Agenda and minutes

The following disclosures were made:

(i)         by Councillor Barkley – an interest in item 6 on the agenda (Charnwood Grants) in respect of Leicestershire Youth Sailing Association, it had a Syston base and he had supported the application.

(ii)        by Councillor Bokor – an interest in item 6 on the agenda (Charnwood Grants) in respect Rectory Wildlife Gardeners.

(iii)       by Councillor Poland – an interest in item 6 on the agenda (Charnwood Grants) in respect of FC Seagrave, he had supported the application.

(iv)       by Councillors Barkley, Morgan and Poland – interests in item 10 on the agenda (Contain Funding) as members of Leicestershire County Council.

No announcements were made.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 10th June 2021 were confirmed as a correct record and signed.

The deadline for questions is noon on Wednesday, 23rd June 2021. 

No questions had been submitted.

A report of the Head of Neighbourhood Services.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Head of Neighbourhood Services setting out applications received for funding in round one of the Community Facilities and Community Grants Schemes for 2021/22 (item 6 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Head of Neighbourhood Services and the Neighbourhoods and Partnerships Manager assisted with consideration of the report. In response to a request, it was stated that the outcomes of the work undertaken by officers to support groups that had had applications declined could be included in the next Charnwood Grants report to Cabinet.

Officers were thanked for their work in respect of the matter.

RESOLVED

1.         that the following Community Grants be awarded:

•        £500 to Sileby District Guiding towards play/sports equipment;

•        £750 to the Baldwin Trust towards recruitment and training of volunteers;

•        £1,400 to Rectory Wildlife Gardeners towards accessible seating;

•        £3,900 to New Life Community Church towards a family worker to support families who access the Loughborough Foodbank and CAP Debt Centre;

•        £1,200 to Peter Le Marchant Trust towards additional boat running and servicing costs associated with additional trips to support people with their mental health and well-being;

•        £1,200 to Albert Street Artists towards general running costs;

•        £2,500 to Leicestershire Youth Sailing Association towards volunteer training courses/qualifications;

•        £2,000 to PACE towards the provision of a summer holiday activity camp for children and young people;

•        £4,000 to PCM Loughborough (Polish Community Centre) towards a Healthy Body, Healthy Mind project;

•        £1,750 to Quetzal towards volunteer development and support for survivors of childhood sexual abuse;

•        £2,700 to FC Seagrave towards coaching qualifications and a set of football goals;

•        £5,000 to Go-Getta CIC towards the Loughborough Youth Motivators project;

•        £2,500 to Barkby United Cricket Club towards new furniture to enable wider community use of the clubhouse;

2.         that the following Community Grant applications be declined:

•        Steps Conductive Education Centre - £1,500 requested – applied for funding towards the installation of a new heating system;

•        Outwoods Edge Primary School PTA - £3,250 requested – applied for funding towards a bike shelter and outdoor play equipment;

•        Above and Beyond - £5,000 requested – applied for funding towards the Phoenix Youth Group;

•        Thurmaston DPC FC - £4,550 requested – applied for funding towards the start-up costs of a Ladies’ Football Team and team kit for the wider club;

3.         that the following Community Facilities Grants be awarded:

•        £10,000 to Soar Valley Bowls Club towards heating, lighting and refurbishment of toilets;

•        £10,000 to Leicestershire and Rutland Youth Sailing Association towards upgrade/refurbishment costs of building to facilitate disabled access and increase community use;

4.      that the following Community Facilities Grant application be declined:

•        Yogi Divine Society UK - £20,000 requested – applied for funding towards the refurbishment of Thurmaston Old School Community Centre;

5.      that the Head of Neighbourhood Services be given delegated authority to finalise the terms and conditions of the awarded Community Grants.

Reasons

1.      To provide financial support  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

A report of the Head of Strategic and Private Sector Housing.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Head of Strategic and Private Sector Housing setting out the licence conditions for the introduction of an Additional Licensing Scheme across the Borough and Selective Licensing Scheme in Hastings and Lemyngton wards (item 7 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

Councillor Ranson, Vice-chair of the Scrutiny Commission, presented a report setting out the Commission’s pre-decision scrutiny of the matter and its recommendation (copy filed with these minutes).

The Head of Strategic and Private Sector Housing assisted with consideration of the report.

Officers were thanked for their work in respect of the matter.

RESOLVED

1.      that the outcome of the Additional and Selective Licensing Scheme Licence Conditions consultation exercise (Appendix 1 and 2 to the report) be noted;

2.      that the Licence Conditions for the new Additional and Selective Licensing Schemes (Appendix 3 to the report - Houses in Multiple Occupation Licensing Scheme Licence Conditions and Appendix 4 to the report - Selective Licensing Scheme Licence Conditions) be approved;

3.      that the use of the Houses in Multiple Occupation Licensing Scheme Licence Conditions for all Mandatory Houses in Multiple Occupation licence applications and renewals be approved;

4.      that the report of the Scrutiny Commission be noted.

Reasons 

1.      To enable the Cabinet to consider the information and evidence gathered.

2.      The licence conditions will be introduced and implemented when the Additional and Selective Licensing Schemes are introduced in January 2022.

3.      To align the existing Mandatory Licence Conditions for Houses in Multiple Occupation with the new Additional Licensing Scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupation from January 2022.

4.      To acknowledge the work undertaken by and the views of the Scrutiny Commission.

A report of the Head of Financial Services.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Head of Financial Services setting out total expenditure on the Capital Plan for the year 2020/21 compared with the current budget and detailing those schemes that required carry forward of budget to 2021/22 and the financing of the Capital Plan (item 8 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Head of Financial Services assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED

1.      that the outturn position for 2020/21 be noted and that slippage of capital budgets totalling £27,675,300 be carried forward into 2021/22 (General Fund £25,436,900 and HRA £2,238,400) and the slippage will be added to the 3 Year Capital Plan;

2.      that a virement of £350k from Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park to increase the Town Deal/Regeneration Budget to £5,145,000 to increase to provision for Town Deal/Regeneration Schemes in the Capital Plan be approved;

3.      that the Outwoods Country Park – Visitor Centre and Café scheme be reduced by £50k, the reason being external grant funding expected will not now be received towards this scheme;

4.      that the financing of the Plan set out in Table 2 in the report be noted.

Reasons 

1.         To enable projects to be completed.

2.         To enable the new Capital scheme budget to be available in 2021/22.

3.         To confirm that the Outwoods Country Park – Visitor Centre and Café scheme be decreased by the external funded amount.

4.         To indicate how the Plan is to be financed.

A report of the Head of Financial Services.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Head of Financial Services setting out the revenue outturn position of the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for 2020/21 compared with the revised budgets and requesting budget carry forwards of £171k for the General Fund and £16k HRA (item 9 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Head of Financial Services assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED

1.      that the Revenue Outturn positions of the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account for 2020/21 be noted;

2.      that five General Fund carry forwards budgets amounting to £171k as per paragraph 38 of the report and HRA £16k as per paragraph 37 of the report funded from specific underspent budgets in 2020/21 be approved.

Reasons

1.      To enable the information to be used when considering future budgets and the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

2.      To enable the budgets to be carried forward to cover costs of committed services in 2021/22.

A report of the Strategic Director; Community, Planning and Housing.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Strategic Director; Community, Planning and Housing setting out the grant received by the Council through the Contain Outbreak Management Funding allocation and seeking endorsement of the spending so far and future commitments for the funding (item 10 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Chief Executive assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED

1.      that the allocation of Contain funding from Government via Leicestershire County Council be noted;

2.      that the spending proposals and commitments for funding be endorsed and supported.

Reasons

1.         To ensure that Cabinet is aware of the details of the funding.

2.         To ensure Cabinet support the projects and proposed spend.

A report of the Strategic Director; Commercial Development, Assets and Leisure. TO FOLLOW.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Strategic Director; Commercial Development, Assets and Leisure setting out updates to the Annual Procurement Plan 2021-22 (item 11 on the agenda supplement filed with these minutes).

The Strategic Director; Commercial Development, Assets and Leisure assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED

1.      that the contracts, over £25,000 and up to £75,000, listed in Appendix A to the report be let in accordance with Contract Procedure Rules;

2.      that the contracts, over £75,001 and up to £500,000, listed in Appendix B to the report be let in accordance with Contract Procedure Rules.

Reason 

1 & 2. To allow contracts of the Council to be let in accordance with contract procedure rules.

 A report of the Head of Cleansing and Open Spaces. TO FOLLOW.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Head of Cleansing and Open Spaces setting out virements within the existing Capital Programme 2020-23 to support the construction of the new cemetery adjacent to Nanpantan Road Sports Ground, Loughborough (item 12 on the agenda supplement filed with these minutes).

Councillor Ranson, Vice-chair of the Scrutiny Commission, presented a report setting out the Commission’s pre-decision scrutiny of the matter and its recommendation (copy filed with these minutes).

The Scrutiny Commission was thanked for its pre-decision scrutiny of both this item and item 7 considered earlier in the meeting.

The Head of Cleansing and Open Spaces assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED

1.         that the Capital virements total £281k in the table below are made to increase the amount of available budget for the Cemetery construction;

2.         that an additional £25k virement is made available from service revenue budget underspends (One off Garden Waste Bin Additional Income to Consultant Fees), these funds will be used for project contingencies;

3.      that the report of the Scrutiny Commission be noted.

Reasons

1.         To allow the construction of the new cemetery at Nanpantan to progress.

2.         To provide some project contingency funds.

3.         To acknowledge the work undertaken by and the views of the Scrutiny Commission.

A report of the Head of Strategic Support.

Considered, a report of the Head of Strategic Support setting out a public record of the Council’s health and safety performance (item 13 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Corporate Health and Safety Officer assisted with consideration of the report.  In particular, he was thanked by both the Cabinet and the Chief Executive for the considerable work he had undertaken to ensure the Council and its services were Covid compliant during the pandemic.

RESOLVED that the Council’s health and safety performance over the preceding year as set out in the Appendix to the report be noted.  

Reason 

It is considered good practice by the Health and Safety Executive, the Institute of Directors and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents for public bodies to publish an annual report on health and safety performance. The Management of Health and Safety at Work regulations 1999 require all employers to review their health and safety management system. Since 2015 the Council has employed BS OHSAS 18001: “Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems” as its base system for managing health and safety.