks to all residents who have taken part in this initiative and to Hinckley & Rugby Building Society, Pexa and the National Forest Company for their financial support, and to the Green Spaces team for their great work in delivering the scheme. I hope to run this scheme again with the sponsorship of local businesses.

Cost of living support

The council continues to support its residents with the cost of living crisis. Our welfare officer provides one to one support to people facing difficulties. She has received 893 referrals in the past year, with 99 in the last month. In addition, we continue to provide housing advice and support and work with our partners in the voluntary and community sector to deliver our warm spaces programme across the borough. This has involved stakeholders with public buildings and spaces across the area opening their doors to people who are struggling to heat their homes as the cost of living crisis bites and as temperatures fall. We have publicised a full list of warm spaces on the council’s website. Our teams are also supporting the distribution of cost of living payments, having to work extremely hard to respond to the national initiatives that are being launched.

UKSPF

I’m pleased to confirm the council has now received confirmation of acceptance of our investment plan for the delivery of the £2.6m allocation for spend over the next two and a quarter years. The first year’s allocation of just over £300,000 grant is now signed off with government and future years’ grant awards will be subject to submission of relevant documentation. Officers are working to finalise delivery plans linked to this year’s allocation which we are required to spend by the end of March 2023. As members will be aware, we were expecting confirmation of our investment plans that were  ...  view the full agenda text for item 229.

In his position statement, the Leader referred to cost of living support, the UKSPF, Christmas events, external audit, electric vehicle charging, the closure of HSBC bank branches and the free tree scheme, thanking staff and sponsors.

To receive for information only the minutes of the Scrutiny Commission meeting held on 10 November.

The chair of the Scrutiny Commission presented the minutes of the last meeting.

To seek an extension to the Local Plan plan period from 2039 to 2041 and a revised local development scheme for production of the plan.

Members gave consideration to extension of the local plan period from 2039 to 2041 and to a revised Local Development Scheme for production of the local plan.

Councillor Ladkin left the meeting at 7.15pm.

Concern was expressed in relation to smaller villages that had already exceeded their housing delivery quota, the outdated way in which local government boundaries were configured and the number of neighbourhood development plans made in the borough.

The Executive member agreed to respond to questions raised at the next Planning Policy Working Group.

Councillor Sheppard-Bools entered the meeting at 7.23pm.

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

RESOLVED –

(i)            The requirements for a review of the existing Local Development Scheme be noted;

(ii)          The extension of the local plan period from 2039 to 2041 be approved;

(iii)         The revised Local Development Scheme 2020 to 2025 be approved;

(iv)         Authority be delegated to the Director (Community & Development Services) in consultation with the Executive member for Planning to make any further necessary amendments to the Local Development Scheme.

To seek agreement of a new strategy for acquiring assets and developing land.

Council received the proposed new strategy for acquiring assets and developing land as part of the council’s delivery of its services to stimulate and support regeneration and economic growth and to increase the supply of new affordable homes. During discussion, reference was made to the surplus of offices with the increase in home working and the caution required in relation to investing in retail assets at the current time.

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

RESOLVED –

(i)            The Acquisition and Development Strategy be approved;

(ii)          Provision be made in the capital programme for the sum of £15m to facilitate borrowing through the public works loan board on a case by case basis as business cases are approved;

(iii)         Authority be delegated to the Director (Corporate & Streetscene Services) to make conditional offers for the purchase of land and/or property which meets the criteria in the Acquisition and Development Strategy. Such offers would be conditional subject to formal member approval in accordance with the council’s constitution.

To present the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel.

A paragraph containing a recommendation was omitted from the report and should be included as paragraph 3.9:

3.9       Council is also asked to amend paragraph 6.6 of the scheme of allowances to read:

            “The special responsibility allowances shall be increased annually in line with officer pay awards unless a resolution of Council determines otherwise. Where the pay award is a fixed sum, it will be calculated on the percentage equivalent of the value of the pay award on the average salary of all heads of service and senior management.”

The recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel on Members’ Allowances was presented to Council. It was noted that the panel had reviewed the scheme of allowances for 2023/24 and the application of the 2022/23 pay award as required by the scheme. Attention was drawn to an amendment in the supplementary agenda.

Whilst grateful to the panel for its review, Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor Bill, proposed that the recommended 3.3% increase linked to the national pay award be rejected, stating that it was not an appropriate time for members to accept an increase given the cost of living crisis which was having an impact on residents. He supported the recommendation of no change to the scheme for 2023/24 and the amendment to paragraphs 5.2 and 6.6 of the scheme to take account of future pay awards, should a fixed sum be agreed.

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

RESOLVED –

(i)            An increase equivalent to the officer pay award for 2022/23 be rejected;

(ii)          No amendment to the scheme be made for 2023/24;

(iii)         Paragraph 5.2 of the scheme of allowances be amended to read:

“The basic allowances shall be increased annually in line with officer pay awards unless a resolution of Council determines otherwise. Where the pay award is a fixed sum, it will be calculated on the percentage equivalent of the value of the pay award on the average salary of all heads of service and senior management”.

(iv)         Paragraph 6.6 of the scheme of allowances be amended to read:

“The special responsibility allowances shall be increased annually in line with officer pay awards unless a resolution of Council determines otherwise. Where the pay award is a fixed sum, it will be calculated on the percentage equivalent of the value of the pay award on the average salary of all heads of service and senior management”.

The motion from Councillor R Allen, seconded by Councillor C Allen, has been withdrawn.

It was noted that the motion of Councillor R Allen had been withdrawn.