Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chair for the meeting.

It was agreed that Councillor Shelton would be for the Chair for that meeting.

Councillors will decide whether they agree that the record of the last meeting is correct.

Councillor Porter declared a personal and prejudical interest in budget applications C2 and C7.  Councillor Porter also declared a personal interest in budget application C6.

The Area Committee to receive a brief presentation on the latest planning application received in respect of the Velodrome, Saffron Lane. An opportunity will be given to ask questions after the presentation.

Moved by Councillor Thomas, seconded by Councillor Roger Blackmore, supported by Councillor Mugglestone, and carried:-

4.         “My Lord Mayor, it gives me great pleasure to move this Motion of Thanks to Councillor Piara Clair.  I also include in this Motion his lovely  Wife and Consort,  Jasbinder.

As the whole Council will know, you were  asked to take up the position at short notice due to the very sad death of Councillor Jean Middleton.  This heralded a frantic bout of rearranging of your lives, not least your working commitments,  and I wish to express here our sincere thanks to Walkers Snack Foods for all their help and understanding.  And so the journey began, a little late, but well on course you nervously took your first steps as Lord Mayor of Leicester.

Only those who have held this historic, ceremonial and honoured position within our fair city could know of the hectic schedule that you have been engaged in, others could merely watch from the side lines in wonder and amazement.

Over this last year you have tirelessly campaigned for your chosen charity, the Kidney Care Appeal, and although there was a six week delay in the launch, you have now raised one hundred and ten thousand pounds, a sum, from which so many of our fellow citizens will benefit.  I think we will all agree that this is a magnificent effort.

Your year in office has seen you carry out some 800 engagements and the hosting of 84 events in Leicester alone, far too many for me to record here in this Motion.  I will limit myself to some of the most memorable.

The Royal Visits to our city must rate highly on your list;  those of His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent opening the Police Custody Suite at Freeman’s Common, the visit by His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester opening the video studio in the Queens Building, De Montfort University and visiting the historic Guildhall to commence the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Leicestershire Archaeological and History Society, and not forgetting the visit of His Royal Highness The Duke of York to present the Passport to Export East Midlands Awards at the Athena in Rutland Street.

As a sportsman yourself,  you will remember well the Civic Reception you hosted for the Leicestershire Foxes, following their magnificent victory, over Surrey, in the Cricket Twenty/Twenty Cup.  Of course there were many other receptions – for the Turkish Ministry of the Interior, for University Professors from Japan, for Ministers visiting from Gujarat, and a visit by the Indian High Commissioner, Kamalesh Sharma, to name but a few.

There were, of course, many visits to local schools and community groups to give them encouragement in the vital work in which they are engaged. 

You still found time for Civic Dinners and I well remember the dinner for Major General Sutherell, Colonel of the Royal Anglian Regiment, which I attended at your invitation, a most enjoyable evening.  There was also  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64.

Councillors will decide whether they agree that the record of the last meeting is correct.

RESOLVED:

that the record of the meeting held on Thursday 15 Februray 2007 was agreed as a correct record subject to clarification being sought on play facilities in the Riverside Area.

There will be a report back on the responses to questions raised by members of the public at the previous meeting.

A resident stated that in respect of question 101 they felt they were not satisfied with the answer.  It was felt Riverside Park was not close enough for the local children to go to and that he would like to know where the £50,000 contribution in respect of the Riverside improvement works would be spent.  It was noted that the local school was in need of a sports hall that would provide further capacity for the village. 

Councillor Porter suggested that any future housing developments should include Section 106 Agreements to help fund sports facilities, as he believed, future funding agreed by the Council for schools would not include sport facilities.  It was noted that funding would mainly be spent on the secondary sector, such as Building Schools for the Future and that the primary sector should be included such as Granby Primary who could benefit.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet be asked that in future housing developments a Section 106 Agreement be used to help develop sports facilities in the local area.

The Area Committee to receive a presentation on the youth provision in the area, to cover projects and project workers, as well as the state of play provision and prospects for repairs and improvements and enhancements to existing park areas and play equipment.

Fiona Bedford, Senior Youth Worker, Kingfisher Centre, gave the Committee an overview of the services the centre provided.  This included a breakfast club scheme for children every Saturday, a senior club three times a week and a junior club once a week.  There had also been an accredited life skills course for young people not in education, which they hope to repeat subject to funding.  In the future partnership work with the Saffron Young Peoples Project was planned to increase opening times possibly straight after school.  

It was noted that the ball court area had been refurbished along with the planned redevelopment of the kitchen facilities, which had been funded by the Youth Capital Fund.  This would allow healthy eating and food hygiene sessions to be carried out.

It was reported that at the Southfields Drive Sports Centre there were sports sessions running four times a week.

At the Magpie Youth Centre in Eyres Monsell there were various clubs including a senior youth club, a girls club, and a motorbike project.  The group had hoped to widen their work to include the Gilmorton Centre.  There were also detached work sessions.  It was noted that Youth Action Representatives have been elected and will participate in the Youth Forum.  There was also a residential trip being planned to Gambia, if the funding could be secured.

It was reported that throughout the summer the programme would be slightly different this year focussing on sport and a graffiti project and would include partnership work with Connexions and Intersport.

There was widening participation work happening in the Linwood Centre and the Magpie Youth Centre with young parents in partnership with Saffron Young Peoples’ Project, Connexions and Sure Start, and there were also detached youth work sessions in a Aylestone and Eyres Monsell.

Dee Dixon, Senior Worker, Goldhill Avenue Playground, informed the Committee that from 16 July, between 11.30am to 4.30pm, for 5 weeks the playground would be open for young children at a cost of £3.00 per child. There would be spaces for between 70 and 120 children which would be part funded by the Red Cross.  Over 21 workers visiting from universities across the Country would support the sessions.  It was noted that there were trips planned for the children to Skegness and Waterworld.

It was reported that the walls of the playground were to be expanded to include an open air sports ground and a tree house village, which would be disabled friendly.  It was noted that the cost of this would be £68k, although £30k had already been secured.

A member of the public noted the lack of facilities in the Aylestone Ward. Councillor Porter agreed that there was a lack of provision, including swings, slides and benches in the Ayleston Ward and that the Cabinet should be asked to introduce these provisions into the area.

Another member of the public asked why the Kingfisher Centre had reduced the times it was open.  It was noted that this was due to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.

A summary of the current position and details of previous expenditure of the Area Committees budget is appended (Appendix C).

Residents and groups are welcome to put forward requests for funding from the budget. However, if requests are received at the meeting, or just before, the Area Committee cannot guarantee that approval will be given at the meeting.

Details of current budget requests are also appended as follows: -

C1 – Local residents - Create a Community Garden

C2 – Aylestone Meadows Appreciation Society – request for funding for room hire

C3– Fencing around nature reserve

C4 – Sport on the Hill – Two basketball posts

C5 – Sport on the Hill – Application for fencing, fencing posts and gate                                             

C6 – Aylestone Summer Soccer School

C7 – St. Andrew’s Eagles – Sponsorship for new under 9’s mixed football team.

Councillors will be asked to give their views on these applications at the meeting.

Jerry Connolly, Members Support Officer, was in attendance to discuss four bids that had already been made.

1        Create a Community Garden

It was agreed to award funding of £1900.00.

2        Aylestone Meadows Appreciation Society – request funding for room hire for group meetings plus administration and publicity costs.

The funding was approved in principle subject to the agreement of Councillor Mrs Chambers.

3        Fencing around Nature Reserve

This application was deferred until the next meeting.

4        Sport on the Hill

It was agreed to award funding of £3000.00.

5        Sport on the Hill - fencing

It was agreed to award funding of £602.75, in partnership with the Police, who would also fund £602.75.

6        Aylestone Summer Soccer Scheme

            It was agreed to award funding of £1250.00.

7        Sponsorship for new under 9’s mixed football team

The funding was approved in principle subject to the agreement of Councillor Mrs Chambers.

The notes of the meeting of the Joint Action Group held on 5^th June 2007 are appended (Appendix D).

Inspector Mansfield informed the meeting of the discussion at the recent Joint Action Group.  It was noted that the Welford Road Local Policing Unit (LPU) now had two new beats, which reflected the Area Committee Wards. 

It was reported that there were currently several vacancies at the LPU, including the Commander, Deputy Commander and Leader of the Policing Team, the LPU was waiting to obtain details regarding the replacements. 

It was noted that the JAG met every 4-6 weeks with representatives from across the community, and that anyone was invited to attend to put forward their views. 

It was reported that the deliberate fire setting was being addressed by educating residents, leafleting and some investigations. 

Planned activities and further policing initiates were addressing the anti-social behaviour on local parks and that hopefully residents would see an improvement. 

A member of the public commented that since a local public house had re-opened there were more young children drinking on the local parks.  It was reported that a “sting” operation had been set up to see if older children were buying drinks for younger children.  The outcome would be reported back to a future meeting.

It was noted that the next meeting of the JAG would be 10 July, but if residents had any non-emergency issues to report before this, they were urged to use the 101 number.

Below are previous items raised by the Area Committee:

• Health Issues
• Domestic Violence
• Neighbourhood Manager Progress Report

Members are asked to consider these items for the meeting or suggest any further matters to be discussed.

The following items were suggested for discussion at future meetings:

• Parks
• Smoke Free Legislation
• Health Issues
• Domestic Violence
• Neighbourhood Manager Progress Report

Members of the public will be invited to ask questions about local issues. The purpose of this session is to collect and clearly record the questions.

The Committee administrator will write the questions down. If we know the answer we will give a response immediately, but in most cases we will need to take the question to a relevant officer after the meeting for a full response. You can get more information about how to submit questions and what will happen to them from Your guide to Area Committees.

1.            Presentation of Insignia to Honorary Aldermen

            Arising out of the Special Council Meeting, held on 4 October 2007, at which the Council had conferred the title of Honorary Alderman on eight former members of the City Council, the Lord Mayor presented to the following their Insignia of Office:-

                        Alderman Anne Bunce            Alderman Terence Howatt

                        Alderman Ned Newitt              Alderman Winston Nurse

                        Alderman Anthony O’Brien            Alderman Brian Roberts

                        Alderman Malik Salim

            Alderman Roman Scuplak was unable to attend this meeting to receive his Insignia.

2.         Herald Goddard, Deceased – An Appreciation

            The Lord Mayor called on Councillor Willmott who provided Council with an appreciation of the late Herald Goddard.  Along with his late wife, Joan, Herald Goddard has been a distinguished benefactor and patron of the arts, most especially supporting Leicester Museums, Leicester Theatre Trust, Leicester University and the Richard Attenborough Centre.  An association with the Museum Service for well over half a century, co-option on to the Arts and Libraries Committee as a special advisor on the arts and a generous benefactor, both as a private donor and through the Goddard Charitable Trust enabled Leicester University and the Museum Service in particular to enrich their collections with ceramics, water colours, etchings and sculptures.

            In summary, the city owes a debt of gratitude to Herald Goddard for his lifetime’s service to Leicester as a patron and benefactor of the arts.

3.            European City of Sport 2008

            The Lord Mayor referred Council to the award to Leicester of European City of Sport 2008 and displayed to Council the trophy which had been received.  The Lord Mayor further commented that it was a testimony, particularly to the work of the Sports Team, led by Paul Edwards, and eight members of staff who had been closely involved in the Award, who received warm appreciation from the Council.

4.            Retirement of Mike Forrester, Corporate Director of Adults and Housing

            The Lord Mayor drew to the attention of Council that this Meeting would be the last such meeting which Mike Forrester, the Corporate Director of Adults and Housing, would be required to attend before leaving the authority.

            On behalf of both the Council and the people of Leicester, the Lord Mayor thanked Mr. Forrester for his leadership, drive, enthusiasm and expertise whilst in each of his varying roles whilst at the Council and offered very best wishes for the future.

5.            Retirement of Rodney Green, Chief Executive.

            The Lord Mayor also drew to the attention of Council the retirement of the Council’s Chief Executive, Rodney Green, after over 11 years service in that post.

            The Lord Mayor thanked Mr. Green for his many and varied contributions since Local Government Reorganisation more than a decade ago to the work of the Council and development of the city, including through extensive partnership working, and also his contribution to national initiatives including, most recently, his work on the National Migration Forum.

            Mr. Green responded to the thanks, as expressed by the Lord Mayor, expressed his pride in the City  ...  view the full minutes text for item 71.

Members of the public will be invited to present petitions to the committee on local problems.

You can get more information about how to submit petitions and what will happen to them from Your guide to Area Committees.

There were no petitions.

Members of the public and Councillors will announce any forthcoming events in the area.

It was reported that the Ayleston Park Residents Association met on the first Thursday on each month at 7.30pm in the Methodist Church on Cavendish Road, and that local residents were invited to attend.

Councillors will be invited to raise any other urgent business.

To agree a date for the next meeting of the Area Committee

It was agreed that a future meeting would be arranged in due course.

The meeting closed at 8.05pm.