Agenda and minutes

Loughborough and District Civic Trust Award

 

Members joined the Chairman in congratulating everyone concerned with the recent development of Mountsorrel Library which had recently won the Loughborough and District Civic Trust, Philip Jordan Award for conservation works and new building in a conservation area.  The Library had been converted from an older building called the "Church Rooms" and a modern extension added.  It was now a Library and Access Centre where community meetings could also take place.

 

 

Charity Parachute Jump

 

The Chairman reported that on Sunday 15 November his Chauffeuse, Joanne Martin, had completed a parachute jump in aid of Warning Zone.  Jo had undertaken her jump from 14,000ft along with the High Sheriff, Chief Constable and Chief Executive of the City Council, and her fundraising currently stood at nearly £550 and the total for the jump was well over £7,000.  Members joined the Chairman in congratulating Jo on her daredevil exploits which were all in such a good cause.

 

Visitors

 

The Chairman welcomed to the meeting all visitors and their guests.

 

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

 

“That the minutes of the extraordinary meeting of the Council held on 23 September, copies of which have been circulated to members, be taken as read, confirmed and signed.”

 

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

 

“That the minutes of the ordinary meeting of the Council held on 23 September, 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.

 

All members declared personal non-prejudicial interests in respect of the special report of the Independent Panel on Members' Allowances.

 

All members who served on school governing bodies declared personal non prejudicial interests in all matters affecting those bodies.

 

There were no other declarations.

 

(A)       MR MAX HUNT CC asked the following question of the Leader or his nominee:

 

"1.       Whilst appreciating the new access arrangements for wheelchair users to the Council Chamber, and recognising that some spending in infrastructure at County Hall can yield medium term savings, is the Leader aware of the concern at the apparent lavish expenditure on his new suite?

 

2.         How can he justify the expenditure, including his own private washroom, when the toilet facilities are so relatively poor for disabled invited guests to the civic suite, or indeed this meeting?"

 

Mr Parsons replied as follows:

 

"1.       The changes to the Leader's accommodation form part of the County Council's wider Office Accommodation Strategy which is designed to deliver savings of over £1m savings within 5 years.  It will also free accommodation on the second floor for general office use.  The existing toilets were in urgent need of refurbishment.

 

2.         Disabled facilities, to the current standards, are available both on the ground floor in Reception and the first floor, close to the double lifts, for visitors to the civic suite.  Improved disabled facilities to serve the civic suite are planned within the next 18 months as part of the Office Accommodation Strategy and will include facilities under the "Changing Places" campaign for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities and their carers, as well as many other disabled people.  These facilities will form part of a network of "Changing Places" facilities across the country to support disabled people and their carers and will be available to both visitors to County Hall and the general public."

 

Mr Hunt asked the following supplementary question:

 

"As the previous Spokesperson for Adult Social Care, Mr Parsons knows well the needs of people with disabilities.  I just ask him how could he commission a private office for himself, with all the facilities within it, before thinking of disabled people who he invites here, who have their own needs?"

 

Mr Parsons replied as followed:

 

"Mr Hunt has received the answers.  Those answers are not from me, they are validated by the officers here.  Mr Hunt knows that this is part of reorganisation and that, as part of "Changing Places", the facilities on the ground floor for disabled people, in which we all take a huge and genuine interest, are certainly on the stocks and will be built."

 

 

(B)       MRS POSNETT CC asked the following question of the Leader or his nominee:

 

            "Given the misinformation and gossip that has been circulated by some individuals in Melton Mowbray regarding the rebuilding of John Ferneley High, Long Field High, Belvoir High and King Edward VII schools, could the Leader summarise what has been achieved by the project and the viability of King Edward VII in future years?"

 

Mr Ould replied as follows:

 

"In March 2007 the County Council agreed proposals to change the organisation of the schools in Melton Mowbray and the Vale of Belvoir.  Work is now well underway to enable these exciting changes to happen  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

It was moved by Mr Parsons, seconded by Mr Rhodes and carried:-

 

"That the changes to Standing Orders (Meeting Procedure Rules), as set out in Appendix 1 to the report of the Constitution Committee, be approved."

 

The Leader presented a position statement on the following matters:

 

Medium Term Financial Strategy;

Total Place;

Regional Plan;

Enderby Park and Ride Service;

Recycling;

Midland Mainline;

The Big Switch Off; and

Regional Level Partnerships.

 

A copy of the position statement is attached to these minutes.

 

It was moved by Mr Rhodes, seconded by Mr Orson and carried:-

 

"That the Leicestershire Safer Communities Plan 2009-2012, as referred to in Section A of the report of the Cabinet, be approved."

 

It was moved by Prof Preston, seconded by Dr Feltham and carried:-

 

"That Mr M J Caple and Mr H M Pearson be appointed to serve as Independent Members of the Standards Committee for a term of four years ending on 3 December 2013."

 

It was moved by Prof Preston, seconded by Dr Feltham and carried:-

 

"(a)      That with retrospective effect from 8 July 2009, the following special responsibility payments be made to the members occupying positions on Overview and Scrutiny bodies, as indicated:

 

Position	Annual Allowance	% of Leader's Allowances
Chairman of Commission	10,872	30
Commissioners	9,060	25
Deputy Commissioners	3,624	10
Chairmen of Overview and Scrutiny Committees	5,436	15
Deputy Chairmen	2,532	7

 

(b)       That the following rates of Special Responsibility Allowances be applied to the Opposition Group leaders, with effect from the date of approval:-

 

            Main Opposition Group Leader                  £10,000 p.a.

            Minority Opposition Group Leader £  3,000 p.a.;

 

(c)        That the Council's Scheme of Members' Allowances be amended accordingly;

 

(d)       That the Independent Remuneration Panel be invited to review the Special Responsibility Allowances payable to members of Overview and Scrutiny bodies in twelve months time by which time the new structure will have had time to bed down;

 

(e)       That the Independent Remuneration Panel be asked to review the Special Responsibility Allowances payable to Members of the Cabinet and Cabinet Support Members as part of its next annual review, in the light of developments since these issues were last considered;

 

(f)         That all members of the Council be required to prepare an annual report on the basis set out in the Appendix to the Panel's report for publication on the Council's website."

 

It was moved by Prof Preston, seconded by Mr Charlesworth and carried:-

 

"That Mr John Catt be appointed as co-opted member of the Children and Young People's Service Overview and Scrutiny Committee (or other appropriate scrutiny committee dealing with Education) for the period ending with the date of the Annual Meeting in May 2013."

 

"That, in the interests of both children and parents in Melton Mowbray and to ensure that the future development of education provision across the whole County follows best practice, the Chief Executive be requested to establish an independent inquiry with the objective of identifying and reporting, as a matter of urgency, on the lessons which can be learnt from the review of school organisation in Melton Mowbray and the Vale of Belvoir and its implementation including the forecasting of pupil numbers and the need for full and thorough risk analyses."

 

It was moved by Mr Max Hunt and seconded by Ms Betty Newton:-

 

"That, in the interests of both children and parents in Melton Mowbray and to ensure that the future development of education provision across the whole County follows best practice, the Chief Executive be requested to establish an independent inquiry with the objective of identifying and reporting, as a matter of urgency, on the lessons which can be learnt from the review of school organisation in Melton Mowbray and the Vale of Belvoir and its implementation, including the forecasting of pupil numbers and the need for full and thorough risk analyses."

 

An amendment was moved by Mr Wright and seconded by Mr Galton:-

 

“That the motion be amended to read as follows:-

 

'(a)       That this Council:

 

(i)         believes that school planning is one of the most important functions of the County Council and consequently it cannot afford a repeat of the situation in Melton elsewhere in the County;

 

(ii)        notes the widespread condemnation of the Cabinet’s initial proposals for Melton Schools by governors, parents, professional associations and other stakeholders and the disruption this would cause so soon after the last re-organisation two years ago;

 

(iii)       welcomes the proposals to improve school buildings throughout the County via Building Schools for the Future funding which started with the investment of £45million in Melton and the Vale of Belvoir;

 

(b)       That this Council therefore:

 

(i)         requests the Cabinet to consider allowing King Edward VII College a period of grace to improve student numbers and performance;

 

(ii)        believes that, in order to retain King Edward VII as an 11-19 school, a revised strategy is required and the costs incurred during that period be tolerated, since no solution can be cost-free;

 

(iii)       opposes changes in age ranges for schools where parents have expressed a clear view;

 

(iv)       requests the Leader and Cabinet Lead Member for the Children and Young People's Service to use their links to seek assurances from both the Government and Official Opposition that Building Schools for the Future funding will not be abandoned after the election;

 

(v)        requests Scrutiny to consider possible lessons and observations which could be useful in future reorganisations across the County.’ “

 

The amendment was put and not carried, 14 members voting for the amendment and 35 against.

 

The original motion was put and not carried, 3 members voting for the motion and 35 against.