(a) Received from Cllr Bray (to be seconded by Cllr Bannister)
“This Council notes with concern the decision by Leicestershire Police Authority to sell off Hinckley Police Station, an important public building in the centre of Hinckley, in secret and with no public consultation. Furthermore this Council is concerned that any future uses of this building should not add to the already grave on-street parking problems in this part of Hinckley”
(b) Received Cllr Mullaney (to be seconded by Cllr Inman)
"Council notes with concern the proposals of the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) which would see the 66 current ambulance stations in this region, including one in Hinckley, replaced by 13 hub stations, one of which will be in Leicester.
EMAS will be announcing later this year the venue for it's public consultations. Because of the huge concern felt by many residents in the borough about the threat to Hinckley Ambulance Station, Council urges EMAS to visit a venue in Hinckley and Bosworth as part of the consultation.
Council believes that Hinckley's Ambulance Station is an important local service and should not be closed unless EMAS can provide extremely compelling and convincing evidence that changing to the Hub system will improve response times."
(c) Received from Cllr Crooks (to be seconded by Cllr Mullaney)
"Council notes with concern the current proposal by Leicestershire County Council to remove the Number 7 bus service.
This is the only regular bus service that runs through many villages in our Borough including Fenny Drayton, Witherley and Sheepy Magna.
The proposed demand responsive transport that would replace the number 7 would mean far fewer buses, travelling on fewer days through these villages.
Council notes the large number of submissions to the County Council's consultation on the future of bus services, including many about the Number 7 bus. These included a submission from the Borough Council's Executive supporting the Number 7 service.
Council notes proposals submitted by residents, via a petition, which suggested an amended bus service running through these villages.
Council resolves to urge the County Council to maintain the number 7 bus service and look seriously at the option of an amended route as suggested by residents of the affected villages."
(d) Received from Cllr Taylor
“This Council notes recent concerns and frustrations expressed by members of all groups about the advice often received from the Highways Authority. This Council therefore asks the Deputy Chief Executive (Community Direction) to investigate options for securing secondary highways advice on planning applications to allow members to make more fully informed decisions.”
(e) Received from Cllr Bill
"This Council recognises the vital role played by Police Community Support Officers in the upkeep of law and order and urges both the County Council and the incoming Police & Crime Commissioner to ensure that they are retained in full despite the difficult financial situation ".
(f) Received from Cllr Hulbert
“The Council notes:
1. Already 1 in 4 households in the UK are in fuel poverty, meaning they need to spend more than 10% of their income on keeping their homes warm. The problem is likely to get worse, with 1 in 3 households projected to be in fuel poverty by 2016.
2. The main reasons for this crisis are that gas, oil and coal prices are high, and the UK’s homes are some of the most energy inefficient in Europe – leaking heat from their doors, walls and windows.
3. Cold homes are damaging the health of vulnerable members of society, including children, older people and people with disabilities. Diseases such as asthma are made worse, and people are more likely to have strokes and heart attacks. Illnesses caused by cold homes cost the NHS nearly one billion pounds each year.
4. Over the next 15 years the Government will raise an average of £4 billion every year in carbon taxes through the European Emissions Trading Scheme and the Carbon Floor Price. Recycling this revenue back into households could bring 9 out of 10 homes out of fuel poverty, lower people’s bills, cut carbon emissions and create jobs.
The Council therefore resolves to:
1. Support the Energy Bill Revolution campaign calling for the Government to recycle revenues from carbon taxes into improving the energy efficiency of UK homes.
2. Notify local Members of Parliament of its support for the campaign and urge them to sign Early Day Motion 47 – “Reducing Fuel Bills through Energy Efficiency.”
(g) Received from Cllr Gould
Given the opposition to unplanned development in our Borough, this Council asks that the Chief Officer (Community Direction) writes to George Osborne's office asking that he consider alternative approaches to stimulate development as the National Planning Policy Framework has already failed to have any real impact.
Minutes:
(a) Motion from Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor Bannister
“This Council notes with concern the decision by Leicestershire Police Authority to sell off Hinckley Police Station, an important public building in the centre of Hinckley, in secret and with no public consultation. Furthermore this Council is concerned that any future uses of this building should not add to the already grave on-street parking problems in this part of Hinckley”
Discussion ensued regarding the lack of consultation by the Police Authority and the requirement to hold the meeting in private. Concern was expressed regarding parking provision.
Councillor Bray and five other Councillors requested that voting on the motion be recorded. The vote was taken as follows:
Councillors Bannister, Bill, Bray, Cartwright, Cope, Crooks, Gould, Mrs Hall, Mr Hall, Hodgkins, Hulbert, Inman, Lynch, Mayne, Mullaney, Nichols and Taylor voted FOR the motion (17);
Councillors Allen, Batty, Bessant, Camamile, Chastney, Ladkin, Lay, Moore, Morrell, Richards, Smith, Sprason and Ward abstained from voting.
The motion was declared CARRIED and it was
RESOLVED – the motion be supported.
(b) Motion from Councillor Mullaney, seconded by Councillor Inman
"Council notes with concern the proposals of the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) which would see the 66 current ambulance stations in this region, including one in Hinckley, replaced by 13 hub stations, one of which will be in Leicester.
EMAS will be announcing later this year the venue for it's public consultations. Because of the huge concern felt by many residents in the borough about the threat to Hinckley Ambulance Station, Council urges EMAS to visit a venue in Hinckley and Bosworth as part of the consultation.
Council believes that Hinckley's Ambulance Station is an important local service and should not be closed unless EMAS can provide extremely compelling and convincing evidence that changing to the Hub system will improve response times."
Members shared concerns regarding the service and it was suggested that representatives of EMAS be invited to the Scrutiny Commission to enable Members to have a full understanding of the proposals and possible implications. It was moved by Councillor Mullaney, seconded by Councillor Inman and
RESOLVED – the motion be supported and in addition EMAS be invited to the next suitable meeting of the Scrutiny Commission.
(c) Motion from Councillor Crooks, seconded by Councillor Mullaney
"Council notes with concern the current proposal by Leicestershire County Council to remove the Number 7 bus service.
This is the only regular bus service that runs through many villages in our Borough including Fenny Drayton, Witherley and Sheepy Magna.
The proposed demand responsive transport that would replace the number 7 would mean far fewer buses, travelling on fewer days through these villages.
Council notes the large number of submissions to the County Council's consultation on the future of bus services, including many about the Number 7 bus. These included a submission from the Borough Council's Executive supporting the Number 7 service.
Council notes proposals submitted by residents, via a petition, which suggested an amended bus service running through these villages.
Council resolves to urge the County Council to maintain the number 7 bus service and look seriously at the option of an amended route as suggested by residents of the affected villages."
Councillor Bessant, seconded by Councillor Sprason, moved an AMENDMENT:
“HBBC supports the action already taken by County Councillor Ivan Ould, notes the 990 name petition, and supports his attempt to secure a recommendation to Cabinet from the Review Panel that the No 7 bus be re-routed to run from Market Bosworth to Atherstone and return.”
The amendment was not accepted by the mover and seconder of the original motion, therefore merits of the amendment were debated and upon being put to the vote, the AMENDMENT was LOST.
Councillor Bray and four other Councillors requested that voting on the substantive motion be recorded. The vote was taken as follows:
Councillors Bannister, Bray, Cartwright, Cope, Crooks, Gould, Mrs Hall, Mr Hall, Hodgkins, Hulbert, Inman, Lay, Lynch, Mayne, Mullaney, Nichols and Taylor voted FOR the motion (18);
Councillors Allen, Batty, Bessant, Camamile, Chastney, Ladkin, Moore, Morrell, Richards, Smith, Sprason and Ward abstained from voting.
The substantive motion was CARRIED. It was therefore
RESOLVED – the motion be supported.
(d) Motion from Councillor Taylor seconded by Councillor Nichols
“This Council notes recent concerns and frustrations expressed by members of all groups about the advice often received from the Highways Authority. This Council therefore asks the Deputy Chief Executive (Community Direction) to investigate options for securing secondary highways advice on planning applications to allow members to make more fully informed decisions.”
RESOLVED – the motion be supported.
(Councillor Ladkin was absent from the meeting during voting on this item).
(e) Motion from Cllr Bill, seconded by Councillor Lynch
"This Council recognises the vital role played by Police Community Support Officers in the upkeep of law and order and urges both the County Council and the incoming Police & Crime Commissioner to ensure that they are retained in full despite the difficult financial situation ".
Councillor Bessant, seconded by Councillor Allen, moved an AMENDMENT:
“This Council recognises the vital role played by Police Community Support Officers in the upkeep of law and order and urges the incoming Police & Crime Commissioner to ensure that despite the difficult financial climate they are retained where appropriate to identified policing needs but not at the expense of removing Police Officers from the beat particularly in rural areas and at the cost of effective Community Policing”.
The amendment was not accepted by the mover and seconder of the original motion and upon being put to the vote was LOST.
Councillor Bray and four further Members requested that voting on the substantive motion be recorded. The vote was therefore taken as follows:
Councillors Bannister, Bill, Bray, Cartwright, Cope, Crooks, Gould, Mrs Hall, Mr Hall, Hodgkins, Hulbert, Inman, Lay, Lynch, Mayne, Mullaney, Nichols and Taylor voted FOR the motion (18);
Councillors Camamile and Sprason voted AGAINST the motion (2);
Councillors Allen, Batty, Bessant, Chastney, Ladkin, Moore, Morrell, Richards, Smith and Ward abstained from voting.
The substantive motion was therefore declared CARRIED and it was
RESOLVED – the motion be supported.
(f) Motion from Councillor Hulbert, seconded by Councillor Nichols
“The Council notes:
1. Already 1 in 4 households in the UK are in fuel poverty, meaning they need to spend more than 10% of their income on keeping their homes warm. The problem is likely to get worse, with 1 in 3 households projected to be in fuel poverty by 2016.
2. The main reasons for this crisis are that gas, oil and coal prices are high, and the UK’s homes are some of the most energy inefficient in Europe – leaking heat from their doors, walls and windows.
3. Cold homes are damaging the health of vulnerable members of society, including children, older people and people with disabilities. Diseases such as asthma are made worse, and people are more likely to have strokes and heart attacks. Illnesses caused by cold homes cost the NHS nearly one billion pounds each year.
4. Over the next 15 years the Government will raise an average of £4 billion every year in carbon taxes through the European Emissions Trading Scheme and the Carbon Floor Price. Recycling this revenue back into households could bring 9 out of 10 homes out of fuel poverty, lower people’s bills, cut carbon emissions and create jobs.
The Council therefore resolves to:
1. Support the Energy Bill Revolution campaign calling for the Government to recycle revenues from carbon taxes into improving the energy efficiency of UK homes.
2. Notify local Members of Parliament of its support for the campaign and urge them to sign Early Day Motion 47 – “Reducing Fuel Bills through Energy Efficiency.”
RESOLVED – the motion be supported.
(g) Motion from Councillor Gould, seconded by Councillor Taylor
“Given the opposition to unplanned development in our Borough, this Council asks that the Chief Officer (Community Direction) writes to George Osborne's office asking that he consider alternative approaches to stimulate development as the National Planning Policy Framework has already failed to have any real impact.”
Following a Member’s suggestion, the mover and seconder agreed to WITHDRAW the motion and look at a more constructive way of addressing the issues.
(h) Emergency motion received from Councillor Lay, seconded by Councillor Bray
It was explained that this motion was deemed to be urgent as the information had only just come to light.
“This Council calls upon the Secretary of State for Health, the Right Honourable Jeremy Hunt MP, to follow up his written commitment to ask the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) to undertake and initial review of the request from the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Commission, give serious consideration to the recommendations of the IRP on 21 September and reverse the proposed closure of the Children’s Cardiac Surgery service at the EMCHC at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester”
RESOLVED – the motion be supported.