Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 24 November 2026 were taken as read, confirmed and signed.

The Chief Executive reported that no questions had been received under Standing Order 35.

The Chief Executive reported that no questions had been received under Standing Order 7(3) and 7(5).

There were no urgent items for consideration.

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

Mrs D. Taylor CC and Mr M. Mullaney CC declared an interest in agenda item 7 as the proposed changes to the Constitution affected their positions on the County Council’s Scrutiny Commission.

The Committee considered a report of the Monitoring Officer, the purpose of which was to present the revised draft protocol on the appointment of Honorary Aldermen and Alderwomen.  A copy of the report marked ‘Agenda Item 6’ is filed with these minutes.

RESOLVED:

That the County Council be recommended to approve the Protocol on the appointment of Honorary Aldermen and Alderwomen as set out in the Appendix to this report.

The Committee considered a report and a supplementary report of the Monitoring Officer, the purpose of which was to recommend changes to the Constitution as part of a mid-year review.  A copy of the reports marked ‘Agenda item 7’ are filed with these minutes.

Mrs Taylor CC advised the Committee that she opposed the changing of Article 6.05 to introduce the ability for the Chairmanship of the Scrutiny Commission to rotate between to the two main political opposition groups.  She commented that the current approach by which the leader of the main opposition took on this role, had worked well for over 20 years and provided stability, independence and public confidence in the Council’s scrutiny processes and suggested there was no clear justification for making the change.  Mrs Taylor added that rotation of the Chairmanship weakened scrutiny by creating uncertainty and less independence, making the role subject to annual political negotiation.

At Members request, the Chief Legal Officer and Monitoring Officer advised that there was no specific guidance either for or against rotating the chairmanship of scrutiny committees and that this was therefore a matter for members to determine.

Mr Mullaney CC advised that he did not wish to become Chairman of the Commission this year (2026/27) and that he would remain Vice-Chair with Mrs Taylor as Chair.  For the future, however, he felt the proposed change  provided flexibility and argued that such rotation arrangements were in place elsewhere and that this was appropriate given that local politics was now more closely split, with two sizable opposition groups.

It was moved, seconded and unanimously approved that the changes to the Constitution set out in the Appendix (excluding the proposed change to Article 6.05) be approved for submission to the full County Council in May.

It was further moved, seconded and approved that the proposed change to Article 6.05 as set out in the Appendix be approved for submission to the full County Council in May. Mrs Taylor voted against the motion.

RESOLVED:

That the County Council be recommended to approve the proposed changes to the Constitution set out in Appendix to the report.

The public are likely to be excluded during the following item of business in accordance with section 100(a) of the Local Government Act 1972:

-         Charitable Trusts Update and Grant Application.

RESOLVED:

That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideratoin of the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972:

-         Charitable Trusts Update and Grant Application

The Committee (sitting as Trustee) considered an exempt report of the Chief Legal Officer and Monitoring Officer which gave an update on progress in relation to the transfer of educational trusts in line with previous decisions of the Trustee.  A copy of the report marked ‘Agenda Item 10’ is filed with these minutes.

The report was not for publication as it contained information relating to individuals and relating to the financial and business affairs of particular persons (including the authority holding that information).

RESOLVED:

(a)        That the annual report of the Leicestershire Educational Trust Fund be noted.

(b)        That the position in respect the Hinckley John Cleveland Prize and Hinckley John Cleveland Scholarship Fund and the proposed transfer of this fund to the Hinckley JCC Foundation be noted.

(c)         In respect of the Mary Smith Scholarship Fund, the Council be authorised to request the Charity Commission to make the amends to the charity’s governance documents and to appoint new trustees as outlined at paragraph 18 of the report and, subject to the completion of the steps described at paragraph 18, the trust fund monies for this Charity be transferred to the new trustees for them to manage the same going forward in accordance with the terms of the governance documents for this fund.

(d)        In respect of the Thompson and Piercey funds, the Council be authorised to formally request the Charity Commission to make the amends to the charity’s governance documents and to appoint new trustees as outlined at paragraph 27 of the report and, following completion of the steps outlined at paragraph 27 and 28, the trust fund monies of these charities be handed over to its trustees.

(e)        That the grant application submitted by the Mead Educational Trust [incorrectly referred to in the report as Mead Academy Trust] in January 2026 under the Kibworth Beauchamp High School Foundation trust be approved.