Agenda and minutes

No announcements were made.

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

The following declarations of interest were made:

Councillor Chohan declared a Prejudicial Other Disclosable Interest in relation to item 5.1 on the agenda, ‘Petitions to be debated’, as he was a volunteer for Leicester Ethnic Elderly Advocacy Project.  In accordance with the declaration Cllr Chohan left the meeting during consideration of the item

Councillor Patel declared an Other Disclosable Interest in relation to item 7.1 on the agenda ‘Leicester Waterside Phase 1’ as her husband was a trustee of the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Councillor Joshi declared an Other Disclosable Interest in relation to item 5.1 on the agenda ‘Petitions to be debated’ as he worked for a voluntary organisation but which had no direct connection to LEEAP.

Councillor Dr Chowdhury declared an Other Disclosable Interest in relation to item 10.1 on the agenda ‘Notice of Motion – Vaughan College’ as he had been a member of the University Court in the period 2007-2011, had recently attended a benefactors meeting at the University and the former Vice Chancellor had opened a computer suite at the voluntary organisation where he worked in 2002 and had a attended a further event in 2012.

The minutes of the ordinary meeting held on 17 March 2016 and the Annual Meeting on 19 May 2016 are available to view at:

http://www.cabinet.leicester.gov.uk:8071/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=81&MId=7254&Ver=4

http://www.cabinet.leicester.gov.uk:8071/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=81&MId=7174&Ver=4

Copies are also available from Democratic Support on (0116) 454 6350 or Committees@leicester.gov.uk

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

10.       That the minutes of the ordinary meeting of Council held on 17 March 2016 and the Annual Meeting held on 19 May 2016, a copy of each having been circulated to each Member of the Council, be taken as read and that they be approved as a correct record.

The Lord Mayor invited Members to make the following statements.

NHS England announcement - children’s heart surgery at Glenfield Hospital

-           Presented by members of the public

-           Presented by Councillors

-           Petitions to be debated

            5.1 - Funding for the Leicestershire Ethnic Elderly Advocacy Project.

PETITIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

None received.

PETITIONS FROM COUNCILLORS

Councillor Unsworth presented a petition with 40 signatures in the following terms:

“We the undersigned respectfully request that the City Council withdraw the current plans to sell freehold land currently occupied by the Constance Jackson Centre, the ECO House and Western Park Open Air School until proper consultation has taken place to enable our full community involvement.”

5.1       PETITIONS TO BE DEBATED

In accordance with his earlier declaration Councillor Chohan left the meeting for the duration of this item.

The Monitoring Officer noted that under the terms of the Council’s Petitions Scheme the petitioner had been invited to speak on their petition for a maximum of five minutes.  This would be followed by a debate on the issues raised by the petition for a maximum of 15 minutes.

The petition presented by Mr NS Sarang with 2,022 validated signatures had been submitted in the following terms:

“We the undersigned, service users and residents of Leicester City Council.  Leicestershire Ethnic Elderly Advocacy project for BME elderly/disabled communities in Leicester, whose advocates see their clients, without appointments.  LEEAP was supported by scrutiny committee (Labour Control) of Adult and Social Care department of Leicester City Council.  The Labour control council had previously, recommended tender process in year 2014-15, which was abandoned.  The Leicester City Council have started the tender process again.  We would like to request Adult Social Care department to re-consider and continue LEEAP’s funding.”

The Lord Mayor noted that he had been requested by Mr Sarang to read out the contents of his submission which he had agreed to do.

Moved by the Deputy City Mayor, seconded by the City Mayor and carried that:-

11.       That the petition be noted.

-           From members of the public

-           From Councillors

Lord Mayor:  Question 1, Councillor Cole.

Councillor Cole:   Thank you Lord Mayor and in line with the City Mayor’s comment regarding Xenophobia does the City Mayor agree with us in the Remain camp that Brexit was the wrong outcome for the UK and Leicester in the recent referendum, and does he further agree that Leicester has benefited greatly from our overseas friends who have come to live, work and set up businesses in the city and that it would be a tragedy for the city and the country if they were forced to leave?

Lord Mayor:  City Mayor please.

City Mayor:  Can I thank Councillor Cole for this question.  It does follow on as he said from the statement I made earlier on.   I do indeed believe that we have benefited greatly from those who have made their home here and chosen to make their home here and it would indeed be a tragedy for the city if they were forced to leave as a result of our withdrawal from the European Union.  I have said on many occasions I am proud of Leicester, I am proud of its diversity and what that diversity represents. We have been a place where people have chosen to come to make their homes, to bring up their families, to make their livelihoods from across the world, and as I said earlier on I do recognise these are very uncertain times and that for many there will be concerns about what it means for the future.  I hope, as I said earlier on in my statement, that we can give people a reassurance that they are welcome here, they are valued here, they are an important contribution to every aspect of this city’s life and we will remain a community of communities as I said earlier on and a community that is stronger together.  I regret the outcome of Brexit but I do believe that we as a city are very strong and we must remain so.   

Lord Mayor:  Councillor Cole do you have a supplementary question?

Councillor Cole:  Only to thank the City Mayor for his comment and to get his reassurance that should it come to the point where our friends are forced to leave the country that we in Leicester will do all that we can to ensure that we do protect the rights of all citizens here in Leicester.

Lord Mayor:  City Mayor.

City Mayor:  My Lord Mayor I am sure all of us here would wish to do that and would wish to seek now to give reassurance and in future to give whatever assistance we can. 

Lord Mayor:  Question 2, Councillor Moore.

Councillor Moore:  Thank you my Lord Mayor.  Is the Assistant City Mayor for Neighbourhood Services aware that the resourceful people of Knighton again organised a successful play session in a Knighton street two weeks ago, the third time they have done this.  Despite the doubtful weather, children enjoyed the freedom to ride their bikes and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.1      Leicester Waterside Phase 1 – Update of project and obtaining necessary approvals to proceed

7.2      Scheme of Member Allowances 2016/17 and 2017/18 - Application of Indexation.

7.3      The Leicester City Health and Wellbeing Board.

7.4      Call-in to Council – Connecting Leicester – Townscape Heritage Initiative Phase 1 and 2, design development of King Street and Welford Place improvement.

7.1            LEICESTER WATERSIDE PHASE 1 – UPDATE OF PROJECT AND OBTAINING NECESSARY APPROVALS TO PROCEED

Council received a report which updated Members on the progress made on the project and sought the necessary consents to allow the project to proceed.

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

12.                   That Council:-

(a)       Approve the addition of £3million to the Capital Programme, funded by resources set aside for the Economic Action Plan, this being the remaining balance of the Council’s planned contribution to the Waterside Phase 1;

(b)       Approve the underwriting from corporate resources of the costs of the Compulsory Purchase Order and the proposed infrastructure works for Waterside Phase 1, estimated at £21million, in the event that Local Growth Fund monies and receipts from land sales are not confirmed in full or in part as expected; and

(c)       Delegates authority to the City Mayor to enter into a Development Agreement with the selected developer for Waterside Phase 1, following the conclusion of the tender process and to add the necessary resources to the capital programme.

7.2         SCHEME OF MEMBER ALLOWANCES 2016/17 AND 2017/18 – APPLICATION OF INDEXATION

Council received a report seeking consideration of the Scheme of Member Allowances for 2016/17 and 2017/18 following the recent agreement of the 2 year Local Government employees pay award.

Moved by Councillor Westley, seconded by Councillor Joshi and carried:

13.       That Council:-

(a)             Agree the Members Allowances Schemes for 2016/17 and 2017/18 (attached at appendices 1 and 2 of the report) implementing indexation of allowances in line with the recent Independent Remuneration Panel report and the link to the Local Government employees pay award of 1% for each of the two years; and

(b)             Agree that, for the municipal year 2016/17 which commenced on 20 May 2016, arrears relating to applicable allowances be payable to Members in receipt of those allowances for the period 20 May 2016 to 14 July 2016.

7.3            THE LEICESTER CITY HEALTH AND WELLBEING BOARD

Council received a report which sought to amend the size and membership of the Health and Wellbeing Board in line with the powers granted by the Council’s Constitution and the Health and Social Care 2012.

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

14.       That Council:

(a)  approve an increase in the size of the Leicester City Health and Wellbeing Board from 16 to 23 places;

(b)  appoints the additional Elected Member place (Assistant Mayor for Leisure & Culture); and

(c)  accordingly approves the amended Terms of Reference attached at Appendix 1 of the report.

Note of action following the meeting

Please note that whilst the approved Council resolution agreed changes to the Terms of Reference for the Health & Wellbeing Board a draft of these amended Terms of Reference was not attached to the published report as is stated in resolution (c).  However in accordance with the direction of Council and the powers granted to the Monitoring Officer in Article 16.02a of the Constitution, the agreed amendments have  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.1       Sustainability Action Plan

8.1            LEICESTER’S SUSTAINABILITY ACTION PLAN

Council received a copy of the Leicester Sustainably action Plan which detailed the action focussing on the 6 key themes of business, housing, the Council, development, mitigation and adaptation and people that the City Council would be leading on to 2019.

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

15.       That Council notes and promotes Leicester’s Sustainability Action Plan priorities.

-        To note any changes to the Executive

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

None identified.

1.         Vaughan College

            Proposed by Councillor Riyait, seconded by Councillor Waddington:

“The University of Leicester is consulting on a proposal to close the Vaughan Centre for Lifelong Learning. Having moved this provision from the Vaughan College building back in 2013, the University gave public assurances that the future of Adult Education in the 'Vaughan' tradition would be protected.

For 150 years the working class people of Leicester and Leicestershire have had access to high quality education through Vaughan, and in recent years the Centre's programmes have enabled mature and part-time students to gain qualifications from one of the finest universities in the world. The university's support of Lifelong Learning has transformed lives and enhanced the local economy and social well-being of the region.

The local economic action plan recognises that we cannot be successful as a city and county if we do not have highly skilled people. The Vaughan Centre is fulfilling this aim with over 350 students enrolled, the majority who are women.

The Council calls on the University of Leicester to withdraw its proposals to close the Vaughan Centre and to engage in an open and transparent discussion about  how we can all work together to protect adult education in the city and local region”.

2.         Stand Together

Proposed by the City Mayor, seconded by Councillor Sood:

“We are proud to live in a diverse and tolerant society. Racism, xenophobia and hate crimes have no place in our city and country. Leicester city council condemns racism, xenophobia and hate crimes unequivocally. We will not allow hate to become acceptable.

We will work to ensure that local bodies and programmes have the support and resources they need to fight and prevent racism and xenophobia.

We reassure all people living in the city that they are valued members of our community.”

2.         Opposition to Forced Academisation

Proposed by Councillor Russell seconded by Councillor Moore:

“This council meeting notes with great concern the proposal in the recently published education White Paper, Educational Excellence Everywhere, which could force all schools to become academies, irrespective of each school's wishes.

This council meeting notes that the White Paper’s proposals –

-        would remove the requirement for schools to elect parent governors.

-        would require the transfer of land and buildings of such schools to central ownership by the Secretary of State.

-        do not include any say for parents and local communities over the future status of local schools.

-        would require over 17,000 schools to conduct costly and lengthy conversion exercises at an estimated national cost of over £1billion.

This council meeting further notes –

-        over 80 per cent of maintained schools have been rated good or excellent by Ofsted, while three times as many councils perform above the national average in terms of progress made by students than the largest academy chains.

-        the invaluable role of parent governors and the local authority in acting as ‘critical friends’ to both support and hold to account head teachers and schools.  ...  view the full agenda text for item 10.

10.1          VAUGHAN COLLEGE

Moved by Councillor Riyait, seconded by Councillor Waddington and carried:

16.       The University of Leicester is consulting on a proposal to close the Vaughan Centre for Lifelong Learning. Having moved this provision from the Vaughan College building back in 2013, the University gave public assurances that the future of Adult Education in the 'Vaughan' tradition would be protected.

For 150 years the working class people of Leicester and Leicestershire have had access to high quality education through Vaughan, and in recent years the Centre's programmes have enabled mature and part-time students to gain qualifications from one of the finest universities in the world. The university's support of Lifelong Learning has transformed lives and enhanced the local economy and social well-being of the region.

The local economic action plan recognises that we cannot be successful as a city and county if we do not have highly skilled people. The Vaughan Centre is fulfilling this aim with over 350 students enrolled, the majority who are women.

The Council calls on the University of Leicester to withdraw its proposals to close the Vaughan Centre and to engage in an open and transparent discussion about  how we can all work together to protect adult education in the city and local region.

10.2          STAND TOGETHER

With the consent of the Lord Mayor and Council this motion was withdrawn.

10.3          OPPOSITION TO FORCED ACADEMISATION

Moved by Councillor Russell, seconded by Councillor Dr Moore and carried:

17.       This council meeting notes with great concern the proposal in the recently published education White Paper, Educational Excellence Everywhere, which could force all schools to become academies, irrespective of each school's wishes.

This council meeting notes that the White Paper’s proposals–

-        would remove the requirement for schools to elect parent governors.

-        would require the transfer of land and buildings of such schools to central ownership by the Secretary of State.

-        do not include any say for parents and local communities over the future status of local schools.

-        would require over 17,000 schools to conduct costly and lengthy conversion exercises at an estimated national cost of over £1billion.

This council meeting further notes –

-        over 80 per cent of maintained schools have been rated good or excellent by Ofsted, while three times as many councils perform above the national average in terms of progress made by students than the largest academy chains.

-        the invaluable role of parent governors and the local authority in acting as ‘critical friends’ to both support and hold to account head teachers and schools.

-        the comments of The National Association of Head Teachers that plans to force every school to become an academy presented “a particularly high risk to the future viability and identity of small, rural, schools.

This council meeting believes –

-        no single system of school organisation has a monopoly on success, and that a one size fits all model as proposed by the White Paper would not deliver the improvement in school  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

There being no further items of urgent business the Lord Mayor declared the meeting closed at 9pm.