Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Offices, Bushloe House, Station Road, Wigston, Leicestershire, LE18 2DR. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services  Tel: (0116) 257 2643 Email: democratic.services@oadby-wigston.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

27.

Calling to Order of the Meeting and Prayers

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.

Minutes:

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

 

The meeting was led in prayer by the Chaplin to the Mayor.

 

A minute’s silence was observed in memory of those who had lost their lives, had been injured or were affected in the series of terror-related incidents that had taken place across the country in recent weeks.

28.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

An apology for absence was received from Councillors G S Atwal, Miss M V Chamberlain, Mrs H E Loydall, R E R Morris and R H Thakor.

29.

Declarations of Interest

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'.

Minutes:

In respect of agenda item 13:

 

(i)          Councillors Mrs S B Morris declared a non-pecuniary interest insofar she was a Trustee of the Wigston Multi Academies Trust;

(ii)        Councillor K J Loydall declared a non-pecuniary interest insofar as he sat on the Board of Governors of the Wigston Multi Academies Trust;

(iii)      Councillor G A Boulter declared a non-pecuniary interest insofar as he sat on the Community Committee of the Wigston Multi Academies Trust; and

(iv)       Councillor L A Bentley declared a non-pecuniary interest insofar as he was a Governor of the Birkett House School, Wigston which was due to re-locate to the site of the Wigston Multi Academies Trust.

30.

Reading, Confirmation and Signing of Minutes

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

30a

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Council held on Tuesday, 16 May 2017 pdf icon PDF 101 KB

The Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Council held on Tuesday, 16 May 2017 shall follow in an Agenda Update issued ahead of the meeting of the Council in due course.

Minutes:

RESOLVED THAT:

 

The minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Council held on Tuesday, 16 April 2017 to be taken as read, confirmed and signed.

30b

Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on Tuesday, 23 May 2017

The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on Tuesday, 23 May 2017 shall stand as an item to be received at the next meeting of the Council due to be held on Tuesday, 05 September 2017.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on Tuesday, 23 May 2017 shall stand as an item to be received at the next meeting of the Council due to be held on Tuesday, 05 September 2017.

31.

Action List

There is no Action List arising from meeting of the Council held on Tuesday, 23 May 2017.

Minutes:

There was no Action List arising from meeting of the Council held on Tuesday, 23 May 2017.

32.

Motions on Notice

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

Minutes:

None.

33.

Petitions, Deputations and Questions

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. 

33a

Future Use of the Old Swimming Pool Site, Oadby Petition pdf icon PDF 625 KB

Minutes:

Councillor Miss A R Bond presented and spoke upon the Petition at agenda item 7a.

 

The Petitioner stated that, having spoken to a many number of residents and businesses of and visitors to Oadby, the future of the Old Swimming Pool Site on Leicester Road ought to be dedicated to an exclusive recreational and, or, community use to honour the perceived wishes of the Ellis family in the original conveyance of the land in question to the Council (dated 21June 1897). She stated any future residential use of the land would encroach upon the existing park’s parking and recreational facilities and amenities. 

 

The Deputy Leader of the Council requested that the Petitioner, in consultation with Officers, remove a number of duplicate signatories from the Petition.

34.

Mayor's Announcements

Minutes:

The Mayor wished that those in attendance took particular note of the following notable and upcoming events:

 

·           Civic Service on 21 October 2017 from 3:00pm at the Oadby Central Mosque, Sandhurst Street, Oadby;

·           Black Tie Dinner on 10 February 2018 from 7:00 pm at Parkland Leisure Centre, Washbrook Lane, Oadby; and

·           Charity Curry Night on 09 April 2018 from 7:00 pm at Cuisine of India, Kelmarsh Avenue, Wigston.

34a

List of Official Mayoral/Deputy Mayoral Engagements pdf icon PDF 31 KB

An update List of Official Mayoral/Deputy Mayoral Engagements shall follow in an Agenda Update issued ahead of the meeting of the Council in due course.

Minutes:

RESOLVED THAT:

 

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

35.

Leader's Statement

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council briefly acknowledged the result of the recent UK Parliamentary (General) Election held on 8 June and the ensuing uncertainty apparent on the national, political landscape as a result thereof.

36.

Local Government Association (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge pdf icon PDF 81 KB

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

 

The report and appendices shall follow in an Agenda Update issued ahead of the meeting of the Council in due course.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council gave consideration to the report and appendices as set out in the first and second supplementary agenda updates (at pages 7 – 23, 1 -15) as delivered and summarised by the Chief Executive which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document.

 

A debate thereon was had whereby the LGA report was commended by Members for its balanced yet positive reflection on the Council and the Borough’s residents, whilst noting that further improvements were anticipated in terms of the Council’s customer service transformation project, the health and well-being offer and the finalisation of the organisation’s structure. Members expressed their gratitude to the Senior Management Team (SMT) for their work over the preceding two years for the achievements consistently delivered during a difficult and turbulent period.

 

It was said that the Change Management Committee would continue to review the Council’s governance structure over the municipal year in response to the LGA’s recommendation and some Members’ concerns regarding the Council’s need for an overview and scrutiny capacity with a view, in the first instance, to commission properly resourced, ad-hoc panels with a remit to consider a single-given issue(s).

 

It was moved by the Leader of the Council, seconded by the Deputy Leader and

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

 

(i)       The LGA’s Corporate Peer Challenge Report be accepted; an

(ii)     A proposed Action Plan resulting from the LGA report be presented to the Change Management Committee at its meeting on 26 July 2017 for its consideration.

 

In accordance with Rule 7.3 of Part 4 of the Constitution, it was moved by the Mayor, second by the Deputy Mayor and

 

RESOLVED THAT:

 

The order of business be altered and taken in the order as reflected in the minutes, accordingly.

37.

Bushloe Developments Limited - Proposed Governance pdf icon PDF 87 KB

Report of, and to be Presented by, the Interim Chief Finance Officer (Section 151 Officer)

Minutes:

The Council gave consideration to the report (at pages 18 - 20) as delivered and summarised by the Interim Chief Finance Officer / Section 151 Officer which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document.

 

Councillor E R Barr enquired as to what steps had been taken to draft and incorporate the Articles of Association of Bushloe Developments Limited (“the Company”).

 

The Interim Chief Finance Officer / Section 151 Officer and Director of Services / Monitoring Officer jointly-advised that the Articles of Association of the Company - together with the Risk Assessment, Business Plan and Equality Assessment - had been unanimously resolved at the previous meeting of the Council held on 23 May.

 

It was moved by the Leader of the Council, seconded by Councillor D A Gamble and

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

 

The creation of an Advisory Board comprising of the Leader of the Council, Councillor Mrs L M Broadley, Councillor D A Gamble, the Chief Executive and the Chief Finance Officer / Section 151 Officer to oversee the activities of Bushloe Developments Limited be approved.

 

The Leader of the Opposition requested that it be minuted that the non-appointment of an opposition, Conservative Member upon the Advisory Board was regretful and a missing opportunity to better secure cross-party representation and consensus.

38.

Proposed 3G Pitch in South Wigston, Horsewell Lane Pavilion, Wigston and Other Leisure Facilities pdf icon PDF 100 KB

Report of, and to be Presented by, the Planning, Development and Regeneration Manager.

Minutes:

The Council gave consideration to the report (at pages 21 - 24) as delivered and summarised by the Planning, Development and Regeneration Manager which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document.

 

A debate thereon was had whereby although the principle of the development of a 3G all-weather sports pitch (“the 3G pitch”) in the Borough was welcomed by all Members, it was considered by some Members that the proposed location of the 3G pitch at South Wigston High School (“the High School”) was not a suitable site for such a development to be brought forward due to its close proximity to residential properties, safeguarding concerns and a number of legal implications associated with building on a school site. It was requested by some Members that other, more suitable locations should be surveyed, potentially including other schools’ sites across the Borough. Concerns were also expressed regarding the difficulties previously experienced in securing full access to, and by virtue of being, shared community-use facilities. It was said that development at Horsewell Lane, Wigston was preferential and therefore ought to be prioritised.

 

It was considered by other Members that the proposed location of the 3G pitch at the High School was a suitable insofar as it was an area serving deprived communities within the Borough. All other locations surveyed were said to have been deemed impractical and that the 3G pitch was to provide a facility accessible by all residents of Oadby, Wigston and South Wigston. It was noted that before any development commenced, the proper legal and governance processes had to be duly fulfilled, including the bringing back of a report to this Council for its consideration and approval the same. It was further noted that the report before Members was a balanced one addressing the need for development across all parts of the Borough.

 

Members sought further clarification as to: the initial allocations and balances of sums requested under agreements pursuant to section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (“the s106 sums”); the areas in which s106 sums were generated and intended for investment; and the deadline by which the s106 sums indentified at para 5.1 of the report (at page 22) needed to be spent by in relation to the 3G pitch.

 

The Planning, Development and Regeneration Manager advised the Committee that the recommendation at para 2.1 of the report (at page 21) primarily sought at this stage to approve the allocation of funds for the 3G pitch. It was understood that there was sufficient distance between the proposed site at the High School and residential properties and any safeguarding concerns could be addressed by way of an agreement between all stakeholders. He stated that all proposed development projects should be progressed equally and expediently, adding that the development at Horsewell Lane should be completed by the end of 2018. He noted Members’ concerns regarding the difficulties previously experienced in securing access to similar facilities and offered assurances that the Council was to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.

39.

Organisational Structure Update pdf icon PDF 86 KB

Report of, and to be Presented by, the Director of Services / Monitoring Officer.

Minutes:

The Council gave consideration to the report and appendices (at pages 15 - 17) as delivered and summarised by the Director of Services / Monitoring Officer which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document.

 

A debate thereon was had whereby Members expressed their gratitude to the SMT and managers for their work over the preceding two years and acknowledged the rationale behind a shared building control service.

 

It was moved by Councillor Mrs L M Broadley, seconded by the Leader of the Council and

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

 

(i)       The proposed permanent arrangements for the senior organisational structure of the Council be noted by Members; and

(ii)     The principle of a shared building control service with other Leicestershire Boroughs and Districts to deliver resilience be approved.

40.

Receiving of Minutes for Information

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.

40a

Minutes of the Development Control Committee held on Thursday, 13 April 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, 05 September 2017.

Minutes:

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, 05 September 2017.

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