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Contact: Mo Seedat - Tel: 0116 305 2583 Email: mo.seedat@leics.gov.uk
Note: Please note: This meeting will not be open to the public in line with Government advice on public gatherings. The meeting will be webcast live via YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWFpwBLs6MnUzG0WjejrQtQ
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Chairman's Announcements. PDF 468 KB Minutes: Col James Matheson Knight Weir OBE; TD; DL
and Mr Ray Mason. It was with sadness
that the Chairman reported the deaths of former County Councillors, Col ‘Jim’
Weir on 11th September 2020 and Mr Ray Mason on 21 September 2020. Col Weir served on the County Council between 1985
and 1993 and represented the Oakham Electoral Division. He served on the Policy
and Resources Committee, the Police Committee and the Public Protection
Committee. He was also
appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Leicestershire in 1984, and transferred to the
Rutland Lieutenancy in 1997, following the reorganisation of local government,
where he served as their Vice Lord-Lieutenant until his retirement in 2006. Mr R Mason was elected to the County Council in 1989
and served until 2005 representing the Sileby Electoral Division. He served on the
County Council Cabinet until 2002 and then served on various bodies including
the Education Scrutiny Committee, the Development Control and Regulatory Board
and the Combined Fire Authority. The Chairman
invited the Council to stand in silent tribute to the memory of Col Jim Weir
and Mr Ray Mason. County Service The Chairman
advised Members that it would not be possible to hold her planned County
Service at Leicester Cathedral on Sunday 4th October. She was, however, pleased to report that,
together with colleagues at the Cathedral, the service had been pre-recorded,
which would be available to view on the Cathedral’s website on the 4th,
at 3.00 p.m. In due course details would
be circulated on how to access the service. |
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Additional documents: Minutes: It was moved by the
Chairman, seconded by the Vice-Chairman and carried: “That the minutes
of the meeting of the Council held on 8th July 2020, copies of which
have been circulated to members, be taken as read, confirmed and signed.” |
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Declarations of Interest. Minutes: 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 on
the item in the Leader’s Position Statement on Devolution (Agenda Item 5). Dr Eynon and Mr
Miah declared a personal interest in the Position Statement by the Lead Member
for Communities as they were associated with community groups that had been
successful in obtaining grants for the Community Fund (Agenda Item 5). Mr Phillimore
declared a personal interest in those elements in the report of the Cabinet
concerning the Medium Term Financial Strategy which relate to SEN as his
partner worked at a SEN school in the County (Agenda Item 6 (a)). Dr Hill declared a
personal interest leading to bias regarding the appointment of Independent
Persons as she was a close personal friend of two of the persons recommended
for appointment (Agenda Item 7 (a)). Mr Orson declared a
personal interest in the Notice of Motion on Sky Lanterns and Helium Balloons
as a member of National Farmers Union (Agenda Item 8) Mr Rushton; Mr
Coxon; Mr Liquorish; Mr Harrison; Mrs Maggie Wright; Mr Bentley; Mr Parton; Mrs
Newton; Mr Kaufman; Mr Mullaney and Mr Boulter declared a personal interest in
the Notice of Motion on Sky Lanterns and Helium Balloons as members of the
Combined Fire Authority (Agenda Item 8). |
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Questions asked under Standing Order 7(1)(2) and (5). Minutes: (A) Mr Hunt asked the following question of the
Leader or his nominee: “1. Would
the Leader agree with me that we need to be robust when minimising risk to the
authority in financing Major Road Projects? 2. On
25th June 2019 the Cabinet received a report for the delivery of a
comprehensive £25million Major Road scheme at M1 J23 and the A512, as identified
in the Highways Capital Programme, involving negotiations to obtain the
necessary legal agreements and secure third party contributions but stating
that the third party funding, quoted as a net £8million, required further
authorisation before letting the contract for the work, and furthermore that
work would be suspended if agreement was not reached by 30th June
2019. On the 4th July 2019 I was informed that “we have reached agreement in
principle with the relevant parties”, and that we were “confident that the
necessary agreements will be signed in the short term.” Would the Leader confirm the third party
developers who are contributing to the project (locally understood to be the
developers of the West of Loughborough SUE, the former Wilson Bowden Science
Enterprise Park and various Shepshed housing developers)? 3. Would
the Leader confirm the contributions secured from each third party according to
their S106 or Planning Conditions? 4. On
June 30th, 2020 the LLEP received a grant of £20million from the
Government’s new Getting Building Fund of which £1.8million was allocated to
the M1/A512 Major Road Scheme. When was
this proposal submitted to the LLEP? 5. Why
was this further contribution from the public purse necessary when agreement on
funding this major road project was apparently reached in July last year?” Mr Pendleton
replied as follows: “1. Yes, and robust risk assessment is part of
all projects from inception through to construction with expert input from
finance and legal officers being sought throughout a project’s life. 2. Through S278 Highways Act agreements
Leicestershire County Council secured contributions from the landowners and
developers of the West of Loughborough SUE and the science and enterprise
park. The agreements plus related
Deferred Payments Agreements (DPA) were entered into
by the County Council to ensure that future landowners/developers of the SUE
and science and enterprise park would be liable for the contribution in the
event of onward transfer of the affected land. At the time of the agreements being
concluded the parties were: S278 North: 1) Leicestershire County Council 2) Trustees of The De Lisle Family Fund
(First Owner) 3) Grace Dieu Corporate Trustee One Limited
and Grace Dieu Corporate Trustee Two Limited (Second Owner) 4) Persimmon Homes Limited (Developer) 5) William Davis Limited (Option Holder) DPA North: 1) Leicestershire County Council 2) Persimmon Homes Limited 3) William Davis Limited 4) The Squire Amaury Arnaud March Phillipps De Lisle, Peter Andrew March Phillipps
De Lisle, Simon Jonathan Henry Still and Roythornes
Trustees Limited 5) Grace Dieu Corporate Trustee One Limited
and Grace Dieu Corporate Trustee Two Limited S278 South: 1) Leicestershire County Council 2) Wilson Bowden Developments Limited 3) Grace Dieu Corporate Trustee One Limited
and Grace Dieu Corporate Trustee Two Limited DPA South: 1) Leicestershire County Council 2) Wilson Bowden Developments Limited 3) Grace Dieu Corporate Trustee One Limited
and Grace Dieu Corporate Trustee Two Limited All other required contributions from
relevant Shepshed developments have been secured through s.106 agreements and
these are publicly available. 3. A list of s.106 contributions secured to
date is available attached. Planning conditions by Charnwood Borough Council as set out in Planning Permission references P/14/1833/2 Land at West of Loughborough, Loughborough Leicestershire and P/19/0524/2 Land West of ... view the full minutes text for item 13. |
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Position statements under Standing Order 8. PDF 184 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: The Leader gave a
position statement on Devolution and the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual
Abuse (IICSA) The Lead Member for
Health gave a position statement on Covid-19. The Lead Member for
Equalities, Community Engagement and Rural Partnerships gave a position
statement on the work which the Council has carried out to support
Leicestershire Communities over the past financial year, the Leicestershire
Rural Partnership (LRP) and the Green Plaque Awards. Copies of the
position statements are filed with these minutes. |
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Reports of the Cabinet. PDF 218 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: (A) Medium
Term Financial Strategy – Latest Position It was moved by Mr
Rhodes and seconded by Mr Shepherd: “a) That
the latest position of the 2020/21 revenue budget and capital programme as at
the end of July 2020 and the effect of Covid-19 be noted; b) That
the approach to updating the MTFS including actions being taken to mitigate the
overspend, be noted.” The motion was put
and carried, 31 members voting for the motion, 11 against and there were 6
abstentions. |
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Report of the Constitution Committee. PDF 280 KB Additional documents: Minutes: (A) Appointment of Independent Persons It was moved by Mr Rhodes, seconded by Mrs M Wright, and carried: “a) That Mr R Gough, Mr G Grimes, Ms T
Herring, Mrs H Kotecha, Prof. S Sharma and Ms P Roberts, be appointed to serve
as Independent Persons for a term of four years ending on 30 September 2024; b) That this Council’s appreciation be
conveyed to the outgoing Independent Persons in supporting the Authority to
uphold standards with elected members and senior chief officers.” |
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Notices of Motion. Minutes: (A) Sky
Lanterns and Helium Balloons – Mr J Orson JP CC Mr Orson, with the consent of the seconder of the motion, sought the
consent of the Council to move the following altered motion: It was moved by Mr Orson, seconded by Mrs Richardson, and carried: “Sky Lanterns, also
referred to as Chinese lanterns, are essentially small hot air balloons made of
paper with an opening at the bottom where a small fire is suspended. The
lanterns can be released into the air once lit until they burn out. A Defra
report concluded that the main concern regarding sky lanterns was in relation
to causing fire, as there have been several significant fires nationally which
have been attributed to their use. In respect of helium balloons the report
also raised concerns in relation to the ingestion of such balloons by animals. The Fire Service,
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and many other
organisations including the Marine Conservation Society, Women’s Food and
Farming Union (WFU), Soil Association and National Farmers Union (NFU) all
support a ban on sky lanterns and helium balloons. This motion therefore
calls on the Council:- a) Refuse permissions for the release of any
sky lanterns and helium balloons from any Council owned land regardless of the
purpose for the release; b) Refuse the sale of any sky lanterns and
helium balloons at any Council event or property; c) Require officers to introduce a condition
of contract relating to outdoor events and organised functions on land or
property owned and/or controlled by the County Council to prohibit the release
of any sky lantern or helium balloons regardless of purpose. d) To provide information on its website and
write to the Association of Parish Councils drawing attention to the harmful
effects of sky lanterns and helium balloons on the environment and animals; e) To
write to the Secretary of State (DEFRA) requesting legislation to control the
manufacture and sale of sky lanterns and helium balloons.” |