- From Members of the Public
- From Councillors
Minutes:
QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILLORS
1. Cllr Kaur Saini
1:07:50
“For a period of 11 hours on Sunday 25th August hundreds of residents of the Hamilton area were subjected to a relentless and deafening level of music from what appears to have been a commercial live music festival taking place on the grounds of Nirvana FC. Everybody loves music in moderation, and in Leicester we pride ourselves on celebrating the great diversity of music on offer. But there's a vast gulf between enjoying music at a family BBQ, and having ones mental peace utterly shattered. In fact the law recognizes as a form of torture the relentless playing of loud music - it is literally something you do to your worst enemy. Through information provided to the many residents who took to complain about the events of Sunday, there is a belief that the City Council, who exist to protect the rights of citizens, actually sponsored or at least endorsed these events. It should also be known that Sunday's event was the last of three loud music events that have happened on that site, over the last month. Would the City Mayor like to comment?”
The City Mayor provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
2. Cllr Kennedy-Lount
1:15:17
“Are the loans to Leicestershire County Cricket Club and Ethically Sourced Products Limited currently on course for their expected repayments date?”
The City Mayor provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
3. Cllr Kennedy-Lount
1:16:16
“How much of Leicester City Council money has been received by Ethically Sourced Products Limited, by way of loans or grants since May 2011?”
The City Mayor provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
4. Cllr Kennedy-Lount
1:16:50
“Once a Private care home for children within the city has been approved by the Council, does Leicester City Council inspect the property before residents take up their new home ensuring suitable standards for the residents and the neighbouring properties?”
Deputy City Mayor Councillor Russell provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
5. Cllr Kennedy-Lount
1:17:36
“Does Leicester City Council make their own inspections of its Council Run or Privately Run accommodation for Childrens Care Homes in the city once these are live?”
Deputy City Mayor Councillor Russell provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
6. Cllr Kennedy-Lount
1:19:15
“Are all Childrens Care Homes whether privately run or Leicester City Council run regulated for persons between the ages of 16 to 19 in the City of Leicester?”
Deputy City Mayor Councillor Russell provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
7. Cllr Kennedy-Lount
1:21:53
“Will Leicester City Council consider cheaper parking at Haymarket, Dover Street and Newark Street with a flat fee or on street free parking on designated streets on Sundays in the City Centre in the run up to Christmas to boost retailing in the Centre? Other local authorities in the region offer similar schemes, why should Leicester put itself at a disadvantage?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Whittle provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
8. Cllr Kennedy-Lount
1:23:14
“Does the Councillors Enquiry System meet its 10 day working response time as advised when making enquiries on the programme?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Dempster provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
9. Cllr Kennedy-Lount
1:25:20
“By using the Councillors Enquiry System software package is there a difference between raising a Childrens Service or Adult Service enquiry than the other departments on the programme?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Dempster provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
10. Cllr Haq
1:28.15
“How much money has the Park and Ride lost in the last financial year?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Whittle provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
11. Cllr Haq
1:30:00
“How much of Leicester city council own money has been spent on Cycle lanes in the last?financial year ?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Whittle provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
12. Cllr Haq
1:33.25
“How many meetings have taken place between Leicester city council officers and councillors with any management of Mark's and Spencer's Leicester city centre in the past 2 years?”
The City Mayor provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
13. Cllr Haq
1.38.03
“How much has Leicester city council lost in the failed Bike hire scheme across the city and How much did the Hospitals pay towards the scheme?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Whittle provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
14. Cllr Haq
1:39:40
“How many cyclists have been issued with any penalty tickets across Leicester city center,?In the last financial year. And the number for cars??”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Whittle provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
15. Cllr Haq
1:40:10
“How much has the pause on the Market place redevelopment,?cost extra to Leicester city residents?”
The City Mayor provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
16. Cllr Haq
1:44.30
“The funding received from the NHS to support vulnerable residents with heating bills, can we have details of how this has been spent and a breakdown ward by ward ?”
Deputy City Mayor Councillor Russell provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
17. Cllr Haq
1:49:00
“How much of Leicester city council's own money is going to be used on the redevelopment of the Railway Station?”
The City Mayor provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
18. Cllr Haq
1:51:50
“Families are struggling with the cost of living crisis will the council support the scrapping of the two child cap on universal credit?”
The City Mayor provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
19. Cllr Mahesh
1:53:10
“While most of us use CES to contact the departments, there are times when it is necessary to contact the officers directly. I and many new councillors are finding it hard as our emails on serious matters to some senior officers are not being responded to. Why is that the some officers pick and choose who reply to? Can the city mayor assure us that there won’t be any two-tier engagement with the councillors, especially the new ones.”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Dempster provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
20. Cllr Karavadra
1:54:40
“I presented a petition few months ago on the 24 Hour bus lane on Melton Road. As this is a very important matter for Rushey Mead residents, can I have an update on the petition please as it’s been quite a while?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Whittle provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
21. Cllr Gopal
1:55:35
“Public toilets in Leicester are in very poor condition, with some having been closed for maintenance for an extended period. Is the council taking any action to improve these facilities, and are there any plans to build more public toilets in the future, especially in the communal spaces like parks where they are needed the most?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Dempster provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
22. Cllr Gopal
1:59:20
“Fly-tipping and spitting are becoming increasingly problematic. Why is the council struggling to deploy proper enforcement staff to manage this and stop it from getting worse.”
Deputy City Mayor Councillor Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
23. Cllr Modhwadia
2:03:39
“The council is planning a 90% increase in rent and service charges for business rental properties. Given the tough economic pressure on local businesses how does the council plan to remedy this and ensure their survival with such significant increases?”
The City Mayor provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
24. Cllr Modhwadia
2:06:40
“Could the council provide an update on the status of the empty property on Hastings Road in North Evington? What steps are being taken to bring it back into use?”
The City Mayor provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
25. Cllr Modhwadia
2:07:45
“Recent reports from residents indicate growing concerns over community safety in North Evington. There’s lack of activities for the youth to keep engaged in as there’s lack of funding for them. What measures will the council be taking to address the issues resulting from this such as anti-social behaviour in the area?”
Deputy City Mayor Councillor Russell provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
26. Cllr Joannou
2:10:15
“The city centre is in a mess. The moving of the market, closing of Marks and Spencer, the dirty streets, the itinerants in doorways the perilous Deliveroo bikers. I could go on. How on earth do we attract people into our city centre with the squalor it now declares? We have no pride no sense of making the city as it once used to be. People feel unsafe in the city centre especially in the evenings. Can the City Mayor advise what is he going to do about it?”
The City Mayor provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
27. Cllr Orton
2:15:35
“Can the City Mayor advise this council if he made a request to the government to increase the amount of fluoride in the water in the city and if yes then for what reasons? Why were the people of the city not consulted on it?”
Deputy City Mayor Councillor Russell provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
28. Cllr Chauhan
2:18:25
“The Deregulation Act 2015 allows taxi drivers to operate without obtaining licenses from the local authorities where they work. This has led to a patchwork of standards across different areas causing significant challenges for the taxi trade. Can the City Mayor tell us what steps are being taken to address this issue and to stop such drivers to operate within the city boundary?”
Deputy City Mayor Councillor Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
29. Cllr Singh Patel
2.22:00
“Why has the council spent over £760K on new street cleaners when it already has these machines. On one hand there are financial challenges that you keep highlighting and then here you spend money on something that’s like this?”
The City Mayor provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
30. Cllr Adatia
2:24:30
“Gujarati language classes have been carried out at Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre for decades. At the end of the last academic year all six teachers, who are council employees, resigned on the same day. What have the city council done to replace these teachers to continue with this much needed service for the community, especially those from Belgrave and Rushey Mead areas?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Dempster provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
31. Cllr Gregg
2:27:31
"Please can we be told how much was spent on behalf of Childrens Social Care Services in 2023-24 on external agencies for training consultancies, memberships and affiliations?”
Deputy City Mayor Councillor Russell provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
32. Cllr Sahu
2:29:32
“As the Corporate Parent, can the relevant cabinet member tell me how many Leicester Care Leavers are currently or about to start an apprenticeship with Leicester City Council and which roles and departments are they in?”
Deputy City Mayor Councillor Russell provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
33. Cllr Kitterick
2:31:30
“Can the City Mayor please provide the council with the following information about the Jewry Wall Museum?
-What is the current projected spend on the refurbishment of the Jewry Wall Museum?
-When is the Museum due to open?
-What is the proposed admission fee (if any) to visit the museum?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Dempster provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
34. Cllr Porter
2:34.50
“What's the total amount of money that Ethically Sourced Products Limited has paid in interest to the council since the council gave Ethically Sourced Products Limited a?loan of £1.5 million? ”
The City Mayor provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
35. Cllr Porter
2:36:40
“How much did the council sell 125-129 Vaughan Way for?”
The City Mayor provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
36. Cllr Porter
2:39:00
“How much did the council sell the new walk centre land/property for?”
The City Mayor provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
37. Cllr Porter
2:43:40
“How much did the council sell?Belgrave House, Coach House and Stables for in?2021? ”
The City Mayor provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
38. Cllr Porter
2:48:20
“What is the set interest rate charged to Ethically Sourced Products Limited and on what date in 2025 does the loan have to be repaid?”
The City Mayor provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
39. Cllr Porter
2:51:00
“Does the council have a telephone number for booking bulk waste collections?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Dempster provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
40. Cllr Osman
2:54:30
“How many council houses are currently vacant and have been offered to our tenants and still waiting for the properties to be ready.”
Deputy City Mayor Councillor Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.
41. Cllr Osman
2:59:40
“With our compulsory purchase order how many CPOs have we served to proprietors that own residential properties and empty commercial properties that could potentially be let out for housing or flats.”
Deputy City Mayor Councillor Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and any supplemental questions.