Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Barkley, Goddard, Howe and Murphy, and from Honorary Aldermen John Bush and Joe Tormey.

The following disclosures of pecuniary and personal interests were made:

Councillor Parton disclosed a personal interest in agenda item 10.2 as a County Councillor member of the Loughborough Town Team.

Councillor Tillotson disclosed an interest in agenda item 6.3 and stated that she would not take part in any vote on that matter.

To confirm the minutes of the Council meeting held on 24th June 2019, Extraordinary Council meeting held on 24th June 2019 and Extraordinary Council meeting held on 29th July 2019.

The minutes of the ordinary and extraordinary meetings of Council held on 24^th June 2019 and of the extraordinary meeting held on 29^th July 2019 were confirmed and signed.

To receive announcements from the Mayor (if any).

The Mayor made no announcements.

To consider significant, recent matters affecting the Council or the Borough (if any).

The Leader made the following announcements:

RETIREMENT OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

The Leader expressed his thanks to the Chief Executive, as this was the last Council meeting he would be attending, and wished him a long and happy retirement.

FORMER COUNCILLOR ERIC VARDY

Following the recent resignation of Councillor Vardy, the Leader thanked him for his service to the Council in a number of senior roles and wished him well for the future.

FOOD SAFETY TEAM AWARD

The Leader congratulated the Regulatory Services team on winning an award for the ‘Best Small Business Friendly Regulatory Approach’ at a recent ceremony.

ARMED FORCES COVENANT EMPLOYER SCHEME

The Leader stated that he was proud that the Council had become one of the first in the East Midlands to receive a gold award for its support for the Armed Forces Community together with Rushcliffe Borough Council.

MEMBER CHAMPION ROLES

The Leader confirmed the following Member Champion appointments for 2019 to 2023:

Councillor Howe – Tree Planting

Councillor Parton – Loneliness

Councillor Needham – Climate Change 

To receive announcements from the Chief Executive (if any).

The Chief Executive made no announcements.

Councillors Popley and Tassell joined the meeting at 6:44pm.

To allow councillors to formally submit petitions for consideration under the Council’s petition scheme, as set out in Full Council Procedure 9.8.

The following Councillors presented petitions submitted on behalf of residents in their wards:

Councillor Lowe in respect of noxious fumes being released from a business on Carls Way Industrial Estate, Thurmaston.

Councillor Hunt in respect of a Council owned boundary fence in Quorn.

Councillor Bokor on behalf of Wymeswold Parish Council in respect of a complaints about racing noise at Wymeswold airfield.

Councillor J Bradshaw in respect of charges for bulky waste collections.

Councillor Radford in respect of funding to resurface Jubilee Walk in Shepshed.

The Mayor confirmed that the petitions would be considered and responded to in accordance with the Council’s petitions scheme.    

To consider the following matters reserved to Council in accordance with Section 5 of the Constitution:

A report of the Monitoring Officer, informing Council of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s annual review letter for 2018/19.

A report of the Monitoring Officer presenting the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s annual review letter for 2018/19 was considered.

Councillor Miah welcomed the report and suggested that a scrutiny panel might be established at some point to review the Council’s interaction with its customers.

It was proposed by Councillor Poland and seconded by Councillor Ranson and

RESOLVED

1. That the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s review letter form 2018/19, attached as Appendix A to the report, and the summary of upheld complaints set out in Part B or the report, be noted.

Reason

To comply with the guidance from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that the Monitoring Officer should make Members aware of upheld complaints on a periodic basis.

A report of the Monitoring Officer seekingauthority toappoint a new representative totheIndependentRemuneration Panel for a 4 year term of office.

A report of the Monitoring Officer making a recommendation for an appointment to the Independent Remuneration Panel was considered.

It was proposed by Councillor Poland and seconded by Councillor Grimley and

RESOLVED

1. That Mr Sumeet Dhul be appointed to the Independent Remuneration Panel until the end of the 2023/24 civic year.

Reason

To fill a vacancy on the Independent Remuneration Panel.

Councillor Draycott joined the meeting at 6:52pm.

A report of the Licensing Committee, recommending the adoption of model byelaws to regulate the hygiene and practice standards in premises conducting cosmetic piercing, semi-permanent skin colouring, acupuncture, tattooing and electrolysis.

A report of the Licensing Committee recommending the adoption of relevant model byelaws was considered.

It was proposed by Councillor Lowe and seconded by Councillor Forrest and

RESOLVED

1. That the byelaws outlined in Appendix 1 to the report of the Head of Regulatory Services (attached as an Annex to the report to Council) be adopted.

2. That the Head of Regulatory Services be given delegated authority to take all such steps as may be necessary to make, seal, advertise and obtain confirmation, under S.235 of the Local Government Act 1972, of the byelaws from the Secretary of State, so as to bring them into effect.

3. That the existing byelaws relating to ear piercing, acupuncture, tattooing and electrolysis in the Borough of Charnwood, made by the Council on 7^th March 1984 and confirmed by the Secretary of State, be revoked.

4. That the Head of Regulatory Services be given delegated authority to introduce a fee in line with our current fee for skin piercing activities and in line with the Council’s fees and charging policy.     

Reasons

1. To ensure that businesses undertaking cosmetic piercing and semi-permanent skin colouring are registered under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 and appropriate controls are in place to protect public health and the spread of blood-borne viruses such as HIV, hepatitis N and hepatitis C and other infections.

2. To enable appropriate steps to be taken to introduce the byelaws.

3. To enable the revocation of the existing byelaws, subject to the introduction of the proposed new update byelaws.

4. To enable an appropriate fee to be charged for the registration of relevant individuals and businesses.

There are no references to Council following the call-in of a Cabinet decision under Scrutiny Committee Procedure 11.7.

There were no call-in references from Scrutiny.

No requests for position statements have been received.

No position statements had been requested.

No motions on notice have been received.

No motions on notice had been submitted.

To deal with the following questions on notice, submitted under Full Council Procedure 9.9(a):

10.1    BANNING SALE OF FUR ITEMS

Question submitted by Councillor Campsall.

10.2    FUTURE HIGH STREET FUND

Question submitted by Councillor Parton.

10.3    VICTORIA STREET FLATS REGENERATION

Question submitted by Councillor Parton.

10.3    HOUSING DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

Question submitted by Councillor Boldrin.

10.4    HOMELESSNESS REDUCTION ACT 2017

Question submitted by Councillor Draycott.

10.5    CLIMATE EMERGENCY

Question submitted by Councillor Bolton.

10.6.   BULKY WASTE COLLECTION

Question submitted by Councillor Bolton.

10.7    THE “BIG SWITCH” SCHEME

Question submitted by Councillor Needham.

10.8    STRATEGIC GROWTH PLAN

Question submitted by Councillor Needham.

The questions on notice and the responses of the Leader or his nominee were submitted (item 10 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

BANNING SALE OF FUR ITEMS

Councillor Campsall thanked the Lead Member for the response and stated that he looked forward to the conclusion of the further work that was underway in relation to this matter.

FUTURE HIGH STREET FUND

Councillor Parton thanked the Lead Member for the response and stated that he was very positive about the future of Loughborough town centre and was excited about the various projects that were in development.

Councillor Bokor agreed with Councillor Poland and that it was an exciting time for the town centre and its future.

VICTORIA STREET FLATS REGENERATION

Councillor Parton thanked the Lead Member for the response and stated that it was the residents of the areas who mattered, and that there was huge Police action underway to deal with local problems, and that he felt the opening up of Southfields Park to the community would be a great benefit.

Councillor Harper Davies thanked Councillor Parton for bringing the issues to her attention and explained that some excellent stakeholder engagement was ongoing.

HOUSING DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

Councillor Boldrin thanked the Lead Member for the response but stated that he felt progress was lack lustre and asked what was being done to increase social housing building and when further information would come before Members.

Councillor Morgan stated that the Council was continuing to purchase further Housing Revenue Account properties and that the report to Cabinet concerning the housing development company had outlined its remit and that a further Cabinet report would be coming forward about stage two.

HOMELESSNESS REDUCTION ACT 2017

Councillor Draycott thanked the Lead Member for the response and stated that it confirmed that the number of homeless cases had increased by 121%. She referred to the current Leicestershire County Council proposal to cut out-reach support funding by £300,000 for Charnwood, and asked whether the Lead Member was aware of this and whether the Borough Council was prepared for the potential impact it would have.

Councillor Mercer confirmed that he was aware of the County Council’s proposals and that he had submitted a response to them. He explained that the increase in cases was due to a change in the definition of priority need under the Act, and that he was pleased with what the Council was achieving it meeting its extended responsibilities.        

CLIMATE EMERGENCY

Councillor Bolton thanked the Lead Member for the response but stated that it had not answered her question. She queried why, given that 60% of UK councils, the UK parliament and the Local Government Association had all declared a climate emergency, this Council had not, and asked when it would.

Councillor Rollings referred to the motion on notice that had been approved by the Council at its meeting on 24^th June 2019 concerning climate change. He also congratulated Councillor Needham on her appointment as the Member Champion for climate change.       

BULKY  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

There are no minute references.

There were no minute references.

A report of the Chief Executive, informing the Council of a decision taken by the Head of Strategic and Private Sector Housing to acquire a property which was exempted from call-in in accordance with Scrutiny Committee Procedure 11.9.

A report of the Chief Executive, informing the Council of an urgent decision made by the Head of Strategic and Private Sector Housing that was exempted from call-in in accordance with Scrutiny Committee Procedure 11.9, was submitted (item 12 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

Councillor Miah reiterated previous concerns that properties being purchased in this manner were subject to the right to buy scheme and asked for clarity on why properties other than those having two bedrooms were being purchased when Members had been informed that was where the greatest demand lay.

Councillor Morgan stated that he believed a response had been given previously to the same question.    

To consider any changes to Committee membership for the current Council year (2018/19) (if any).

It was proposed by Councillor Morgan and seconded by Councillor Poland and

RESOLVED

1. That Councillor Hadji-Nikolaou be appointed to the Scrutiny Commission to fill the vacancy arising from Councillor Hunt having become a Cabinet member.

2. That Councillor Rattray be appointed as the Chair of the Scrutiny Commission to replace Councillor Hunt.

3. That Councillor Rattray be appointed to the Housing, Planning and Regeneration Scrutiny Commission to replace Councillor Hunt.

4. That Councillor Popley be appointed as a Conservative representative on the Neighbourhoods and Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee to replace Councillor Rattray.

It was proposed by Councillor Needham and seconded by Councillor Snartt and

RESOLVED

That Councillor Campsall be appointed as a non-grouped representative on the Neighbourhoods and Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee to replace Councillor Popley.