Agenda and minutes

A webcast of the meeting can be viewed at Committee meetings at Leicestershire County Council - YouTube

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

“That Mr Joe Orson be elected Chairman for the period until the next Annual Meeting of the Council.”

Mr Orson read out and signed his Declaration of Acceptance of Office which was witnessed and signed by the Chief Executive.

Mr Orson thanked his proposer and seconder for their generous remarks and members of the Council for appointing him as Chairman.

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

“That Mr Richard Shepherd be elected Vice-Chairman for the period until the next Annual Meeting of the Council.”

Mr Shepherd read out and signed his Declaration of Acceptance of Office which was witnessed and signed by the Chief Executive.

Mr Shepherd thanked his proposer and seconder for their generous remarks and members of the Council for appointing him as Vice-Chairman.

D-Day 80

Thursday 6^th June would mark the 80^th Anniversary of the D-day landings. To commemorate the occasion, the Chairman, along with Mrs. Posnett, Armed Forces Lead, would be raising a specially commissioned flag at County Hall. The small ceremony would be at 10.30 a.m. An invitation would be sent to all Members.

Later that day a special Evensong Service, led by the Dean of Leicester Cathedral, Karen Rooms, would be held at Leicester Cathedral to mark the anniversary. Members had already received their invitation.

The Chairman hoped that members would be able to join him at either one or both events to remember all those who fought in honour of our country during World War Two.

Armed Forces Day

As a prelude to Armed Forces Day, there would be an Armed Forces Day Flag-Raising ceremony at the Stand Easy Memorial, on Monday 24^th June at 10.30 a.m. Unfortunately, the Chairman would not be able to attend but the Vice Chairman, Richard Shepherd, would be hosting on his behalf. All members would be invited, and the Chairman hoped that they would be able to join the Vice Chairman.

On Saturday 29^th June, together with the Lord-Lieutenant and Lord Mayor of Leicester, the Chairman would be attending Armed Forces Day Parade in Leicester City. The parade would include service personnel, veterans, and cadets who would march through the streets of Leicester. Following the parade there would be an outside ‘Drumhead Service’ in Jubilee Square.  The Chairman invited members to come into the City and watch this fitting tribute to the Armed Forces and veterans

County Service

The Chairman would be hosting a County Service later in the year and all Members would receive an invitation in due course.

The Chief Executive presented the report of the Returning Officer on the election of the County Councillor for the Burbage Electoral Division on 2 May 2024.

The Chairman welcomed Mr Barry Richard Walker CC to the Council.

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

“That the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 21 February 2024, 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.

Mr Bedford declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in the Leader’s Position Statement as he was an employee of one of the organisations referred to and, although the item did not directly affect his financial interests, it related in part to his employer so he would leave the room whilst it was debated.

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

“1.          At the last Council Meeting the Cabinet proposed and Council duly accepted, in light of the Council’s financial position, the proposal to revise the Council’s net zero targets for its own operations, from 2030 to 2035. How has this affected the budget and how will it affect the actions that Council recently agreed?

2.           At the last Council Meeting the Cabinet proposed and Council duly accepted, in light of the Council’s financial position, the proposal to revise the Council’s net zero targets for the wider County, from 2045 to 2050. How has this affected the budget and how will it affect the actions that Council recently agreed?”

Mr Pain replied as follows:

“1.          During the preparation of the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for 2024-2028, it was established that additional funding would be required each year to progress the Council’s ambitions in relation to net zero and the wider environment. The Council’s financial position however, meant this additional funding was not available and it was, therefore, agreed by the County Council that the net zero target for the Council’s own operations would be revised from 2030 to 2035 to reflect the existing budget. The published MTFS, as approved by the County Council on 21 February 2024, has not been affected by this decision.

Officers are currently reviewing the 2030 Net Zero Council Action Plan to take into account the revised target and consider what actions can be prioritised for delivery within the staff and financial resources available.

2.            During the preparation of the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for 2024-2028, it was established that additional funding would be required each year to progress the Council’s ambitions in relation to net zero and the wider environment. The Council’s financial position however, meant this additional funding was not available and it was, therefore, agreed by the County Council that the net zero target for the wider county would be revised from 2045 to 2050 to reflect the existing budget. The published MTFS, as approved by the County Council on 21 February 2024, has not been affected by this decision.

Officers are currently reviewing the Net Zero Leicestershire Action Plan to take into account the revised target and consider what actions can be prioritised for delivery within the staff and financial resources available.”

Mr Hunt asked the following supplementary question:

“1.     On the County Council's own operations for climate change, which have been remarkably successful, saving millions of pounds on street lighting and saving energy on this building, why are we delaying it without even knowing how we're going to achieve the target we've set?

2.         On the second part, we really do not have an answer on this, simply saying that officers may come up with something.  If I could just summarise where we are: we responded to an emergency, we set about 150 or more actions, then we decided to delay them for five years. But you're not sure how to do it, are you?”

 Mr Pain replied as follows:

“1.     I don't believe we're delaying anything. We've set out to achieve our Net Zero targets by 2045 and 2050 respectively.”

2.      Yes, the Council did declare a climate emergency but, I must say, we have answered the initial question.  There is no change to the budget that we set in February. I have to say that the Labour group did not come forward with an amendment to that budget proposing £475,000 worth of additional funding to meet the initial targets, so we had to make  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

[Mr Bedford, having declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, left the room during consideration of this item.]

The Leader gave a position statement on the following matters:

·         Local Elections 2024;

·         Performance and Efficiency Update;

·         Gas Outage – Ratby and Kirby Muxloe;

·         Tree for Every Person;

·         Rural Broadband.

The Cabinet Lead Member for Children, Families, Safer Communities and Regulatory Services gave a position statement on the following matters:

·         Family Hubs;

·         School Admissions;

·         Young Volunteer of the Year – Charlie Tripp;

·         Protecting Leicestershire consumers and businesses;

·         Rutland and North Leicestershire Coroner’s Service.

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

It was moved by Mr Rushton, seconded by Mr Breckon and carried unanimously:

“That Council meetings in 2024/25 and 2025/26 be held on the following dates: -

• Wednesday 3 July 2024
• Wednesday 25 September 2024
• Wednesday 4 December 2024
• Wednesday 19 February 2025 (to consider the budget)
• Wednesday 14 May 2025 (Annual Meeting)
• Wednesday 2 July 2025
• Wednesday 24 September 2025
• Wednesday 3 December 2025
• Wednesday 18 February 2026 (to consider the budget)
• Wednesday 13 May 2026 (Annual Meeting).”

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

“(a)   That the Basic and Special Responsibility Allowances be increased by the equivalent percentage increase awarded to Spinal Column Point 43 of Grade 15, for the period 1^st April 2024 to 31^st March 2025. The increase be implemented as soon as practicable after the employee pay award is agreed and be back dated to 1^st April;

(b)       That the arrangement for indexation of Basic and Special Responsibility Allowances continue until 31^st March 2028 based upon the equivalent percentage increase on SCP 43, Grade 15, of the County Council’s pay spine. The increase will be implemented when the employee pay award is agreed for each year and backdated to 1^st April of that year;

(c)        That the current levels of Travel and Subsistence allowances remain unchanged;

(d)       That those Members who submitted an Annual Report be thanked for doing so;

(e)       That the submission of Annual Reports continues for the next four years;

(f)         That those Members who did not submit a report in 2022/23 submit one for the municipal year 2023/24.”

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

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

It was moved by Mr Rushton, seconded by Mrs Taylor 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.”

A copy of List 1 is filed with these minutes.

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

“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. R. Ashman CC

Mr. T. Parton CC

Mr. C. Smith CC

Mrs. M. Wright CC.”

40 members voted for the motion.

It was moved by Mr Poland, seconded by Mr Bray and carried:

Membership

“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.”

Substitutes

“That the Chief Executive be authorised to make and terminate appointments to the Commission, committees, boards and other County Council bodies (not including the Cabinet) in accordance with the wishes of the Political Groups to whom the seat in question has been allocated, subject in the case of those bodies set out in List ‘2’ to the Group giving one day’s notice to the Chief Executive of its wishes.”

A copy of List ‘2’ and List ‘3’ is filed with these minutes.