- 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 - 18 September 2025 - YouTube. Time codes for each question will be provided before the wording of the question.
QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
1. Alan Fox
0:20:03 - 0:30:00
South Highfields Neighbours has become increasingly concerned by the rapid proliferation of external insulation cladding obliterating the architectural features of our Victorian terraces. Decorative brickwork, carved house names, decorative masonry, features such as boot scrapers, are being obliterated. Even sympathetic cladding requires planning permission.
We began reporting these properties to the Leicester City Council Planning Department in January. We have thus far reported 87 in South Highfields (polling district STA). Although the Council plays a role in determining eligibility of individuals for funding, it had no idea of the scale of the problem until we pointed it out. It has no mechanism for informing householders of the requirement to obtain planning permission prior to the work being done.
Much of the work is shoddy. We all want warm homes, but we also want beautiful and healthy homes. The lack of any joined-up thinking by the Council on the issue of external wall insulation is destroying our Victorian heritage and endangering the health of some of the poorest people in our community:
The Head of Planning told us in January that the Council is “currently engaged in member Briefings and a process of determining priorities for action in this field including actions to raise awareness of the need for planning permission with people looking to take up grants with the Environment Team and Trading Standards”. We have still not been told of any outcome.
We understand that the Planning Department’s Enforcement Team has paused enforcement action in external insulation cladding cases.
What progress has the Council made to ensure that officers in different departments understand and talk to each other? What progress has been made to inform applicants of the need for planning permission before the work is done? What has been done to ensure that residents are not suffering bad health because of shoddy work? When will the Council resume its planning enforcement duties?”
Councillor Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and to Alan Fox’s supplemental question.
2. Nitesh Dave
0:30:00 - 0:36:00
“Local authorities have an important role to play in integrated care systems and in the improvement of local population health outcomes through the planning and provision of services. The 2022 Act established local authorities as mandated members of the Integrated Care Board, giving local authorities a greater voice than ever before in NHS decision making. How does the closure of the GP branch surgery at 10, The Common, Evington improve local health outcomes?”
Councillor Dempster provided a response to this question and to Nitesh Dave’s supplemental question.
3. Nitesh Dave
0:36:00 - 0:39:15
“The primary aim of health scrutiny is to act as a lever to improve the health of local people, ensuring their needs are considered as an integral part of the commissioning, delivery and development of health services. Health scrutiny is a fundamental way by which democratically elected local councillors are able to voice the views of their constituents and hold relevant NHS bodies and relevant health service providers to account. Given the strength of feelings against closure of the GP branch surgery at 10 The Common, Evington, Leicester and the majority of respondents to the consultation opposing the closure how was this aim and the views of constituents acted upon?”
Councillor Dempster provided a response to this question and to Nitesh Dave’s supplemental question.
4. Amit Parmar
0:39:15 - 0:44:26
“Following multiple tribunal judgments confirming race discrimination within the Council, what systems of accountability and safeguards have been introduced to ensure such behaviour cannot continue unchecked in the department concerned?”
City Mayor provided a response to this question.
5. Amit Parmar
0:44:26 - 0:46:30
“What is the total financial cost incurred by the council in defending the recent racial discrimination case, including all internal and external legal expenses, appeals, and associated costs?”
City Mayor provided a response to this question and to Amit Parmar’s supplemental question.
QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILLORS
Note The Lord Mayor requests that Members take account of the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 14 in the Council’s Constitution in putting questions and in particular Rule 14 (a) (vi) regarding supplementary questions:
“(vi) At the meeting, after a question has been given a reply (including by way of a consolidated reply), the person who asked the question may ask one supplementary question for the purposes of clarifying the reply and, in the following paragraphs of this part of this Rule the word 'question' shall include such a supplementary question.”
1. Cllr Waddington
0:47:47 - 0:49:50
“Rally House on Bonchurch Street is a derelict building owned by the City Council. Rally House has for many years been a magnet for anti-social behaviour and has recently been used as an illegal commercial scale cannabis factory. The adjoining Council owned car park has suffered from fly tipping and an incident of arson. Can the City Mayor tell me the Council’s plans for the future of this building and car park?”
City Mayor provided a response to this question.
2. Cllr Osman
0:49:50 - 0:52:08
“Would the City Mayor outline his clear plans weather we will see our local Market in the old Market square during his term of Office or does he have alternative plans for the open site for other uses.”
City Mayor provided a response to this question and to Cllr Osman’s supplemental question.
3. Cllr Osman
0:52:08 - 0:55:55
“What plans are in place to develop the Lee Circle car park to regenerate the area.”
City Mayor provided a response to this question and to Cllr Osman’s supplemental question.
4. Cllr Chauhan
0:55:55 - 1:00:52
“Can assistant Mayor provide the following information:
-Total income generated by Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre
-Total expenses for running the facility excluding and including staff costs
-Net financial balance for the year (figures from last three years)
-Confirm whether there are any other equivalent public community facilities in Belgrave besides this?
-Provide details on the total Council Tax income generated from Belgrave ward taxpayers?”
Councillor Dempster provided a response to this question and to Councillor Chauhan’s supplemental question.
5. Cllr Joannou
1:00:52 - 1:04:40
“After many years of asking for traffic lights we still have enormous problems at the major junction of Uppingham Road and Downing Drive. Last weekend we had a three-car pileup, the latest of many. 8000 children, each day, come into five schools within a one-mile radius of each other. Many exit or enter through this difficult road junction causing tailbacks and inconsiderate driving actions. Can the Assistant Mayor for Highways tell us how much longer must people wait to get this sorted or before someone is killed?”
Councillor Whittle provided a response to this question and to Councillor Whittle’s supplemental question.
6. Cllr Joannou
1:04:40 - 1:08:40
“City Mayor told this chamber some time ago that the closure of Marks & Spencer's would encourage new businesses into the city. Well, what we have as its replacement is an absolute shamble. This is not what people expected. So how are you going to encourage attractive businesses into our city centre for which we can be proud of?”
City Mayor provided a response to this question and to Cllr Joannou’s supplemental question.
7. Cllr Rae Bhatia
1:08:40 - 1:13:33
“Can the City Mayor advise us how much more will the people of Beaumont Leys have to wait for the regeneration of Upper Temple Walk, when will the Leys building be replaced with properly developed new houses and when will the most deprived children in the city be able to play in a safe designated play area like MUGA for which they have been waiting for over ten years!”
Councillor Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and to Cllr Rae Bhatia’s supplemental question.
8. Cllr Porter
1:13:33 - 1:17:48
“Can you please confirm how much the council paid out in Discretionary Housing Payments for the years 2021–22, 2022–23, and 2023–24?”
Councillor Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and to Cllr Porter’s supplemental question.
9. Cllr Porter
1:17:48 - 1:23:50
“Does the Labour council's housing department have a legal duty to manage asbestos in their properties and to provide information about asbestos to those who need it, such as tenants?”
Councillor Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and to Cllr Porter’s supplemental question.
10. Cllr Porter
1:23:50 - 1:35:22
“Why has the Labour-led council taken such a negative stance towards Leicester’s annual Diwali celebrations? Is this some sort of backlash because voters made their views clear in 2023?”
Councillor Dempster provided a response to this question and to Cllr Porter’s supplemental question.
11. Cllr Kennedy-Lount
1:35:22 - 1:39:06
“How many hours of City Warden Officer time were delivered in Aylestone Ward in June of this year?”
City Mayor provided a response to this question and to Cllr Kennedy Lount’s supplemental question.
12. Cllr Kennedy-Lount
1:39:06 - 1:42:25
“What risk assessment for service users health and safety has been conducted during the proposed library manned hours cuts should the now closed consultation take effect?”
Councillor Dempster provided a response to this question and to Cllr Kennedy-Lount’s supplemental question.
13. Cllr Haq
1:42:25 - 1:47:25
“The bus services in Evington are poorly run and we constantly receive complaints from residents, what actions is the council taking to improve the situation?”
Councillor Whittle provided a response to this question and to Cllr Haq’s supplemental question.
14. Cllr Haq
1:47:25 - 1:49:50
“There are many residents waiting for 4-bedroom houses, how many are waiting for 3 and 4 bed properties currently on our waiting lists ?”
Councillor Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and to Cllr Haq’s supplemental question.
15. Cllr Haq
1:49:50 - 1:51:10
“What is the total cost of the purchase of City Gate house?”
City Mayor provided a response to this question and to Cllr Haq’s supplemental question.
16. Cllr Haq
1:51:10 - 1:55:22
“How many fixed penalty notices have been issued to cyclists in Leicester in the past 12 months?”
Councillor Whittle provided a response to this question and to Cllr Haq’s supplemental question.
17. Cllr Haq
1:55:22 - 1:58:46
“How many Send children are still waiting for School places ? And how many are waiting longer than 4 weeks ?”
Councillor Pantling provided a response to this question and to Cllr Haq’s supplemental question.
18. Cllr Sahu
1:58:46 - 2:01:36
“The New Walk is the green heart of Leicester but since the trees on the bridge were removed, the area near the museum has turned into scrubland. Can the council commit to working with Friends of New Walk to co-create a plan to re-design that area and a commitment for work to start?”
Councillor Dempster provided a response to this question and to Cllr Sahu’s supplemental question.
19. Cllr Sahu
2:01:36 - 2:06:30
“As corporate parents, can I ask that an agreed number of houses and/or flats at Hospital Close are sets aside for care leavers / care experienced young people to enable them to begin their adult lives?”
Councillor Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and to Cllr Sahu’s supplemental question.
20. Cllr Gregg
2:06:30 - 2:09:12
“How much was paid for in "Termination Benefits" were paid to the 3 departing council officers in the pay bands over £120,000 pa in 2024/25 according to the Leicester City Council's draft Annual Accounts.”
City Mayor provided a response to this question and to Cllr Gregg’s supplemental question.
21. Cllr Gregg
2:09:12 - 2:10:05
“Will the Cabinet Member(s) for Social Care meet with representatives of Family Carers in Leicester.”
Councillor Dawood provided a response to this question and to Cllr Gregg’s supplemental question.
22. Cllr Kitterick
2:10:05 - 2:12:35
“Will the staircases and lifts at the 7-Storey YOHO building, which the City Council executive agreed to be purchased as residential accommodation, have fire protected lobbies installed? ”
Councillor Cutkelvin provided a response to this question and to Cllr Kitterick’s supplemental question.
23. Cllr Kitterick
2:12:35 - 2:16:50
“Will the City Mayor please supply the intended timetable for councillors to discuss and vote on the future governance models for the City Council, in terms of an Executive Mayoral Model vs a Cabinet & Leader Model?”
City Mayor provided a response to this question and to Cllr Kitterick’ s supplemental question.