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 Executive Members Cllr Cutkelvin and Cllr Dempster.

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.

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting of the Culture and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Commission held on 16 April 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 16 April 2026 be confirmed as a correct record.

The Membership of the Commission will be confirmed and noted.

The Membership of the Commission was confirmed as follows:

Councillor Syed Zaman – Chair

Councillor Deepak Bajaj – Vice-Chair

Councillor Susan Barton

Councillor Ted Cassidy

Councillor Karen Pickering

Councillor Dilip Joshi

Councillor Bhupen Dave

Councillor Zuffar Haq

Members will be asked to note the meeting dates of the commission for

2026/27-

18 June 2026

3 September 2026

2 November 2026

28 January 2027

4 March 2027

The dates of the meetings for the Commission were confirmed as follows:

18 June 2026

3 September 2026

2 November 2026

28 January 2027

4 March 2027 

The Commission will be asked to note the Terms of Reference.

The Commission noted the Scrutiny Terms of Reference.

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

• The Chair notified members that the task group on Community Asset Transfer would continue with the original members, but the report from it would be brought to the current Commission to consider.
• The Chair noted that since papers had been circulated in advance, presentations could be kept to a minimum to allow more time for questions and comments.
• The Chair thanked staff at Braunstone Leisure Centre as their early intervention and quick response had helped to save a life.

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 Lead Scrutiny Directors of the Commission to outline the service areas that form part of the commission.  

A presentation was given on Tourism, Culture and Economy using the slides attached with the agenda pack.  Additional points included:

• The Records Office held both Museum records as well as statutory records such as Coroner records.
• Jewry Wall Museum had opened the previous year.
• Capital redevelopment of the Leicester Museum and Art Gallery (LMAG) was being delivered in phases until 2030. 
• Extensive outreach had been undertaken through the National Lottery Heritage Fund to take museum collections out into communities.
• Work on Festivals and Events had included commissioning external organisations to deliver a range of festivals and events throughout the year.
• Users of Haymarket Theatre included Addict Dance Academy and Leicestershire Music.
• Place Marketing had included a range of activities to promote the area for visitors and residents.

A presentation was given on Neighbourhood and Environmental Services using the slides attached with the agenda pack.  Additional points included:

• The division was one of the largest in the Council and included a range of services from waste management, to libraries to bereavement. 
• Around 1180 people were employed in the division.  It was a diverse and local workforce.
• Areas highlighted on the slide could come to the Commission this year.
• There was a focus on the private sector housing scheme and the selective licensing review.
• The future of allotments would be looked at.
• Innovations and modernisation in street cleansing would be looked at.
• A presentation would be brought on agreed objectives in transformation work in neighbourhood services.
• Ward funding would be considered by the Commission.
• Feedback was welcomed on the second Public Space Protection Order (PSPO2).
• The Council were market leaders on leisure centres and place-based work had been done in sports.
• Central government grant funding had been received, the bulk of which concerned waste management.

A presentation was given on Corporate Services using the slides attached with the agenda pack.  Additional points included:

• The division supported and assisted other teams.  It was an enabling service that included services such as IT and HR.
• The division facilitated public reporting, for example, through the use of the Love Clean Streets app.
• Intelligence from customer services was used to make changes in services and add value.
• Risk Emergency Management and Business Continuity ensured that the right arrangements were in place when situations arose, such as flooding.
• The corporate wellbeing and support offer for the workforce was entirely arranged and put in place by People Services, which focused on physical and mental wellbeing.
• The Digital Data and Technology (DDaT) provided the digital, data and technology foundations that allowed the organisation to operate effectively, securely and efficiently. It was a strategic enabler of better services, stronger organisational resilience, and decision-making. 
• There was a Public Sector Equality Duty to tackle the inequality of service access.
• More focussed work had been done on knowing communities and helping to bring them together.

The Committee were invited to ask questions and make comments. Key points

included:

• The service was commended for listening to the public and implementing changes.  Staff were also  ...  view the full minutes text for item 216.

The Director of Corporate Services submits a report providing an outline of the Pride in Place Programme to the Commission, indicating where current action is underway and the expected milestone actions and deadlines for later in the year.

The Director of Corporate Services submitted a report providing an outline of the Pride in Place Programme to the Commission, indicating where current action is underway and the expected milestone actions and deadlines for later in the year:

The Community Engagement and Pride in Place Delivery Lead joined the meeting to help present.

Key points included:

• It was explained that the Pride in Place Programme was a Central Government initiative enacted through MHCLG. It would last 10 years and invested £20 Million each into 3 separate areas. It was split between 63% Capital and 37% Revenue. The aims of the programme were to create stronger communities, thriving places and promote local empowerment. 
• The areas selected were Eyres Monsell, Braunstone Park West and Thurnby Lodge. It was commented that these areas were not the same areas covered by the City Council’s wards. It was noted that Braunstone Park West sat within the Braunstone Park and Rowley fields ward and Thurnby Lodge covered parts of Thurncourt ward and the Humberstone and Hamilton ward. The Eyres Monsell area was selected as an MSOA rather than as a ward.  
• These areas were to have an appointed independent Chair and Neighbourhood Board, that reviewed and decided what the money was spent on. It was emphasised that the Chair was not a paid role. The boards were to consist mainly of local residents and community organisations. Each board also had the involvement of the local MP, who signed off on the appointment of the Chair and a single appointed Councillor. While there was some political involvement, Central Government wished to reduce the influence of party politics in the programme and maintain a grass roots nature. 
• The Council’s involvement in the programme was also limited. Its main role was to assist in the initial set up of the independent chair and neighbourhood board and following this, to act as an accountable body. As the Accountable Body, the Council was legally responsible for all funds and for ensuring compliance and providing support to the programme.
• The recruitment process for the Chair was detailed. It was confirmed that the Chairs were appointed but they had not yet been announced as the goal was to have a wraparound support network in place for them first.
• The Chair and Neighbourhood Boards were to be in place and set up by 17^th July 2026 to meet the deadline set by MHCLG. To meet this deadline, an initial small membership was to be set up to ensure that the spine was in place for this date. The membership was to be subsequently reassessed and expanded as needed.    
• It was stated that an engagement process with the local communities needed to be conducted by the Chairs and Neighbourhood Boards by 28^th November 2026. The aim of the engagement was to develop ideas of what projects to spend the money on. These project ideas were then to be submitted back to Central Government in the form of a neighbourhood plan.  

The Committee were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 217.

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 items of urgent business, the meeting ended at 19:23