Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor N J Rushton.

Councillors R Blunt and T J Pendleton declared a disclosable non-pecuniary interest in item 5 – Superfast Broadband as Members of Leicestershire County Council.

There were no public questions received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 23 September 2014.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 23 September 2014.

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor T J Pendleton and

RESOLVED THAT:

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 September 2014 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Reason for decision: To comply with the Constitution.

Report of the Chief Executive

Presented by the Business Portfolio Holder

The Business Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members.

He advised Members that the Government had revised its objective of ensuring that 90% of UK premises had access to superfast broadband by 2015, supported by investment of £0.5 billion, to 95% coverage by 2017, supported by a further £250 million of investment. He highlighted that in June 2013, Cabinet had approved an investment of £54,000 to support 577 additional properties and now Leicestershire County Council was seeking a further investment of £214,000 from the authority to assist with the extension of the project. He added that the £214,000 was the absolute maximum funding the District Council would be able to provide.

Councillor A V Smith stated that being able to connect to superfast broadband was on the criteria for many house buyers.

Councillor T J Pendleton stated that superfast broadband would help the district’s green credentials as it would enable more people to work and access services from home.

It was moved by Councillor T Gillard, seconded by Councillor A V Smith and

RESOLVED THAT:

1)    Cabinet notes the work undertaken to date in relation to the county-wide superfast broadband programme

2)    Cabinet agrees to make a further investment of £214,000 in the county-wide broadband – superfast extension programme

3)    Cabinet delegates authority to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Portfolio Holder to commit further investment from the Value for Money reserve and to conclude and sign the collaboration agreement on behalf of the Council

Reason for decision: The proposed commitments exceed the thresholds in the Scheme of Delegation and so delegated authority is requested to facilitate any further investment in the programme.

Report of the Director of Housing

Presented by the Housing Portfolio Holder

The Housing Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members.

He advised Members that this was a good news story that the authority had been waiting for. He informed Members that the proposal would be to demolish the existing building and replace it with a new building containing 14 flats. He added that the investment of up to £500,000 would kick start the development and enable it to go ahead. He also drew attention to the other contribution of £500,000 that the Council had made to local housing associations, which had helped lever in additional investment towards providing 263 homes across the district.

Councillor R Blunt stated that in approving the funding it would assist the Council in hitting three of its targets, those being improvements to the visual impact of the town centre, lowering the housing waiting list and good design.

Councillor A V Smith stated that the proposal would make a huge difference to the crossroads.

It was moved by Councillor R D Bayliss, seconded by Councillor R Blunt and

RESOLVED THAT:

Cabinet:

1)    Notes the affordable housing contributions made to Waterloo Housing Group, Nottingham Community Housing Association and emh homes; and

2)    Agrees to provide up to £500,000 to emh homes to support the redevelopment of the Pick and Shovel Public House, Coalville from money provisionally allocated to  affordable housing schemes at Cabinet’s meeting on 29 July 2014

3)    Delegates to the Director of Housing authority to negotiate and sign a grant agreement with emh homes in consultation with the Portfolio Holder

Reason for decision: To formally provide one-off funding, allocated to supporting affordable housing by Cabinet on 29 July 2014, to emh homes to support affordable housing delivery on a strategic gateway site to Coalville town centre.

Report of the Director of Services

Presented by the Regeneration and Planning Portfolio Holder

The Regeneration and Planning Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members.

He advised Members that the memorandum had been drafted and agreed by all the Leicestershire authorities, the County Council and the LLEP and that the SHMA was required to enable the Council to produce a sound local plan. He paid tribute to the Chief Executive, the Director of Services and all officers that had put in the hard work to get the authority to where it was now. He informed Members that all authorities were now in the process of taking the memorandum through their governance processes.

The Director of Services drew Members’ attention to the additional information that had been circulated prior to the meeting. He advised them that the email questioned the SHMA on the grounds of economic growth and that the District Council’s response was that the G L Hearn work was still the most up to date and robust document.

Councillor R Blunt stated that in signing the memorandum it would strengthen Charnwood’s Local Plan assessment and in turn other authorities should fall into place.

It was moved by Councillor T J Pendleton, seconded by Councillor R D Bayliss and

RESOLVED THAT:

Cabinet recommends to Full Council that the signing of the Leicester and Leicestershire Housing Market Area MOU relating to the objectively assessed need for housing be delegated to the Chief Executive /Director of Services in consultation with the Portfolio Holder

Reason for decision: In developing their Local Plans, authorities must demonstrate the Duty to Co-operate ((Localism Act 2011) and to demonstrate how the District Council is working with other local planning authorities in the Housing Market Area in accordance with the requirements of the Duty to Cooperate.

Report of the Director of Services

Presented by the Community Services Portfolio Holder

The Community Services Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members.

She reminded Members that the policy was adopted a year ago and that now some minor changes were required. She highlighted that Cabinet was being asked to delegate future minor amendments to the Director of Services in consultation with the Portfolio Holder.

It was moved by Councillor A V Smith, seconded by Councillor T J Pendleton and

RESOLVED THAT:

Cabinet:

1)     Approves the amendments to the existing Refuse and Recycling Collections Policy; and

2)     Delegates authority to the Director of Services in consultation with the Portfolio Holder to make amendments to the policy.

Reason for decision: To provide officers with a clear policy framework for the operation of the Refuse and Recycling collection service.

Report of the Director of Services

Presented by the Community Services Portfolio Holder

The Community Services Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members.

She thanked Councillor D J Stevenson and all the Members of the Grants Review Working Party for all their hard work over the years. She advised Members that the approved budget for the year would be £12,300 and that it was now proposed to increase the maximum amount per grant to £500 however all grant requests needed to demonstrate 50% match funding. She informed Members that former grant recipients had fed back that the process needed to be faster and therefore it was recommended to delegate authority to ensure grants were awarded sooner.

Councillor R Blunt asked if the Members of the Working Party were comfortable with the recommendations.

Councillor A V Smith stated that the proposals had been on the cards for some time and that it was regretful, but it would offer the community a better service.

Councillor R Blunt expressed that the match funding was a good idea and that he hoped that it worked.

It was moved by Councillor A V Smith, seconded by Councillor T J Pendleton and

RESOLVED THAT:

Cabinet:

1)    Implements the new Small Community Grants Scheme;

2)    Concludes the Grants Review Working Party; and

3)    Delegates authority to the Director of Services in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder to award small community grants

Reason for decision: To ensure an effective and efficient small grant fund for community bodies following application.

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.

By affirmation of the meeting it was

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 Director of Housing

Presented by the Housing Portfolio Holder

The Housing Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members.

It was moved by Councillor R D Bayliss, seconded by Councillor T J Pendleton and

RESOLVED THAT:

Cabinet notes the grant of an exemption to the Council’s Contract Procedure Rule 5.11 to allow the direct award of a contract for a web hosted Choice Based Lettings system to the incumbent supplier

Reason for decision: TheCPR requirethat the exercise of theStatutory Officers’ discretiontograntexemptions isreportedto Cabinet.