Agenda and minutes

The following disclosures were made:

(i)         by Councillor Morgan – a personal interest in item 6 on the agenda (Charnwood Grants) in respect of his wife’s involvement with Loughborough Wellbeing Café.  Councillor Morgan would leave the meeting during the consideration of the item.

(ii)        by Councillor Bokor – an interest in item 6 on the agenda (Charnwood Grants) in respect of her involvement with Charnwood Arts.  Councillor Bokor would leave the meeting during consideration of the item.

(iii)       by Councillor Smidowicz – an interest in item 6 on the agenda (Charnwood Grants) in respect of her involvement with Charnwood Arts.  Councillor Smidowicz would leave the meeting during consideration of the item.

(iv)       by Councillor Morgan – a personal interest in item 8 on the agenda (Insurance Contract) in respect of his wife’s position as non-executive chair of the Association of British Insurers. He did not consider the interest required that he left the meeting.

(v)        by Councillor Morgan – a personal interest in item 9 on the agenda (Treasury Management Strategy, Annual Investment Strategy and MRP Policy – Mid Year Review) in respect of his wife’s position as a non-executive director of Santander UK.  He did not consider the interest required that he left the meeting.

No announcements were made.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 14th October 2021 were confirmed as a correct record and signed.

The deadline for questions is noon on Wednesday, 10th November 2021. 

Mr M. Hunt – Bedford Square Gateway Project

“1.     The cost of the Bedford Square Gateway Project published on the webpage is £2.6 million which is being funded by the Council and a grant for £130,000 from the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership. Is this still the estimated final cost?

2.      If there are further costs, how does the Council expect these to be funded?

3.      With reference to the paving stones, there are concerns in the industry that some imports breach acceptable standards and this led to companies forming the Ethical Trade Initiative.  Are the suppliers of the paving stone members of the Ethical Trade Initiative, and if not what assurances have been received that acceptable ethical standards are being met by the suppliers of the paving material?

4.      What employment conditions does the authority require of its contractors, and are these formally verified?

5.      The authority rightly developed a Climate Change Strategy to minimise the environmental impacts of its own activities and contribute to the improvement of the wider environment through local action.  Has the authority measured or estimated the carbon emissions made by the purchase of imported stone in this project and how is this reconciled with the Climate Change Strategy?”

The Leader referred to the following response, which had been published prior to the meeting:

1.      Cabinet agreed a reduced scheme at its meeting in December 2020 costed at £2.6m. This is funded by the council’s capital receipts and external funding of £183k from the LLEP Business Rates Pool and £390k from the Business Rate Retention Pilot. In October 2021 a decision was taken to deliver the balance of the scheme which is entirely funded by the £1.7m from the Town Deal.

2.      The whole scheme cost has been calculated at £3.869m including contingency sums. If there are is any unforeseen expenditure beyond this contingency sum that cannot be met from other sources then these will need to be met by capital receipts.

3.      The suppliers, Hardscape, are members of the Ethical Trading Initiative.

4.      Procurement of contractors have been undertaken using nationally recognised frameworks provided by Crown Commercial Services (CCS) and ESPO. Suppliers listed on these frameworks have all been pre-qualified by the framework provider on a range of criteria including financial stability, track record, experience and professional ability as well as compliance with statutory obligations including under the Equalities Act 2010, Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Health and Safety Policy & Risk Assessments, safeguarding policy. Framework agreements also specify rates of pay for categories of employees, based on industry standard rates. In addition, the framework’s terms and conditions are all pre-agreed by the framework provider to ensure that they are fair, transparent and in the best interest of their customers.

The NEC4 contract used by the Council for the construction project also specifies:

a)      The locations and working times that work can take place,

b)      Competency of named individuals to administer the contract from a contractor perspective and demonstrable experience relating to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.

A report of the Head of Neighbourhood Services.

Key Decision

This item was chaired by Councillor Barkley.

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

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

The Neighbourhoods and Partnerships Manager assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED

1.         that the following Community Grants be awarded:

•        £4,500 to Passion towards the Passion Youth Project;

•        £275 to Charnwood Safe, Well, Happy Partnership towards events, workshops and venue hire;

•        £3,500 to Twenty Twenty towards the Love4Life project;

•        £500 to Ulverscroft Camera Club towards the “Getting back Together” project;

•        £2,500 to Age UK Leics towards Men and Women in Sheds;

•        £2,000 to Molly’s Gift towards a Saturday club for 5-11 year olds;

•        £1,500 to Anand Mangal Group towards room hire and equipment;

•        £2,000 to Shepshed Dolphin Swimming Group towards pool hire and instructor costs;

•        £675 to Charnwood Drawing and Painting Club towards equipment and three workshop sessions;

•        £1,200 to Shree Ram Krishna Community Project towards the exercise element of their Charnwood Dosti project;

•        £500 to Sileby Tennis Club towards sports equipment and marketing;

•        £750 to Birstall Theatre Company towards a production of Aladdin 2022;

•        £700 to Charnwood Arts towards the community elements of the Just Be You project.

•        £750 to Stonebow Washlands Group towards Stonebow Washlands enhancement project, to be funded through the Serco Environmental fund;

•        £1,000 to Barrow in Bloom towards Bloom up Barrow in 2022, to be funded through the Serco Environmental fund;

•        £3,000 to Loughborough Wellbeing Centre running costs, to be funded through the Contain Outbreak Management fund allocated to supporting VCS organisations supporting community recovery;

•        Up to £2,000 to Leicester City in the Community towards pilot activities/sessions for the Urban Foxes project, to be funded through the Contain Outbreak Management fund to support health and physical activity;

2.      that the following Community Grant applications be declined:

•        Artspace Loughborough - £5,000 requested – applied for funding towards Into the Outwoods Sculpture Trail 2022;

•        Wymeswold Playgroup - £2,827 requested – applied for funding towards Forest School setting;

•        Loughborough Air Quality Protection Group - £876 requested – applied for funding towards a 3-year subscription to Community Dashboard;

•        Rotary Club of Loughborough Beacon - £5,000 requested – applied for funding towards home starter boxes;

•        Mountsorrel Methodist Church - £1,000 requested – applied for funding towards professional cleaning in 2021/22;

•        Newtown Linford Tennis Club - £5,000 requested – applied for funding towards facility regeneration;

•        Birstall and District Art Society - £2,000 requested – applied for funding towards running costs;

•        Barrow upon Soar Methodist Church - £2,500 requested – applied for funding towards cleaning costs to support the community use of premises;

•        Emmanuel Church Centre  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

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 revised licence conditions for the licensing of permanent residential mobile home sites in Charnwood (item 7 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

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

The Scrutiny Commission was thanked for its pre-decision scrutiny of this matter and the previous item.

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

RESOLVED

1.      that the adoption of revised Licence Conditions for existing and new permanent residential mobile home site licences, set out in Appendix 1 to the report of the Head of Strategic and Private Sector Housing, be approved;

2.      that delegated authority be provided to the Head of Strategic and Private Sector Housing to make amendments to the model standards for permanent residential mobile homes sites in consultation with the Cabinet Lead Member;

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

Reasons 

1.& 2.    The introduction of revised Model Standards for permanent residential mobile home sites provides an opportunity to update the Council’s existing Licence Conditions and to clarify the current responsibilities of site owners.

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

A report of the Strategic Director; Environmental and Corporate Services.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Strategic Director; Environmental and Corporate Services seeking approval to commence a procurement process for the Council’s insurance contract (item 8 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Organisational Development Manager assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED

1.      that a procurement process to obtain a new insurance contract for a five year period commencing on 1st June 2022 be undertaken utilising the YPO (Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation) Insurance Placement Dynamic Purchasing System, Contract Reference: 00978;

2.      that delegated authority is given to the Strategic Director; Environmental and Corporate Services to appoint a provider;

3.      that delegated authority is given to the Strategic Director; Environmental and Corporate Services to appoint an insurance broker under the provisions of the framework outlined at resolution 1 above. 

Reasons 

1.      To take advantage of the YPO Insurance Placement Dynamic Purchasing System, Contract Reference: 00978 and to enable competition from the widest range of potential insurance suppliers under the framework.

2.      To enable the Strategic Director; Environmental and Corporate Services to evaluate the options available within the bids received and agree the detailed terms of each contract Lot awarded.

3.      To ensure that competition is achieved from the widest range of potential insurance suppliers under the framework.

A report of the Head of Financial Services, for recommendation to Council.

Considered, a report of the Head of Financial Services to review the Treasury Management Strategy and the Annual Investment Strategy, plus the various Prudential Borrowing and Treasury Indicators for the first six months of 2021/22, for recommendation to Council (item 9 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Strategic Director; Environmental and Corporate Services assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED that it be recommended to Council to note the mid-year review of the Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Prudential Borrowing and Treasury Indicators plus the Annual Investment Strategy, as set out in Part B of the report.

Reason

To ensure that the Council’s governance and management  procedures for Treasury Management reflect best practice and comply with the Revised CIPFA Treasury Management in the Public Services Code of Practice, Guidance Notes and Treasury Management Policy Statement, that funding of capital expenditure is taken within the totality of the Council’s financial position, and that borrowing and investment is only carried out with proper regard to the Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities.