Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Dempster, Councillor Follett and Sheila Lock, Corporate Director of Children and Young People’s Department.

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 asked to declare any interests they may have in the business tobe discussed and/or indicate that Section 106 of the Local Government

Finance Act 1992 applied to them.

No declarations were made.

PRESENTATION OF FREEDOM AWARD

Wolde Selassie presented Councillor Willmott with a freedom award to thank Leicester City Council for it’s contribution to the bi-centenary of the abolition of slavery.  Wolde had previously received the award which was given in recognition to the level of engagement Leicester had made with the community in respect of the bi-centenary.  Councillor Willmott thanked Wolde for the award

CABINET DATES FOR REMAINDER OF MUNICIPAL YEAR

Councillor Willmott announced the following dates for meetings of the Cabinet during the remainder of the 2007/08 municipal year.

21 January 2008

18 February 2008

3 March 2008

31 March 2008

21 April 2008

1 May 2008

RESOLVED:

                        That the above be agreed as dates for Cabinet meetings for the remainder of the 2007/08 municipal year.

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 December 2007, 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 10 December, having

been circulated to Members, be taken as read and signed by the

Chair as a correct record.

There are no matters referred.

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 proposal in Appendix A.

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

RESOLVED:

                        That the expenditure proposal in Appendix A be agreed.

Councillor Kitterick submits a report that seeks Cabinet approval to implement phase 2 of the 2007/8 Local Environmental Works (LEW) programme.  Cabinet is asked to approve phase 2 of the 2007/8 Local Environmental Works programme estimated at £250,000 and approve the method of allocation of future LEW funding as being split 25 percent to each of the three Parliamentary Constituencies and Citywide. 

The relevant minute extract from the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board held on 11 December 2007 will be circulated as soon as it is available.

Councillor Kitterick submitted a report that sought Cabinet approval to implement phase 2 of the 2007/8 Local Environmental Works (LEW) programme. 

The relevant minute extract of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board on 11 December 2007 had been circulated to the Cabinet and Councillor Kitterick reported that the Board had made no adverse comments in relation to the programme.

RESOLVED:

(1)   that phase 2 of the 2007/8 Local Environmental Works programme estimated at £250,000 be approved.

(2) That the method of allocation of future LEW funding as being split 25 percent to each of the three Parliamentary Constituencies and Citywide be approved. 

Councillor Connelly submits a report that updates Cabinet on the current position of the successful Big Lottery bid for a new Library & Community Learning Centre for New Parks.  Cabinet is recommended to approve an addition to the Approved Capital Programme of £1.3m for the New Parks Library & Community Learning Centre, financed by Big Lottery.

Councillor Connelly submitted a report that updated Cabinet on the current position of the successful Big Lottery bid for a new Library and Community learning Centre for New Parks and sought approval to add the scheme to the capital programme.

Councillor Corrall welcomed the successful bid for a new library and community centre for New Parks, and was pleased to learn that a community café was to be included within the new library.

RESOLVED:

That an addition to the Approved Capital Programme of £1.3m for the New Parks Library and Community Learning Centre, financed by Big Lottery be approved.

Councillor Draycott submits a report that presents the performance of the Council and its Partners in delivering services to citizens during the second quarter of 2007/08.  Cabinet is recommended to congratulate those areas demonstrating continuous improvement in performance, review the second quarter performance results and consider the need for any special action on areas of concern, note the risks identified as being matters relevant to the council at this time and receive regular reports on actions taken to mitigate the identified risks as part of the regular performance process.

Councillor Draycott submitted a report that presented the performance of the Council and its partners in delivering services to citizens during the second quarter of 2007/08. 

Councillor Draycott summarised the performance report and referred to those areas of service that warranted praise or concern.  She was pleased to report that there had been a significant improvement in the Benefits and Housing service blocks.  She stated that one area of concern was the condition of footways, and that the department was looking at long-term resourcing of footways through the Star Chamber process.  She reported that Cabinet would be receiving a separate report on this particular issue at a future meeting.  A second area of concern was the number of days lost to sickness per employee.  Councillor Draycott stated that it was intended that the target of 12 days a year per employee for sickness absence be reduced to 10 days.  The final area of concern referred to by Councillor Draycott related to the increase in vehicle crime.  It was felt that this rise was predominantly due to the large number of thefts of satellite navigation systems from vehicles.

Councillor Willmott stated that a high level of performance was crucial for the authority and was particularly pleased with the improvements in Housing Benefits services.  He also stated that all was being done to maintain and improve performance including through securing additional resources, introducing new ways of working and careful scrutiny by Members.

Councillor Draycott reported that an updated version of the report would be presented at the next Cabinet meeting.

RESOLVED:

(1)      that those areas demonstrating continuous improvement in performance be congratulated.

(2)      That the second quarter performance results be reviewed and the need for any special action on areas of concern be considered.

(3)      That the risks identified as being matters relevant to the Council at this time be noted; and

(4)      That regular reports on actions taken to mitigate the identified risks as part of the regular performance management process be received. 

Councillor Willmott submits a report that details the recommended taxbase for the financial year 2008/09.  Cabinet is recommended to endorse a taxbase for 2008/09 of 77,298 properties expressed as the equivalent number of “Band D” properties.

Councillor Willmott submitted a report that detailed the recommended taxbase for the financial year 2008/09.   

RESOLVED:

That a taxbase for 2008/2009 of 77,298 properties expressed as the equivalent number of “Band D” properties be endorsed.  

Councillor Willmott submits a report that presents the Council’s Single Status Framework Agreement that has been successfully negotiated with the Trade Unions.  Cabinet is asked to approve the terms on which the Single Status Framework Agreement has been agreed (subject to the Trade Unions formal approvals processes) and in particular the projected cost of implementation as set out in the addendum of this report.

Please note that the addendum to the report contains exempt information and will be circulated to Members only as soon as it is available. These papers will be marked 'NOT FOR PUBLICATION'. The information in these papers will be exempt as defined in paragraph 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended and it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. The information therefore must not be disclosed or discussed at the meeting. Should Members wish to refer to any of these details it is recommended that the meeting move into private session.

Councillor Willmott submitted a report that presented the current situation regarding the Council’s proposed Single Status Framework Agreement, which had been reached following negotiations with the Trade Unions and to seek Cabinet approval for the terms presented to the Trade Unions as the best and final offer.  

An updated version of the report had been circulated prior to the meeting.  Furthermore, a private addendum had been circulated to Cabinet Members only.  The private addendum was not referred to during consideration of this item.

Councillor Willmott referred to a statement from UNISON which has been circulated and reported that the agreement was subject to it being supported in a ballot of all UNISON members covered by Single Status.

Councillor Willmott acknowledged that this was a particularly sensitive issue. He reported that the Council had committed an extra £1m to the agreement, and that this gave a package which was better than that offered by many other authorities.  He further stated that he was pleased that the equal pay issue for women had been addressed, and whilst accepting that not all staff were satisfied by the agreement, he explained that a pay protection scheme was in place and that all staff had the right to appeal.

RESOLVED:

(1)   that the terms of the Single Status Framework Agreement as set out in Appendix 1 be approved, noting that this has been put to the Trade Unions as the Council’s final position.

(2)   that the Employees Committee be recommended to approve the agreement of the changes to the Terms and Conditions contained within it; and

(3)   that the projected cost of implementation as set out in the Agenda B addendum be approved.

The Chair has agreed to admit to the agenda an item of Urgent Business ‘Application of Discretion Under the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)’.  The report is not yet available but is urgent because it is in the interest of the Council to resolve as speedily as possible staffing issues relating to senior managers.

The Leader agreed to admit to the agenda an item of urgent business; ‘Application of Discretion Under the Local Government Pension Scheme’.  The report was urgent as it was in the interest of the Council to resolve as speedily as possible staffing issues relating to senior managers.

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 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 4

Information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter arising between the authority or a Minister of the Crown and employees of, or office holders under, the authority.

Councillor Willmott submitted a report that provided a reminder of the policy set and a summary of the legal framework to enable Cabinet to comply with this legal obligation to keep its policy under review.

RESOLVED:

(1)     that the current policy be confirmed

(2)     that the factors for judging exceptional cases be noted; and

(3)     that a further report highlighting the criteria for future exceptions to the policy be submitted to a future Cabinet meeting

(4)     that the Employees Committee be authorised to incur the costs associated with a staffing decision they were due to make later that day.

(5)     that the costs of early release of pension and any enhancements be charged to the Council’s corporate budgets; and

(6)     that the Chief Finance Officer be authorise to determine whether the costs are amortised over five years or written down over a faster period.

The meeting closed at 1.38pm.