Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor N J 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 interests declared.

There were no questions received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 14 June 2016

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 14 June 2016.

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

RESOLVED THAT:

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 June 2016 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Reason for decision: To comply with the Constitution.

Report of the Interim Director of Resources

Presented by the Corporate Portfolio Holder

The Leader presented the report to Members. He advised Members that the provisional outturn figure of £2.349m was in line with the £2.3m that had been reported to Cabinet at the last meeting and that the underspend would be held in reserve, with reports being brought to Cabinet on how to spend the one-off surplus. He informed Members that the underspend was mainly due to Business Rates and Planning Income and that the HRA account was also underspent by £388k.

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

RESOLVED THAT:

The provisional financial outturn position for 2015/16 be noted.

Reason for decision: Requirement of Financial Procedure Rules

Report of the Interim Director of Resources

Presented by the Corporate Portfolio Holder

The Interim Director of Resources presented the report to Members. He advised Members that the Corporate Leadership Team had considered the resources that would be required to assist the Council working towards its priorities and achieving its outcomes, and as such the Chief Executive in consultation with the Corporate Leadership Team had approved changes to the staffing structures of three teams, therefore approval was sought from Cabinet to allocate £99k to fund the changes. He highlighted to Members that to ensure the Council was able to conduct its business in an efficient and effective manor, good use of the accommodation and information technology needed to be ensured and therefore approval was also being sought to allocate one-off funds for the implementation of the accommodation and ICT strategies.

Councillor R Blunt stated that in order for the Council to carry out its work, the right structures needed to be in place.

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor A V Smith and

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    The changes the Head of Paid Service has approved to the staffing establishments of the Business Focus, Community Focus, and Sport and Physical Activity Teams be noted.

2.    £99k of the Council’s 2016/17 underspend be allocated to staffing revenue budgets to support changes in the staffing establishments of the Business Focus, Community Focus and Sport and Physical Activity Teams.

3.    A one-off sum of £300k from the 2016/17 underspend be allocated to the accommodation strategy.

4.     A one-off sum of £478k from the 2016/17 underspend be allocated to the ICT strategy.

Reason for decision: The proposals will improve organisational productivity, efficiency and effectiveness.

Report of the Chief Executive

Presented by the Leader

The Leader presented the report to Members. He reminded Members that back in 2009 the Prince’s Foundation’s Coalville Regeneration Strategy highlighted the importance of making improvements to the shop fronts in the town centre and following an allocation of £225k towards shop front improvements he was pleased to announce that 15 shops out of the 40 eligible addresses were in the pipeline and it was expected that the full amount of allocated funds would be used. He advised Members that it was now proposed to extend the scheme to incorporate Belvoir Road and Marlborough Square. Therefore he was seeking approval of £300k to support the additional addresses, which would include a sum set aside for specific properties that were iconic buildings. He informed Members that improvements to Marlborough Square had been outlined in the Prince’s Foundation’s Regeneration Strategy and that officers had begun engagement with the business owners to seek their views on future plans.

Councillor T J Pendleton stated that a good looking Coalville would be a vibrant, happy Coalville.

Councillor T Gillard expressed his disappointment that the Council had not been successful in its bid to host the weeping windows as all concerned had worked very hard to submit the bid.

Councillor R Blunt stated that the Council was knocking on every door and that if bids such as the weeping windows were not submitted residents and business owners would say that we were not trying to improve the town.

Councillor A V Smith stated that it was a shame that the bid was not successful however the Council was planning to do something of its own.

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

RESOLVED THAT:

1. The extension of the Coalville Shop Front Improvement Grant Scheme to a wider geographical area and other types of premises be approved.

2. The allocation of £300k reserves towards an extension to the Coalville Shop Front and Frontages Improvement Grant Scheme be approved.

3. The allocation of £523k reserves towards the cost of potential improvements to Marlborough Square be approved.

4. Authority be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader to commit expenditure of the Marlborough Square reserve.

5. The progress made by officers regarding the Council’s land off Cropston Drive be noted.

6.    The future direction of work for the Coalville Project be endorsed.

Reason for decision:

·         Policy approval needed for an extension to the Coalville shop front improvement grant scheme to include a wider geographical area and other types of premises

·         Approval needed for allocation of £300k reserves to be allocated to an extension of the Coalville shop front and frontages improvement grant scheme

·         Approval needed for allocation of £523k reserves towards the cost of potential improvements to Marlborough Square

·         To ensure any decision made by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader with regards to expenditure of the Marlborough Square reserve is made in accordance with delegations approved by Cabinet.

Report of the Chief Executive

Presented by the Leader

The Leader presented the report to Members. He advised Members that they were now awaiting the draft order from the Secretary of State and that the new Prime Minister seemed even more committed to devolving powers to Local Authorities. He informed Members that a report would be taken to Council on 13 September requesting approval of the Constitution and that both he and leader of the Labour group would be kept updated by the Chief Executive on the progress of the Constitution.

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

RESOLVED THAT:

The update be noted and the approach of the Chief Executive be endorsed.

Reason for decision: To inform Cabinet of the development which has been made in respect of the creation of the Leicester and Leicestershire Combined Authority and the progress of the Leicestershire Devolution Deal to date.

Report of the Director of Services

Presented by the Community Services Portfolio Holder

The Community Services Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members. She advised Members that approval was being sought to re-allocate the £40k that had previously been earmarked as a contribution to the Ashby to Hicks Lodge Cycle Route and put towards the final part of the Hicks Lodge to Moira Furnace route. She informed Members that the original route was subject to a planning application that had been refused and therefore would now not be progressing.

Councillor R Blunt stated that cycle paths were crucial to the area for visitors to Hicks Lodge and to keep people cycling.

Councillor R D Bayliss stated that it was difficult not to support the recommendation before them however he was extremely disappointed over the loss of the route from Ashby highlighting that the only option to travel to Hicks Lodge was by car as both the roads were very dangerous. He asked if it would be possible to investigate securing a route from Ashby to Hicks Lodge.

Councillor A V Smith agreed that it was disappointing that the original proposed route was no longer viable but it had been subject to a planning application however she could not see any reason why investigations could be carried out to see if a route from Ashby to Hicks Lodge would be possible, but stressed that land availability may be an issue.

It was moved by Councillor A V Smith, seconded by Councillor R Blunt and

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    The investment of £40,000 towards the development of cycling infrastructure in the Heart of the Forest be further approved.

2.    Officers continue to work with Leicestershire County Council and other stakeholders to investigate the possibility of a cycleway linking Ashby de la Zouch with Hicks Lodge.

Reason for decision:To reallocate resources due to the withdrawal of the original cycle route scheme.

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 the working party for continuing to invest in community projects and its commitment to match funding towards to proposed trial of the opening of the Coalville market toilets on Sundays. She informed Members that she had joined the working party on a visit to Broomleys Allotment to see what the money provided by the special expenses had been put towards.

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

RESOLVED THAT:

The minutes of the Working Party meeting be noted.

Reason for decision:To progress Coalville Special Expenses projects and programmes.

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 Mrs Lacey MBE and Mrs Follows for attending the meeting and submitting the petition that was presented at Council on the 17 May. She advised Members that the toilets at the market had not been open for 20 years on a Sunday and in 2014 the decision was made to close Ashby toilets due to minimal usage.

Councillor A V Smith informed Members that following consideration of the petition and consultation with the Coalville Special Expenses Working Party she was pleased to propose that a trial opening of the public toilets at the market would take place for 5 months (10am – 4pm) from 29 August to 29 January 2017. She advised that the park wardens would carry out the opening and closing duties on the day at a cost of £1,300 for the period of the trial and it was proposed to set aside a further £700 for any unforeseen costs therefore a total cost of £2k. She reminded Members that the Coalville Special Expenses Working Party had proposed to match any contribution agreed by Cabinet and therefore sought approval for £1000 to be set aside from the underspend reserve for the trial.

Councillor T Gillard thanked Mrs Lacey MBE and Mrs Follows for submitting the petition.

Councillor A V Smith stated that it was important to have facilities available and hoped that users would respect and look after them.

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

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    A trial period of Sunday opening for Coalville Market toilets as outlined within the report be agreed.

2.    A budget of £2,000 with £1,000 from in year General Fund underspends matched by £1,000 from Coalville Special Expense reserves is set aside.

3.    Authority to make any changes to the duration of the trial period and/or operational matters be delegated to the Director of Services in consultation with the Portfolio Holder.

Reason for decision: In response to the presentation of an Ordinary petition as per the Council’s Constitution

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 Services

Presented by the Leader

The Leader presented the report to Members. He informed Members of the background to the report and that the project was in a very early stage. He advised that future reports would be brought back to Cabinet and sought Members approval to move forward.

Members agreed that it was a step forward and only the beginning of future regeneration.

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor A V Smith and

RESOLVED THAT:

1)    In principal the outsourcing of the District’s Leisure Centre management be approved; and

2)    In principle, exploring the use of financial receipts arising from the outsourcing of the Leisure Centre management for the provision of a new leisure facility in Coalville be approved; and

3)    The commitment of £150,000 from the 2015/16 budget underspend to establish a project team to conduct further investigation into the feasibility of transferring the Leisure Centre management and providing a new leisure facility in Coalville be approved.

Reason for decision: To confirm Cabinet’s support in principle to the District Leisure Services delivery model and provision of facilities.