Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed and/or indicate that Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.

Members were requested to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed and/or indicate that Section 106 of the Local Government Act applied to them.  The following personal, non-prejudicial declarations were made in relation to Item 10:  General Fund Revenue Budget Strategy:

Councillor Bhatti            Daughter-In-law teaches at Fulhurst Community College

Councillor Connelly            Partners’ mother is seconded to Leicester City Council by                              Leicester City PCT.

Councillor Corrallboth daughters coach sporting activities at Council                                               venues.

Cllr Dempster            husband owns a limited company that rents a business                                 property from the Leicester City Council.

Councillor Sood   mother is Member of Age Concern luncheon club.                                        Trustee and Executive Member of Leicester Council of                               Faiths. 

                                    Blue Badge and Concessionary Bus Pass Holder. 

                                    Vice Chair and Public Relations Officers of FLARES                                            (Fibromylgia Disability Group).

                                    Life Member of Hindu and Religious Society.                                                          brother’s wife is a Team Leader, Asylum Seekers, Home                         Office

Councillor WillmottBoard Member of EMDA, Leicester PCT and East Midlands Tourism. 

There were no announcements.

The minutes of the meeting held on 21 January 2008 have been circulated to Members and the Cabinet is asked to approve them as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

that the minutes of the meeting held on 21 January 2008, having been circulated to Members, be taken as read and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

There were no matters referred from Committees.

Councillor Draycott submits a report that seeks Cabinet endorsement of spending proposals by Area Committees. Cabinet is recommended to agree the expenditure proposals in Appendix A of both the main and supplementary reports.

Councillor Draycott submitted a report that sought Cabinet endorsement of spending proposals by Area Committees.

RESOLVED:

That the expenditure proposals by Area Committees as detailed in Appendix A of both the main and supplementary reports be approved.

Councillor Kitterick submits a report that covers the preparation of a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for the proposed “Residential Amenity Guide” and in particular the recently completed public consultation exercise.  Cabinet is recommended to adopt the document as Supplementary Planning Document to the City of Leicester Local Plan.

A coloured copy of the appendix has been circulated to Members of the Cabinet only. Copies are available on the Council’s website at www.cabinet.leicester.gov.uk or by phoning Committee Services on 229 8813.

Councillor Kitterick submitted a report that covered the preparation of a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for the proposed “Residential Amenity Guide” and in particular the recently completed public consultation exercise.

Councillor Wann stated that the document was valuable for the City.

RESOLVED:

That the document be adopted as Supplementary Planning Document to the City of Leicester Local Plan.

Councillor Willmott submits a report that provides vital planning information to the local authority as well as contributing to local and national data.  Cabinet is asked to note the report.

Councillor Dempster submitted a report that provided vital planning information to the local authority as well as contributing to local and national data.

The relevant minute extract of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board on 14 February 2008 had been circulated to the Cabinet.

RESOLVED:

That the contents of the report be noted.

Councillor Dempster submits a report that updates Cabinet on the governance and funding arrangements for the provision of information, advice and guidance for young people aged 13-19 in Leicester and Leicestershire from April 2008.  Cabinet is asked to approve a number of recommendations listed in paragraph 3.2 of the report.

The relevant minute extract from the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board to be held on 14 February 2008 will be circulated as soon as it is available.

Councillor Dempster submitted a report that updated Cabinet on the governance and funding arrangements for the provision of information, advice and guidance for young people aged 13-19 in Leicester and Leicestershire from April 2008.

RESOLVED:

(1)that reasonable steps be taken to ensure that Connexions Service Limited becomes an in-house company wholly owned and controlled by the Council and Leicestershire County Council, in agreement with Leicestershire County Council and the present Board of Connexions Service Limited.

(2)that reasonable steps be taken to ensure that Connexions Trading Limited becomes a company wholly owned and controlled by the Council and Leicestershire County Council, in agreement with Leicestershire County Council and the present Board of Connexions Service Limited.

(3)that the Council and Leicestershire County Council each become a member of Connexions Services Limited and Connexions Trading Limited as part of the service reorganisation.

(4)               that authority be granted to the Corporate Director of Children and Young People's Services, in consultation with the Service Director Legal Services, to agree a new memorandum and articles of association for each of Connexions Service Limited and Connexions Trading Limited and enter into appropriate members’ agreements concerning both companies as necessary to meet the requirements of the Teckal exemption and take such other steps as are envisaged in the Report and necessary to ensure the continuity of the Connexions Service from April 2008.

Councillor Bhatti submits a report that proposes delegated authority to be given to the Corporate Director of Adults and Housing to change the Housing Allocations Policy for short periods to respond to pressures on the use of bed and breakfast.  Cabinet is recommended to give power to the Corporate Director of Adults and Housing in consultation with the Cabinet Lead for Housing to make temporary amendments to the Allocation Policy if the use of Bed and Breakfast starts to rise.

Councillor Bhatti submitted a report that proposed delegated authority to be given to the Corporate Director of Adults and Housing to change the Housing Allocations Policy for short periods to respond to pressures on the use of bed and breakfast.

RESOLVED:

That the Corporate Director of Adults and Housing in consultation with the Cabinet Lead for Housing be given the power to make temporary amendments to the Allocation Policy if the use of Bed and Breakfast starts to rise, and that any amendments made be reviewed monthly.

Councillor Willmott submits a report that requests Cabinet to consider a three year corporate budget strategy, three year departmental revenue strategies for each department, and a general fund budget for 2008/09 and to recommend these to the Council.  Cabinet is asked to approve a number of recommendations as set out in paragraph 3.1 of the report. 

The relevant minute extracts from the Children, Schools and Young People Task Group held on 16 January 2008, the Regeneration and Culture Task Group held on 23 January 2008, the Adults and Housing Task Group held on 28 January 2008, the Joint Meeting of the Performance and Value For Money Select Committee and the Community Cohesion and Safety Task Group held on 1 February 2008 and the Health Scrutiny Committee held on 4 February 2008 are attached. 

The relevant minute extract from the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board to be held on 14 February 2008 will be circulated as soon as it is available.

The Departmental Revenue Strategies are attached for Members of the Cabinet only.  Further copies are available on the Council’s Web Site at:  http:www.cabinet.Leicester.gov.uk or by phoning Committee Services on 0116 229 8818.

Councillor Willmott submitted a report that requested Cabinet to consider a three year corporate budget strategy, three year departmental revenue strategies for each department, and a general fund budget for 2008/09 and to recommend these to the Council.

The relevant minute extracts from the Children, Schools and Young People Task Group held on 16 January 2008, the Regeneration and Culture Task Group held on 23 January 2008, the Adults and Housing Task Group held on 28 January 2008, the Joint Meeting of the Performance and Value For Money Select Committee, the Community Cohesion and Safety Task Group held on 1 February 2008, the Health Scrutiny Committee held on 4 February 2008 and the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board held on 7 February 2008 and 14 February 2008 had been circulated to the Cabinet.

It was also noted that comments from Unison and UCU & JTU on the budget proposal had been circulated to the Cabinet.

Councillor Willmott recommended that Cabinet approve the budget for recommendation to Council.  He referred to the minute extracts from the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board on 7 February 2008, relating to the Departmental Revenue Strategies (DRS), and asked Cabinet members to comment to each one in turn.

In relation to the Children and Young People’s Services DRS, Councillor Dempster addressed comments from the UCU and stated that funding towards the Transforming Leicester Learning Plan had been received from the Department for Education and Schools through the budget and also through the redirection of existing money.  She believed the plan was fully fundable.  In response to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board’s comments with regard to equal pay compensation for staff in Voluntary Aided Schools, the Interim Chief Executive confirmed that she was taking legal advice on the matter.

In response to the comments made by the Management Board on the Adults and Housing DRS, Councillor Corrall stated that despite pressures it was hoped that the department would break even by the end of the financial year.  He added that a review on community centres was to take place and that a paper on the future of these would be brought to a Cabinet meeting.  He stated that at this point in time, he could not promise that all community centres in the City would remain open indefinitely, and this was partly due to the inadequate funding of the centres by the previous administration. 

With regard to Scrutiny’s comments on the Regeneration and Culture DRS, Councillor Kitterick reported that the vast majority of the 10/11 inner circle bus service had been retained, whilst still delivering £300,000 worth of savings.  In relation to environmental services, Councillor Wann reported that additional money had been invested in Leicester in Bloom, Pest Control, City Wardens and Graffitti services.  In response to the point about police not fully meeting security costs for festivals, Councillor Connelly shared the concerns of the Management Board.  He hoped that the Leicestershire Constabulary would reconsider their position in light of their new budget, so that more money  ...  view the full minutes text for item 224.

AGENDA

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO NOTE

Under the law, the Cabinet is entitled to consider certain items in private.  Members of the public will be asked to leave the meeting when such items are discussed.

The Cabinet is recommended to consider the following reports in private on the grounds that they contain ‘exempt’ information as defined by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, as amended and consequently that the Cabinet makes the following resolution:-

“that the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following reports in accordance with the provisions of Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, because they involve the likely disclosure of 'exempt' information, as defined in the Paragraph detailed below of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act and taking all the circumstances into account, it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the information as exempt outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Paragraph 1

Information relating to any individual.

• Disposal of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Sites- Batch 1

Paragraph 2

Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual.

·        Disposal of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Sites- Batch 1

Paragraph 3

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

·        Barnes Heath House

·        Disposal of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Sites- Batch 1

·        Delayed Eviction Scheme for Refugees

RESOLVED:

that the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following report in accordance with the provisions of Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, because it involves the likely disclosure of 'exempt' information, as defined in the Paragraphs detailed below of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act and taking all the circumstances into account, it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the information as exempt outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Paragraph 1

Information relating to any individual.

Disposal of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Sites – Batch 1

Paragraph 2

Information which is likely to reveal the identify of an individual.

Disposal of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Sites – Batch 1

Paragraph 3

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Barnes Heath House

Disposal of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Sites – Batch 1

Delayed Eviction Scheme for Refugees

Councillor Dempster submits a report.

Councillor Dempster submitted a report that sought to update Cabinet on the progress of the planned works relating to services for disabled children and young people at Barnes Heath House and to secure the approval to add the scheme to the Council’s capital programme.

RESOLVED:

(1)that the addition of the Barnes Heath House scheme to the Capital Programme, to be funded by the amount recommended in the report, be approved.

(2)that the use of Prudential Borrowing, should expenditure on the scheme be financed from the sale of the Mayfield site occur before the capital receipt is received, be approved.

(3)that the Corporate Director of Children and Young People’s Service be authorised to commence the scheme at Barnes Heath House.

(4)that funding for the proposed scheme be increased by upto £175,000 in the event that the receipts from Mayfield Childrena nd Family Centre exceed £400,000.

Councillor Bhatti submits a report.

Councillor Bhatti submitted a report that informed Cabinet of background to potential impact of the decision of the Home Office to clear a backlog of about 100 asylum decisions by March 2008.

RESOLVED:

That a Delayed Eviction Scheme be set up and officers negotiate reimbursement of the Council’s costs.

Councillor Bhatti submits a report.

Councillor Bhatti submitted a report that updated members and sought Cabinet approval for changes to this scheme.

RESOLVED:

(1)               that the Peake Road / Carpe Road Site be removed from the Batch 1 tender and replaced with Towle Road 2.

(2)that authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Adults & Housing, in conjunction with the Corporate Director of Resources, to negotiate and conclude negotiations for “Batch 1” (or any combination of sites within “Batch 1”) on terms which are substantially the same as reported (or proportionately for each site).