Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence from Members to determine the quorum of the meeting in accordance with Rule 7 of Part 4 of the Constitution.

An apology for absence was received from the Chair, Councillor D A Gamble.

Councillors J W Boyce and Miss P V Joshi attended the meeting remotely.

It was moved by Councillor J Kaufman, seconded by K J Loydall JP and

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

Councillor N Alam be appointed Vice-Chair for the duration of the meeting.

To appoint substitute Members in accordance with Rule 26 of Part 4 of the Constitution and the Substitution Procedure Rules.

None.

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 meeting in accordance with Rule 19 of Part 4 of the Constitution.

By affirmation of the meeting, it was

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

The minutes of the previous meeting held on Tuesday, 1 February 2022 be taken as read, confirmed and signed.

There was no Action List arising from the previous meeting.

There was no Action List arising from the previous meeting held on Tuesday, 1 February 2022.

To receive any Petitions and, or, Deputations in accordance with Rule(s) 11 and 12 of Part 4 of the Constitution and the Petitions Procedure Rules respectively.

None.

Report of the Strategic Director / Section 151 Officer

Councillor J Kaufman left the Chamber at 7.29pm, and returned to the Chamber at 7.31pm. Advice was provided by the Monitoring Officer and accepted by the Chair that Councillor Kaufman should not participate in the vote, having not been present for the entirety of the debate.

The Committee gave consideration to the report as set out on pages 8 – 11 of the agenda, which asked it to note the update on energy support payments and offer feedback to Officers on the design of the Council’s Discretionary Scheme.

The Committee received a presentation from the Revenues & Benefits Manager, outlining the scale of the Scheme, banding figures, approaches to payment and indicative policy options.

An amendment to the published recommendations was moved by Councillor Mrs L M Broadley and seconded by Councillor K J Loydall JP, proposing that the delegated authority set out at recommendation C be extended to include the Vice-Chair in addition to the Chair. The amendment was put to the vote and carried.

The recommendations, as amended, were put to the vote and it was

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

(i)       The content of the report be noted;

(ii)     Member feedback on the design of the Discretionary Scheme for OWBC be noted by Officers; and

(iii)    Authority be delegated to the Strategic Director/S151 Officer in consultation with the Policy, Finance and Development Committee Chair and Vice-Chair to approve a final Discretionary Fund scheme policy.

Report of the Strategic Director / Section 151 Officer

The Committee gave consideration to the report as set out on pages 12-19 of the agenda, which asked it to note the progress made in implementing the recommendations of the 2021 Local Government Association (LGA) Financial Health Check and the timetable for the development of a new Medium Term Financial Strategy.

The Committee welcomed the report, but requested that an update be provided to the next meeting on progress achieved to date in scoping the range of income generation schemes previously approved by Members to close to budget gap.

It was moved by Mrs L M Broadley, seconded by the Chairand

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

The content of the report be noted.

Report of the Head of Customer Service & Transformation

The Committee gave consideration to the report as set out on pages 20-23 of the agenda, which asked it to approve the approach and timeline for delivery of a Communication Strategy for 2022-25.

A motion to amend the published recommendations was moved by Councillor G A Boulter and seconded by Councillor J Kaufman, proposing that at recommendation A, the word ‘approve’ be substituted with ‘note’, and that the Communications Strategy is to include a commitment to delivery of two paper copies per year of a Council communication to every household in the Borough, along with provision for face to face customer appointments in each of the Borough’s town centres.

The recommendations, as amended, were put to the vote and it was

RESOLVED THAT:

(i)          The approach to the Communications Strategy be noted, incorporating delivery of two paper copies per year of a Council communication to every household in the Borough and provision for face to face customer appointments in the Borough’s town centres; and

(ii)        The timeline for delivery of the Communications Strategy be approved.

Votes For:                 10

Votes Against:          1

Abstentions:             1

Report of the Head of Law & Democracy / Monitoring Officer

The Committee gave consideration to the report as set out on pages 24-33 of the agenda, which asked it to determine whether to submit a formal response to the Boundary Commission for England consultation on proposed Parliamentary boundaries.

A motion was moved by the Chair and seconded by Councillor Mrs L M Broadley, proposing that:

The Committee note:

a)    The recommendations of the Boundary Commission for England for a new Parliamentary Constituency of Blaby, Oadby & Wigston; and

b)    The secondary consultation on these recommendations closes on 4 April 2022.

And:

The Committee Chair and Vice-Chair will work with the Chief Executive to write to the Boundary Commission for England, expressing the support of Oadby and Wigston Borough Council for the Commissions' proposed new parliamentary constituency of Blaby, Oadby & Wigston and noting:

(i)           The importance for community cohesion and identity of the Oadby and Wigston Borough Council area not being split between two or more Parliamentary representatives;

(ii)          That Oadby, Wigston and Blaby face similar challenges and opportunities from being towns neighbouring the city of Leicester;

(iii)         That the Oadby and Wigston Borough Council area has been represented by one single MP since its creation 1974 and that Oadby has not been split between different constituencies in living memory (since at least the 1832 Reform Act).

The motion was put to the vote and carried.

Votes For:                 11

Votes Against:          1

Abstentions:            0