- From Members of the Public
- From Councillors
Minutes:
Please note that a full record of the questions and responses is available on the recording of the meeting at Council 21 November 2024 - YouTube Time codes for each question will be provided before the wording of the question.
QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILLORS
1. Cllr O’Neill
0:42:00
“The Labour government's budget presents the opportunity for the council to start financially benefiting from the right to buy scheme. With the discount for council tenants to buy their council home also reducing, will this mean we are able to build more council homes than are purchased which hasn't been possible previously? Will the executive and the City Mayor continue to press the government to end the right to buy scheme altogether?”
Cllr Cutkelvin provided a response to this question.
2. Cllr Haq
0:46:00
“How much does it cost the council for the bell hop bus in Leicester city center? ”
Cllr Whittle provided a response to this question and to Cllr Haq’s supplemental question.
3. Cllr Haq
0:47:00
“How many new Hot food licenses have been issued in Leicester city center ? ”
Cllr Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and to Cllr Haq’s supplemental question.
4. Cllr Haq
0:50:00
“How much of the money given to Leicester City Council by the NHS for heating support for vulnerable and elderly residents was actually paid towards heating bills?”
Cllr Russell provided a response to this question and to Cllr Haq’s supplemental question.
5. Cllr Haq
0:53:00
“How much of the pesticide glyphosate is Leicester city council using every year?”
Cllr Whittle provided a response to this question and to Cllr Haq’s supplemental question.
6. Cllr Haq
0:56:00
“How much is the cost per month of security for the site at Hospital Close? and when did the council start the contract for the security?”
Cllr Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and to Cllr Haq’s supplemental question.
7. Cllr Adatia
WITHDRAWN
8. Cllr Joannou
1:00:00
“The people of Evington desperately need traffic lights at the bottom of Downing Drive/ Uppingham Road. This has been raised at every ward meeting, visits by highways officers and indeed Headteachers of local schools for the last five years. The huge back up of traffic and dangerous cross junction driving will result in a fatality. Several accidents have already happened there. Residents have asked continually for the last five years to install traffic lights. It appears that safety comes secondary to cost. Why has this pressing matter not been addressed by the council?”
Cllr Whittle provided a response to this question and to Cllr Joannou’s supplemental question.
9. Cllr Joannou
1:03:00
“The Transport Secretary recently said that E-Scooters should be made legal on public roads. Does the City Mayor agree with it?”
City Mayor provided a response to this question and to Cllr Joannou’s supplemental question.
10. Cllr Joshi
1:07:00
“There are 12 vacant business units at Vulcan House, which no one can afford to take up due to 1000% service charge hike. There is a high probability that more tenants will likely vacate due to affordability issue. What is the council going to do to ensure that local business can afford to sustain and is there a government grant to support it?”
City Mayor provided a response to this question and to Cllr Joshi’s supplemental question.
11. Cllr Osman
WITHDRAWN
12. Cllr Rae Bhatia
1:09:40
“Council has so far made £80m worth of prudential borrowing this year alone to support HRA budget of 160m – that’s 50% of it borrowed. How much of it is to be paid back each year (with interest of course) and what are its implications to the health of the budget in each coming year?”
Cllr Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and Cllr Rae Bhatia’s supplemental question.
13. Cllr Rae Bhatia
1:12:50
“Now that the new Labour government is in merrily taxing people to misery in an unprecedented manner never seen before, can the City Mayor share how prepared is this council to support people of Leicester as jobs and businesses begin to get hit by the budget?”
City Mayor provided a response to this question and to Cllr Rae Bhatia’s supplemental question.
14. Cllr Rae Bhatia
1:18:00
“At this time of cost of living crisis how can the council be so ruthless to increase the price of school meals all of a sudden impacting thousands of families with school going children across the city?”
Cllr Pantling provided a response to this question and to Cllr Rae Bhatia’s supplemental question.
15. Cllr Rae Bhatia
1:21:00
“Martin Lewis recently brought to light a deeply disturbing fact that the councils use harsh council tax collection practice which can demand full annual payment within just three weeks of a missed monthly instalment. This approach can cause severe financial strain, especially for residents with mental health challenges, placing them at risk of escalating debt, court orders, and costly liability fees. Can the City Mayor confirm to us that we are not one of those rogue councils?"
Cllr Russell provided a response to this question and to Cllr Rae Bhatia’s supplemental question.
16. Cllr Sahu
1:23:00
“I understand that refurbishment of Clarendon Park Road Playground is due to start w/c 2nd Dec. Can the Cabinet Member responsible please confirm this, and a proposed finish date for the work?”
Cllr Dempster provided a response to this question and to Cllr Sahu’s supplemental question.
17. Cllr Sahu
1:26:00
“As a corporate parent, can I request that the equality impact statement has ‘care leaver / care experienced’ added to it so we can ensure that we, as corporate parents, do no harm to our ‘children’?”
Cllr Russell provided a response to this question and to Cllr Sahu’s supplemental question.
18. Cllr Gregg
1:27:00
“Given the reported success of the Selective Landlord Scheme in the Leicester, can the cabinet member responsible outline when the scheme will be extended to Castle Ward? ”
Cllr Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and to Cllr Gregg’s supplemental question.
19. Cllr Kitterick
1:29:35
“Following the council debate about Adventure Playgrounds on
5th September 2024 when can Full Council expect a report back on the future of the Adventure Playgrounds? Furthermore what progress has been made on granting leases/licences to the playgrounds and funding arrangements for their future.”
Cllr Russell provided a response to this question and Cllr Kitterick’s supplemental question.
20. Cllr Kitterick
1:33:00
“Under the current proposed changes for Leicester's Council Tax Support Scheme, how much more would a family with two or more children (not defined as "vulnerable" by the council) and with an assessable income of £11,800 a year, currently receiving 80% Council Tax Support have to pay in council tax based on a 2024/25 Band A property charge. ”
Cllr Russell provided a response to this question and Cllr Kitterick’s supplemental question.
21. Cllr Porter
1:36:00
“What is the budget for the telephone service in the customer services department for 2024-25?”
Cllr Dempster provided a response to this question and to Cllr Porter’s supplemental question.
22. Cllr Porter
1:40:00
“Is it correct that in 2022 the council declared a housing crisis?”
Cllr Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and to Cllr Porter’s supplemental question.
23. Cllr Kennedy-Lount
WITHDRAWN