Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 24^th February 2015 were signed as a true record.

To consider whether to exclude the press and public for the items of private business for the reasons shown in the report.

RESOLVED that the City Council exclude the press and public under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 relating to the private report on ‘Public Realm Phase 3 Extension (3a)’ (Minute 156 below), on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of information defined in Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Act as it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) and that in all of the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining that exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

On behalf of the Council, the Lord Mayor presented Watch Commander Adrian Hutt with the Coventry Good Citizen Award.  His citation read:

“Watch Commander Hutt identified a need to roll out a national campaign regarding Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.  In an effort to make communities safer he worked with John Moores' University gathering data, acquiring funding and devising a training programme, all of which is  above his remit as Watch Commander

He represented the local Brigade in the House of Lords several times and engaged with political bodies, Gas safe and industry leaders with the aim of improving safety in communities whilst addressing the health inequalities within the UK.  This has subsequently brought other Fire and Rescue Services on board, supporting their Prevention Strategies.

Back in 2010, Marmot was an unknown concept, but it is now recognised within the Fire Service’s strategic thinking and localised application in the form of Level Three planning, working within local authority organisations and charities, improving lives to save lives.

Watch Commander Hutt has achieved recognition on both local and national levels demonstrating the collaboration between both the Fire Service and local authorities.

The actions he has taken have been instrumental in making our communities a safer place to live and work and he is therefore truly deserving of this Good Citizen Award.”

The Lord Mayor presented Councillor Gary Crookes, Lord Mayor for 2013/14, with his Illuminated Address.

As it was her last Council meeting of her mayoral year, the Lord Mayor updated members on her Charity Appeal.  The current balance was £14,576.62, which had received a significant boost only two weeks ago with the Warwick Fused IV Charity Concert which raised nearly £5,000.

RESOLVED that the following petitions be referred to the appropriate City Council bodies:

(1)  Objection to using Leicester Row as part of the Ring Road – 112 signatures – Councillor Skipper.

(2)  Objection to turning Leicester Row into a short cut, diverting Ring Road traffic into the Foleshill Road – 70 signatures – Councillor Skipper.

(3)  Volume and speed of traffic using Hollyfast Lane – 92 signatures – Councillor Birdi.

(4)  Review of safety measures along The Windmill Hill / Browns Lane section of Road, particularly restricted visability at crossroads of Washbrook Lane / Butt Lane – 539 signatures – Councillor Galliers.

(5)  Objection to plans to open Paddy Power Bookmakers at 396/398 Foleshill Road – 35 signatures – Councillor A Khan.

(6)  Request to resurface the full length of King Edwards Road – 34 signatures – Councillor Akhtar

(7)  Request for part time traffic signals on roundabout at A45, Pickford Way and Parkhill Drive – 36 signatures – Councillor Hetherton

Councillor Hammon declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in the matters referred to in Minutes 149 and 156 below headed ‘Public Realm Phase 3 Extension (3a)’.  He withdrew from the meeting during consideration of this matter.

As members of the Planning Committee, Councillors Bailey, Brown, Caan, Crookes, Innes, Kelly, McNicholas, Miks, Sandy, Sweet and Thomas declared interests in the matter referred to in Minute 155 headed ‘ Debate – Keresley Green Belt.  These members withdrew from the meeting during consideration of this matter.

In accordance with the Constitution, Councillor Townshend moved a notice without motion, seconded by Councillor Gannon, and which was agreed, to take agenda item 12 on the agenda (Better Care Coventry) before item 8 (Annual Pay Policy Statement 2015/16).

Joint report

Further to minute 134 of the Cabinet, the Council considered a joint report of the Executive Director for People and the Executive Director for Resources, which set out arrangements for entering into a Partnership Agreement with Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group in order to implement the Better Care Fund proposals.

In June 2013, the Government announced the £3.9billion Better Care fund as part of its drive to integrate health and social care.  Plans were required to be submitted identifying a minimum of £3.8billion of pooled resources with an expectation larger sums would be pooled.  The value of the fund was now £5.3billion based on the plans submitted nationally.  The Better Care Fund was described as “a single pooled budget for health and social care services to work more closely together in local areas, based on a plan agreed between the NHS and Local Authorities”.

To ensure integration is delivered was delivered, the Better Care Fund required a pooling of resources delivered through a Section 75 agreement.  The report indicated that a Section 75 agreement was a partnership agreement whereby NHS organisations and local authorities contributed an agreed level of resource into a single pot (the pooled budget), which is then used to drive the integration and improvement of existing services.

Coventry’s Better Care Visio was “through integrated working, people would receive personalised support that enabled them to be as independent as possible for as long as possible”.  Health and Wellbeing Board approved Coventry’s original Better Care Plan and this was submitted in April 2014.  Subsequently, new requirements were announced and plans had to demonstrate how they would reduce emergency admissions to hospital, with a target set of 3.5%.  Coventry’s revised plan was resubmitted in September 2014 and was fully approved by NHS England on 22nd December 2014.

Coventry’s Better Care Fund Programme, known as Better Care Coventry, totalled £52m for 2015/16 and had four key areas of work, urgent care; short term support to maximise independence; long term care; and dementia, as well as other shared priorities such as support for the implementation of the Care Act 2014 and protecting adult social care services.

As NHS England required the Better Care Fund to be transferred into one or more pooled funds to enable the plan to be implemented, Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group and the City Council were required to enter into an agreement by 1st April 2015.  A ‘Partnership Agreement’ template appended to the report had been developed by Bevan Britain and provided by NHS England and the Local Government Association to support the local development and this was being used to develop the agreement for Coventry. 

The report submitted provided detail on the key elements of the Partnership Agreement, including the governance arrangements; hosting the pooled budget; scheme specification and risk sharing.

RESOLVED that the Council:

1.  Approve entering into a Partnership Agreement with Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group for Better Care Coventry.

2.  Approve that the City Council is the host for the pooled  ...  view the full minutes text for item 145.

From the Cabinet, 3 March 2015

Further to Minute 121 of the Cabinet, the Council considered a report of the Executive Director for Resources which set out the 2015/16 Annual Pay Policy Statement.

Local Authorities were required by Sections 38 and 39 of the Localism Act 2011 to produce an Annual pay Policy Statement.  The statement must articulate the City Council’s policies toward a range of issues relation to the pay of the workforce, particularly the most senior staff (or “chief officers”) and the relationship of their pay to the lowest paid employees.  The proposed Annual Pay Policy Statement for 2015/16 was attached to the report submitted as Appendix 1.

In considering the report and, in particular, the payment of large salary packages or severance packages (£100,000 or more), it was proposed that paragraphs 4 and 6 of the Statement be amended so that decisions on these packages be made in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Finance and Resources. 

RESOLVED that the Council approve the Annual Pay Policy Statement 2015/16, subject to the amendment of paragraphs 4 and 6 of the Statement to indicate that decisions made in relation to large salary or severance packages be made in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Finance and Resources.

From the Cabinet, 3 March 2015

Further to Minute 123 of the Cabinet, the Council considered a report of the Executive Director for Place, which set out the process for addressing the housing needs of Coventry and Warwickshire.

At its meeting on 21st November 2014, the Coventry and Warwickshire Joint Committee for Economic Growth unanimously endorsed a report on the Coventry and Warwickshire Housing Market Area (HMA), which detailed an approach to meeting housing needs.  The report also set out a transparent process and timeline for appropriately planning and delivering the housing needs in full.

The report, which was attached at Appendix 1 to the report now submitted, clarified the objectively assessed need for housing in the Coventry and Warwickshire HMA at 80,080 homes between 2011 and 2031 (4,004 per annum). In this context, Coventry’s housing needs would equate to 36,220 homes (1,811 per annum).  There was a clear acknowledgement that Coventry would be unable to meet this level of housing need and, as a result, the report endorsed a phased redistribution of housing need across the Housing Market Area.

The first phase of this redistribution built upon the Coventry and Warwickshire Joint Strategic Housing Market Assessment (Nov 2013) (SHMA).  The second phase managed a remaining shortfall of unplanned housing need evidenced primarily by the most recent government population projections.

As a result, the city’s housing target would reduce to around 23,600 (1,180 a year), although this would need to be considered in the context of land availability and sustainable development.  In summary, the councils draft assessment of capacity within Coventry (the draft Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment for Coventry (September 2014) (SHLAA)) currently identified land for housing of up to 23,300 dwellings, which included land currently within the Green Belt. The remaining 12,620 homes were then redistributed to Warwickshire through the phased approach.

Some of the housing need redistributed in phase 1 had already been planned for in Stratford and Warwick as these plans were more advanced.  North Warwickshire’s plan had not had regard to the redistribution approach at this stage as the new population projections placed an upward pressure on its own level of need.  Opportunities may still exist to work alongside the local authority areas of Nuneaton and Bedworth and Rugby to explore how this initial redistribution could best be planned.  Such opportunities would be explored through the Duty to Co-operate with consideration given to stakeholder engagement, the Joint Green Belt review, infrastructure issues and opportunities, landscape characteristics, land availability, employment opportunities and economic growth proposals.

The process and timeline provided a transparent basis for joint working across the Coventry and Warwickshire Housing Market Area for the coming years.  It sought to adopt Local Plans across each authority by the end of 2016 ensuring a range of housing and economic growth opportunities were identified in the process.  It then moved on to consider longer term options for a co-ordinated review of plans, which could include a joint plan for Coventry and Warwickshire.

In view of the significance  ...  view the full minutes text for item 147.

From the Cabinet, 3 March 2015

Further to Minute 124 of the Cabinet, the Council considered a report of the Executive Director for Place, which set out proposals for the extension of existing projects funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) following an opportunity to bid for additional funds.

Coventry and Warwickshire had been very successful in the current round of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in attracting external funding to the area.  Under the ERDF Sustainable Urban Development Programme Coventry & Warwickshire (C&W) had a notional allocation of £12.5m to spend on urban projects between 2006-2015 and over the course of the programme, through the City and Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) demonstrating a clear understanding of ERDF priorities and an ability to deliver on time, to budget and profile, the original allocation was tripled to over £38m.  When averaging this grant across the population, Coventry City Council had secured an average of over £116 per resident – the best across the West Midlands.  This compared to £32 in Birmingham, £36 in Solihull, £58 in Stoke-on-Trent, £27 in Dudley £27 and £12 in Sandwell.

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) had given current ERDF programmes the opportunity to bid for more funds to extend delivery.  Coventry put forward a number of schemes for additional funds and would be likely to find out at the end of February whether it had been successful or not.  This presented a good opportunity for the City to look at its capital programme and future schemes, and to start to develop proposals for future projects.  As always the Council had positioned Coventry & Warwickshire with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) as a place that they can invest ERDF in and it will successfully deliver.

If any projects were successful, the spend and delivery would need to have been made by 31^st December 2015 as that was the fixed end of the programme and DCLG are not in a position to extend this.

Early indications from DCLG are that there is little additional funding available at this stage, and priority will be given to projects ‘bridging the gap’ between the current European Funding programme and the new European Programme, such as business support type projects, rather than capital projects.  However, the Council is clear on its priorities and submitted a bid which, if given the opportunity, could spend any further ERDF underspend in the future as it becomes available.

It was noted that the report was submitted in advance of knowing the outcome of the Council’s bids and was seeking approval that, if the Council were successful in securing ERDF, it could quickly move to become the accountable body for any additional ERDF it is allocated, contract and mobilise the workforce accordingly to ensure delivery by 31 December 2015. Any delay in the decision making process would jeopardise the Council’s ability to deliver the schemes within the timeframes set.

In  ...  view the full minutes text for item 148.

From the Cabinet, 3 March 2015

Further to Minute 127 of the Cabinet, the Council considered a report of the Executive Director for Place, which set out proposals for potential extensions to the Public Realm Phase 3 programme following an opportunity to bid for further European Regional Development Funding.

A corresponding private report detailing commercially confidential aspects of the proposals was also submitted for consideration.

An opportunity had arisen to bid for further European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) to continue Coventry’s extremely successful programme of public realm and infrastructure improvements.

A bid for a further £11.7m had been submitted and this, along with up to an additional £3m from the Growth Deal 2 grant (subject to formal approval) could take the total investment in public realm projects to over £40m with only £3.5m having been funded using the Council’s own funds.  The benefits of this investment were now being seen with the announcement of the conversion of Cathedral Lanes into a restaurant quarter, the expansion of Coventry University and growing interest in Friargate. 

When considered with the investment in the Station Masterplan and Highways and Transport Capital Programme, the total additional investment in the City for 2015/16 was over £70m.  This would further bolster the confidence evidenced in the recent report from the thinktank ‘Centre for Cities’ where Coventry was named as the most successful city in the West Midlands and a top 10 City in the Country in terms of economic and jobs growth. The public realm works would help bring forward future investment in the city centre, including the City Centre South development.

The report indicated that the additional public realm investment could see:

•  An extension of the Belgrade Plaza scheme to include the provision of an alternative route to West Orchards car park to alleviate congestion.

•  An enhancement of the Lidice Place proposals in front of St Johns church;

•  A major initiative to promote tourism in the city including improvements to the links between the Cathedral and the revamped and expanded Motor Museum along with enhancements to the Hill Top conservation area;

•  Re-paving of Far Gosford Street to complement the Gosford Street public realm scheme, the redevelopment of many historic buildings and Fargo Village;

•  Partial de-culverting of the River Sherbourne and waterside landscaping at Palmer Lane to kickstart the regeneration of this area;

•  Enhancement to Bishop Street to complete the link between existing public realm works and the canal basin scheme to help promote regeneration;

It was noted that the bid also included additional funding for the Friargate infrastructure and Whitley Bridge.

Although the Council had been invited to make the bid by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), the actual amount available was going to depend on how much other authorities decide to hand–back and DCLG interpretation of the bids being submitted as expansion to current schemes.  All authorities in the ERDF programme had to report quarterly on progress and were expected to ‘de-commit’ funding if they thought  ...  view the full minutes text for item 149.

Further to Minute 136 of the Cabinet, the Council considered a joint report of the Executive Director for Resources and the Executive Director for Place, which sought approval of changes to the levels of delegation in respect of the Coventry Investment Fund (CIF).

The CIF had been put in place to invest in real growth opportunities right from the way through from manufacturing businesses to retail businesses, leisure services and road improvements and included the development of the Council’s commercial property portfolio, with a view to getting the best return possible from its assets.

The report highlighted the need to balance the speed of decision making which private sector partners require with robust governance.  It was noted that an investment board was in place in the form of the Coventry Investment Fund Cabinet Committee, which reviewed business cases and made decisions on projects in which to invest.

The Council were currently in negotiations with a number of potential investors that had the potential to generate jobs and boost the local economy.  As a result of these negotiations, a number of new deals may emerge which align with CIF objectives.

The possible investment decisions would be highly sensitive and commercial and confidence and certainty of tight decision making timelines had to be given to investors early in the process.  Through the CIF Committee, the Council was able to show its commitment to these investments.  However, there was a risk that the Council was currently unable to move swiftly enough to engage in negotiations with these investors, who often work to very demanding timescales.  Decision making processes within the Council move at a pace which was not in line with the market and Coventry may continue to lose out on significant investment opportunities.

To address this emerging issue, and to ensure that the Council’s CIF remained an effective tool in growing the local economy with game changing investment, the Council was recommended to respond to the market and temporarily increase the delegated authority for the CIF Committee and Cabinet to make investment decisions.

The Council noted that, having considered the report submitted, the Cabinet requested that officers investigate the establishment of a small fund aimed to support small to medium business enterprises for a grant funding process, similar to that operated by the Princes Trust.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Mrs Lucas, indicated that she would give consideration to the request from the Conservative Group regarding their attendance at the Coventry Investment Fund Cabinet Committee.

RESOLVED that the Council:-

1.  Approve an increase to the delegated authority for the Coventry Investment Fund Cabinet Committee allowing individual grant and loan awards up to a maximum of £5 million.

2.  Where the recommendation to the CIF Cabinet Committee is to determine an individual grant in excess of £2 million and up to a maximum of £5 million, then require an additional two Cabinet Members to be determined by the Leader of the City Council become members of the CIF Cabinet Committee (making five  ...  view the full minutes text for item 150.

(a)  Written Questions – Booklet 1

(b)  Oral Questions to Chairs of Scrutiny Boards/Chair of Scrutiny

Co-ordination Committee

(c)  Oral Questions to Chairs of other meetings

(d)  Oral Questions to Representatives on Outside Bodies

(e)  Oral Questions to Cabinet Members and Deputy Cabinet Members on any matter

Councillors Kershaw and Ruane provided written answers to the questions set out in the Questions Booklet, together with oral responses to Supplementary Questions put to them at the meeting.

The following Members answered oral questions put to them by other Members as set out below, together with supplementary questions on the same matters:

The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Councillor Ruane, made a statement in respect of the “Children’s Services Improvement Plan”.

Councillor Lepoidevin responded to the statement.

The Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities, Councillor Townshend, made a statement in respect of ‘The Lord Mayor’s Office – Overview for 2014/15’.

Councillor Blundell responded to the statement.

“This Council condemns the significant cuts to its core funding meaning that by 2017 half its funding from Government will have been cut since 2010.  It notes that Government reforms to the national funding settling have cost the Council over £10.5m/year.  It further notes that increased demands in Children’s and Adult Services mean that soon the Council will not be able to deliver anything but the most basic of statutory services.

The Council also condemns the wasteful, top-down reorganisation of the NHS that has cost billions of pounds and put patient safety at risk

As such, it requests an urgent meeting with MPs, Ministers and Shadow Ministers to negotiate a fairer funding settlement for the City and raise concerns about the NHS.”

Councillor Gannon moved the following Motion which was seconded by Councillor Hetherton:

  *  “This Council condemns the significant cuts to its core funding meaning that by 2017 half its funding from Government will have been cut since 2010.  It notes that Government reforms to the national funding settling have cost the Council over £10.5m/year.  It further notes that increased demands in Children’s and Adult Services mean that soon the Council will not be able to deliver anything but the most basic of statutory services.

  The Council also condemns the wasteful, top-down reorganisation of the NHS that has cost billions of pounds and put patient safety at risk

  As such, it requests an urgent meeting with MPs, Ministers and Shadow Ministers to negotiate a fairer funding settlement for the City and raise concerns about the NHS.”

Councillor Sawdon proposed an amendment, which was seconded by Councillor Andrews, and lost, the effect of which would have been to amend the debate to read as follows:

  “This Council noting the economic mess made by the last Labour Government, as evidenced by the comments of Liam Byrne MP, recognises the significant cuts to its core funding had to be made to its budget.  It further notes that increased demands in Children’s and Adult Services, due to the incompetence of the ruling Labour Administration that resulted in Children’s Service’s being downgraded to inadequate, mean that soon the Council will not be able to deliver anything but the most basic of statutory services.

  The Council further recognises that the manifesto commitment of the Conservative Party in 2010 to ring fence funding for the NHS was fulfilled noting that the Labour Party in 2010 declined to give that commitment”.

RESOLVED that the Motion as set out at * above be adopted.

“This Council believes, in light of the Inspector's recommendation to the Secretary of State for Local Government on the Gateway application, that the recommendation of the Planning Committee on Thursday 26 February to delegate powers to the head of planning in consultation with the chair and deputy chair of planning committee to grant outline planning permission subject to  conditions for the erection of up to 800  dwellings (OUT/2014/2282) in Bablake Ward was fundamentally flawed and the final decision should be referred to a future meeting of the full Council.”

Councillor Blundell moved the following Motion which was seconded by Councillor Birdi:

“This Council believes, in light of the Inspector's recommendation to the Secretary of State for Local Government on the Gateway application, that the recommendation of the Planning Committee on Thursday 26 February to delegate powers to the head of planning in consultation with the chair and deputy chair of planning committee to grant outline planning permission subject to  conditions for the erection of up to 800  dwellings (OUT/2014/2282) in Bablake Ward was fundamentally flawed and the final decision should be referred to a future meeting of the full Council.”

RESOLVED that the above Motion not be adopted.

NOTE:  In accordance with the Constitution, a recorded vote was required. The Councillors voting for and against the Motion were as follows:-

Result:  6 for

  31 against

  0 abstentions

From the Cabinet, 3 March 2015

(Listing Officer: C Knight, tel: 024 7683 4001)

Further to Minute 130 of the Cabinet, the Council considered a report of the Executive Director for Place, which detailed commercially confidential aspects of proposals for potential extensions to the Public Realm Phase 3 programme following an opportunity to bid for further European Regional Development Funding.

The Council noted that the Cabinet had agreed to:

1.  Retrospectively authorise expenditure at risk up to the sum indicated in the report submitted on the programme until the outcome of the ERDF bid is known.

2.  Subject to funding, authorise the City Council to enter into a Joint Works Agreement with individuals/organisations identified within the report submitted in relation to proposals set out in Appendix E, under the term identified, in addition to a Joint Works Agreement with the individuals/organisations identified within the report in respect of proposals set out in Appendix F.

3.  Subject to award of funding, authorise the City Council to enter into back to back ERDF Grant Aid Agreements with individuals / organisations identified within the report submitted to enable them to spend ERDF monies directly, and seek complementary and/or refurbishment of Council-owned land in the vicinity.

4.  Delegate authority to the Executive Director Place, in consultation with Cabinet Members for Public Services and for Business, Enterprise and Employment, to agree the detailed works for schemes in Coventry city centre Public Realm Phase 3a as set out in Appendix C and their prioritisation for implementation given the uncertainty on the available funding.

RESOLVED that the Council:

1.  Authorise the new and additional programme of works, as set out in Appendix A, for Public Realm Phase 3a totalling £15.4m, to be added to the approved capital programme for 2015/16, utilising £11.7m ERDF, £3m Growth Deal grant, £0.7m LTP subject to funds being made available and priority order set out in this report.

2.  Subject to funding agreement and conditions, authorise the accelerated expenditure of £3m Growth Deal  grant from the ‘Coventry City Centre’ project from 2016/17 to 2015/16 to part-fund the public realm programme and cash-flowed by the capital programme;

3.  Authorise the updating of the Council’s approved Capital programme in consultation with Cabinet Member for Public Services, to reflect the revised detailed programme of works as can be afforded within funding available including any new ERDF and Growth Deal 2 monies.