Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors N Rushton and T Saffell.

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

There were no interests declared.

There were no questions received.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 24 September 2024

The minutes of the meeting held on 24 September 2024 were considered.

It was moved by Councillor T Gillard, seconded by Councillor K Merrie, and

RESOLVED THAT:

The minutes of the meeting held on 24 September 2024 be confirmed as an accurate record of proceedings.

The report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Business and Renegeration Portfolio Holder

The Business and Regeneration Portfolio Holder presented the report.

The Chair commended the district wide focus on investing money on regeneration projects.

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

RESOLVED THAT:

1. The documented appended to the report be adopted as the District-Wide Regeneration Framework.

2.    Authority be delegated to the Strategic Director of Place, in consultation with the Business and Regeneration Portfolio Holder, to make any minor changes to the document required.

Reason for decision: The 2023-28 Council Delivery Plan identifies that the Council will have developed a regeneration framework and will be on the way to supporting thriving towns, villages and communities across the district.

The report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Business and Regeneration Portfolio Holder

The Leader of the Council presented the report.

Several Members expressed strong support for the scheme, which would be an integral element of regenerating Coalville and would bring in private sector investment.

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

RESOLVED THAT:

1. £150,000 of funding (comprising £106,207 from UKSPF and £43,793 from the Coalville Regeneration Capital Programme) towards the delivery of the next stage of preparatory works for the Stenson Square Gardens Project be approved.

2.    The award of the contract to OVE ARUP limited to deliver the next stages of design and preparatory works for the Stenson Square Gardens Project up to a value of £150,000 be approved, and authority be delegated to the Strategic Director of Place to enter into all necessary legal agreements.

Reason for decision: The anticipated contract sum is £150,000. Under the Council’s constitutional arrangements, the award of contracts of this size (with spend falling within one year) require a decision of Cabinet.

The report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Planning Portfolio Holder

The Infrastructure Portfolio Holder presented the report, on behalf of the Planning Portfolio Holder.

The Chair expressed support for the scheme, which would reassure residents that the Council was ready and willing to intervene to uphold planning regulations.

It was moved by Councillor K Merrie, seconded by Councillor A Woodman, and

RESOLVED THAT:

1. The Local Enforcement Plan be approved.
2. Authority for all future technical and minor changes be delegated to the Strategic Director of Place in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder for Planning.

Reason for decision: To agree the new Local Enforcement Plan as adopted policy.

The report of the Chief Executive

Presented by the Infrastructure Portfolio Holder

The Infrastructure Portfolio Holder presented the report. After setting out the progress against indicators achieved within the quarter he set out his response to the comments of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee on 29 August 2024. Guidance on sectorial best practice had been solicited as appropriate during the drafting process for the Council Delivery Plan, and there had been a number of opportunities for the Corporate Scrutiny Committee to have their input too. Therefore, there were no plans to revisit or redraft the current plan by the administration.

The Housing, Property and Customer Services Portfolio Holder said that manager level vacancies in the housing department were being filled which would significantly contribute to improving responses to housing complaints, which were the highest service area contributor to the overall total of complaints.

The Business and Regeneration Portfolio Holder noted that the Coalville and District-wide Regeneration Framework indicators were both on target at this moment. Furthermore, the achievement of milestones around the commencing of regeneration projects also indicated a successful approach.

The Communities and Climate Change Portfolio Holder welcomed the development of the Tree Management Strategy and the increase in restaurants with a 5-star food hygiene rating in the district, and he expressed disappointment in the delay to the Waste Services Review due to a lack of guidance from Central Government.

The Strategic Director of Resources spoke on behalf of the Corporate Portfolio Holder. He advised that the publication of the Statement of Accounts for 2022/23 was imminent, and both these accounts and the 2021/22 accounts would receive a Value for Money opinion on 9 December 2024, in keeping with statutory requirements to resolve the backlog. Limited assurances from a recent internal audit were also a significant way towards being addressed. The appointment of a Transformation Officer was also imminent and they would focus on improving efficiencies in systems and processes.

On behalf of the Planning Portfolio Holder, the Infrastructure Portfolio Holder welcomed the fact that the determination of major, minor and other planning applications were all above target for the second quarter, whilst the progress on the good design guide continued to be made.

It was moved by Councillor K Merrie, seconded by Councillor R Blunt, and

RESOLVED THAT:

The report be noted.

Reason for decision: To make Members aware of the early progress of the Plan.

The report of the Strategic Director of Communities

Presented by the Communities and Climate Change Portfolio Holder

The Communities and Climate Change Portfolio Holder presented the report.

It was moved by Councillor M Wyatt, seconded by Councillor K Merrie, and

RESOLVED THAT:

1. The Air Quality Update report be noted.
2. The comments from Community Scrutiny Committee be noted.
3. The proposed revocation of the Copt Oak AQMA be approved.
4. The annual status report (ASR) to be submitted to DEFRA be noted.

Reason for decision: To seek approval to revoke the Copt Oak AQMA.

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 R Blunt, seconded by Councillor A Woodman, 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.

The report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Infrastructure Portfolio Holder

The Infrastructure Portfolio Holder presented the report, on behalf of the Planning Portfolio Holder.

It was moved by Councillor K Merrie, seconded by Councillor R Blunt, and

RESOLVED THAT:

The recommendations contained within the report be approved.

Reason for decision: In March 2021, Cabinet delegated the function to make decisions on behalf of the Council as Member of the

company to the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Infrastructure. This has enabled the Portfolio Holder to attend meetings of the Oversight Authority (where company member decisions are taken) and to vote accordingly. As this decision relates to the dissolution of the company, it is considered appropriate that Cabinet gives consideration to the Council’s position and how the Portfolio Holder should vote on any voluntary dissolution resolution.

The report of the Strategic Director of Place

Presented by the Leader of the Council

The Leader of the Council presented the report.

A discussion was had.

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

RESOLVED THAT:

The recommendations contained within the report be approved.

Reason for decision: The contract sum is £253,829. Under the Council’s constitutional arrangements, the award of contracts of this size require a decision of Cabinet.

The report of the Strategic Director of Communities

Presented by the Housing, Property and Customer Services Portfolio Holder

The Housing, Property and Customer Services Portfolio Holder presented the report.

A discussion was had.

It was moved by Councillor A Woodman, seconded by Councillor M Wyatt and

RESOLVED THAT:

The recommendations contained within the report be approved.

Reason for decision: To provide high quality housing to the district.