Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Boothby, C Gibbens, S Gibbens and Moore.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 20 February and 13 May 2025.

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

RESOLVED – the minutes of the meetings held on 20 February and 13 May 2025 be confirmed as a correct record.

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.

No interests were declared at this stage.

To receive such communications as the Mayor may decide to lay before the Council.

The Mayor presented a long service award to Malcolm Evans who had worked for the council for 25 years, and updated Council on events he had attended.

To deal with questions under Council Procedure Rule number 14.

“Can the Executive member provide Council with an update on the former leisure centre site on Coventry Road please?

Permission for 66 apartments and 7 houses was granted under application 18/01237/FUL in October 2019, with a section 106 agreement signed in August 2021.

As that permission now lapsed? Or has a material start made in redeveloping this key site in Hinckley?”

Response from Councillor W Crooks:

“The former leisure centre site, located off Coventry Road / Trinity Lane, was granted permission following a resolution to grant by Planning Committee in October 2019 for 66 apartments and seven dwellings to Green4 as the applicant. A material start on the site was made ahead of the three-year cut off for the permission, with initial access works undertaken on the site from Marchant Road to the west of the site. These works keep the permission live and it remains extant.

In addition to the above, a planning application was received in April 2025 for a 72 bedroom care home facility on the site. This proposal is for one half of the site only, replacing one of the two permitted apartment buildings, and would be located adjacent to Trinity Lane. This application, reference 25/00354/FUL, is pending consideration and has the opportunity to bring a new high quality development, through this full application, to this key town centre site. This application will be presented to Planning Committee in due course. The remaining half of the site will then require an amendment application to regularise this half following any permission granted for the care home.”

“Can the Executive member provide Council with an update on the former leisure centre site on Coventry Road please?

Permission for 66 apartments and 7 houses was granted under application 18/01237/FUL in October 2019, with a section 106 agreement signed in August 2021.

As that permission now lapsed? Or has a material start made in redeveloping this key site in Hinckley?”

Response from Councillor W Crooks:

“The former leisure centre site, located off Coventry Road / Trinity Lane, was granted permission following a resolution to grant by Planning Committee in October 2019 for 66 apartments and seven dwellings to Green4 as the applicant. A material start on the site was made ahead of the three-year cut off for the permission, with initial access works undertaken on the site from Marchant Road to the west of the site. These works keep the permission live and it remains extant.

In addition to the above, a planning application was received in April 2025 for a 72 bedroom care home facility on the site. This proposal is for one half of the site only, replacing one of the two permitted apartment buildings, and would be located adjacent to Trinity Lane. This application, reference 25/00354/FUL, is pending consideration and has the opportunity to bring a new high quality development, through this full application, to this key town centre site. This application will be presented to Planning Committee in due course. The remaining half of the site will then require an amendment application to regularise this half following any permission granted for the care home.”

“Can the Executive member provide a breakdown of the numbers of council houses purchased under Right to Buy by ward, for the last ten years please?”

Response from Councillor M Mullaney:

“Thank you Councillor Allen for your question. I can confirm that the council has sold 272 properties over the last ten years through tenants exercising their right to buy. A breakdown of the number of properties sold each year is set out below.

A breakdown by ward will be provided when available”.

“Can the Executive member provide a breakdown of the numbers of council houses purchased under Right to Buy by ward, for the last ten years please?”

Response from Councillor M Mullaney:

“Thank you Councillor Allen for your question. I can confirm that the council has sold 272 properties over the last ten years through tenants exercising their right to buy. A breakdown of the number of properties sold each year is set out below.

A breakdown by ward will be provided when available”.

Welcome to this July meeting of Council. You will see that tonight’s agenda includes my motion on local government reorganisation and a range of key business items including reports on care experience and supporting those with protected characteristics, plans for acquiring new homes to assist with our housing and homelessness crisis, a community governance review linked to the establishment of a town council for Hinckley, our annual overview & scrutiny report which summarises its key work and achievements over the last year and finally appointments to various charities and of independent persons.

I have the following key updates:

Supporting our communities

At our last meeting of the Executive, we had a packed agenda with reports that charted the positive outcomes from a range of programmes that we have in place to support our communities:

Council housing securing decent homes:

I am delighted to report that by the end of the financial year 2024/25 the housing repairs service actioned 100% decent homes compliance, with all council homes meeting quality standards and the service securing out of target jobs (that built up during the COVID-19 pandemic) by 97% since 2022.

This is a great credit to our skilled housing repairs workforce who have shown such commitment to their work and our tenants.

Tenant involvement:

Following the introduction of the Regulator of Social Housing Tenant Satisfaction margins, I am pleased to report we secured 80.1% satisfaction in 2024/25.

Cost of living support:

We acknowledged the extensive work undertaken by our welfare support team in supporting residents of the borough affected by the cost of living crisis. Members will recall the council took the proactive step of declaring a cost of living emergency in 2022. We heard that the service has supported over 3,500 residents since that time, with 1,617 residents supported in 2024/25 who were experiencing financial hardship.

Domestic abuse outreach service:

We were updated on the current trends, demand and work undertaken by this service. During 2024/25 the service received 167 referrals and conducted 578 support sessions with survivors and collaborated with partner agencies on 81 complex cases. The council hosted a major domestic abuse event in 2024, bringing together over 60 partners and launched the council’s White Ribbon campaign to raise awareness of this issue and the local support available.

Safeguarding support:

The Executive acknowledged and endorsed the work of all the council’s designated safeguarding officers from across the organisation, with the support they provide to ensure action is taken to safeguard children and adults in the borough. Over the period between April 2024 and March 2025 the authority received a total of 503 people referred.

Civil penalty policy for private sector housing offences:

The Executive agreed to introduce a ‘justice for tenants’ policy to enable the council the issue civil financial penalties of up to £40,000 to landlords to address failings in maintaining and complying with improvement notices to address safety issues in private rented properties.

Hinckley town centre vision:

A new town centre vision document was endorsed by the Executive,  ...  view the full agenda text for item 93.

In his position statement, the Leader referred to:

·         A series of reports at the last meeting of the Executive about the positive outcomes to support communities

·         National recognition for tackling fuel poverty

·         Daisy Shields in the council’s planning service receiving a commendation for Young Planner of the Year

·         The Lawn Tennis Association awards for Hinckley Town and Desford Lawn Tennis clubs

·         A recent day trip for armed forces veterans to the National Bomber Command HQ in Lincolnshire

·         Summer events including the recent Proms in the Park and Mallory Mile and forthcoming events including Feast Hinckley and the Snapdragon Festival

·         Reaching the final of the National Town Centre Awards with the winner being announced on 16 July

·         The recent LGA conference

·         Local government reorganisation

·         The recent conferral of Freedom of the Borough upon Professor Dame Carol Black

·         The Heritage Building Improvement grant now available to property owners in the borough to enhance conservation areas.

To receive for information only the minutes of the Scrutiny Commission meeting held on 13 March 2025.

The minutes of the Scrutiny Commission meeting held on 13 March were received for information.

To consider adoption of care experience as a protected characteristic.

Council received a report which proposed that care experience (those people who have been in the care system) be adopted as a protected characteristic. It was moved by Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor M Mullaney and

RESOLVED – the adoption of care experience as a protected characteristic be approved.

To outline a business case and rationale to purchase 20 units of accommodation to meet homelessness demand.

Consideration was given to the business case and rationale to purchase 20 units of accommodation to be used as temporary accommodation to help reduce expenditure on nightly paid accommodation to meet homelessness demand. In response to members’ questions, it was noted that the properties would be spread across the borough. It was moved by Councillor M Mullaney, seconded by Councillor Lynch and

RESOLVED –

(i)            The purchase of up to an additional 20 properties, following a period of review by a working group, be approved;

(ii)          Authority be delegated to the Director (Community & Development) and the Head of Finance to proceed with the purchase.

To seek approval for the disposal of two HRA land assets in the borough.

Approval was sought for the disposal of two HRA land assets. It was moved by Councillor M Mullaney, seconded by Councillor Lynch and

RESOLVED –

(i)            The sale of the following land assets be approved:

a.    Land adjacent to 13 Beckett Avenue, Market Bosworth, at a valuation of £120,000;

b.    Land adjacent to 1 Thornfield Avenue, Stoke Golding, at a valuation of £115,000.

(ii)          The capital receipt be used to support the HRA capital programme.

To seek approval to write off business rates of £178,373.75.

Consideration was given to recommended business rate write-offs. A member asked whether the level of write-offs was similar to previous years and it was agreed that a response would be provided outside of the meeting. It was moved by Councillor Lynch, seconded by Councillor Bray and

RESOLVED –

(i)            The amount of £69,872.59 be written off due to insolvency following all available enforcement and recovery options being exhausted;

(ii)          The amount of £108,501.16 be written off due to insolvency following all available enforcement and recovery options being exhausted.

To seek approval of the terms of reference for the community governance review.

Council was presented with proposed terms of reference for a community governance review. It was moved by Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor Bools and

RESOLVED – the community governance review and associated terms of reference be approved for publication and consultation.

To seek approval of the overview & scrutiny annual report 2024/25.

Members received the Overview & Scrutiny annual report for 2024/25. It was moved by Councillor Lambert, seconded by Councillor Surtees and

RESOLVED – the Overview & Scrutiny annual report 2024/25 be approved.

To appoint one representative for a period of four years with immediate effect.

It will be moved by Councillor Bray and seconded by Councillor Bools that Pat Gelhar be appointed as Council’s representative.

At this juncture, Councillor Simmons declared an interest in this item.

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

RESOLVED – Pat Gelhar be appointed as the Council’s representative on Poors Platt Charity for a term of four years with immediate effect.

To appoint one representative for a period of three years from July 2025.

It will be moved by Councillor Bray and seconded by Councillor Bools that Ian Daniels be re-appointed as Council’s representative.

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

RESOLVED – Ian Daniels be appointed to the JCC Foundation Hinckley for a term of three years from July 2025.

To appoint a pool of independent persons.

Please note, the appendix to this report contains personal information about candidates so is not available to the public. Should members wish to discuss the detail of the appendix, they will need to do so in private session.

Council was recommended to appoint a pool of independent persons to support the code of conduct complaints process and statutory officer employment processes. It was moved by Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor Bools and

RESOLVED – the following candidates be appointed for a term of four years:

Michael Gibson

Gordon Grimes

Richard Gough

Laurence Faulkner

Mark Shaw

Matthew Johnson

Michael Chad Smith.

Motion to be proposed by Councillor MT Mullaney and seconded by Councillor P Stead-Davis

“This Council notes that many people rely on good 5G mobile signal for access to services, work and leisure. However we note concern expressed by residents in a number of areas across the Borough including Burbage, Hinckley and elsewhere about the recent installations of new masts on County Council highway land within the Borough.

The Council further notes that the last Conservative Government changed the rules that mean that these masts are now deemed permitted development and no longer require full planning consent. 

This Council resolves to:

1.         Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Deputy Prime Minister to request that these be once again subject to planning consent to allow local authorities to properly assess the proposals and consider if the sites are the most appropriate to balance the need for good 5G coverage and other material planning considerations such as impact on the streetscene. 

2.         Ask the Lead Member for Highways at Leicestershire County Council to consult the community and local councillors before undertaking any financial agreements with mobile operators for installing such masts on their land.”

Urgent motion to be proposed by Councillor Bray and seconded by Councillor M Mullaney:

“This Council notes the Government's u-turn last week on welfare reforms, which follows a number of other u-turns including winter fuel payments.

This Council notes that Labour did not reference abolishing two-tier local government in its manifesto and therefore has no mandate to proceed with this fundamental change.

This Council believes that local district and borough councils provide essential discretionary services including economic development, community safety, welfare support and town centre events amongst others.  These will be at risk, should districts be scrapped and merged with upper-tier councils, whose budgets face ever increasing pressures because of the failure of successive Conservative and Labour Governments to properly address social services and SEND funding shortfalls. 

The economic case for moving to unitary councils is not proven, with estimated costs of transitions running into many £millions and no clear evidence from areas, where councils have moved to unitary status, that substantial savings are being made.

It is also clear that across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, there is no consensus on how local government reform should proceed with competing bids, and disagreement over city expansion, with this Council's Leadership expressing deep concerns about areas being moved into the city without the consent of the communities affected.

Proceeding with local government reform will be divisive, will cause huge disruption and will mean Councils are focused on managing transitions rather than delivering services. Therefore this Council calls on Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Government to perform a u-turn on Local Government Reform and drop its plans.

The Council instructs its Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister to set out the Council's position and to communicate this with other local authorities in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.”

“This Council notes that many people rely on good 5G mobile signal for access to services, work and leisure. However we note concern expressed by residents in a number of areas across the Borough including Burbage, Hinckley and elsewhere about the recent installations of new masts on County Council highway land within the Borough.

The Council further notes that the last Conservative Government changed the rules that mean that these masts are now deemed permitted development and no longer require full planning consent. 

This Council resolves to:

1.         Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Deputy Prime Minister to request that these be once again subject to planning consent to allow local authorities to properly assess the proposals and consider if the sites are the most appropriate to balance the need for good 5G coverage and other material planning considerations such as impact on the streetscene. 

2.         Ask the Lead Member for Highways at Leicestershire County Council to consult the community and local councillors before undertaking any financial agreements with mobile operators for installing such masts on their land.”

During discussion, the following points were raised:

·         It was important for residents to have their say on the siting of masts in their community

·         Planning authorities should hold the decision-making power in relation to masts

·         The cost to install a mast on highway land was lower than on private land, hence the intrusive location of some masts.

It was moved by Councillor M Mullaney, seconded by Councillor Stead-Davis and

RESOLVED –

(i)            The Chief Executive be requested to write to the Deputy Prime Minister to request that masts be once again subject to planning consent to allow local authorities to properly assess the proposals and consider if the sites are the most appropriate to balance the need for good 5G coverage and other material planning considerations such as impact on the streetscene;

(ii)          The lead member for highways at Leicestershire County Council be requested to consult the community and local councillors before undertaking any financial agreements with mobile operators for installing such masts on their land.

The Mayor had accepted the following motion which was deemed urgent because of information coming to light since the despatch of the agenda.

It was moved by Councillor Bray and seconded by Councillor M Mullaney that:

“This Council notes the Government's u-turn last week on welfare reforms, which follows a number of other u-turns including winter fuel payments.

This Council notes that Labour did not reference abolishing two-tier local government in its manifesto and therefore has no mandate to proceed with this fundamental change.

This Council believes that local district and borough councils provide essential discretionary services including economic development, community safety, welfare support and town centre events amongst others.  These will be at risk, should districts be scrapped and merged with upper-tier councils, whose budgets face ever increasing pressures because of the failure of successive Conservative and Labour Governments to properly address social services and SEND funding shortfalls. 

The economic case for moving to unitary councils is not proven, with estimated costs of transitions running into many £millions and no clear evidence from areas, where councils have moved to unitary status, that substantial savings are being made.

It is also clear that across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, there is no consensus on how local government reform should proceed with competing bids, and disagreement over city expansion, with this Council's Leadership expressing deep concerns about areas being moved into the city without the consent of the communities affected.

Proceeding with local government reform will be divisive, will cause huge disruption and will mean Councils are focused on managing transitions rather than delivering services. Therefore this Council calls on Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Government to perform a u-turn on Local Government Reform and drop its plans.

The Council instructs its Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister to set out the Council's position and to communicate this with other local authorities in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.”

Councillor Bray and 16 further members stood to request that voting be recorded. The vote was taken as follows:

Councillors R Allen, Bools, Bray, Cartwright, Cook, Cope, J Crooks, W Crooks, Flemming, Glenville, Green, Hodgkins, Hollick, Lynch, L Mullaney, M Mullaney, Pendlebury, Smith, Stead-Davis, Sutton, Walker, Webber-Jones, Weightman and Williams voted FOR the motion (24);

Councillors C Allen, Harris, Lambert, O’Shea, Simmons and Surtees abstained from voting.

The motion was therefore declared CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED – Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister to set out the council’s position and to communicate this with other local authorities in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

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 1, 3 and 10 of Schedule 12A of the 1972 Act.

On the motion of Councillor Bray seconded by Councillor Lynch, 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 1, 3 and 10 of Part I of Schedule 12A of that Act.

The two directors left the meeting at this point.

To seek approval of a senior management review.

Council gave consideration to a senior management review which would respond to the demands and impacts of local government reorganisation in Leicestershire and Rutland, and interim support arrangements provided to another local authority. It was moved by Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor R Allen and unanimously

RESOLVED –

(i)            The interim senior structure at director level and above, which would consist of the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and two directors, be approved;

(ii)          The Leader and Deputy Leader of Council and the Leader of the Opposition participate in the interview and selection process for the interim Deputy Chief Executive role and the interim director role that would be available following the successful appointment to the Deputy Chief Executive role;

(iii)         Authority be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council to approve the job descriptions and person specifications for the interim Deputy Chief Executive and director roles;

(iv)         The wider senior structure below director level which would be put in place under existing delegated powers following the senior capacity review, be endorsed;

(v)          The section 113 agreement drawn up with another district council in the region in relation to the Chief Executive’s role be endorsed;

(vi)         The Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of Council and the Leader of the Opposition, be granted delegated authority to confirm any permanent arrangements to be taken forward as part of the budget setting process in February 2026;

(vii)        Amendments to the constitution, including the scheme of delegation, required as a result of the new structure, be delegated to the Monitoring Officer in consultation with the Chief Executive.