Agenda and minutes

Before the meeting formally commenced the Lord Mayor invited his Chaplain, the Reverend Keith Magee to say an appropriate prayer.  Following the prayer the Lord Mayor presented Reverend Magee with a Certificate of Thanks for his support over the past municipal year.

The Lord Mayor welcomed the assembled guests to the Annual Meeting of the Council.

Sporting Success

The Lord Mayor paid tribute to another year of sporting successes in the City which included:

·         Mark Selby’s incredible achievement of retaining his world snooker championship title which he had now won 3 times and was the current world No.1.

·         Leicester City Football Club reaching the Champions League Quarter Finals, being the only British club to do so this year.

·         Leicester Tigers reaching the premiership play offs for the 13^th consecutive season with the semi-final to be played on 20^th May.

·         Leicester Riders reaching the upcoming British Basketball League play off final.

FIRE & EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURE

The Lord Mayor asked all present to note the evacuation procedures detailed on the Agenda for the meeting.  He asked anyone with any queries to speak to one of the Town Hall staff who would be able to assist.

Moved by Councillor Dempster seconded by Councillor Clair and carried:

1.    That Councillor Rashmikant Joshi be elected to the Office of Lord Mayor of the City for the coming year.

Councillor Rashmikant Joshi, Lord Mayor of Leicester took the Chair.

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

2.         That Councillor Manjula Sood be elected to the office of High Bailiff for the coming year.

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

3.         That Councillor Ross Grant be appointed Deputy Lord Mayor for the coming year.

The Lord Mayor informed Council that he had appointed Mr Vipin Trivedi as his Spiritual Advisor.

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

4.         Thank you my Lord Mayor.  I am very pleased to have this opportunity on behalf of Members of the Council and the City of Leicester to express our sincere thanks to Councillor Corrall for a busy and enormously successful term as Lord Mayor.  As many of us know Stephen has for many years been a tireless advocate for our Armed Forces and veterans.  So it was particularly appropriate that during his year of office he was able to represent the City at events that saw both the centenary of the Battle of the Somme and the 75^th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.  Both were marked in Stephen’s presence with services at Leicester Cathedral, and acting in his capacity as our Armed Forces Champion he has set up a new breakfast club for veterans offering them a chance to socialise and to share experience.  I think all Members will agree that his work and engagement with our Armed Forces has been a credit to the Council and the City, not just in his year of office but for many years before that, but particularly during his year of office. 

Looking back over his year I asked for some statistics of just how busy he had been and he has indeed been very busy indeed on our behalf - some 344 engagements in total.  Some of those, perhaps just the highlights for today, include meeting four members of the Royal Family, most recently of course her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the Maundy Service at Leicester Cathedral on what of course we have now learnt will be one of Prince Phillip’s last public events.  Other engagements included hosting the Armed Forces Day Service and Parade, the Damask Rose Ceremony, the Christmas lights switch on, the Remembrance Service and the Parade at Victoria Park, attendance at the Caribbean Carnival, the Diwali Light switch on, supporting the Holocaust Memorial and the Worker’s Memorial Day in Town Hall Square, and hosting three presentation evenings for Leicester Scouts.  The granting of the Hereditary Freedom of the City to 17 applicants and a number of thank you receptions to acknowledge the work and contributions of our Honorary Aldermen and the Guild of Freemen have also featured during the year.  He has welcomed overseas visitors on 10 occasions, including jointly hosting delegates from four cities with Leicester City Football Club for the very successful Champions League run at the home matches.  Stephen has also presented the Honoured Citizen of the Year Award that acknowledged the work of nine individuals for their work serving the community of the City and it was won by His Honour Simon Hammond who recently retired from Leicester Crown Court after over 20 years’ service.  Simon was nominated for his service to the judiciary system and his support to his local community.  But of course as always the Lord Mayor’s appeal features very much in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

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

5.         I move that the technical resolution regarding the formation of Scrutiny Committee and Commissions and Regulatory and Council Committees as printed on the Council Script in italics, be approved.

Technical Resolution – Scrutiny Committee, Commissions & Regulatory and Council Committees

(i)         That the:

·           Overview Select Committee

·           Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission

·           Children, Young People and Schools Scrutiny Commission

·           Economic Development, Transport and Tourism Scrutiny Commission

·           Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Commission

·           Heritage, Culture, Leisure and Sport Scrutiny Commission

·           Housing Scrutiny Commission and

·           Neighbourhood Services and Community Involvement Scrutiny Commission

all be established in according with the existing Terms of Reference, the size of each being in accordance with the lists circulated to all Members (available at the meeting and attached to the minutes), it being noted that any remaining places will be filled in accordance with relevant procedures and in consultation with the relevant Members.

(ii)        That the:

·                Audit and Risk Committee

·                Health and Wellbeing Board

·                Standards Committee

·                Planning and Development Control Committee

·                Licensing and Public Safety Committee and

·                Licensing Sub-Committees

all be established in accordance with the existing Terms of Reference, the size of each being in accordance with the lists circulated to all Members (available at the meeting and attached to the minutes), it being noted that the remaining places will be filled in accordance with relevant procedures and in consultation with the relevant Members.

(iii)       That the Chairs and Vice-Chairs (as appropriate) of the bodies listed in parts (i) and (ii) above be in accordance with the lists circulated to all Members (available at the meeting and attached to the minutes); and;

(iv)       That the Employees Committee be established with the Terms of Reference and size as specified within the Council’s Constitution, with the process for the appointment of Chair and membership being in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

The City Mayor asked Council to note the Executive appointments as detailed in the list available at the meeting (and attached to these minutes).

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

6.   That the cycle of meetings of the Scrutiny, Regulatory and Council Committees be confirmed as set out in the schedule of meetings (available at the meeting and attached to the minutes).

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

7.           That the Annual Meeting in 2018 be held on 17 May 2018, that Council meet on Wednesday 21 February 2018 to consider the estimates for 2018/19, and that ordinary meetings of Council be held on the dates indicated on the Council Script, ie:

6 July 2017

5 October 2017

23 November 2017

25 January 2018

22 March 2018

Close of Meeting

The Lord Mayor declared the meeting closed at 6.20pm.