Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor N Rushton. 

Under the Code of Conduct members are reminded that in declaring disclosable interests you should make clear the nature of that interest and whether it is pecuniary or non-pecuniary.

There were no declarations of interest.

No questions were received.

To confirm the minutes of the meetings held on 25 January and 2 February 2021.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meetings held on 25 January and 2 February 2021.

It was moved by Councillor R Ashman, seconded by Councillor R Bayliss and

RESOLVED THAT

The minutes of the meetings held on 25 January and 2 February be confirmed as accurate records of the proceedings.

Reason for decision: To comply with the constitution.

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Leader of the Council

Councillor R Blunt presented the report, which updated Cabinet on the outcome of the recent Coalville Future High Streets Fund bid and the lessons to be taken forward in future funding bids. The report also identified how the Council intended to move forward with funding of £3 million in the General Fund Capital Programme, which would be used to support several regeneration schemes in Coalville alongside private sector support.

The ongoing efforts on regeneration in Coalville and comments on the matter by Members of the Community Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 10 February were also welcomed.

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor T Gillard and

RESOLVED THAT CABINET

1)    Notes the outcome of the Coalville Future High Streets Fund Bid.

2)    Notes the Community Scrutiny Committee’s comments as outlined in the report.

3)    Notes the financial provision of £3m in the General Fund Capital Programme Budget to support the ongoing regeneration of Coalville as set out in the report.

Reason for decision: The Regeneration of Coalville is a priority in the Corporate Business Plan.

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Community Services Portfolio Holder

Councillor A Woodman presented the report, which updated Cabinet on the steps taken as part of the Recycle More strategy since its adoption by Cabinet in April 2019, and outlined the proposed next steps as part of its second year.

Members welcomed the report and the hard work of officers in this area, in particular highlighting the expansion of the food waste trial and the trials of stackable recycling trolleys as positive innovations. The comments and feedback provided by the Community Scrutiny Committee on 10 February were also welcomed. 

During discussion, it was noted that several reports in the media had speculated on the Council’s future provision of fortnightly black bin collections. It was noted by Members that there were no proposals to introduce charges or changes for the black bin collection in the current term.

It was moved by Councillor A Woodman, seconded by Councillor T Gillard and

RESOLVED THAT CABINET

1)    Notes the progress made during year one of Recycle More and the plans going forward, as outlined in section two and in Appendix Two.

2)    Approves the principles for the future management of the mini recycling sites, as outlined in section three.

3)    Requests officers to review the garden waste collection service and during this period to introduce an interim charge of £45.00 for additional garden waste bins, as outlined in section three.

4)    Notes that there will be no introduction of charges for black bin collections in the current term of office.

Reason for decision: To allow Cabinet to note the progress that has been made during year one of Recycle More and plans going forward.

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Community Services Portfolio Holder

Councillor A Woodman presented the report, which requested Cabinet’s renewal of a Public Spaces Protection Order which gave enforcement officers powers to deal with offences related to dogs, including fouling and exclusion from certain public areas. The required review had included a period of consultation, for which there had been a variety of responses as set out in the report although no objections to the renewal had been received.

Members welcomed the proposals on the basis that the existing Public Space Protection Order was considered to be working and the majority of dog owners always acted within the law.

It was moved by Councillor A Woodman, seconded by Councillor R Bayliss and

RESOLVED THAT CABINET

1)    Approves the renewal of an existing PSPO in relation to dog control across the administrative area of North West Leicestershire District Council

2)    Agrees to delegate the renewal of any future PSPO’s that do not require any amendments following consultation, to the relevant director.

Reason for decision: To enable a renewal and continuation of the existing PSPO for dog control across the administrative area of North West Leicestershire District Council.

Report of the Strategic Director of Housing and Customer Services

Presented by the Housing, Property and Customer Services Portfolio Holder

Councillor R Bayliss presented the report, which set out proposals to make various energy-efficiency improvements to fifty-six council-owned houses following the award of funds from the governments Green Homes Grant Scheme, with the remaining required funds provided by the Council as set out in the report. It was also explained that consultants needed to be employed as some of the specialist work required could not be delivered by Council staff.

It was moved by Councillor R Bayliss, seconded by Councillor R Ashman and

RESOLVED THAT

Cabinet delegates authority to award the Green Homes Improvement Programme Phase 1B Contracts to the Strategic Director of Housing and Customer Services  in consultation with the Housing, Property

and Customer Services Portfolio Holder and Section 151 Officer. Specifically for the direct award of contracts for:

1)    Installation of Green Homes energy efficiency measures;

2)    Domestic energy assessor services

Reason for decision: The level of expenditure on the proposed contract exceeds the authority level in the Scheme of Delegation.

The officers consider that the press and public should be excluded during consideration of the following items in accordance with Section 100(a) of the Local Government Act 1972 as publicity would be likely to result in disclosure of exempt or confidential information.  Members are reminded that they must have regard to the public interest test and must consider, for each item, whether the public interest in maintaining the exemption from disclosure outweighs the public interest in making the item available.

It was moved by Councillor T Gillard, seconded by Councillor R Bayliss and

RESOLVED THAT:

In pursuance of Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that the business to be transacted involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act and that the public interest in maintaining this exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Reason for decision: To enable the consideration of exempt information.

Report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Community Services Portfolio Holder

Councillor A Woodman presented the report, updating Members on the recovery of the district’s leisure centres since Cabinet had last considered the issue in September 2020, and set out proposals for the next financial year. The proposals within the report were welcomed by Members.

It was moved by Councillor A Woodman, seconded by Councillor R Ashman and

RESOLVED THAT

The recommendations, as set out on page 68 of the agenda, be agreed.

Reason for decision: To agree a financial support package from April to September 2021 inclusive on an open book basis to continue to rebuild the community access to our leisure centres in a Covid safe environment.