Agenda and minutes

A webcast of the meeting can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWFpwBLs6MnUzG0WjejrQtQ

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

“That Mrs Posnett be re-elected Chairman for the period until the next Annual Meeting of the Council.”

Mrs Posnett read out and signed her Declaration of Acceptance of Office which was witnessed and signed by the Chief Executive.

Mr G. Gibson, Mr A. O’Brien and Mr D. B. Radford

It was with sadness that the Chairman reported the deaths of three former County Councillors, Mr G. Gibson, Mr A. O’Brien and Mr D. B. Radford.

Mr Geoffrey Gibson served as a member of the County Council from 1973 to 1985 and represented the Barrow upon Soar Electoral Division.  He served as Leader of the Council from 1973 to 1980 and during his term of office served mainly on the Policy and Resources and Finance and General Purposes Committees of the Council. Mr Gibson passed away on 28^th February 2020.

Mr Tony O’Brien served as a member of the County Council from 1985 to 1997 representing the Evington Electoral Division.  He served mainly on the Social Services and the Urban Policies Committees of the Council.  Mr O’Brien passed away on 3^rd April 2020.

Mr David Radford served as a member of the County Council from 1973 to 1977 and again from 1981 to 1997 and represented the Eyres Monsell Division.  He was elected Chairman of the Council from 1986 to 1987 and during his term of office he served mainly on the Environment and Policy and Resources Committees.  Mr Radford passed away on 20^th June 2020.

Mr S. Jones and Mr M. Wells

It was with sadness that the Chairman reported the deaths of two former senior officers, Mr S. Jones and Mr M. Wells.

Sam Jones was appointed Chief Executive of Leicestershire County Council in 1976 and served in this role, and as Clerk of the Lieutenancy, until 1991.  His early career in local government began as an Assistant Solicitor in 1964 for Macclesfield Borough Council.  He then joined Bedford Borough Council, Coventry City Council, and Sheffield City Council, before coming to Leicestershire.  His final appointment was as Clerk of the City of London Corporation until his retirement in 1996.  He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Leicestershire in 1992.  Sam passed away on 6^th March 2020.

Mick Wells served as the County Director of Social Services until his retirement in 1998.  Mick Wells joined the Leicester City Welfare Department in 1958 and held several posts before being appointed as Assistant Director in 1973 then promoted to be Deputy Director a post he held until 1986 when he was appointed as Director and remained in post until retirement.  Mick passed away on 24^th February 2020.

The Chairman invited the Council to stand in silent tribute to the memory of Geoffrey Gibson, Tony O’Brien, David Radford, Sam Jones and Mick Wells and also for all Leicestershire residents who sadly lost their lives during the pandemic.

Remembering Srebrenica

2020 marked 25 years since the genocide in Srebrenica in Bosnia-Herzegovina where 8,372 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were murdered in the worst atrocity on European soil since the Second World War.

The Chairman invited all Members to join her in observing a one-minute silence as the Council remembered those murdered in Srebrenica on 11^th July 1995, the survivors of the Death March, the men who survived the mass executions, to honour their courage in telling their stories, the Mothers of Srebrenica, who grieve every day for their missing and murdered relatives and who fight tirelessly for truth and justice, and the women and girls caught up in this atrocity along with the elderly, the sick and the children murdered during the fall of Srebrenica.

The Chairman asked all members to stand in silent remembrance of the lives lost and destroyed by hatred, prejudice and genocide denial.

It was moved by the Chairman, seconded by Mr Kaufman and carried:

“That the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 17 February 2020, 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 this meeting.

All members who were members of District and Borough Councils declared a personal interest in the report of the Cabinet on Coronavirus – Item 7A on the agenda – (minute 7A  refers).

Mrs Posnett, Mr Pearson and Mr Orson declared a personal interest in relation to the Melton Mowbray Distributor Road referred to in the Leaders Position Statement (minute 6 refers).

Ms Hack declared a personal interest in the question she had asked regarding school transport refunds (minute 5 refers).

Mr Miah declared a personal interest in the report of the Cabinet on Coronavirus – Item 7A on the agenda - as a member of a local charity working to support people affected (minute 7A refers).

Dr Eynon, Mrs Radford, Dr Hill, Mr O’Shea and Dr Feltham declared a personal interest in the report of the Cabinet on Coronavirus – Item 7A on the agenda as volunteers or management committee members on voluntary and community bodies that had applied for and were successful in obtaining a community grant from the County Council (minute 7A refers).

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

“On 29^th January 2020 the Leicester Mercury reported a spokesperson for the Council as saying: “We are looking into the possibility of working with the National Forest Company to investigate the feasibility of expanding the National Forest’s boundaries.”

An aspiration to plant more trees is mentioned in this Council’s Tree Strategy.  The Environment Strategy refers to a need to protect and enhance the National Forest, but boundary changes and expansion are not mentioned.

• What proposals, if any, exist for planting in the area of the Charnwood Forest Regional Park?
• Are there any plans to expand the current National Forest Boundary? 
• Have formal discussions taken place with the National Forest Company, DEFRA or any government department?”

Mr Pain replied as follows:

“Officers of the council continue to work closely with the National Forest Company (NFC) to promote tree planting within existing boundaries and there are a number of projects that are being planned.  This planning is at an early stage and will involve discussions with partners and stakeholders so details are not available at this point in time.  The most recent meeting took place on Friday 26^th June.

The NFC current position is to maintain the integrity of its current 200 square mile boundary to continue to create the identity of the National Forest, target resources for delivery, and focus effort to achieve its new 25 Year Vision.  However, the NFC will also continue to operate outside of the boundary in delivering shared objectives that will buffer, support and strengthen the National Forest environment, economy and communities.  In addition, the NFC will share its expertise and learning with partners at a local, national and international level to demonstrate and advocate climate change mitigation and adaptation, with the National Forest as an exemplar of sustainable living.  

A specific project worth mentioning is the creation of a Covid-19 commemoration wood at Market Bosworth Country Park.  This is outside of the National Forest boundaries but has been supported by the NFC as it is part of the gateway to the forest.

The County Council recently launched its Tree Strategy and looks forward to the appointment of a new Forestry Manager in August. More details around tree planting and partnership working will emerge in due course.”

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

“During discussions with Snibston Stakeholders and Community Group, some months ago, a suggestion was put forward to create an access way between the newly refurbished Snibston Heritage Park and Coalville Town Football Club.  This proposal would encourage visitors to the town to park on County Council premises and divert football traffic away from the congested residential town centre streets.

Could the Leader tell me what progress has been made on implementing this suggestion?”

Mr Rhodes replied as follows:

“The matter that was raised with Council officers was to create a pedestrian gateway that would enable access from the car park onto the public pathway and into the Football Club. Officers have managed to include this extra provision within the scope of the Snibston development programme.”

Dr Eynon asked the following supplementary question:

“I thank the Lead Member for this response and am pleased to see that officers have managed to include the provision of a pedestrian gateway as part of the Snibston development programme and that this will allow access from the Snibston car park into the Football Club.

Please may I have a copy of a scale drawing of the proposed access to share with partner organisations and the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

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

•                  Coronavirus (COVID-19)

•                  Lockdown of Leicester and surrounding areas

•                  Economic Recovery

•                  Devolution

•                  Melton Mowbray Distributor Road

•                  The retirement of Ivan Ould CC from his role as Cabinet Lead Member for Children and Families and Community Safety.

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

It was moved by Mr Rhodes, seconded by Mr Breckon, and carried:

“a)      That the work being undertaken address the on-going impact of and to recover from the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic be noted

b)       That the increasingly serious financial position facing the County Council and the measures in place to monitor and minimise the impact be noted.”

It was moved by Mr Pain, seconded by Mr Rushton and carried:

“That the revised Strategic Plan 2018 -2022 be approved, recognising that the Plan will need to be revisited as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.”

It was moved by Mr Pain, seconded by Mr Pendleton and carried:

“a)      That the revised Environment Strategy 2018-2030, the associated revised Environment Strategy Action Plan and Tranche 1 of the Carbon Reduction Roadmap, be approved;

b)       That it be noted that a further report presenting the complete Carbon Reduction Roadmap (incorporating the newly developed Tranche 2) will be submitted to the County Council in the summer of 2021.”

It was moved by Mrs Richardson, seconded by Mr Rushton and carried:

“That the Equality Strategy 2020 -2024 and Equality Action Plan 2020- 2021 be approved.”

It was moved by Mr Ould, seconded by Mrs Taylor and carried:

“That the Youth Justice Strategic Plan 2020 – 2023 be approved.”

It was moved by Mr Rushton, seconded by Mr Shepherd and carried:

“That Council meetings in 2020/21 and 2021/22 be held on the following dates:-

•         Wednesday 30 September 2020  

•         Wednesday 2 December 2020

•         Wednesday 17 February 2021 (to consider the budget)

•         Wednesday 19 May 2021 (Annual Meeting)

•         Wednesday 7 July 2021

•         Wednesday 29 September 2021

•         Wednesday 1 December 2021

•         Wednesday 23 February 2022 (to consider the budget)

•         Wednesday 18 May 2022 (Annual meeting)”

It was moved by Mr Galton, seconded by Mrs Page and carried:

“That the information contained in the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2019/20, attached as Appendix A to this report, on its activities, be noted.”

It was moved by Mr Pain, seconded by Mr Shepherd and carried:

“That MR N. J. RUSHTON be appointed Leader of the Council for the period until the next Annual Meeting of the Council.”

(The Labour Group requested that it be noted that they abstained from voting).

It was moved by Mr Rushton, seconded by Mr Shepherd and carried:

“That it be noted that the Leader proposes to appoint the members named on list ‘1’ attached to the Order Paper as members of the Cabinet.”

(The Labour Group requested that it be noted that they abstained from voting).

It as moved by Mr Rushton, seconded by Mr Shepherd and carried on a majority vote:

“That the following members be appointed as Cabinet Support Members until the next Annual Meeting of the County Council, as provided for in Article 7 of the Council’s Constitution: -

Mr O. O’Shea

Mrs B. Seaton

Mrs C. M. Radford”

(The Liberal Democrat Group and Labour Group voted against the motion to appoint Cabinet Support Members).

It was moved by Mr Shepherd, seconded by Mr Charlesworth and carried:

“That the membership of the Scrutiny Commission, Boards and Committees as set out in List ‘2’ and the Chairmen Elect and Spokespersons named in List ‘3’ attached to the Order Paper, be approved.”