Agenda item

The Monitoring Officer submits a report that updates Members on the monitoring of outstanding petitions. The Committee is asked to note the current outstanding petitions and agree to remove those petitions marked ‘Petitions Process Complete’ from the report.

The Monitoring Officer submitted a report that updated Members on the monitoring of outstanding petitions.

Councillor Willmott referred to petition number 28/04/2015: ‘Petition requesting the Council to relieve the burden of a high commercial rent for a charity and place of worship’. He understood the need for the council to protect its income from commercial properties but asked the City Mayor to give the same consideration to this group as he had to other similar groups who businesses were transferred for a small sum of money.

The Chair invited Rupa Soni on behalf of the petitioner to address the committee. Ms Soni thanked the committee for considering the petition and stated that the group were increasing the number of activities they offered day by day, which was benefitting the community. The committee were asked to reconsider the petition.

The City Mayor responded that the City Council had hundreds if not thousands of commercial lettings across the city and a number of those were to religious or community groups. The council also had a separate policy that would enable a community asset transfer for some of the commercial buildings. However, this did not apply in this case. The lease was a commercial lease and the tenants had willingly entered into a commercial agreement. He recognised that the charity found it difficult to pay rent; he had been asked to consider a community asset transfer but unfortunately this would set a precedent and was not possible.

Councillor Chaplin asked whether there was a policy she could refer to as requests of this nature were received on a frequent basis.  The City Mayor advised that the Community Asset Transfer policy had previously been discussed at the committee and was available on the council’s website. This particular group in question did not qualify.  Councillor Willmott questioned whether there may be a point in the future where circumstances might change with the building moving from the commercial to a community portfolio, whereby a Community Asset Transfer could be considered. The City Mayor responded that he had looked at this but saw no reason why in future the categorisation of the building would be anything other than commercial.

Councillor Porter referred to petition 6/10/2015-4: ‘Petition opposing the proposed speed ramps and speed humps on Middleton Street’. He wished to make it clear that the petition opposed the speed humps and not the 20 mph speed limit. He asked whether there could be discussions with the police so that they would not object to 20 mph zones if there were no speed humps.  Councillor Porter questioned whether the police would enforce the speed limit which would remove the requirement for speed humps.

Arshad Daud, Youth Council Representative referred to petition 18/11/2015-2: ‘Petition requesting the Council to remove the 24/7 bus lane on Lutterworth Road and Aylestone Road or amend the bus lane restrictions to Monday- Friday at peak times only. Arshad asked whether officers were looking to amend the restrictions or remove the bus lane. Graham Carey, Democratic Support Officer responded that this was a new petition and he had no further information at this time; however the petition would be considered as it stands, to either remove or amend the bus lane restrictions.

Members then agreed to remove those petitions marked as petition process complete from the report.

AGREED

that those petitions referenced 28/04/2015, 06/08/2015 and 28/08/2015 and marked as petition process complete, be removed from the report.