Agenda and minutes

To issue a welcome to those present, and to confirm if there are any apologies for absence.

The Chair welcomed those present to the meeting.

There were no apologies for absence.

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed on the agenda.

Members were asked to declare any interests they may have had in the business to be discussed.

No declarations were made.

The minutes of the meeting of the Economic Development, Transport and Climate Emergency Scrutiny Commission held on Wednesday 28^th August 2024 have been circulated, and Members will be asked to confirm them as a correct record.

AGREED:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Economic Development, Transport and Climate Emergency Scrutiny Commission held on 28 August 2024 be confirmed as a correct record.

The Chair is invited to make any announcements as they see fit. 

The Chair reminded the Commission that the last meeting of the informal scrutiny to consider bus lane operating hours would be on 7^th November.

Any questions, representations and statements of case submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures will be reported.

The Monitoring Officer reported that none had been received.

Any petitions received in accordance with Council procedures will be reported.

The Monitoring Officer reported that none had been received.

The Chair of the Economic Development, Transport and Climate Emergency Scrutiny Committee will provide a verbal update on the Executive response to the 20 MPH Scrutiny review report.

The Chair of the Economic Development, Transport and Climate Emergency Scrutiny Committee gave a verbal update on the Executive response to the 20 MPH Scrutiny review report.

The Chair provided a verbal update on the response from the Executive as follows:

• The City Mayor had given thanks and said that the Commission, through its informal review group, had clearly developed a good understanding of the issues and had put forward clear proposals.
• It was noted that good progress had been made delivering the bespoke design for different locations across the city and it was agreed that blanket solutions were not appropriate.
• The intention was to move as quickly as possible to full coverage in appropriate streets and areas.
• The executive was happy to accept all recommendations.

The Commission was invited to respond, no comments were given.

AGREED:

That the update be noted.

The Director of Tourism, Culture & Inward Investment will present a report providing members of the commission with details of the proposed option for the redevelopment of Leicester market, the rationale behind the proposal and to invite members to comment as part of a consultation period that runs until December 9^th 2024. After the consultation period has ended a final decision will be confirmed.

The Director of Tourism, Culture & Inward Investment presented a report providing members of the commission with details of the proposed option for the redevelopment of Leicester market, the rationale behind the proposal and to invite members to comment as part of a consultation period that would run until 9th December 2024.

The City Mayor introduced the item and noted that:

• The Market had been an important space in the City Centre for over 700 years.
• The space over recent decades had been under cover and was seen as inflexible.
• The covered market of the twentieth-century had hidden buildings such as the Corn Exchange and the rears of the buildings on Gallowtree Gate and Cank Street.
• When the latest roof had been taken down for replacement, it had initially been planned to replace it like-for-like.  However, once it had been taken down, many people had said that the space was something special.  The removal of the roof had enabled views of the Corn Exchange and other architecture and facades at the rear of Gallowtree Gate, which had been retained due to planning intervention when the other side had been developed.
• Initially the following alternatives were considered:
  • Continuing with the original plan to reinstate a market in the whole area in front of the Corn Exchange.
  • Keeping the market on Green Dragon Square – this was seen as not viable as it was too constrained.
  • Constructing a new market space on Cank Street.
  • Discontinuing the market altogether
• Traders had been met with to discuss ways of creating flexible space and also bringing stalls back onto the site.  The City Mayor noted trader representatives had proposed a smaller scheme than had been originally designed, with a new market building in front of the existing Food Hall.
• This plan would create around 48 stalls under cover which would be capable of being dismantled for special events, but would also be well covered and a good trading environment. This proposal was now out to consultation.
• The consultation would close on 9^th December. It was noted that in the first week since the proposal had been released more than 800 responses were received, with more than half being positive about the proposed option.

The Commission was invited to ask questions and make comments.  Key Points included:

• Concern was raised that there now only appeared to be one option out for consultation. 
•  Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) did not seem to be addressed in the plan.  It was suggested that Jubilee Square had some of the highest levels of crime in the city.
• A question was asked about how traders had been engaged to have their views taken in to account.

Due to issues in the public gallery, the Chair, explained the process for representations and suggested that a separate meeting be held to discuss the issue.

AGREED:

1)    That the update be noted.

2)    That comments made by members of this commission to be taken into account by the lead officers.

3)    That a separate meeting be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 107.

The Director of Planning, Development and Transport submits a report for the commission to consider issues and opportunities facing the city centre area, both now and over the coming years and contribute their thoughts and ideas to inform the development of a ‘Heart of Leicester’ Plan.

A presentation will be given at the meeting to lead discussion.

The Director of Planning, Development and Transport submitted a report for the commission to consider issues and opportunities facing the city centre area, both now and over the coming years and contribute their thoughts and ideas to inform the development of a ‘Heart of Leicester’ Plan.

The City Mayor attended the meeting to assist with the discussion.

The Director of Planning, Development and Transportation presented slides (attached) on the Heart of Leicester Plan. Key points to note were:

• This was a promotional tool, to attract avenues of investment hopefully including both the private and voluntary sectors and also potentially to secure government grants.
• The plan had been developed to consider three key areas; these being:

1.    The City Centre as a neighbourhood

2.    The City Centre as an accessible hub for work, shopping and leisure

3.    The City Centre as a thriving and well connected regional centre

• There we seven potential themes to focus on to be seen as an eco-system working together.

There had been many changes to Leicester over the past few years. The following factors were noted:

• Leicester’s retail environment had altered significantly over the past few years. Some shoppers had moved to outer city areas such as Fosse Park and there had been a substantial growth in online purchasing. However, there had been a positive net gain of around 40 units within the City Centre. St Martin’s now had a full occupancy of retail units. The new changes to the Market Place were also a key feature and there had been a significant investment to the Highcross Shopping Centre.

• The impact of Covid had been substantial with less office workers coming into the city centre now.
• Positive changes to the city centre had included, pedestrianisation, tree planting and the creation of the Richard III visitor centre.
• The public realm had received substantial investments. Jubilee Square for example had been converted from a carpark into a public open space.
• There were around three hundred events annually including Riverside and Pride.
• There has been investment around facilities at Leicester Tigers Rugby Ground and there has been planning permission for expansion at Leicester City Football Club.
• In terms of transportation, there was a heavy investment in buses, around 50% of which are now electric. The cycleways have also been developed significantly.

Upcoming change was examined as follows:

• There were around 45,000 students in Leicester, many of which were accommodated in the City Centre. There was a need to explore how to unlock further potential for the students to utilise city centre facilities.
• There were substantial changes coming to The Jewry Wall Centre and Leicester Cathedral with the Heritage and Learning Centre. There are around ten million visitors to the city. Five new hotels have been created with around six hundred new beds.
• Future developments for Leicester included developing brownfield sites into residential areas for some 6,000 new homes.
• A significant new development was coming to the railway station.
• Work would need to take place with the police surrounding risks  ...  view the full minutes text for item 108.

The Chair will provide an update on the Scrutiny Commission’s ongoing scrutiny review of 24 Hour Bus Lanes.

The Chair gave an update on the Scrutiny Commission’s ongoing scrutiny review of 24 Hour Bus Lanes.

Key Points included:

·       Having scoped out the issue, group members heard evidence from bus operators First and Arriva, and also received written representations from Kinchbus and Climate Action Leicester and Leicestershire.

·       Following this, some recommendations were drafted and considered at a third meeting on 7^th October.

·       Following this, it was requested that any further recommendations be sent to Senior Governance Officer by 25 October ahead of the final meeting to agree recommendations.

·       This final meeting would take place on 7^th November at 16:00.

AGREED:

That the update be noted.

Members of the Commission will be asked to consider the work programme and make suggestions for additional items as it considers necessary.

The work programme was noted.

There being no other items of urgent business, the meeting closed at 7:28pm.