Agenda item

The Monitoring Officer submits a report informing the Committee that the Executive Decision taken by the City Mayor on 7 December 2023 relating to the creation of a new link and development site at Market Place North has been the subject of a six-member call-in under the procedures at Rule 12 of Part 4D, City Mayor and Executive Procedure Rules, of the Council’s Constitution.

The Committee is recommended to either

a) Note the report without further comment or recommendation. (If the report is noted the process continues and the call in will be considered at a future meeting of Full Council); or

b) Comment on the specific issues raised by the call-in. (If comments are made the process continues and the comments and call in will be considered at a future meeting of Full Council); or

c) Resolve that the call-in be withdrawn (If the committee wish for there to be no further action on the call-in, then they must actively withdraw it. If withdrawal is agreed the call-in process stops, the call-in will not be considered at a future meeting of Full Council and the original decision takes immediate affect without amendment).

A report was submitted informing the Committee that the Executive decision taken by the City Mayor on 7 December 2023 relating to the creation of a new link and development site at Market Place North had been the subject of a six-member call-in under the procedures at Rule 12 of Part 4D, City Mayor and Executive Procedure Rules, of the Council’s Constitution.

The Chair clearly outlined the process that he would follow in determining how to resolve the call-in.  The Commission was recommended to either:

a) Note the report without further comment or recommendation. (If the report is noted the process continues and the call in would be considered at Full Council); or

b) Comment on the specific issues raised by the call-in. (If comments are made the process continues and the comments and call in would be considered at Full Council) or

c) Resolve that the call-in be withdrawn

The Chair invited the proposer and seconder of the call-in, Councillor Kitterick and Councillor Bajaj to address the committee.  The following points were raised:

• The proposal marked a huge investment into the city centre, and this was not a priority given the spending constraints that councils faced.
• Considerable spend had been injected into the city centre over recent years.
• The areas away from the city centre were not being adequately supported.
• The funding earmarked for this work should instead be spent on children’s play or youth provision. 

The Chair invited the City Mayor and relevant lead Directors to respond to the call-in.  The following points were put forward:

·         Developing the City Centre was vital in attracting significant sums of capital investment and helped to ensure a very high level of shopping unit occupancy. 

·         This work presented a continuation of the ‘Connecting Leicester’ programme, and there had been strong public support behind previous schemes.

·         There had not been a disproportionate level of spend towards the city centre, with approximately 90% of capital expenditure benefiting Leicester’s neighbourhoods. 

·         The Director, Tourism, Culture and Inward Investment, described the detail and benefits of the scheme via a series of presentation slides. 

·         The Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services provided a presentation that showcased the level of investment and progress in providing play equipment across the city. 

Members of the Commission discussed the report which highlighted the following points:

• There were a number of ways in which the surrounding retail area could be developed.  A ‘box park’ approach was a potential solution and had been increasingly popular in other cities, but that but other options would also be considered. 
• A ‘box park’ approach or alternative solution would be subject to commercial investment.
• There was further re-iteration that the City Council invested significantly in both the city centre and surrounding neighbourhoods.
• This scheme and other strands of the Connecting Leicester programme provide a significant number of job opportunities. 
• Previous schemes such as the development of the former Apple Street Car Park into Jubilee Square as well as the demolition of the former Fish Market had hugely transformed the city centre and provided quality public spaces. 
• Reference was made by members to several new play area improvement projects that were being developed with their wards.

A short adjournment took place before the conclusion of the item. 

Councillor Cassidy moved that, following the points raised during the meeting, the call-in be withdrawn. This was seconded by Cllr March.

It was agreed that a recorded vote be carried out.  Councillors Cassidy, Dawood, March, Waddington and Whittle voted in favour of the motion.  Councillors Bajaj and Porter voted against the motion. 

Upon being put to the vote, the motion was carried.

RESOLVED:

That the call-in be withdrawn and that the Committee supports the implementation of the Executive decision.