Agenda and minutes

The meeting of the Council will be called to order to receive Her Worship The Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

Members, Officers and those otherwise in attendance are asked to remain standing whilst the meeting is led in prayer by the Chaplin.

The meeting of the Council was called to order to receive the Deputy Mayor.

A minute’s silence was observed in memory of those who had lost their lives, had been injured or were affected in the recent terrorist attack that had taken in Manchester on 22 May.

An apology for absence was received from Her Worship the Mayor, Councillor Mrs S Z Haq.

An apology for absence was received from Councillors G S Atwal, E R Barr, Mrs L Eaton, R F Eaton and R E R Morris.

Members are reminded that any declaration of interest should be made having regard to the Members’ Code of Conduct. In particular, Members must make clear the nature of the interest and whether it is 'pecuniary' or ‘non-pecuniary'.

None.

To read, confirm and sign the Minutes of the previous meetings of the Council in accordance with Rule 17 of Part 4 of the Constitution.

RESOLVED THAT:

The minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on Tuesday, 25 April 2017 to be taken as read, confirmed and signed.

The Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Council held on Tuesday, 16 May 2017 shall stand as an item to be received at the next meeting of the Council due to be held on Tuesday, 20 June 2017.

The minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Council held on Tuesday, 16 May 2017 shall stand as an item to be received at the next meeting of the Council due to be held on Tuesday, 20 June 2017.

To read, confirm and note the Action List arising from the previous meeting of the Council held on Tuesday, 25 April 2017.

RESOLVED THAT:

The Action List arising from the Meeting of the Council held on Tuesday, 25 April 2017 be noted by Members.

To consider any Motions on Notice in accordance with Rule 12 of Part 4 of the Constitution.

None.

To receive any Petitions and, or, Deputations in accordance with Rule 24 of Part 4 of the Constitution and to answer any Questions on Notice in accordance with Rule 11 of Part 4 of the Constitution.

Members are reminded that in accordance with Rule 11.1 of Part 4 of the Constitution, questions can be asked of the Leader of the Council and the Chair of a Committee without notice upon an item of the report of a Committee when that item is being receiving or is under consideration by the Council. 

None.

None.

RESOLVED THAT:

The list of Official Mayoral Engagements attended by The Mayor and, or, Deputy Mayor be noted by Members.

The Leader of the Council announced that the final version of the Local Government Association (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge Report (“the LGA Report”) was to be published on 20 June. He stated that a proposed Action Plan resulting from the LGA Report would be presented without delay to the Change Management Committee at its meeting on 26 July for its consideration.

The Leader further expressed his personal gratitude to Members for their warmly-received interest and support in relation to a private matter.

Report of, and to be Presented by, the Interim Head of Community Services.

The Council gave consideration to the report and appendices (at pages 10 - 48), as delivered and summarised by the Interim Head of Community Services which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document.

A debate thereon was had by Members whereby it was acknowledged that the formation of the Council-owned property development company (“the Company”) was a worthwhile project to safeguard future housing stock and to generate in the additional income to invest back into other Council-run projects and services.

In the interests of transparency and good governance, it was said that the nominated appointments of Members to the Company’s Advisory Board would be resolved at the meeting of the Council on 20 June. It was too requested that a clear reporting structure between the Company and the Advisory Board be established.

Members enquired as to: how the Company was to meet the Borough’s rental market needs as a fair rental provider; whether the houses to be built by the Company were excluded from the Right to Buy (RTB) scheme; if the proposed Directors of the Company had suitable experience in dealing with Companies House; and if the Company’s shareholding arrangements were based on a nominal value.

The Interim Head of Community Services advised that: the Company was to build houses for the Borough’s residents to be let between a mixture of affordable (c. 30%) and market (c. 70%) rental rates; the RTB scheme did not at the present time apply to the Company; the proposed Independent Executive Director did have the requisite experience; and shareholding arrangements were all based on £1 shares.

It was moved by the Leader of the Council, seconded by Councillor G A Boulter and

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

(i)          That a Council-owned housing and property development company be created to build houses for rent and for sale and other property development.

(ii)        That the Articles of Association of Bushloe Developments Limited be approved.

(iii)      That final approval of the Business Plan be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer / Section 151 Officer.

(iv)       Two Officers of the Council - Anne Court (Director of Services / Monitoring Officer) and Christopher Raymakers (Interim Finance and Accountancy Manager) be appointed as Directors of the Company.

(v)        That Stephen Glazebrook (Interim Head of Community Services) be appointed as an Independent Executive Director and will also perform the role as Company Secretary.

(vi)       That the land at Bennett Way, South Wigston is sold to the Housing Company at market value.

(vii)     That £100k is vired from existing budgets to provide an initial loan to the Company to cover its operating costs for 2017/18 and any contingencies that may arise.

Verbal update to be Provided by the Chief Executive.

The Chief Executive reiterated the proposed timetable for the publication of the final version of the LGA Report and the resulting Action Plan as referred to by the Leader of the Council (at minute reference 21). This was said to address the key challenges and recommendations as proposed to create a capacity for the Council to achieve.

It was announced that: an information-only Members’ Briefing Session in respect of the results from the recent Waste and Recycling Survey conducted (16 February - 12 March) and the final LGA Members’ Training Session in respect of Member/Officer Relations would be held on 31 May at 6:30pm and 7:00pm respectively; and an extraordinary meeting of the Council was to be scheduled for 6 July to consider and debate the Council’s budget options for 2018/19 and 2019/20.

The Chief Executive briefed Members on the security measures and protocols that were being put in place to ensure the safety and well-being of all Members, Officers and members of the public in the wake of the series of terror-related incidents that had taken place across the country in recent weeks. This was said to include matters of personal security, the security and evacuation of Council-owned and public-accessible buildings and the upcoming UK Parliamentary (General) Election on 8 June.

Report of, and to be Presented by, the Chief Executive.

The Council gave consideration to the report and appendices (at pages 49 - 51), as delivered and summarised by the Chief Executive which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document.

It was moved by the Leader of the Council, seconded by Councillor G A Boulter and

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

The Office Holder of the Mayor of the Borough Council of Oadby and Wigston be henceforth appointed in perpetuity to the position of Vice-President of the Leicester Festival of Music and Drama.

Report of the Director of Services / Monitoring Officer.

Presented by the Senior Democratic Services Officer / Legal Officer.

The Council gave consideration to the report and appendices (at page 52), as delivered and summarised by the Director of Services / Monitoring Officer which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document.

It was moved by the Leader of the Council, seconded by Councillor G A Boulter and

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

The Common Seal of the Borough Council of Oadby and Wigston be affixed to all Contracts, Deeds, Notices, Orders and any other legal instruments and documents arising out of the minutes and reports referred to in the foregoing items.

The Council will receive the minutes from the meetings of the below-mentioned Committees, Boards, Panels, Forums, Working Groups and Outside Bodies for the purposes of information in accordance with Rule 17 of Part 4 of the Constitution.

The Minutes of the Development Control Committee  held on Thursday, 13 April 2017 shall stand as an item to be received at the next meeting of the Council due to be held on Tuesday, 20 June 2017.

The minutes of the Development Control Committee  held on Thursday, 13 April 2017 shall stand as an item to be received at the next meeting of the Council due to be held on Tuesday, 20 June 2017.

The Minutes of the Children and Young Peoples' Forum  held on Wednesday, 19 April 2017 shall stand as an item to be received at the next meeting of the Council due to be held on Tuesday, 20 June 2017.

The Minutes of the Children and Young Peoples' Forum  held on Wednesday, 19 April 2017 shall stand as an item to be received at the next meeting of the Council due to be held on Tuesday, 20 June 2017.