Agenda and minutes

Former Alderman and City Councillor Alderman Lynn Senior

The Lord Mayor informed the Council of the sad passing of Alderman Lynn Senior on Sunday, 25 February 2024. Lynn was elected as a City Councillor for Castle Ward at a by-election in September 2009 and served until April 2017, when she stood down due to health issues. To recognize her contribution and commitment to the people of Leicester, she was appointed as an Honorary Alderman in February 2020 but only received her official badge of office at a ceremony at the Town Hall in May 2022, once COVID-19 restrictions had been lifted.

Council Cyber Attack

The Lord Mayor mentioned the Council Cyber Attack on 7 March 2024, during which the council was subjected to a cyber-attack necessitating the disabling of the network. The Digital Data and Technology Team worked round the clock to rectify the situation and ensure full protection of the council when reconnected to the network. Work progressed to install new software on all council devices but highlighted the time it would take to reinstate all of the systems completely. The Lord Mayor thanked the members of the IT team and all council officers who found ways to continue delivering council services as effectively and efficiently as they could under the circumstances.

City of Leicester Awards

The Lord Mayor was delighted to make presentations of three City of Leicester Awards last week at City Hall. The awards recognized achievements that had a positive and wide-reaching impact on the city, where recipients demonstrated outstanding performance in their field. The awards were presented to Geoff Rowe BEM, the founder of the Leicester Comedy Festival, which had been running for 31 years and was the longest-running festival in Europe; the late Pamela Campbell-Morris, who championed health inequalities in the African and African Caribbean Communities, particularly raising awareness of Prostate Cancer; and finally, the Emmanu’EL Apostolic Gospel Academy Choir, formerly known as the DMU Gospel Choir, who performed across the city and county and won the BBC Songs of Praise Gospel Choir of the Year in 2023.

The Lord Mayor invited Members to declare any interests they might have in the business on the agenda not already declared in their register of interests.

There were no relevant declarations.

The City Mayor addressed the chamber to mark the passing of Lynn Senior, who had been held in high regard throughout the council. Condolences were extended to all those affected.

The City Mayor noted Councillor Clarke’s resignation from the executive and acknowledged his diligent service. The City Mayor announced that a decision was forthcoming on Councillor Clarke’s replacement.

The City Mayor highlighted the significant cyber incident which had resulted in the shutdown of the council's IT network, where the management of the incident had been undertaken in collaboration with Leicestershire Police and the National Cyber Security Centre. The City Mayor commended the swift action of the council officers in managing the incident and the ongoing recovery efforts.

-           Presented by Members of the Public (Mr Sharma two CCTV petitions)

-           Presented by Councillors (one from Cllr Dempster or a constituent)

-           Petitions to be debated

Petitions from Members of the Public

Mr Sharma presented a petition with 79 valid signatures with the following terms:

“The members of Rushey Fields Residents Association and the residents of Rushey Mead Ward urge the Leicester City Council to install the CCTV camera at the junction of Gipsy Lane with Harrison Road to tackle the increased crime in the area as well as the on-going problem of dog fouling.”

Mr Sharma presented a petition with 104 valid signatures with the following terms:

“The members of Rushey Fields Residents Association and residents urges

Leicester City Council to have a walking track in Rushey Fields Parks, Leicester.”

Under Council Procedure Rule 13a, the aforementioned petition was referred to the Monitoring Officer for consideration and action as appropriate.

Petitions from Councillors

Cllr Dave presented a petition with 75 valid signatures with the following terms:

“Residents submit a petition for the implementation of a residential parking permit programme on St Michael’s Avenue, Leicester.”

Under Council Procedure Rule 13a, the aforementioned petition was referred to the Monitoring Officer for consideration and action as appropriate.

-           From Members of the Public

-           From Councillors

Please note that a full record of the questions and responses is available on the recording of the meeting at Council meeting 21 March 2024 - YouTube. Time codes for each question will be provided before the wording of the question.

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

The following questions were asked by members of the public:

1.    Mr Sharma  

0:11:30

“A petition was raised for a walking track in Rushey Fields Park in 2014. So far, the Council has failed to provide it, why?”

Deputy City Mayor Cllr Cutkelvin provided a response to this question.

2.    Mr Sharma

0:11:45

“When will the Council provide the walking track in Rushey Fields Park?” 

Deputy City Mayor Cllr Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and to Mr Sharma’s supplemental question.

3.    Mr Sharma

0:08:37

“A petition signed by 675 residents was raised almost 12 years ago regarding a CCTV camera at the junction of Gipsy Lane and Harrison Road. Why has the CCTV camera not been installed so far?” 

Deputy City Mayor Cllr Russell provided a response to this question.

4.    Mr Sharma

00:15:25

“When will the Council install the CCTV camera, due to increased crime in the area, and public safety?” 

Deputy City Mayor Cllr Russell provided a response to this question and to Mr Sharma’s supplemental question.

QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILLORS

1. Cllr Mohammed

0:50:00

'3 months after the double attempted murder shooting on Evington Rd there now has been another violent attempted murder crime. Local residents feel their neighbourhood has been taken over by a late-night vampire economy, which is sucking the family life out of their neighbourhood. There are numerous planning and licensing breaches by businesses in the area which adds further pain to the numerous grievances of our local residents. ?

When can local families expect some real impactful action from the local authority.'

Deputy City Mayor Cllr Cutkelvin provided a response to this question.

2. Cllr Batool

0:53:15

“Research by the UCL Institute of Health Equity has found that a million people in England would have lived longer if they had experienced the same death rates as the wealthiest 10% of the country. It means, poverty and inequality is precisely shortening people’s lives. Can the portfolio holder outline the Initiatives Local Authority is taking to address the health inequalities in response to these shocking statistics?”

Deputy City Mayor Cllr Russell provided a response to this question.

3. Cllr Batool

0:57:10

“Can the Portfolio holder please advise how many Leicester families (with children and young people in Full Time Education) are currently living in temporary accommodation?”

Deputy City Mayor Cllr Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and to Councillor Batool’s supplemental question.

4. Cllr Batool

0:59:57

“Can the Portfolio holder please provide the information related to the vulnerable people placements (victims of domestic abuse or any other particular needs) that how many vulnerable people have been placed in Leicester rented accommodation by other local authorities and how many Leicester residents sent to other local authorities in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.

Moved by Councillor Halford, seconded by Councillor Russell:

That Council notes the content and recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel’s Report on Members’ Allowances and, in accordance with the proposals by the Panel, makes the Members’ Allowances Scheme (MAS) as detailed within Appendix 2 to the main report.

Following debate, under Council Procedure Rule 29 of the Council’s Constitution, three Councillors requested a recorded vote.

For the motion: Councillors: Adatia, Agath, Aldred, Aqbany, Bajaj, Barnes, Barton, Batool, Bonham, Chauhan, Clarke, Cole, Cutkelvin, Dave, Dawood, Dempster, Gopal, Halford, Joannou, Joel, Joshi, Karavadra, Kaur Saini, Malik, March, Modhwadia, Mohammed, Orton, Osman, Pantling, Pickering, Rae-Bhatia, Russell, Singh-Patel, Singh-Sangha, Sood, Soulsby (City Mayor), Surti, Waddingon, Westley, Whittle, Zaman.

Against the motion: Councillors: Gregg, Haq, Kennedy-Lount, Kitterick, Sahu

Abstentions from the motion: None.

The Lord Mayor declared the motion was carried. 

Moved by Councillor Malik, seconded by Councillor Sood and carried:

a)     “That Council approves the Pay Policy Statement for 2024/2025 set out in Appendix A of the report; and

b)   That Council notes the Gender Pay Gap Report for 2023/24

Moved by Councillor Russell, seconded by Councillor Batool and carried:

That Council:

a)        notes the achievements from 2022-23; and

b)      agrees the priorities for 2023-25 with a refresh to progress in spring 2024.

Moved by Councillor Cutkelvin, seconded by City Mayor and carried:

That Council:

i)   Notes the significant service and Council pressure arising from the increase in homelessness;

ii)  Notes the actions being proposed relating to the below recommendations in this report;

iii)  Agrees to proceed with leasing 125 units of accommodation at an estimated annual net cost of £0.3m;

iv) Agrees to proceed with the acquisition of up to 225 units of accommodation at an estimated capital cost of £45m and annual revenue cost of £1m in 2024/25 (and £2m per year thereafter); and

v) Approves the addition of £45m to the Council’s capital   programme, to be financed from Prudential Borrowing.

Moved by Councillor Whittle, seconded by Councillor Halford and carried:

That Council notes the report.

There were no notices for a motion.

There being no other urgent business, the meeting closed at 21:55.