Mr Mayor, Members, I rise to present my Leader’s statement at this annual Budget Council.
As you will note, we have a full suite of budget reports that will set out the general fund budget for 2022/23, our council tax and fees and charges, along with our housing revenue account for 2022-23 and capital programme over the next few years. I would like to express my thanks to my Executive member for Finance and all officers engaged in pulling the budgets and reports together. These establish a firm financial basis for the Council to continue with effective service delivery in 2022/23. These have been fully considered by the Scrutiny Commission.
It is clear from the direction of travel from the government that they are placing the responsibility on local taxpayers to raise funds to support local services, which we have had to reflect in the budget. This council has had year on year cuts in government support so we are left in no other position than to raise funds locally to support and protect our vital services.
Also on the agenda is the refreshed corporate plan which I, and all political group leaders, have inputted into. This sets out the framework and ambition for the council going forward. This was also considered by the Scrutiny Commission at its last meeting.
We also have a report on the outcomes of the code of conduct review which has been considered by the Ethical Governance and Personnel Committee and resulted in the new model code of conduct attached with the agenda. Finally, on the agenda tonight is a report on the community governance review, which is an exercise where the parish electoral arrangements are reviewed.
I have set out below other key updates for interest.
Climate change strategy
Members will recall our refreshed climate change strategy was adopted at last Council. This builds on the work we started in our first strategy and sets to mobilise all parts of the Council to prioritise cutting carbon emissions. We have now publicised this plan to all of our communities, businesses and stakeholders.
Our five key themes which are key to meeting the council’s 2030 carbon neutral target and onto carbon zero by 2050 are building and land use, transport, waste, community and economy.
I would like to remind members of the key successes the council has already delivered on since first declaring a climate emergency in 2019. This includes:
· Trialling a fully electric refuse collection service
· Installing 24 electric vehicle charging points in Hinckley town centre with additional planned for Market Bosworth, Barwell and Earl Shilton
· Implementing climate friendly measures to council events
· Switching lights in council buildings over to LED and scrapping the use of single use plastics
· Extending hybrid working to reduce staff travel
· Planting hundreds of trees, including in council housing developments, and securing external sponsorship to plan the first six tiny forests in sites across Hinckley, with the other five being planted within the next month
· Securing energy efficiency grants for businesses totalling over £55,000 and grants for households of £770,000 to improve energy efficiency in homes.
The strategy sets out how the council will seek to meet net zero for direct emissions by 2030.
I would like to express my thanks to my Executive member for Climate Change, members of our cross-party Climate Change Working Group and all of those officers who are spearheading the council’s work on this incredibly important matter.
Events for 2022
At last Council I highlighted that work was progressing on producing our events calendar for this coming year. I am pleased to report we have now published our events calendar for spring and summer events starting with:
1 March Pancake race in Hinckley town centre
13 – 16 April Easter Bunny event
23 April St George’s Day event
Then from May to August – classic vehicle events in Hinckley’s Market Place.
Saturdays from May to September – Music in the Mead
2 June Proms in the Park to mark the Queen’s Jubilee, followed by beacon lighting on Argent’s Mead
25 June Armed Forces Day events
26 June Soapbox Derby, Hinckley town centre
School summer holidays – Summer of Fun events and Snap Dragon children’s festival
6 – 7 August Feast Hinckley
I hope you and the communities across the borough take the opportunity to support the events.
The Crescent
I am pleased to confirm that a new Indian restaurant has been secured for one of our key units in the Crescent. The new restaurant will be called Bikaneri Bar and Restaurant and is due to open shortly, following a refurbishment. Our local commercial agents, Ward Surveyors, confirmed this is the first letting in the Crescent following the COVID-19 pandemic and illustrates the confidence occupiers have in the leisure and retail markets in Hinckley.
The agents have also confirmed that they are continuing to receive high levels of enquiries for commercial units within Hinckley and look forward to welcoming several new occupiers to the town centre in the near future.
Not only do I warmly welcome Bikaneri Bar and Restaurant to Hinckley, I look forward to seeing it flourish along with all of our town centre businesses. The company’s decision to choose the Crescent for their new business is yet another reason why retaining Block C was the right choice for taxpayers.
Rural Conference
I am pleased to confirm our Rural Conference will be held next week on 3 March. This will be a hybrid event online and at Twycross Zoo. The event will profile the council’s rural strategy and progress on its priorities, rural crime, provide updates on the local plan and neighbourhood planning and provide great examples of local activity which supports good mental health and wellbeing in the borough.
Stuart Bray
Leader of the Council
22 February 2022
Minutes:
In presenting his position statement, the Leader referred to the Climate Change Strategy, the 2022 events calendar, the Crescent and the Rural Conference, about which he asked that members be sent a reminder.
In relation to climate change, a member asked that the authority provides advice and support to parishes and villages to install electric vehicle charging points.