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.

Apologies were received from Cllr Bajaj and Cllr Haq.

Apologies were also received from Deputy City Mayor Cllr Cutkelvin.

Cllr Surti substituted for Cllr Bajaj.

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

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

With relation to the report on Festivals and Events Grants Programme 2026/27, Cllr Dr Barton declared that the was the Chair of the Board of Governors for one of the organisations that held an event on Summer in the Square.  It was not a paid position.

The minutes of the meeting of the Culture and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Commission held on 18^th June 2026 have been circulated, and Members will be asked to confirm them as a correct record.

AGREED:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Culture and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Commission held on 18 June 2026 be confirmed as a correct record.

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

• The Chair reminded Councillors to be respectful.
• The Chair noted that members had received the papers in advance of the meeting.
• The Chair reminded Councillors that there would be a special meeting to discuss the Sports Needs Assessment.
• The Chair noted that recommendations from the Community Asset Transfer Task Group would be agreed by email.

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 Director of Neighbourhood & Environmental Services submit a report to the Commission which provides an overview on the work of the Public Space Protection Order Zone 1. The report also provides an overview of the proposed Public Spaces Protection Order for Zone 2 and plans to implement. 

The Director of Neighbourhood & Environmental Services submitted a report to the Commission which provided an overview on the work of the Public Space Protection Order Zone 1. The report also provided an overview of the proposed Public Spaces Protection Order for Zone 2 and plans to implement.

The Head of Safer Communities attended the meeting to help present and assist with discussions.

Key points to note included:

• The Head of Safer Communities detailed the work carried out in quarter 1 of the PSPO. During the first quarter, 180 incidents had been managed, there had been 51 breaches, with the majority being committed by the street lifestyle community and with no means to issue penalty notices and 129 needed no further action.
• Additionally, 24 vulnerable people were supported, and 7 people were given immediate medical assistance in the street which included the lifesaving administration of Naloxone to prevent a drug overdose.
• The zonal work of the PSPO was highlighted in the presentation. The zones selected were high footfall areas, the main routes into the city such as London Road and transport hubs. Regular communication was had with the Police to reduce the overlap of resources so that more areas could be covered.
• Two key projects undertaken as part of PSPO 1 were highlighted, those being Cank Street and New Walk/Upper Nelson Street. On Cank Street, PSPO Officers consulted with local businesses to understand the issues and have since installed CCTV, gated off doorways and engaged in regular patrols. All of which has helped to reduce open drug use and rough sleeping on the street. On Upper New Walk/Nelson Street, the encampment on the Oval was moved on and work was carried out with businesses to make them more secure. It was noted that the work on both Cank Street and Upper New Walk/Nelson Street had received positive feedback from local businesses.
• While the work of PSPO 1 had focused on the city centre, PSPO 2 would target areas further afield.  To better understand the areas of focus for PSPO 2 a 6 week consultation period with the public was started on 1st May 2026.  Various forms of media were utilised to advertise the consultation period, this included Facebook posts, an appearance on Radio Leicester by the Head of Safer Communities and posters in LCC buildings.
• Following the consultation 1217 responses were received, including 12 from strategic partners. It was commented that many residents in the new PSPO 2 area welcomed the work to tackle anti-social behaviour however, there were strong concerns raised about the effectiveness of enforcement. 
• The key issues highlighted were widespread concern about open drug use and dealing, street drinking and related behaviour, littering and fly tipping, noise nuisance and feeling unsafe walking home, particularly in the evenings.  
• It was explained that the next step was to present the proposal for an executive decision.

In response to member discussion and questions, the following was noted: 

• Members praised the good objectives of the work and asked if they could see  ...  view the full minutes text for item 226.

The Director of Tourism; Culture & Inward Investment submits a report which provides an overview on the new BUSK Leicester pilot initiative, covering March – May 2026 and proposed next steps

The Director of Tourism; Culture & Economy submitted a report which provided an overview on the new BUSK Leicester pilot initiative, covering March – May 2026 and proposed next steps. 

The Head of Festivals and Events and Cultural Policy attended the meeting to help present and assist with discussions.

Key points included:

• The Busk Leicester scheme was introduced as a pilot scheme between March and May 2026 as part of the Heart of Leicester strategy. The aim was to create a simple, accessible and managed way for buskers to use appropriate city centre spaces while also balancing the needs of businesses, residents and visitors to the city. 
• An online booking system was implemented for local artists to book a space at various, defined performance locations. On the system, there were clear terms and conditions outlining the responsibilities of performers, covering issues such as noise and consideration for local businesses. The City Wardens and PSPO Officers were also given access to the booking calendar, so they were able to support the scheme. 
• During the pilot scheme, 117 bookings were made on the website and individual performers accounted for 80% of this. Gallowtree Gate proved to be the most popular site followed by High Street. A survey undertaken with artists and creatives showed that 92.3% of respondents believed Busk Leicester provided creatives with a space to perform in. A further 79% of respondents said they would use the scheme again, 76.9% of respondents agreed that Busk Leicester helped to animate the city streets, and 73% of the respondents said they were from Leicestershire.
• It was noted that Busk Leicester was still a pilot scheme and that lessons were learned throughout. A notable example was the movement of the busking positions on High Street following concerns raised by neighbouring businesses. The data from businesses was still being collated at the time of the meeting therefore conclusions could not yet be drawn regarding individual business experiences. It was commented that there were no concerns raised by the Police to date and they indicated that more supported location could improve the look and feel of the city centre and possibly discourage unregulated activity.
• The next phase was focused on refinement and evidence based development of the scheme. The revised 2 hour performance slots for artists were maintained and the work with Leicester music board was continued to permanently embed the Busk scheme into Leicester’s music scene. Potential new locations were assessed against audience potential, business impact and potential safety concerns. Highways were supportive and were involved in the planning as well as safety and road access issues.
• In summary, the scheme demonstrated demand, provided support to artists and creatives and provided practical evidence on how a managed busking scheme can work. The scheme also provided useful learning opportunities, feedback and a base to further develop the scheme in the future.

In response to member questions and discussion, the following was noted:

• Members raised questions regarding the nature of the booking system and if there were any  ...  view the full minutes text for item 227.

The Director of Tourism; Culture & Inward Investment submits a report to the Commission on the 2026/27 Festivals and Events Grants Programme including background, new commissioning process and criteria, successful applications and awards. The report also outlines how the grants programme has evolved and its strategic relevance to the city.

The Director of Tourism; Culture & Inward Investment submits a report to the Commission on the 2026/27 Festivals and Events Grants Programme including background, new commissioning process and criteria, successful applications and awards. The report also outlines how the grants programme has evolved and its strategic relevance to the city. 

The Assistant City Mayor for health, Culture, Libraries and Community Centres introduced the report and noted that where there was competition for resources, it was necessary to have a transparent process that was fair and could be understood. She acknowledged that moving to another system always had challenges, but this change had happened relatively smoothly.

She further reported that people had engaged well and the process had been open and transparent.  She suggested that this was a good foundation for the Council to continue to develop.  She highlighted the value of festivals to the city and individuals, and noted that some smaller events had a disproportionate impact in delivering for the city.

The Head of Festivals and Events and Cultural Policy attended the meeting to help present and assist with discussions.

Key points to note were as follows:

• The report provided an overview of the Festivals and Events Grants Programme for 2026/27, including the introduction of a new commissioning process, the assessment framework used, and the recommended funding awards for this financial year.
• Leicester City Council already delivered a number of major events directly, including Light Up Leicester, Riverside Festival, Diwali Day and the Abbey Park Bonfire. Alongside this, the Council supports external organisations to deliver a broader programme of festivals and events that contribute to the city's cultural, social and economic wellbeing.
• Following a review of the previous grants programme, a new commissioning approach was introduced for 2026/27. The intention was to create a more transparent, robust and strategically aligned process, ensuring funding supports high-quality, inclusive and environmentally responsible festivals and events that deliver clear benefits for Leicester residents and visitors.
• The funding opportunity was publicly advertised in March 2026, with applications promoted through council communications, social media, local press and directly to previous recipients and local cultural organisations. This resulted in 68 applications requesting a total of approximately £927,000, significantly exceeding the available budget.
• Applications were assessed against published eligibility requirements and a detailed scoring framework. Criteria included cultural quality, community cohesion, participation and accessibility, environmental sustainability, economic impact, organisational capacity and value for money. Following eligibility checks, 33 applications were excluded for not meeting the published criteria, with the remaining applications scored and reviewed by officers.
• Originally, a budget of £165,000 had been identified for the programme. However, due to the strength of applications received and the strategic importance of festivals and events, a further £65,000 was approved, increasing the total programme budget to £230,000. This additional investment formed part of a wider increase in the Arts and Museums budget and reflects the Council's commitment to accessible cultural activity across the city.
• As a result, 20 festivals and events were recommended for support in 2026/27, with awards ranging  ...  view the full minutes text for item 228.

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

It was requested that a further report on festivals come back to the commission.

The work programme was noted.

There being no further items of urgent business, the meeting finished at 19:23.