Agenda and minutes

VARIATION OF ORDER OF BUSINESS

The Lord Mayor was pleased to inform Council that a number of looked after children and young people were at the meeting.  The Lord Mayor stated that he would therefore take item 6.1 on the agenda, Corporate Parenting Annual Report 2012 / 13immediately after the Petitions item.

INTERFAITH WEEK

The Lord Mayor reminded Council that it was Interfaith Week and called Councillor Gugnani who gave an update on the activities undertaken including the display in the High Cross.

The Lord Mayor and Councillor Moore congratulated Councillor Gugnani on what was his maiden speech.

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

Councillor Potter declared an otherdisclosable interest in item 6.1 on the agenda, Corporate Parenting Annual report as a former looked after child.

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

23.       That the minutes of the Meeting of Council, held on 19 September 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.

PETITIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

Ms Calvert presented a petition with 31 signatures in the following terms:

“We the residents of Eileen / Egerton Avenues petition the Leicester City Council to introduce double yellow lines on the junction of Eileen Avenue and Egerton Avenue.  Vehicles are being dangerously parked at this junction.  Eileen Avenue is a narrow street and with vehicles parked at the junction makes turning into and out of Eileen Avenue very difficult.  This also makes visibility extremely poor making ‘near hits’ a regular occurrence.  Garbage collection trucks and home delivery vans have even greater difficulties at this junction.  It would be a tragedy if a Fire rescue truck were to get delayed due to the ‘senseless’ parking.”

“We the undersigned sternly request that double yellow lines be introduced at this junction as soon as possible.”

PETITIONS FROM COUNCILLORS

Councillor Dr Chowdhury presented a petition with 399 signatures in the following terms:

“We the undersigned request the City Council and Leicestershire Police to take action to stop anti-social behaviour on Vulcan Street.”

Councillor Bajaj presented a petition with 265 signatures in the following terms:

“We the undersigned declare that the proposed traffic calming measures on Headland Road are vital in ensuring the safety of local school children.  That Leicester City Council should implement the measures including the 20 mile per hour speed limit without delay and not wait to review the proposals in the next designated review of traffic calming measures.”

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

Question 1 – Councillor Waddington: Thank you my Lord Mayor.  I have a question for Councillor Connolly.  “Is the Assistant Mayor for Housing aware that a small terraced house in my Ward is being used by Stonham Bass, supported by the Department of Justice, to house tagged offenders and those going through the criminal justice system, and that this has caused considerable problems and concerns for the neighbouring residents in Woodgate, which include vulnerable people living nearby?”

Lord Mayor: Councillor Connolly.

Councillor Connolly:  My thanks to Councillor Waddington for the question.  I am aware of the difficulties that her constituents are having and in particular one of the next door neighbours of a particular property, and despite the best endeavours of both Councillor Waddington and Councillor Cassidy, I am disappointed to hear that those problems continue.  So, yes I am aware of the difficulties.  Thank you Lord Mayor.

Lord Mayor:  Councillor Waddington do you have any supplementary question?

Councillor Waddington:  Yes can I say that I am pleased that Councillor Connolly is aware because I have written to him about this on several occasions without getting a response so I am hoping that he will agree that the questions I am asking today will enable us to move forward.

Lord Mayor:  Do you want to respond to that supplementary Councillor Connolly?

Councillor Connolly:  In respect of Councillor Waddington’s supplementary, I am hoping that obviously from this evening we can move this issue forward.

Question 2 – Councillor Waddington: “Can the Assistant Mayor for Housing explain why Housing Officers, when consulted about the use of this house for this purpose, raised no objections and did not carry out a full impact assessment or consult with Ward Councillors?”

Lord Mayor:  Councillor Connolly.

Councillor Connolly:  Thank you Lord Mayor.  In response to the question from Councillor Waddington, the second question, in respect of the use of the property, it is governed by a local government agreement agreed between the Local Government Association and the Ministry of Justice and it is quite limited in its application.  In respect of who they consult with, when identifying a property that is going to be used for the bail accommodation support service they consult with the police, they consult with the probation service and they consult with the local authority.  In respect of the local authority they consult Housing and they also consult with Community Safety.  The police and probation have no objection to the use of this property and the Housing officer consulted with her colleagues in community safety and in private housing sector and they had no objections.  The difficulty is, and it is a problem in my view with the agreement, is that the agreement says what we are expected to carry out is what’s known as a ‘post code check’ and it says in the agreement the post code check will focus solely on asking for location if the property is fit for purpose and furthermore it is only  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

6.1       Corporate Parenting Annual Report

As previously announced the Lord Mayor took this item prior to the consideration of questions from members of the public and Councillors.

Corporate Parenting Annual Report 2012/13

Moved by Councillor Dempster, seconded by Councillor Cassidy and carried:-

24.       That Council suspend standing orders under Council Procedure Rule 34a for the duration of this item.

A report was considered which gave an overview of progress made by the Forum over the last 12 months.

The meeting was addressed by Helen Bannister, Team Manager Safeguarding & Quality Assurance Unit and Emma Sawyer who was a Children in Care Council representative on the Forum.  Helen and Emma summarised the activities and achievements of the Forum. 

Moved by Councillor Dempster, seconded by Councillor Cassidy and carried:-

25.       That Council receive the report.

7.1       Annual Report of the Audit and Risk Committee to Council for the   Municipal Year 2012-13

7.2       Standards Committee Annual Report

7.3       Elected Member Absence from Meetings

Annual Report of the Audit and Risk Committee to Council for the Municipal Year 2012/13

Councillor Westley, Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee presented the annual report of the Committee was which sought to demonstrate its work in overseeing the City Council’s control environment and set out what had been achieved in the municipal year 2012-13.  The work regarding business continuity planning was particularly noted.

Moved by Councillor Westley, seconded by Councillor Naylor and carried:-

26.       That Council receive the report.

Annual Report of Standards Committee 2012/2013

Councillor Waddington, Chair of Standards Committee presented the annual report summarising the work of the Committee in 2012/2013, which had been its first full year of operation under the provisions of the Localism Act.

Moved by Councillor Waddington, seconded by Councillor Sood and carried:-

27.       That Council note the report.

Elected Member Absence from Meetings

With the agreement of the Lord Mayor and Council the report was withdrawn.

To vary the composition and fill any vacancies of any Committee of the Council.

8.1       Appointment of Vice-Chair – Audit and Risk Committee

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

28.       That:

1.         Councillor Naylor be appointed as Vice Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee; and

2.         Council note the appointment of Stephen Purser and Fiona Barber as Independent Members of the Standards Committee, recruited by the Director of Delivery, Communications and Political Governance and the Monitoring Officer pursuant to the authority granted to them by Council on 28th June 2012.

The Lord Mayor stated that he had agreed to accept the Motion below as an item of urgent business under Council Procedure Rule 32 as a response was required to Government.

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

29.       The government is currently consulting on ending the requirement for a personal license to sell alcohol.

            This Council believes that Personal Licences are an important part of Licensing legislation designed to promote the safe and responsible sale of alcohol by ensuring training is a prerequisite and that appropriate criminal records check are carried out.

            We therefore call on the government to maintain the personal license requirement.

Close of Meeting

There being no further items of business the Lord Mayor wished all present a very happy and peaceful Christmas and declared the meeting closed at 7.30pm.