Agenda and minutes

For information, disclosable pecuniary interests and registrable interests relate to entries that are included, or should be included,  on a councillor’s register of interests. Non-registrable interests relate to any other matters.

No disclosures were made.

The Leader made the following announcement:

I would like to place on record my thanks and the Cabinet’s thanks to all the agencies, organisations, Council staff and volunteers who have helped our local communities during the floods last week.

We have seen some of the worst flooding in Charnwood for years affect the borough with many homes and businesses affected.

We worked hard as a council to respond and support communities and we will continue that work in the coming weeks and months.

I would also like to thank the community for rallying around and helping each other during these difficult times. It was heart-warming and inspiring to see the voluntary work, parcel collections and fundraising taking place to help those who have been hit the hardest by these floods.

The Council will continue to support the recovery of the most affected areas.

We will also support investigations into why the flooding happened and any resulting need for future flood protection measures.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 14th December 2023 were confirmed as a correct record and signed.

The deadline for questions is noon on Friday, 22nd December 2023.

No questions had been submitted.

A report of the Chief Executive, for recommendation to Council.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Chief Executive: Corporate Strategy 2024-2028, for recommendation to Council (item 6 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

Councillor Rattray, 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 Commission was thanked for its scrutiny of the matter.

RESOLVED

1.         that the new Corporate Strategy 2024-2028, attached at the annex to the report, be approved and recommended to Council;

2.         that delegated authority be given to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, to make minor amendments to the Strategy;

3.         that delegated authority is given to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, to design the final document for publication.

Reasons

1.         To enable the draft Corporate Strategy to set out the direction for the Council for the period 2024-2028.

2.         To allow minor corrections and amendments to be made in a timely manner prior to publication.

3.         To ensure that the designed version of the Corporate Strategy can be developed for public circulation.

A report of the Head of Planning and Growth.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Head of Planning and Growth: Cossington Neighbourhood Plan (item 7 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Leader thanked the people of Cossington for the work they had undertaken.

RESOLVED that the Cossington Parish Neighbourhood Plan is ‘made’ to confirm its status as part of the statutory development plan for Charnwood, in accordance with the provisions of Section 38(A) (4) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

Reason

To fulfil the legal duty to make the Cossington Parish Neighbourhood Plan part of the development plan for Charnwood.

A report of the Director Housing and Wellbeing.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Director Housing and Wellbeing: Charnwood Grants - Strategic Partners (2024/25-2025/26) (item 8 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

Councillor Rattray, 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 Commission was thanked for its scrutiny of the matter.

RESOLVED

1.         thatthefollowingStrategic PartnerGrantsbe approved, subject to budget approval:

2.         that the Director of Housing and Wellbeing be given delegated authority to finalisethetermsandconditionsoftheStrategicPartner Grants awardedandService Level Agreements;

3.         that it be noted that Syston & District Volunteer Centre did not apply for a Strategic Partner Grant for 2024/25 and 2025/26 and that the amounts set out in resolution 1 include the redistribution of the £9,537 previously ringfenced for Syston & District Volunteer Centre. The Grants Panel recommended that this amount be awarded to *Living Without Abuse to help to reduce the waiting time for their clients to access support.

Reasons

1.         To provide appropriate levels of financial support to those organisations that havesubmitted applicationsandbeen assessed by Grants Panel, as meetingthecriteriafor theStrategic Partner GrantScheme.

2.         Toenablethegrantsawarde  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

A report of the Director Housing and Wellbeing.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Director Housing and Wellbeing: Declassification of Properties Designated for Allocation to People Aged Over 45 Years (item 9 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

Councillor Rattray, 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 Commission was thanked for its scrutiny of the matter.

RESOLVED

1.         that the Director of Housing and Wellbeing be authorised to remove the 45+ age classification from the 1071 properties at Appendix 1 to the report, and that:

2.         this be completed in four phases at broadly six-month intervals, with the first phase of properties being declassified in the Summer of 2024;

3.         the declassification of properties in each phase progress in consultation with the Executive Member for Public and Private Sector Housing, and subject to the successful management of demand on services arising because of declassification;

4.         that targeted communication with affected tenants take place on a phased basis i.e., rather than writing to all affected tenants at once, communications will be issued to tenants in advance of each phase of declassification. Initial generic information will be placed in the tenant newsletter, including information relating to the phased nature of implementation;

5.         that tenants be advised of the decision and the reasons for declassification, and provided with the opportunity to feed back any specific concerns so they may be responded to;

6.         that the order of phases be based primarily on the meeting of housing need, with a particular focus on areas where there are more empty properties (voids). Tenancy management factors have also been considered including levels of ASB and tenancy support needs;

7.         that one additional ASB Officer and one additional Tenancy and Estate Management Officer be recruited to, for a maximum period of three years, with the need for additional resource to be reviewed on an annual basis, and that the HRA revenue budget be increased to accommodate this.

Reasons

1.      To support compliance with equalities legislation, and the meeting of housing need.

2.      To enable additional capacity currently being put in place to manage voids and allocations to be mobilised, and to put further resources in place to mitigate any increase in demand on tenancy management services.

3.      To allow for monitoring of the impact on services, performance, and any increased movement in the housing stock.

4.      To reduce the risk of a significant increase in demand on services and movement in the housing stock creating more voids at a time when services are already under pressure.

5.      To support effective communication, reassure and provide information to tenants, and provide the opportunity for any specific issues to be responded to.

6.      To support the meeting of housing need and to mitigate against increases in demand on services.

7.      To mitigate any increase in demand on tenancy management services and to provide capacity to respond to specific tenant concerns and provide support.

A report of the Director Housing and Wellbeing.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Director Housing and Wellbeing: Decant and Disturbance Policy (item 10 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

Noted that it would be useful to circulate the policy once adopted to all councillors so that they were aware of it, particularly given the recent floods.

RESOLVED that the Decant and Disturbance Policy attached as appendix A to the report be approved.

Reason

To enable officers to provide a service that treats tenants equitably and consistently when they have to move to alternative accommodation for reasons not of their own choosing, primarily for the Council to carry out repairs in their home that cannot be carried out with the tenant remaining in occupation.