Agenda and minutes

A webcast of the meeting can be viewed at http://council.webcast.vualto.com/leicestershire-county-council/home?EventId=19347

Last Meeting of the Current County Council

The Chairman mentioned those Members for whom the meeting would be their last as County Councillors and wished them well for the future.

The Chairman also acknowledged the service of those Members who would not be standing for re-election.

The Chairman further thanked all Members for their service to the County and people of Leicestershire and also for the courtesy and support they had shown to him during the past year.

Mr Barry Garner

The Chairman thanked Mr Barry Garner for his generous gift to the County Council, which he had donated in grateful thanks of his service on the County Council from 1997 to 2013.

The gift of an engraved silver salver and accompanying decanter and glasses would be displayed in the Silver Collection Cabinets in the Members Lounge.

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 Mrs Richards, and carried:-

“That the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 22^nd February 2017, 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.

There were no declarations.

(A)   Dr Eynon asked the following question of the Leader or his nominee:-

"What is this Council's responsibility as Waste Authority for ensuring that the nature of the waste material stored in the Ravenstone lagoons is compliant with permissions given for storing and spreading? Has this Authority assessed the impact of these activities on the surrounding towns and villages?"

Mr Blunt replied as follows:-

“North West Leicestershire District Council gave consent to carry out agricultural permitted development for two clay lined lagoons on 28^th November 2014 and control over the development therefore rests with that Council.

The County Council has not been involved in the planning approval. It has no role in this matter and therefore has not assessed the impact of the activities on the surrounding towns and villages.”

(B)   Dr Hill asked the following question of the Leader or his nominee:-

“1.      Can the Leader please advise me of the total number of people that were provided with homecare services, either by or through the Council, during July 2016, before Help to Live at Home launched, and how many people were provided with homecare services during January this year, broken down into self-funders and non-self-funders?

2.       A recent budget monitoring report presented to the Scrutiny Commission revealed that there is a £2.6m overspend on Residential and Nursing Care.  The explanation given said it was partially caused by the need to cover gaps in domestic care services following the launch of Help to Live at Home by placing people in residential care in the short term.  Can the Leader please provide me with the number of service users eligible for homecare that were instead provided with residential care and the additional cost to the Council?”

Mr Houseman replied as follows:-

“1.      In July 2016, 3,370 people received home care either directly from the Council or commissioned from the independent sector.  Of these, 503 (15%) paid for the full cost of their care.  The total number receiving care in these ways in January 2017 was lower principally due to 740 choosing to switch to a direct payment for their care and 250 full cost payers deciding to make their own private arrangements.  This resulted in 2,139 people receiving care either directly from the Council or commissioned from the independent sector of whom 253 (12%) were full cost payers.

2.       For the period between March 2016 and February 2017 there were 138 people placed in an interim residential or nursing placement awaiting a package of care.  During this period the total cost of these placements was £192,300.  The highest level of interim care activity was in November 2016 with 35 people starting a placement at a total cost of £53,900.  The average number of people starting per month has since returned to the pre-November position of approximately 10 placements.”  

Dr Hill asked the following supplementary question:-

“I would like to ask Mr Houseman to check his sums because I make 3,370, less 740, less 350 and that is the starter figure, less the people who switched direct payments, less the self-funders who have gone independent, makes 2,380, missing 241 people.  Secondly, the Leader in his statement says there were 1,619 services users, but in my reply it says 2,139.”

Mr Houseman replied as follows:-

“Thank you Dr Hill for the supplementary question.  First, can I say, as this is my last full Council meeting that I have always respected you for being one of the most sensible, diligent and hardworking Liberal Democrat members, and a very nice person.

In answer to your question, a number of factors have an impact  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.

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

·       Midlands Engine/Midlands Connect;

·       Fire and Rescue Service – Member Briefing;

·       Energy and Water Strategy;

·       Help to Live at Home;

·       Glenfield Children’s Heart Hospital;

·       Elections.

The Cabinet Lead Member for Finance and Resources gave a position statement on Adult Social Care Funding.

The Cabinet Lead Member for Children and Families gave a position statement on the National Funding Formula for Schools.

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

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

“That the County Council’s Pay Policy Statement 2017/18, as referred to in the report of the Employment Committee, be approved.”

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

“That the revised Members’ Planning Code of Good Practice as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Corporate Governance Committee, be approved.”

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

“That the County Council accepts the delegation of the internal audit function from Leicester City Council on the basis outlined in the report.”

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

“That approval be given to the establishment of a Joint Committee made up of the eight Midlands-based Local Government Pension Funds (including the Leicestershire Fund) to form the LGPS Central Investment Pool and that the Chairman of the Leicestershire Local Pension Committee act as the Fund’s representative on the Joint Committee with the Vice Chairman acting as a substitute.”

Mr Rushton, with the consent of the seconder of the motion, sought the approval of the Council to move the following altered motion:-

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

MOTION 1

“(a)     That the County Council’s Annual General Meeting be held at 2.00 p.m. on Wednesday, 17^th May 2017.

(b)      That Standing Order 1(5) be amended to read as follows:

“SO1(5)        Unless the Council otherwise determines, all meetings of the Council shall be held at 2.00 p.m. other than a meeting on a Saturday which shall be held at 10.00 a.m. provided that the time may be varied by the Chairman following consultation with the Group Leaders.”

(c)      That Council meetings in 2017/18 and 2018/19 be held on the following dates:-

Wednesday 28 June 2017

Wednesday 27 September 2017

Wednesday 6 December 2017

Wednesday 21 February 2018 (Budget Meeting)

Wednesday 21 March 2018

Wednesday 16 May 2018 (Annual Meeting)

Wednesday 27 June 2018

Wednesday 26 September 2018 

Wednesday 5 December 2018

Wednesday 20 February 2019 (Budget Meeting)

Wednesday 20 March 2019

Wednesday 15 May 2019 (Annual Meeting)

MOTION 2 – Procedural Motion in accordance with Standing Order 37

(d)      That the change to Standing Order 1 (The Meetings Procedure Rules) as set out in (b) above, be approved.”

(Note: Standing Order 37 requires that this procedural motion, having been moved and seconded, stands adjourned until the next meeting of the Council.)