Agenda and minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 6 June 2018.

On the motion of Councillor Allen, seconded by Councillor Surtees, it was

RESOLVED – the minutes of the meeting held on 6 June be confirmed and signed by the chairman.

Councillor Ladkin entered the meeting at 6.33pm.

No interests were declared at this stage.

To present a package of options to recruit and develop the council’s trainee workforce.

This report was considered by the Scrutiny Commission on 10 July and the Ethical Governance and Personnel Committee on 12 July. Extracts from the minutes of those meetings are appended to the report.

Members were presented with a package of options to recruit and develop the council’s trainee workforce. Comments from the Scrutiny Commission and Ethical Governance and Personnel Committee were noted and it was moved by Councillor Ladkin and seconded by Councillor Hall that the report be supported with an amendment to the term “internships” to “paid internships”. Upon being put to the vote, the motion was CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED –

(i)            The positive work achieved to date be noted;

(ii)           The implementation of a corporate trainee scheme offering a mix of placements covering both paid internships and apprenticeships be approved;

(iii)          Corporate funding to offer two paid internships for a two-year period, based upon the national minimum wage, targeting professional posts at graduate level, be approved;

(iv)         Corporate funding to offer two apprentices for a two-year period focussing upon all posts within the council from administrational / manual level up to technical level be approved;

(v)          Middle managers, following consultation with HR, be required to bid from the corporate fund based upon a business case, be approved;

(vi)         The recruitment and induction process and outgoing contract be managed by HR.

To present the Environmental Health Commercial Services Enforcement Service Delivery Plan for 2018/19 as required by the Food Standards Agency and the Health & Safety Executive.

The Executive gave consideration to the Environmental Health Commercial Services Enforcement Service Delivery Plan for 2018/19 as required by the Food Standards Agency. In introducing the report, the Executive member thanked the team for their hard work which gave reassurance to the public, particularly through food hygiene ratings. A member asked whether mobile or market food sellers (for example those with stalls at Feast Hinckley) were inspected or if additional measures were having to be taken regarding food hygiene standards due to the increase in this type of selling. In response it was noted that Environmental Health worked closely with Cultural Services to ensure only those with a rating of four or above were permitted to trade at HBBC events, and that all aspects were inspected, from storage to point of sale.

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

RESOLVED – the Environmental Health Commercial Services Enforcement Service Delivery Plan 2018/19 be approved and the achievements of the service during 2017/18 be welcomed and endorsed.

To update the Executive on the restoration of the Good Friday site and to seek a supplementary budget for the works.

Members were updated on the restoration of the Good Friday site following the enforcement notice which had been served to return the site to its previous state. In response to a member’s question, it was noted that the land owner would be liable for costs associated with cleaning up the site and additional works, such as addressing Japanese Knotweed, would be added to the costs. It was moved by Councillor Allen, seconded by Councillor Hall and

RESOLVED – a supplementary budget of £40,000, funded from the enforcement reserve, be approved.

To present the updated Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) policy.

The updated Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) policy was presented to the Executive and it was acknowledged that no applications to undertake covert surveillance had been received in the last three years. It was moved by Councillor Ladkin, seconded by Councillor Hall and

RESOLVED – the revised RIPA policy be approved.

The chairman had agreed to accept a late report on the recent announcement by Leicestershire County Council (LCC) regarding its decision to develop proposals for unitary government in Leicestershire and an East Midlands strategic alliance. The Leader reported that he had publicly responded to the announcement and that whilst he agreed that an alliance across the East Midlands was needed, he did not consider a unitary county was the right option for Hinckley & Bosworth. He also felt that LCC’s timetable was too tight and excluded districts from engagement. During discussion, the following points were raised:

·         District councils should be at the heart of any plans, not a casualty of reorganisation

·         The need for the Borough Council to undertake its own consultation, particularly on the suggestion of a town council for Hinckley. Should an informal consultation show that residents were in favour of a town council, a full governance review would be instigated

·         The need for the government to tackle the lack of funding for social care to prevent similar situations to that of Northamptonshire County Council

·         The possibility of addressing the social care issue regionally

·         The need for districts to take action and make their views known at this point and going forward

·         Concern from parish councils that more duties would be imposed on them and they would have to increase their precepts

·         The motion to Council on 7 August and intention to take a further report to Council in October

·         The importance of sending out clear messages in the consultation, particularly as LCC may be consulting at the same time, with conflicting messages.

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

RESOLVED –

(i)            The motion to Council be noted;

(ii)           Subject to the motion to Council being supported, a further report be taken to Council in October;

(iii)          The issues be explored;

(iv)         Consultation on a town council for Hinckley be undertaken with the commitment to hold a governance review in the event of a positive response.