Agenda and minutes

CRIME VICTIMS

Following the sad events of last weekend, in which five people lost their lives, the Lord Mayor asked Members to join him in sending heart-felt condolences to the families of those involved.

The Council observing a minute’s silence in the memory of those who had lost their lives.

KEY STAGE 2 RESULTS

The Lord Mayor announced that National Key stage 2 results had been published for children aged 7 to 11.  The Lord Mayor was pleased announce that more city children than ever before have reached the expected level 4 in reading, writing and mathematics and stated that the results showed that the partnership work between the Council and our schools was continuing to pay off.

The Lord Mayor congratulated the children, staff and parents who had all worked hard to ensure that children make good progress throughout their primary school.

LORD MAYOR’S APPEAL

The Lord Mayor thanked everyone who was contributing to his appeal in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.  Contributions were greatly valued and would all help in the charity’s valuable work.

The next event that was being prepared was work to take part in the Macmillan World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.  As part of this a coffee morning would be held in Town Hall Square on Friday 27 September from 10.00 am until about 1.00 pm.  The Lord Mayor invited all to join him at the event.

The Lord Mayor invited Members to declare any interests they might have in the business on the agenda.

No declarations of interest were made.

Moved by the Lord Mayor, seconded by the Deputy Lord Mayor and carried:

16.       That the minutes of the Special Meeting and the Ordinary Meeting of Council, both held on 27 June 2013, having been printed and a copy sent to each Member of the Council be taken as read and that they be approved as a correct record.

-           Presented by Councillors

-           Presented by Members of the Public

-               Petitions for Debate

4.1  Elderly Persons’ Homes

PETITIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

None

PETITIONS FROM COUNCILLORS

Councillor Willmott presented a petition with 173 signatures in the following terms:

“We the undersigned call on the Council to keep the part time staffing at Rushey Mead Recreation Centre. Please do not force us to use the key fob entry system as we do not feel safe without staff and will no longer be able to use the centre.

We also ask the Council not to impose charges we cannot afford as all the money we raise we give to charities including LOROS and the hospitals so we also cannot afford to pay for room hire. We have been meeting here for over 20 years and there is nowhere else for us to go.”

Councillor Fonseca presented a petition with 50 signatures in the following terms:

“Petition raised by local residents of Croyland Green, Thurnby Lodge to ask that the constant problems of water drainage and flooding may be looked into and dealt with accordingly.”

The Lord Mayor stated that under Council Procedure Rule 13a the aforementioned petitions would be referred to the Monitoring Officer for consideration and action as appropriate.

PETITIONS TO BE DEBATED

Elderly Person’s Homes

The Monitoring Officer noted that the verified signatures for the petitions were below the limit required to trigger a petition debate but in the light of the public interest in the matters shown the City Mayor had agreed that the petitions should be the subject of a debate under the rules defined for Petitions Debates.  There would therefore be a debate for a maximum of 15 minutes.

The Monitoring Officer advised that following the debate, the Council could decide how to respond to the petition and may decide to:

·        recommend to the Executive to take the action the petition requests,

·        recommend to the Executive to not take the action requested for reasons put forward in the debate,

·        recommend to the Executive that further investigation into the matter be commissioned, or

·        note the petition.

Mr P Bromiley presented a petition in the following terms :-

“My Lord Mayor the text of the petition that I presented to Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission on 11 July 2013 was as follows:

This petition is being submitted by family, friends and a wider public who wish to protest against the proposed closure of Council Care Homes.  The signees wish to inform the Council that they want the Homes to stay open.”

Ms Haines presented a petition in the following terms:

“My Lord Mayor the text of the petition that I presented to Council on 27 June 2013 was as follows:

We the undersigned wish to register our protest at the closure of Nuffield House Elderly Persons Home.”

Miss Chandarana presented a petition in the following terms:

“My Lord Mayor the text of the petition that I presented to Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission on 11 July 2013 was as follows:

We the undersigned petition Leicester City Council not to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

Questions from Members of the Public

Question 1 – Mr. Jones:  My Lord Mayor.  Noting the minimalist explanation on the Council web pages, what are the expectations of a Councillor in a Ward Community meeting?

Lord Mayor:  Councillor Clayton.

Councillor Clayton:  My Lord Mayor thank you to Mr. Jones for his question. The expectation is that all Councillors would attend their Ward Community meetings as far as they can do.  We appreciate that people can’t attend absolutely all the time, but the expectation would be that a Councillor would attend the vast majority of their Ward Community meetings.

Mr. Jones:  I would like to thank Councillor Clayton for the response.  My experiences in the Thurncourt Ward is significantly different in that one particular Councillor that I’m not allowed to name under the rules has had a zero attendance rate at these meetings.  One of the concerns that has since arisen when going through the City Council Constitution, is a requirement that there be two Councillors at any Ward meeting.  Now in my particular Ward there are only two Councillors there but in the last 12 months it would mean that every single meeting would have not been quorate,  therefore bringing into question all the decisions being made by myself, who has attended most of these meetings, and all the other members of the public and other organisations who have attended.  I would therefore like the Council, bearing in mind this is a constitutional matter, not a party matter, I would like the Council to at least look into the issue of how to compel members to actually attend these Ward meetings.  Thank you.

Lord Mayor:  Councillor Clayton.

Councillor Clayton:  My Lord Mayor, I am not aware of that Constitutional position that Mr. Jones has put forward.  I support the emphasis of what he said though, that Councillors should attend Ward meetings and this is an issue that I will take back and discuss with the Monitoring Officer in due course.  Thank you.

Lord Mayor:  Mr. Jones your next question please.

Question 2 - Mr. Jones:  OK.  My next question is actually following on from this.  “What can be done if a Councillor fails to attend any Ward Community meetings in a calendar year”?

Lord Mayor: Councillor Clayton.

Councillor Clayton:  May I thank Mr. Jones again for his second question. There is very little that can be done by the Council if a Councillor fails to attend any Ward Community meetings in a calendar year.  The requirements within the legislation are that if a Councillor fails to attend a meeting at all within six months then they would no longer be eligible to be a Councillor, but a Ward meeting is just one of those meetings that counts towards the requirement to attend a meeting within six months.  As the Chief Whip of the Labour Group my expectation is that Councillors do attend their Ward Community meetings, and when instances of them not doing are brought to my attention  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

6.1      Review of Core Strategy Policies, to Enable New Office Development        and Employment and Training Opportunities.

6.2       Bid for UK City of Culture 2017

Review of Core Strategy Policies, to Enable New Office Development and Employment and Training Opportunities

A report was submitted which sought agreement to the City Mayor’s recommendation in relation to Core Strategy Policy changes.  A copy of the decision note detailing the recommendation of the City Mayor was attached to the report 

Moved by Councillor Kitterick, seconded by the City Mayor and carried:-

18.  That the proposed Core Strategy Policy changes, regarding new office development and employment and training opportunities shown in Appendix 1 to the report be agreed and  incorporated to form the final ‘submission documents, to be sent to the Planning Inspector to make a decision, after a further statutory 6 week ‘Submission Consultation.

Bid for UK City of Culture 2017

A report was submitted which sought of support for a City of Culture bid.

Moved by the City Mayor, seconded by Councillor Clair and carried:

19.       That Council:

(i)            endorse Leicester’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2017 recognising the cultural, economic and social benefits to the city;

(ii)           confirm the revenue and capital commitments made by the Council in support of the programme as detailed in section 3.1 of the report to Council, which will be factored in to the Council’s medium term financial strategy and future years’ revenue budget and capital programme;

(iii)          note that the Council takes responsibility for the delivery of the programme, including underwriting key events and associated activities to ensure their successful delivery;

(iv) note the work to put in place robust delivery and governance mechanisms as detailed in section 4.6 of the report to Council; and

(v)           note the emerging legacy proposals set out in the benefits section 4.4 of the report to Council.

7.1       Review of the Council’s Constitution

7.2       Elected Member Absence from Meetings

Revision to the Constitution for Leicester City Council

The Monitoring Officer and Director of Communications, Delivery and Political Governance was submitted which sought approval to amendments to the Council’s Constitution and amendments to the size of Committees.

Moved by Councillor Clayton, seconded by City Mayor and carried:-

20.     That Council:

i.                 agree the changes to the constitution in line with the schedule attached to the report, noting that these include not only revisions to the existing text, but also completely re-written documents in Part 5 (Political Conventions; Planning Guidance; Petitions Scheme);

ii.                agree the Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2013/14; and

iii.              in accordance with the Council Procedure Rule 35 (a), agrees;

-        the increase in size of Audit & Risk Committee by two further elected Members,

-        the increase in size of Standards Committee by one further elected Member,

-        the increase in size of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee to include the Chairs of Audit & Risk Committee; Licensing Committee and Standards Committee where those Chairs are not otherwise represented.

Elected Member Absence from Meetings

The Monitoring Officer submitted a report which sought approval to the granting of an extension of time.

Councillor Clayton, seconded by the City Mayor and carried:

21.       That being prior to the expiry of six months since the last attendance by Councillor Glover at a Council meeting, due to the extenuating circumstances arising from Councillor Glover’s illness, Council agree to an extension of time for Councillor Glover’s membership of the Council, and that the position be reviewed prior to the expiry of a further 2 months (to tie in with Council meetings).

To note any changes to the Executive.  To vary the composition and fill any vacancies of any Committee of the Council.

None notified.

None notified.

None notified.

Close of Meeting

The Lord Mayor declared the meeting closed at 8.38pm.