Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Boothby.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 23 September 2015.

It was moved by Councillor Wright, seconded by Councillor Nickerson and

RESOLVED – the minutes of the meeting held on 23 September 2015 be confirmed and signed by the Leader.

The Chief Executive advised that the Scrutiny Commission had endorsed the response to the consultation on the future of the Magistrates’ Courts and had unanimously agreed a response to the consultation on the future arrangements for the Fire and Rescue Service.

Members are asked to approve the Budget Strategy 2016-17.

The Executive gave consideration to the Budget Strategy for 2016/17. It was highlighted that, under paragraph 3.1, the final sentence of the first bullet point should refer to 2015/16 rather than 2014/15.

During discussion, the following amendments to the strategy were moved by Councillor Surtees and seconded by Councillor Hall:

·         where fees were to be increased by more than 1.1%, any income attributable to the increase above this rate be set aside in an improvement reserve (page 11 of the report)

·         The ICT retender saving be amended from £100k to £50k (page 9 of the report)

·         The £50k for private management of the Atkins building be excluded from the cast down figure (page 9 of the report).

The amendments were supported and it was therefore

RESOLVED – the budget strategy, as amended, be approved.

The Executive is recommended to approve the Town Centre vision document in promoting regeneration within the Borough.

Members received a high level report setting out the ambition for town centres within the borough. The following requests were made:

·         The mention of ‘stalled’ sites in paragraph 1.1 be amended to ‘previously identified’ sites

·         Paragraph 2.2 be amended to refer to ‘continued use of COP powers as a last resort’

·         The need to improve the gateways to the borough

·         The significant loss of the Co-op in Hinckley closing.

Members requested that intended improvements in Hinckley such as Wood Street, car parking and Stockwell Head and the Cultural Quarter be included in the vision document. In response members were reminded that this was a high level document covering all town centres and it was suggested that the information requested be put into a Hinckley-specific document.

It was moved by Councillor Ladkin, seconded by Councillor Wright and

RESOLVED –

(i)            The Town Centres vision document be approved;

(ii)           The continued use of Compulsory Purchase Order procedures as a last resort be supported.

The Executive is asked to endorse this report before consideration by Council on 10 November.

A report was presented to the Executive in relation to the proposal to establish a Combined Authority for Leicester and Leicestershire. It was explained that, with regard to recommendation (i), a motion signed by eight members had been received requesting rescission of the decision made at the previous meeting of Council, which agreed not to pursue, amongst other matters, membership of the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and Leicester & Leicestershire Combined Authority (minute 205 refers).

Officers explained the reasons for the recommendations including the need to delegate some areas – the detail of the negotiations, not the decision to pursue the application, which Council would be asked to approve on 10 November – and also the reason for a report coming before both the Executive and Council, which was not in accordance with usual decision making practices, but had arisen from a countywide agreement to follow this route.

Some members felt that individual matters for delegated decision should be discussed with them, and in response it was noted that it would be within the Leader’s discretion to bring matters back to his group, although there were often tight timescales to meet. The Chief Executive agreed also to provide members with as much detail as possible in relation to matters as they arise.

It was moved by Councillor Hall, seconded by Councillor Morrell and

RESOLVED – Council be RECOMMENDED to approve

(i)            the rescission of parts (iii), (iv) and (v) of the decision of Council on 12 October in relation to the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and Leicester & Leicestershire Combined Authority (minute 205 refers;

(ii)           the Scheme for the Combined Authority;

(iii)          the Governance Review;

(iv)         the publication of the Scheme and its submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government;

(v)          authorisation for the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader, to make any final amendments to the Scheme and Governance Review prior to their submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government;

(vi)         authorisation for the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader, to enter into discussions with the Department for Communities and Local Government and such other Government departments and other persons as are considered necessary by the Chief Executive to agree the terms of the Order establishing the Combined Authority and to approve the final form of the Order on behalf of the Council;

(vii)        authorisation for the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader:

a.    to negotiate, agree and execute all ancillary documents in support of the operation of the Combined Authority, including (without limitation) the constitution of the Combined Authority; and

b.    to take all decisions and actions necessary to enable the establishment of the Combined Authority.

The draft Data Protection Policy is attached for approval.

Members received the updated Data Protection Policy which had been refreshed and updated with new officer titles and contact details for the Information Commissioner, and the document had been made more user friendly. It was moved by Councillor Hall, seconded by Councillor Surtees and

RESOLVED – the Data Protection Police be approved and adopted.