Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Gugnani.

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

No declarations of interest were made.

The Chair did not make any announcements.

The minutes of the meeting of the Overview Select Committee held on 21 June 2018 and the Special meeting held 5 July 2018 are attached and the Committee will be asked to confirm them as a correct record.

Members were asked to agree the minutes of the meeting of the Overview Select Committee held 21 June 2018 and the special meeting held 5 July 2018.

Councillor Khote asked in respect of the meeting held 21 June 2018, the minute item 12. Questions for the City Mayor – Evington Leisure Centre, that the references to the Evington Leisure Centre be amended to read the Leisure Centre in North Evington.

AGREED:

that the minutes of the meeting held 21 June 2018, subject to the above amendment, and the minutes of the special meeting held 5 July 2018 be confirmed as correct records.    

The Chair stated that all the actions previously requested had been addressed.

The Monitoring Officer to report on any questions, representations or statements of case received.   

There were no questions, representations or statements of case.

The Monitoring Officer to report on any petitions received.

There were no petitions.

The Monitoring Officer submits a report that updates Members on the monitoring of outstanding petitions. The Committee is asked to note the current outstanding petitions and agree to remove those petitions marked ‘Petitions Process Complete’ from the report.

AGREED:

that the current position be noted and petitions referenced 21/12/2017, 19/04/2018, 21/05/2018, 3/06/2018 and 05/04/2018 marked Petition Process Complete be removed from the monitoring report.

The City Mayor will answer questions raised by members of the Overview Select Committee on issues not covered elsewhere on the agenda.

Members raised the following questions for the City Mayor.

CAGE 

Councillor Grant said that concerns had been raised with him, that while the council had quite rightly * consistently expressed strong views about far-right extremism in the city, the council had not apparently expressed similar concerns about an organisation called CAGE. He said that CAGE had made at least three visits to the city in the past year, and he believed that it was an extremist organisation. Councillor Grant asked what the council were doing, bearing in mind that they had an officer working on issues of extremism.

The City Mayor responded that from his knowledge of CAGE, he disagreed with many of the views that they expressed but he did not think the organisation was subject to any restrictions.

Councillor Grant drew similarities with the English Defence League (EDL), an organisation about which the council had made its views clear. However, although people in CAGE were not demonstrating, they appeared to be invited by organisations within the city, whereas EDL came from outside the city. He was concerned that no-one was confronting CAGE on the statements they made.  Councillor Grant said that this could result in vulnerable people being susceptible to extreme views and he questioned whether this was being dealt with appropriately.

The City Mayor commented that the EDL came to Leicester to cause disruption on the streets and the police advice in dealing with that organisation had been essential. He was not sure if the Police had given any advice on CAGE. The City Mayor added that he was apprehensive about stifling free speech and he believed it was better to combat extreme views with other arguments.

The Chair asked for the matter to be directed to the Assistant City Mayor for Community Involvement and for a detailed analysis and report on the issue to be brought back to the Committee. A member commented that the work being carried out in Leicester was robust and the Police would make it known if they had concerns. 

The City Mayor added that he was happy to engage with Members and the Police on the issue.

*the minute text amended to include the words ‘quite rightly’ as agreed at the meeting of the Overview Select Committee held 1 November 2018.

SALE OF LAND – NEW WALK CENTRE / KING STREET

Councillor Porter said that the site of the New Walk Centre / King Street was now looking much better but queried why the sale of the freehold land was sold for £24k, when it was worth more. Councillor Porter questioned whether the new owners would sell the land for a higher price and whether the buildings were leasehold or freehold.

The City Mayor commented that this had been fully reported, but he would be happy to forward  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

The Committee will receive the report of the Finance Task Group which met on 30 August 2018 to consider the following finance reports.

Minutes of the meeting of the Finance Task Group held 30 August 2018 (Appendix C)

Revenue Budget Monitoring Period 3 2018 / 19 (Appendix C1)

Capital Budget Monitoring Period 3 2018/19 (Appendix C2)

The Chair introduced the Report of the Finance Task Group and referred Members to the minutes of the meeting held 30 August 2018, which had been included in the agenda pack.

Councillor Porter referred to the figures in the Revenue Budget Monitoring Report (Period 3) for Neighbourhood and Environmental Services and said that numerous complaints had been received relating to the lack of grass cutting and the number of weeds on paths. He said that it appeared there were insufficient staff to carry out the work and asked how many people in the Parks Service had been made redundant and by how much had the salaries budget been cut.

The City Mayor responded that those figures would be sent to Councillor Porter, but because of the very significant savings they were having to make between 2010 and 2020, there were now considerably less staff.  Grass cutting was now taking place in a way that was beneficial to the environment and wildlife was being encouraged by leaving some of the grass uncut. Birds such as kestrels and raptors were now being seen in the city because they could find prey.

The Chair confirmed that he too had expressed concerns about the level of grass cutting.

Members agreed to note the Revenue Budget Monitoring Report, Period 3 2018/19.

In respect of the Capital Budget Monitoring Report (Period 3), the Chair congratulated officers on the way the report was presented and he thought that the Red Amber Green (RAG) ratings were helpful. He believed that the Capital Budget warranted scrutiny and he hoped that Scrutiny Chairs would continue to carry out that scrutiny in their own commissions.

Councillor Porter referred to the St George’s Churchyard scheme and said that there had been very considerable opposition to proposals to fell the trees, including that from Heritage England. He asked whether the scheme would be abandoned or whether the trees could remain and be properly managed. The City Mayor responded that he did not know as he had no involvement in that area, but he would forward the query onto the Deputy City Mayor for the Environment, Health and Health Integration.

Councillor Cutkelvin asked whether some on-going issues with the building of the new Waterside School would impact on primary school places. The City Mayor said that the new Waterside School would replace Fosse and Slater Schools; a delay in building the new school would add pressures to primary school places but the council would be able to cope with the delay. He was currently awaiting a report on the issue.

Members agreed to note the Capital Budget Monitoring Report Period 3 2018/19.

AGREED:

that the Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring Reports Period 3, 2018/19 and the Report of the Finance Task Group be noted.

Members will be invited to provide a verbal update on any Scoping Documents relating to future reviews.

There were no updates on the work of the Scrutiny Commissions.

A work programme for the Overview Select Committee is attached.  The Committee is asked to consider this and make comments and/or amendments as it considers necessary.

The Chair referred Members to the work programme and stated that the Annual Scrutiny Report would be brought to the next meeting. He had asked for a report on the Channel Shift Strategy and asked for information on what was happening at the Leicester General Hospital. The Chair made a request for the Deputy City Mayor for the Environment, Health and Health Integration to attend a future meeting when the update on the hospital was considered.  

Members are asked to consider and comment on the Plan of Key Decisions.

The Chair asked Scrutiny Chairs to be mindful of items on the Plan of Key Decisions that related to their Commissions.

AGREED:

                   That the Plan of Key Decisions be noted.

The meeting closed at 6.30pm.