Agenda and minutes

A webcast of the meeting can be viewed at http://council.webcast.vualto.com/leicestershire-county-council/home?EventId=17259

Mr David Oldman

The Chairman reported the death of former County Councillor David Oldman who had died in June aged 66 whilst hiking from London to Gibraltar.  Mr Oldman had represented the Leicester (Newton) Electoral Division between 1977 and 1981.  He had mainly served on the Social Services Committee and Education Arts Committee.

Members joined the Chairman standing in silent tribute to the memory of Mr David Oldman.

Anthony Nolan Trust

The Chairman drew Members’ attention to the Anthony Nolan Trust stall which had been set up in the Members’ Lounge at which Rik Basra had provided further information about the Trust’s work and his personal campaign to get people to register with the Stem Cell Donor Register.  The Chairman reminded Members that Rik was a former Police Officer, who, with just two weeks to live, had managed to find the perfect match.  The Chairman was pleased to report that Rik was now an employee of the County Council, having joined the Community Safety Team, and would be a tremendous asset to the County Council.  The Chairman was sure that all Members would do all they could to help support Rik’s high profile campaign.

Local Conscientious Objectors, 1916-1919

The Chairman reported that 2016 was the centenary of the passing of the Military Service Act which had introduced military conscription into this country for the first time.  Members had seen the exhibition in the Members Lounge entitled ‘No Shirking Coward but a Man of Honour’.  The exhibition, which had been researched and devised by the Record Office, told the tale of some of those men in Leicestershire whose faith or political views had led them to refuse to join the army.  It was a story that should be told.

Film highlights forgotten war

The Chairman reported that the County Council’s war memorials project and the East Midlands Oral History Archive had interviewed members of the British Korean Veteran’s Association to mark the 60^th anniversary of the end of the Korean War.  The Veterans had described their experiences of living in trenches, facing enemy attacks and coping with fierce winds and bleak hills.

The footage had now been edited and released as a one hour, six minutes long film, including photographs taken by the veterans.  The film, entitled Memories of the Korean War, was available on Youtube.

Visitors

The Chairman welcomed to the meeting all visitors and guests of members and anyone who was viewing the meeting via the webcast.

It was moved by the Chairman, seconded by the Vice-Chairman and carried:-

“That the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 28 September 2016, copies of which have been circulated to members, be taken as read, confirmed and signed.”

The Chairman invited members who wished to do so to make declarations of interest in respect of items on the agenda for the meeting.

Dr Eynon declared a personal interest in the Annual Report of the Director of Public Health, as she was a salaried GP.

There were no other declarations.

(A)   Mr Hunt asked the following question of the Leader or his nominee:-

“With regard to the LGA Climate Local will the Leader:-

a)     Reaffirm the Council’s support for LGA’s Climate Local to drive and inspire action on Climate Change?

b)     Note that Climate Local promotes joint working, shared experience and ideas and as such advise me as to what more can be done jointly with our neighbours to raise the profile of carbon reduction and meet the objectives of the Paris Accord?

c)     Advise me how many annual progress reports towards the County Council’s carbon reduction target and climate change resilience have been submitted to Climate Local and where these reports are published?”

Mrs Posnett replied as follows:-

“a)    Climate Local ceased at the end of March 2016. Climate Local was coordinated by the Environment Agency working with the LGA. The Environment Agency is no longer able to support the programme and the LGA and the Climate Local Board have not been able to secure the resources needed to keep the programme going.

However, we will continue to deliver on the actions within the Environment Strategy and Carbon Reduction Strategy both of which have the objective of reducing carbon emissions.

b)     The Carbon Reduction Strategy is delivered in partnership with other parties including district councils, Leicester Energy Agency, LLEP and the National Forest Company. Where possible joint action has taken place to deliver on various actions such as the Warm Homes, Healthy Homes project which implements heating and insulation measures for those experiencing fuel poverty; the Green Belle project (a joint project with the Leicester Energy Agency) which provides funding and support to SMEs to introduce energy efficiency measures and also support SME’s to develop renewable energy businesses; and the work with Leicester City Council and local bus operators to improve ticketing options for passengers which will better encourage the use of public transport.

        There is also the CLIMA group which consists of Climate and Environment Officers from County, City, District Councils and the Environment Agency. This group shares good practice and seeks to identify opportunities for joint working.

        While the UK has signed and ratified the Paris Agreement we do not as yet have much detail on how the Paris Agreement will be implemented and what, if any, responsibilities will be required of local government.

c)     The initial Climate Local Commitments report was submitted in 2013 with a subsequent Progress Report produced in 2014. The Climate Local Commitments were reviewed in September 2014 and it was agreed that these commitments would run to March 2016 and that a progress report would be submitted then. However, no report was produced in 2016 due to Climate Local coming to an end.

        The Climate Local Progress reports were published on the former County Council website but are not included on the current website due to Climate Local coming to an end.”

(B)   Mr Hunt asked the following question of the Leader or his nominee:-

“1.      With regard to the Carbon Reduction Strategy agreed by the Cabinet in July 2014 will the Leader please advise:-

a)       How the carbon reduction target for Leicestershire of 23% by 2020 compared to 2005 is this being measured and how, after two years, are we measuring up to that target?

b)       How the target to ensure carbon emissions from transport do not exceed 'current levels' over the life of the strategy, irrespective of growth in net travel is this being measured and how, after two years are we measuring up to that target?

c)       What contributions to the target of carbon reduction, has been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

The Leader presented a position statement on the following matters:-

·       Help to Live at Home;

·       Syrian Refugees and Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children;

·       Digital Strategy;

·       Medium Term Financial Strategy and Fairer Funding;

·       Sustainability and Transformation Plan;

·       Infrastructure Funding;

·       Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable’s Briefing;

·       Bishop of Leicester.

A copy of the position statement is filed with these minutes.

It was moved by Mr Kershaw, seconded by Mr Shepherd, and carried:-

“That Option 3: Opting in to a Sector Led Body appointed by the Secretary of State under the Local Audit and Accountability Act for the appointment of External Auditors, be approved.”

It was moved by Mr Kershaw, seconded by Mr Shepherd, and carried:-

“That the proposed amendments to the Contract Procedure Rules, set out in Appendix A to the report of the Corporate Governance Committee, be approved.”

It was moved by Mr Kershaw, seconded by Mr Shepherd, and carried:-

“That the proposed amendments to the Financial Procedure Rules, set out in Appendix B to the report of the Corporate Governance Committee, be approved.”

It was moved by Mr Rhodes, seconded by Rushton, and carried:-

“That the Leicestershire County Council Annual Performance Report 2016, as referred to in Section A of the report of the Cabinet, be approved.”

It was moved by Mr White, seconded by Mr Houseman, and carried:-

“That the Director of Public Health Annual Report 2016 be noted with support.”

On the motion being put and before the vote was taken, five members rose asking that the vote be recorded.  The vote was recorded as follows:-

For the motion:-

Mr Bentley, Mr Bill, Mr Blunt, Mrs Camamile, Mr Coxon, Mrs Dickinson, Dr Eynon, Dr Feltham, Mr Galton, Mr Hampson, Mr Hart, Mr Houseman, Mr Hunt, Mr Jennings, Mr Kaufman, Ms Knaggs, Mr Lewis, Mr Liquorish, Mr Lynch, Mr Miah, Ms Newton, Mr Orson, Mr Osborne, Mr O’Shea, Mr Ould, Mrs Page, Mr Pain, Mr Pearson, Mr Pendleton, Mrs Posnett, Mrs Radford,Mr Rhodes, Mrs Richards, Mr Richardson, Mr Rushton, Mr Sharp, Mr Sheahan, Mr Shepherd, Mr Snartt, Mr Sprason, Mr White, Miss Worman, Mr Yates

The motion was carried, 43 members voting for the motion and none against.

1. That this Council notes:-

a)    The Trades Union Congress (TUC) ‘Dying To Work’ Campaign calling for terminal illness to be made a ‘protected characteristic’;

b)    That the TUC is requesting employers to sign up to a Voluntary Charter which states the following:-

·       We recognise that terminal illness requires support and understanding and not additional and avoidable stress and worry;

·       Terminally ill workers will be secure in the knowledge that we will support them following their diagnosis and we recognise that safe and reasonable work can help maintain dignity, offer a valuable distraction and can be therapeutic in itself;

·       We will provide our employees with the security of work, peace of mind and the right to choose the best course of action for themselves and their families which helps them through this challenging period with dignity and without undue financial loss;

·       We will support the TUC’s Dying to Work campaign so that all employees battling terminal illness have adequate employment protection and have their death in service benefits protected for the loved ones they leave behind.

2. That this Council, as a responsible employer, agrees to sign the voluntary Charter so that employees who are battling terminal illness are supported, guided and protected following diagnosis.

3. That the Employment Committee be asked to consider how best the County Council’s existing policies could be modified to support the principles outlined in the Charter.

It was moved by Mrs Newton, seconded by Mr Rhodes, and carried unanimously:-

“1.      That this Council notes:-

a)       The TUC ‘Dying To Work’ Campaign calling for terminal illness to be made a ‘protected characteristic’;

b)       The TUC is requesting employers to sign up to a Voluntary Charter which states the following:-

•   We recognise that terminal illness requires support and understanding and not additional and avoidable stress and worry.

•   Terminally ill workers will be secure in the knowledge that we will support them following their diagnosis and we recognise that safe and reasonable work can help maintain dignity, offer a valuable distraction and can be therapeutic in itself.

•   We will provide our employees with the security of work, peace of mind and the right to choose the best course of action for themselves and their families which helps them through this challenging period with dignity and without undue financial loss.

•   We will support the TUC’s Dying to Work campaign so that all employees battling terminal illness have adequate employment protection and have their death in service benefits protected for the loved ones they leave behind.

2.       That this Council, as a responsible employer, agrees to sign the voluntary Charter so that employees who are battling terminal illness are supported, guided and protected following diagnosis.

3.       That the Employment Committee be asked to consider how best the County Council’s existing policies could be modified to support the principles outlined in the Charter.”