- From Members of the Public
- From Councillors
Minutes:
Questions from Members of the Public
There were no questions from members of the public.
Questions from Councillors
The following questions were asked by Councillors and details of who responded are also included below. The full details of questions and the responses can viewed on the webcast of the meeting on the Council’s website at:
https://leicester.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/454048
We maintain a comprehensive library of webcast Council meetings. The webcast for this meeting will remain on the live website until 14th November 2020, and after this date can be requested from the Democratic Support Team by contacting (0116) 454 6350 or at committtees@leicester.gov.uk.
For your convenience, links to each question and response are embedded after each question below.
1. Councillor Waddington: -
“November is Islamophobia Awareness month. This is important because there has been a considerable increase in reports to the Leicestershire Police of hate crimes, including those against Muslims, in the last year.
In June 2018 this Council unanimously passed a motion on hate crime, which specifically mentioned Islamophobia, and which called for the Council to produce an action plan to combat hate crime.
Can the City Mayor please tell me what progress has been made in producing this action plan and when it will be brought to this Council for discussion and consideration?”
Deputy City Mayor, Councillor Clair replied.
The Lord Mayor agreed to take the following 2 questions out of order.
2. Councillor Waddington: -
“Bristol City Council has made history by proposing to ban all diesel vehicles from the City centre. Could Leicester City Council do the same and if so when will this be considered?”
Deputy City Mayor Councillor Clarke replied.
8. Councillor O’Donnell:-
“Leicester City have had their boxing day fixture delayed kick off to 8.00 PM. This presents an enormous logistical challenge as public transport will be very limited. Would it possible to work with the club to perhaps looking at utilising our park and ride facilities (funded by the club) and have buses taking people in and out of the city to cut down on traffic and dangerous and illegal parking?”
Deputy City Mayor Councillor Clarke replied.
17. Councillor Dawood:-
“Could the Cabinet lead for recycling explain the reduction in Leicester City recycling which is below the national average?”
Deputy City Mayor Councillor Clarke replied.
Link to webcast of question 17
3. Councillor Cole: -
“What is the wage disparity between White Teachers and Black Ethnic Minority Teachers in Leicester City Maintained schools?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Cutkelvin replied.
4. Councillor Cole: -
“What percentage of the Head Teachers in the Leicester City Maintained schools are from Black and Ethnic Minority backgrounds?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Cutkelvin replied.
5. Councillor Cole: -
“What percentage of the school Governors are from Black and Ethnic Minority backgrounds?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Cutkelvin replied.
“There are some questions being raised about the new free school planned for the Fosse Road/Groby Road site being detrimental to other secondary schools in the area. Currently there are six schools plus plans for a new academy all within 2.2 miles of the new school. The fear is that the free school will be selective and take talented children away from schools that have fought and worked so hard to improve. Is there a thing that we can do as an authority to minimise the potential impact?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Cutkelvin replied.
“A constituent contacted me to say that on the 9th October she spent 6 hours cumulatively on hold for advice from CAB incurring costs to do so, on Thursday 10th she did get through after 10 minutes but felt compelled to raise her experience with the city council? What can be done to improve the response time?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Master replied.
9. Councillor Riyait:-
“This year Sikhs across Leicester and the world are celebrating 550 years of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Prakash (Birth), who founded the Sikh religion. I wanted to take this opportunity to let the City Council recognise this major event in the lives of not only Sikhs but many others who have been touched by Guru Nanak’s teachings and beliefs. Now more than ever we need to embrace each other as One Human Race, to fight for equality and protect mother earth as Guru Nanak taught. The City Council has always been a great supporter of the Sikh community in Leicester and I wanted to thank the City Mayor for his unswerving support of the contributions of Sikhs make to the City. Can I ask Council to recognise this important event?
It is currently Islamic Awareness Month, what is the City Council doing to highlight issues such as Islamophobia, promoting positive Muslim role models and by working with other organisations supporting a better understanding of Islam?”
These questions weren’t taken as Councillor Riyait was not in attendance at the meeting.
10. Councillor Cole:-
“What is the Assistant Mayor for Health doing to ensure parity of esteem and provision of resources for people with mental health problems in the City?”
Link to webcast of question 10
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Dempster replied.
11. Councillor Cole:-
“The Royal College of Psychiatrists have recently said that more mental health hospital beds are needed in England to prevent sending patients far from home. What is the situation locally?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Dempster replied.
Link to webcast of question 11
“At Housing Scrutiny I drew the attention of the Assistant Mayor for Housing to the outstanding success of Norwich City Council’s Goldsmith Street Council housing development which has been built to eco-friendly Passivhaus standards - ultra-low energy buildings which need little fuel for heating or cooling. In awarding the development the Stirling Prize, the judges said: "This is proper social housing, delivered by an ambitious and thoughtful council. These desirable, spacious, low-energy properties should be the norm for all council housing”.
The Assistant Mayor helpfully agreed to look at how we in Leicester could achieve the same standard. Can she now confirm that the new homes we are planning to build will be of the same standard in quality and sustainability?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Cutkelvin replied.
Link to webcast of question 12
13. Councillor Rae Bhatia:-
“Given the recent announcement by City Mayor of massive investment in building new houses can I ask the Assistant Mayor responsible for Housing to advise how many of these are targeted to be built in Beaumont Leys? Thank you.”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Cutkelvin replied.
Link to webcast of question 13
14. Councillor Kitterick:-
"What discussions have taken place between the City Council and University Hospitals Leicester about the future ownership and management of the NHS properties on Hospital Close, Leicester?"
City Mayor replied.
Link to webcast of question 14
15. Councillor Batool:-
“With reference to the article in the Leicester Mercury on Wednesday 6th November in relation to expenditure in schools. Could the Assistant Mayor responsible, advise if additional funds can be allocated to relieve the pressures on the school and as LEA comment on the needs to provide well maintained environments that encourages positive learning?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Cutkelvin replied.
Link to webcast of question 15
16. Councillor Batool:-
“We were informed in last full council meeting that fifteen thousand new citizenship applications have been submitted from Leicester. We are proud that these EU citizens decided to settle in this city and make it their new home. Do we have certain strategy/plan for their engagement and integration?”
City Mayor replied.
Link to webcast of question 16
18. Councillor Dawood:-
“According to a recent survey conducted by Young Minds, has highlighted a sharp increase in mental health problems. Could the portfolio lead advise as to have long a young person has to wait before an initial assessment is undertaken by the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Dempster replied.
Link to webcast of question 18
19. Councillor Dawood:-
“Could the portfolio lead for digital inclusion advise as to how we intend to increase access for citizens that are disabled or over 65 years of age, as we deliver our Digital transformation programme?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Myers replied.
Link to the webcast of question 19
20. Councillor Moore:-
“Will the Council require all public firework displays within Local Authority boundaries to be advertised in advance, therefore allowing residents to take precautions for their animals and vulnerable people; actively promote a public awareness campaign about the impact of fireworks on animal welfare and vulnerable people, and provide advice about precautions that can be taken to mitigate risks; and also encourage local suppliers of fireworks to stock ‘quieter’ fireworks for public displays.”
Deputy City Mayor Councillor Clair replied.
Link to webcast of question 20
21. Councillor Porter:-
“What measures have been put in place so that the council do not continue to lose significant amounts of taxpayers money on badly organised events at De Montfort Hall?”
Link to webcast of question 21
22. Councillor Porter:-
“What does the council bus lane policy say at X on page 6?”
City Mayor replied.
Link to webcast of question 22
23. Councillor Porter:-
“Do any current members of the council own property outside of Leicester and if so how many properties is that in total?”
City Mayor replied.
Link to webcast of question 23
24. Councillor Porter:-
“What will be the average building costs per square metre of the proposed new council houses?”
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Cutkelvin replied.
Link to webcast of question 24
25. Councillor Porter:-
“How many square metres of office space are currently vacant in Leicester?”
City Mayor replied.
Link to webcast of question 25
26. Councillor Porter:-
“Do any current members of the council own more than one property in Leicester and if so how many properties is that in total?”
City Mayor replied.
Link to webcast of question 26