Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Allen, Bannister and Inman.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 20 February 2014.

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

RESOLVED – the minutes of the meeting held on 20 February 2014 be confirmed and signed by the Mayor.

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 reported on recent events that she had attended.

Councillor Cartwright paid tribute to Tony Pegg, a taxi driver who he had used as Mayor, who had died suddenly. It was agreed that a letter of condolence be sent to his wife on behalf of the Council.

To receive petitions in accordance with the Council's Petitions' Scheme (not for debate at this stage).

Councillor Richards submitted a petition for public toilets in Earl Shilton which had over 300 signatures and had not yet closed. It was confirmed that, when complete, the signatures would be verified under the Petitions Scheme and the appropriate action would be taken which, if all signatures were accepted, would result in a Council debate.

The following questions have been received:

(a)        Question from Councillor Morrell

Could the executive member for leisure and recreation please explain why when it was stated in the public consultation in respect of the new leisure centre and in the report to elected members that there would be what was described as a competition swimming pool yet now after the consultation has closed the Council is describing this as a community pool?

Can the executive member also please explain why when the Council still has the golden opportunity to ensure at the detailed design stage that Hinckley will have a first class leisure centre for the next 40 plus years that will include a competition swimming pool at least on a par with leisure centres in neighbouring districts that the Council is refusing to grab that opportunity with both hands when it is forecasting such a healthy income from the facility.

            Response from Councillor Cope

Councillor Morrell. I’m sure Members will fully agree that the delivery of a magnificent new leisure centre, with all the facilities it will contain on Argents Mead, bringing in an income of approximately £0.5m per year for the next 20 years, is a great achievement. The leisure centre is indeed a community facility with a community pool. It will also host competitions; many more than the current leisure centre can host.

The Council has listened to the views of stakeholders and amendments are being made to improve the internal design and capacity. These will form part of the planning application submission for the scheme.

This state of the art facility will be the envy of our neighbouring Districts and enhances the offer currently provided by some neighbouring facilities.

Note Councillor Cope is Executive Lead for Culture & Leisure and not Leisure & Recreation.

(b)        Question from Councillor Ladkin

Could the executive member for leisure and recreation please confirm whether there is any substance to concerns that are being expressed by members of the public that the Council is proposing to reduce the floor area of the new leisure centre by some 5 metres along the elevation facing the hospital from the original plans published for consultation, in order to provide additional grassed areas on the site.

In view of the recent media publicity suggesting disquiet on a number of issues relating to the proposals for the new leisure centre and the apparent response from the Council and our partners suggesting that commercial outcomes were the overriding priority, can the executive member for leisure and recreation provide guarantees not only that there will be no reduction in the floor area of the new leisure centre or specification from the details provided as part of the public consultation and that the Council will try to accommodate important improvements for user groups where at all possible.

            Response from Councillor Cope

There are no intentions to reduce the floor area of the proposed new leisure centre. On the contrary, the floor area will be increased by 2%* utilising the contours of  ...  view the full agenda text for item 502.

The following questions were asked and answers provided in accordance with Council procedure rule 11.1.

(a)        Question from Councillor Morrell

“Could the executive member for leisure and recreation please explain why when it was stated in the public consultation in respect of the new leisure centre and in the report to elected members that there would be what was described as a competition swimming pool yet now after the consultation has closed the Council is describing this as a community pool?

Can the executive member also please explain why when the Council still has the golden opportunity to ensure at the detailed design stage that Hinckley will have a first class leisure centre for the next 40 plus years that will include a competition swimming pool at least on a par with leisure centres in neighbouring districts that the Council is refusing to grab that opportunity with both hands when it is forecasting such a healthy income from the facility.”

            Response from Councillor Cope

“Councillor Morrell. I’m sure Members will fully agree that the delivery of a magnificent new leisure centre, with all the facilities it will contain on Argents Mead, bringing in an income of approximately £0.5m per year for the next 20 years, is a great achievement. The leisure centre is indeed a community facility with a community pool. It will also host competitions; many more than the current leisure centre can host.

The Council has listened to the views of stakeholders and amendments are being made to improve the internal design and capacity. These will form part of the planning application submission for the scheme.

This state of the art facility will be the envy of our neighbouring Districts and enhances the offer currently provided by some neighbouring facilities.

Note Councillor Cope is Executive Lead for Culture & Leisure and not Leisure & Recreation.”

By way of a supplementary question, Councillor Morrell asked for clarification of whether this meant the swimming club would be holding its competitions at the new leisure centre. In response, Councillor Cope confirmed that the majority would be held there.

(b)        Question from Councillor Ladkin

“Could the executive member for leisure and recreation please confirm whether there is any substance to concerns that are being expressed by members of the public that the Council is proposing to reduce the floor area of the new leisure centre by some 5 metres along the elevation facing the hospital from the original plans published for consultation, in order to provide additional grassed areas on the site.

In view of the recent media publicity suggesting disquiet on a number of issues relating to the proposals for the new leisure centre and the apparent response from the Council and our partners suggesting that commercial outcomes were the overriding priority, can the executive member for leisure and recreation provide guarantees not only that there will be no reduction in the floor area of the new leisure centre or specification from the details provided as part of the public consultation and that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 502.

Madam Mayor, fellow Councillors, Officers, Members of the public and media

Can I start by congratulating Sigma Components, based on Dodwells Road Estate in Hinckley, for winning a £25 million contract to supply engine parts to Roll Royce; securing business and jobs for the area for the next ten years. This is yet another example of the resilient vibrancy of the local economy, which this Council is doing a great deal to support, not least in our efforts to secure government funding for development, which is now bearing fruit in the start of the series of work on the A5.

Can I congratulate also the Multi-Agency Public Protection Team 'Endeavour', led by Sharon Stacey, on the success in securing a national 'Silver' Award from IESE on 4 March. This has been an innovative venture, initiated by this Council, involving the Police, County Council and the Fire and Rescue Service. It is an important mark of recognition for what we are achieving, to have secured this award.

Further success has been achieved by the Council’s securing a top rating (Four Star) in 'Better Connected' and have been named one of the top twenty council websites in the country.  I am very pleased to be able to announce this, as such 'back office' work, which greatly helps customer access, is rarely given the prominence it deserves. Congratulations to Anne Jones and her colleagues.

We have secured two awards and I am confident we will receive more in the next few months in recognition of our excellent work at Hinckley and Bosworth.

I am pleased to confirm that the Executive at its meeting last week signed up to the Leicester and Leicester Strategic Economic Plan (SEP). This will provide the framework for future investment in economic initiatives across the County and City over the next 5 years. Significantly we have achieved early success in that a £9.5 m bid for a new National Training and Skills Academy for the Automatic sector at Mira and a proposal for a new Life Sciences park, which will be a European Centre of Excellence, which has been awarded £6.7m have been included in the SEP programme for delivery in 2015/16. Both projects include partnerships with Universities, North Warwickshire and Hinckley College and this Council. This will put the Borough in the national spotlight for innovation supporting the Government’s STEM agenda. (STEM: science, technology, engineering and maths).

I can advise Members also that the demolition work at both Argents Mead and Middlefield Lane are well on track to be completed on time and within budget by early May 2014.  As Members have been made aware in responses to earlier questions, the planning and development of the Leisure Centre on Argents Mead is well advanced and will produce a state of the art facility, with even more green space than the original plan.  Enquiries about the site are being received and full marketing will commence immediately on completion of the demolition.

I am very pleased to announce that  ...  view the full agenda text for item 503.

In presenting his position statement, the Leader of the Council referred to recent awards won and the agreements for the bus station development being signed. In response to a question from the leader of the opposition, Councillor Bray stated that the names of the businesses who had agreed to let units in the development were commercially sensitive.

To receive for information only the minutes of the Scrutiny Commission meeting held on 6 March 2014.

The minutes of the Scrutiny Commission were received for information.

The Scrutiny Commission received this short presentation on 6 March and referred the matter to Council for presentation to all Members and to request that Members  consider becoming Dementia Friends and agree to host the full version of the presentation with all interested groups (parish councils, voluntary and community groups) invited.

Members received a short version of a presentation on the ‘Dementia Friends’ project which had been referred by the Scrutiny Commission. It was

RESOLVED –

(i)         the project be endorsed by the Council;

(ii)        a full presentation be provided on a date to be arranged, with all members, parish councils and community groups to be invited.

This item has been deferred as amendments are required that need to be considered by the Hinckley Area Committee prior to Council decision.

This item had been deferred for further consultation with the Hinckley Area Committee following recommendations of the Scrutiny Commission.

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Community Direction).

The document and appendices are available on the Council’s website or on request from the report author.

Members received a report which sought approval to consult on the updated Statement of Community Involvement which set out how the Borough Council would engage and consult during plan-making and for planning applications. During discussion on the report, concern was expressed that some parish councils had not been aware of a recent consultation and had been too late to submit their concerns, and they supported the updated Statement of Community Involvement which would provide a framework for consultation. On the motion of Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor Cope, it was

RESOLVED – the updated Statement of Community Involvement be approved for public consultation.

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Corporate Direction) attached.

A report was presented to Council which sought approved for a virement from existing pension budgets to a ‘corporate pension contribution’ budget in order to reflect the change in payment arrangements to the Pension Fund for 2014/15. Discussion ensued regarding the position following the reduction in the pension contribution rate and ill health contribution rate which would not result in savings due to the payment of a fixed sum.

Reference was also made to the Government’s decision to remove councillors from the Local Government Pension Scheme and the concern that some MPs felt that councillors should not receive an allowance.

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

RESOLVED – a virement of £282,000 from existing pension budgets to a ‘corporate pension contribution’ budget for 2014/15 be approved.

Motion received from Councillor Hulbert:

“That this Council pays tribute to the volunteers who run the Hinckley Foodbank, and other groups providing similar help.

We thank them for their commitment to ensuring people facing an emergency situation-be it the loss of a job or an unexpected delay in benefit payments-have somewhere to turn to for food.

We recognise that Foodbanks have been in existance under successive Governments but call on the Coalition to ensure that it has the right policies in place so the poorest and most vulnerable people in our society are given all possible help.

That there are opportunities for all of our people-whatever their backgrounds or circumstances-and that as many people as possible get to benefit from the economic recovery as it builds up.

That this Council will write to the people running the Hinckley Foodbank thanking them for their efforts and offering any support we can provide.

That we will write to the relevant Government Minister reiterating the importance of ensuring Government has the right policies in place to bring more people out of poverty and to ensure the fruits of any economic recovery are enjoyed by all of our people.”

Motion received from Councillor Hulbert and seconded by Councillor Mullaney

“That this Council pays tribute to the volunteers who run the Hinckley Foodbank, and other groups providing similar help.

We thank them for their commitment to ensuring people facing an emergency situation-be it the loss of a job or an unexpected delay in benefit payments-have somewhere to turn to for food.

We recognise that Foodbanks have been in existence under successive Governments but call on the Coalition to ensure that it has the right policies in place so the poorest and most vulnerable people in our society are given all possible help.

That there are opportunities for all of our people-whatever their backgrounds or circumstances-and that as many people as possible get to benefit from the economic recovery as it builds up.

That this Council will write to the people running the Hinckley Foodbank thanking them for their efforts and offering any support we can provide.

That we will write to the relevant Government Minister reiterating the importance of ensuring Government has the right policies in place to bring more people out of poverty and to ensure the fruits of any economic recovery are enjoyed by all of our people.”

Members welcomed the motion and some stated that they had seen the work of the foodbanks in their ward. It was also recognised that without the volunteers the foodbanks would not exist, and also that the generosity of the community was clear in the number of donations received.

RESOLVED – the motion be supported unanimously.