Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

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.

In accordance with the Code of Conduct, Members declared the following interests:

Councillor R D Bayliss declared a non pecuniary interest in item 7 – Financial Support to Support Community Ambitions, as a Member of Ashby de la Zouch Town Council.

Councillor N J Rushton declared a non pecuniary interest in item 7 – Financial Support to Support Community Ambitions, as a Member of Ashby de la Zouch Town Council and a pecuniary interest in item 13 – Coalville Market Strategy and Action Plan, as an owner of a market in the district.

There were no questions received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 26 July 2016

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 26 July 2016

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

RESOLVED THAT:

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 July 2016 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Reason for decision: To comply with the Constitution.

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 old scheme had done the job that was needed and that a second scheme was required to allow the further planning consents to be approved. He stated that the developer contribution was levied on roof tops and any property built in the area would contribute to the Mease conservation. He thanked officers for the work in developing the scheme.

Councillor R Blunt asked if the authority could expect a surge in applications once the Scheme was adopted.

Councillor T J Pendleton stated that the completion of DCS1 had allowed a back log of applications in Ashby to build up but thatDCS2 would have the effect of allowing some of those applications to now be granted.  He also made the point that DCS2 only provided limited capacity and the long term solution after 2020 would be for Severn Trent Water to construct a pipeline to pump sewage out of the Mease catchment.

It was moved by Councillor T J Pendleton, seconded by Councillor T Gillard and

RESOLVED THAT:

1.     The River Mease Water Quality Management Plan Developer Contributions Scheme 2 be adopted as a supplementary policy document (as  appended to the report) and implement the scheme with immediate effect; and

2.     Responsibility to review and amend the Developer Contribution Scheme as and when required, monitoring and review of phosphorous reductions as required by delegated to the Director of Services in consultation with the Regeneration and Planning Portfolio Holder and will be referred back to Cabinet only where significant material revisions to the scheme are required.

Reason for decision: To provide a mechanism through which major and other new residential and commercial development can continue to be allowed in the River Mease catchment without having an adverse impact on the integrity of the SAC. At present the District Council has in place the River Mease SAC Water Quality Management Plan Developer Contributions Scheme 1 (DCS1) however, this developer scheme has now reached its maximum capacity. The District Council is therefore unable to permit further development within the River Mease catchment by way of DCS1 and therefore seeks adoption of DCS2.

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 it would be an annual report to Cabinet and that it provided an overview of the safeguarding systems of the Council. He informed Members that the number of referrals that had been made to the Designated Safeguarding Officers (DSO) had risen in years, that over the past year the authority had lost four of its DSOs but had been able to recruit an additional five DSOs and well executed training had been delivered.

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

RESOLVED THAT:

Cabinet supported and noted the Safeguarding programme

Reason for decision: To comply with the Council’s statutory duty to ensure compliance with safeguarding duties as detailed in the Children Act 2004 and Working Together 2015

Report of the Interim Director of Resources

Presented by the Community Services Portfolio Holder

The Community Services Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members. She highlighted to members that the report set out proposals to provide financial assistance to five communities in the area. She informed Members that the first proposal was to allocate a sum of £50,000 to Newbridge High School to assist the school with investigations into the possibility of developing a running track that would be open to all the community not just the school and that it could prove to be a sporting legacy adding that the nearest tracks were in Loughborough and Burton. She advised Members that the second proposal was to allocate funds to Ashby de la Zouch Town Council to support the delivery aspects of its Neighbourhood Plan and the improvements to St Helen’s Churchyard. Finally Members were informed that the final proposal was to provide support to Castle Donington, Lockington cum Hemington and Kegworth Parish Councils in delivering community projects.

The Leader then invited Mr J Jordan, neighbour of Newbridge High School, to address the meeting.

Mr J Jordan advised the Members that he was addressing them as a Parish Councillor of Hugglescote and Donington le Heath Parish Council and a neighbour of Newbridge High School.

‘As a Parish Councillor I have to report that at the Parish council meeting last week when this application was revealed there was dismay that yet again we had not been involved in any discussions and it was only by looking at this meeting’s agenda online that we heard about it. This lack of consultation was also evident when the 3G pitch was in the planning stage.

As a neighbour of the school this is typical of the utter contempt the school hierarchy has for its neighbours or in fact with anyone else. An example is when the 3G pitch was being planned, neighbours only heard about it 3 days after the planning application was lodged with the planning dept. Local residents were promised access to the facilities yet are now effectively barred from even accessing the school premises when the facilities are in use by eitherthe pupils or paying customers. This also includes an evening stroll around the playing field perimeter once enjoyed by many residents.

 
The school has reneged on promises made to neighbours in that they stated when the sports hall was being discussed that it would be green in colour to make it less obtrusive yet it turned out to be bright blue. They said it would not apply for an extension to the original hours of use yet came to the council a couple of years later requesting and being granted an extension to the hours of use.

As far as this application is concerned there a number of points that concern me as a tax payer.
a. The proposal for a running track is without evidence, there are no plans or details at all.
b. This 50k should be invested in the assets already owned by NWLDC at the Hermitage leisure facilities.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

Report of the Interim Director of Resources

Presented by the Corporate Portfolio Holder

The Corporate Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members. He stated that having a modern ICT desktop infrastructure was an integral part of the Council’s move towards maintaining an up to date working environment. He advised Members that the contract to replace the current desktops had been through the tender process, but the fall in the value of the pound had had an effect on the contract price. He informed Members that officers had considered the chosen contractor’s revised price against the other original bids and price was still the cheapest adding that if the authority went out to tender again there was a risk of the costs going up further.

It was moved by Councillor N J Rushton, seconded by Councillor A V Smith and

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    The award of the contract for the provision of replacement desktop computers be approved; and

2.    Authority to award the contract for the provision of replacement desktop computers be delegated to the Interim Director of Resources in consultation with the Corporate Portfolio Holder.

Reason for decision: The estimated value of this contract requires Cabinet approval and the contract is required to enable the replacement of the desktop computers throughout the Council, to provide a new working platform, up to date software, increase staff productivity and provide a modern working environment as part of the ICT Road Map and Strategy.

Report of the Chief Executive

Presented by the Leader

The Leader presented the report to Members and highlighted the following:-

-       The average re-let times had improved in quarter 1 achieving 38 days against a target of 40

-       28 new tenants responded to a satisfaction survey regarding the allocations and lettings service, with 96% being satisfied with the process and 96% would recommend North West Leicestershire District Council as a landlord

-       494 customers had used the new ‘Direct Debit over the Web’

-       Compost Week Recycling Roadshow at Coalville Market and Morrisons had engaged over 1,000 residents and resulted in over 1,500 recycling containers ordered

-       The standard of taxi vehicles had improved with 65 of 93 vehicles that were checked in quarter 1 passed the inspection 1^st time, stating that the public expect the Council to ensure that all the vehicles were fit for purpose.

He informed Members that the sickness target for the year was 1.85 days per quarter with the outturn for quarter 1 being 1.73 days and that there had been a reduction of around 25% in long term sickness days compared to the figures at the same time for the previous year.

Councillor T Gillard stated that the Enterprising North West Leicestershire Grants Scheme was helping to support small business in the district and had resulted in 59.5 new jobs being created. He thanked the business team for their hard work and that local businesses were very grateful.

Councillor R D Bayliss stated that in the past the re-let times had been grim and he was pleased that the figures had improved a lot. He highlighted that percentage of Right First Time repairs was 100%, but had felt that it was too good to be true which had been proved right and as such the targets had been redesigned.

Councillor T J Pendleton stated that the Planning team continued to work above both local and national targets however advised that there had been a slight issue in determining minor applications within 8 weeks however he was confident that it was just a slight blip and that it would smooth itself out.

Councillor A V Smith advised Members that since the opening of the Health and Wellbeing Centre in Ashby there had been 784 contacts with 551 attending for follow up appointments and 253 new patients.

In response to a question from Councillor R Blunt, Councillor A V Smith advised Members that the wellbeing centre provided services such as out patients appointments and physiotherapy that would have been at Ashby Hospital.

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

RESOLVED THAT:

The quarter one performance report (April - June 2016) be received and noted.

Reason for decision: The report is provided for Members to effectively monitor the organisation’s performance.

Report of the Interim Director of Resources

Presented by the Corporate Portfolio Holder

The Corporate Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members. He reminded Members that writing off debts was only considered when all appropriate recovery and measures had been taken. He advised Members that there were two Non Domestic Rates for write off approval over £10,000 where one company had gone bankrupt and the second was an absconder and there had been no trace of them.

Councillor T J Pendleton stated that it was good that the authority could get on the front foot in attempting to recover debts as the longer it took the more costly it would get.

It was moved by Councillor N J Rushton, seconded by Councillor R Blunt and

RESOLVED THAT:

1. The write offs over £10,000 detailed in the report be approved.

2. The amounts written off under delegated powers be noted.

Reason for decision: To comply with proper accounting practices.

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 Local Development Order would grant permission to ensure the continuation of the Shop Front Improvement Scheme success and as the money had been extended to include further streets the order required expanding also.

Councillor R Blunt thanked the Regeneration and Planning Portfolio Holder for his support and stated that the project was getting traction, with the work that had already been carried out along High Street presenting an upward curve to improvement.

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

RESOLVED THAT:

1. The extension and expansion of the Local Development Order (LDO) at appendix 1 to the report, that is supporting the Coalville Shop Front Improvement Grant Scheme;

2. The revised LDO be subject to a six week public consultation following the end of the call-in period; and

3. Authority be delegated to the Director of Services, in consultation with the Regeneration and Planning Portfolio Holder, to adopt the LDO with or without modifications at the end of the consultation period.

Reason for decision: To support the Building Confidence in Coalville programme, by making it easier for property owners to undertake specified improvements and the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 provides for local planning authority to formally adopt the Local Development Order.

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 Services

Presented by the Business Portfolio Holder

Having declared a pecuniary interest Councillor N J Rushton left the meeting for the consideration of the item and took no part in the discussion or voting thereon.

The Business Portfolio Holder presented the report to Members. He advised Members that an external company had been engaged to develop a strategy and action plan for the market. He outlined some of the proposed measures that officers were now looking to implement or had already been implemented.

Councillor R Blunt stated that the Council had agonised for years over the future of the market was pleased that the hall would be fit for purpose. He advised that he had been down to the market hall earlier in the day and had listened to the comments that were being made by residents and they were mostly positive. He added that markets were an important part of everyone’s life and that the Council was doing what it could.

Councillor T Gillard took the opportunity to thank the Head of Community Services and his team for all the hard work that they had put in.

Councillor T J Pendleton stated that he had recently visited the market and he was very pleased to see how much it had been improved.

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

RESOLVED THAT:

1.     The contents of the report be noted;

2.     The market action plan be endorsed; and

3.     Responsibility be delegated to the Director of Services to annually review the action plan in consultation with the Business Portfolio Holder

Reason for decision: To provide delegated authority to the Director of Services to ensure delivery of the proposed actions.