Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 June 2015 were signed as a true record.

To be presented by the Lord Mayor.

On behalf of the City Council, the Lord Mayor presented Mrs Mandie Watson with the Good Citizen Award.  Her citation read:

“Mandie worked in the city for 29 years, first in Housing and then in Community Safety.  She has been committed to social justice and creating safer communities.  Mandie was never frightened to challenge offenders and make sure victims had the support they needed. She encouraged a range of agencies to work together to find innovative solutions to problems. She was committed to partnership working to ensure people recognised each other's roles and strengths thus together making Coventry a safer city. Mandie has worked on the front line which inspired her passion to work strategically.

One particular area of the city has benefitted from Mandie’s tenacity and enthusiasm.  She ensured that the community’s voice was heard and has liaised with the relevant agencies. This has resulted in a decline in Anti-Social Behaviour, drug use and has seen evictions of some of those responsible. The community feel that Mandie has added to their quality of life by making their area a safer and better place to live. She has given outstanding service above and beyond her role.

Mandie’s hard work and dedication have made a difference to local people and made Coventry a safer and more pleasant place to live. She is an excellent role model of a Good Citizen Award winner.”

Members of the City Council stood for a minute’s silence as a mark of respect for victims of the recent terrorist attack in Tunisia. 

The Lord Mayor reported that, on behalf of the City Council, he had recently attended a memorial service at Westminster Abbey to mark the Srebrenica massacre in 1995 and to commemorate those massacred in the Bosnian town.

On behalf of the City Council, the Lord Mayor congratulated Ben Yorke, Business Development Officer from the Business Investment Team on his recent successful nomination for the High Sheriff’s Award.

The Lord Mayor welcomed the newly appointed West Midlands Police Chief Superintendent, Danny Long and congratulated former Chief Superintendent, Claire Bell for her recent promotion and wished her well for the future.

RESOLVED that the following petition be referred to the appropriate City Council body:

Request to retain the bollard protecting the pathway between 6 and 7 Fosseway Road and 137 and 139 Anchorway Road in its current position – 28 signatures, presented by Councillor Sawdon in Councillor Crookes’s absence.

There were no declarations of interest.

From the Cabinet, 7 July 2015.

Further to Minute 20/15 of Cabinet, the City Council considered a report of the Executive Director for Place, which sought approval for the development of a Coventry bid for the UK City of Culture 2021 title and outlined the anticipated bid process and timescales, the bid feasibility work undertaken in Coventry to date, and the expected commitments and benefits for the successful city being awarded (in 2017) the title of UK City of Culture 2021.

The European Capitals of Culture (ECoC) programme was created in 1985 as an intergovernmental cultural initiative.  Initially titled ‘European Cities of Culture’, the programme had evolved to a position where the ECoC programme was now considered by many to be the flagship cultural initiative of the European Union.

In December 2013, Coventry City Council agreed a motion proposing the undertaking of a scoping exercise to set out plans for Coventry to make a bid for the UK City of Culture in 2021 and/or European Capital of Culture in 2023.

An independent Steering Group had overseen the detailed investigation of Coventry’s case to bid for either the UK or European title.  Whilst the Steering Group were of the view that there were clearly merits in considering a European bid, it concluded that the UK City of Culture process would currently be a better fit for the City, both in terms of the needs of the City and current positioning of Coventry.

In March 2015, the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) announced that the competition for title of UK City of Culture 2021 would be held in 2017, in Hull’s UK City of Culture year.  Based on previous bidding guidance, it was anticipated that the successful candidate city for UK City of Culture 2021 would need to deliver against a number of criteria which were detailed in the report.

The economic case for Coventry bidding for UK City of Culture was considered by the Steering Group to be strong.  A successful bid was likely to bring significant national investment into the City from public and private sources; visitor spend; enhanced student numbers as well as the potential economic benefits of accelerated development. In Derry/Londonderry there were major infrastructure developments realised through the programme and Hull was already attracting investment in transport, public realm and retail on the back of their successful bid.

The City Council also considered a briefing note of the Communities and Neighbourhood Scrutiny Board (4) at which they had made the following recommendations: that children and young people be included in the development of the UK City Culture 2021 bid and that the steering group be advised to consider representation from the school and further education sector.  In moving the report, these additional recommendations were approved.

RESOLVED that the City Council:

(a)  Approve the development of a city bid for Coventry to be UK City of Culture in 2021.

(b)  Include children and young people in the development of the UK City of Culture 2021 bid.

(c)  Advise  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

From the Cabinet Member (Strategic Finance and Resources) meeting, 6 July 2015.

Further to Minute 6/15 of the Cabinet Member for Strategic Finance and Resources, the City Council considered a report of the Executive Director of Resources which outlined the end of year hospitality budget report for the Mayoral Year of Councillor Hazel Noonan 2014/2015. The report provided an update on how the budget was allocated during the Mayoral year. The total spend was £59,684.72 which was £5,911.28 less than the budget and this balance was returned to corporate reserves.

The Lord Mayor’s Annual Report was attached at Appendix 1 of the report and provided the background to the civic engagements which were undertaken to meet a range of priorities from community engagement to international events.

Arising from discussion the Council agreed that the content of the report clearly demonstrated the impact the city had in terms of links with other cities and cultural events and as such recommended, with the agreement of the Cabinet Member for Strategic Finance and Resources, that the report be referred to the City of Culture Steering Group.

RESOLVED that, in noting the report, the City Council agreed that it be referred to the City of Culture Steering Group to consider as part of their work in putting together a bid for Coventry’s UK City of Culture 2021 bid.

Report of the Chief Executive

The City Council considered a report of the Chief Executive recommending agreement to a consultation on a combined authority for the West Midlands.  On 28 May 2015 Coventry City Council’s Cabinet agreed in principle to create a combined authority with a preferred option of councils from Coventry and Warwickshire (and Hinckley and Bosworth) with councils from the Greater Birmingham and Solihull and the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership areas. Cabinet also agreed to delegate authority to the Leader of the Council with the Chief Executive to enter negotiation and discussions on a potential devolution deal. 

Following extensive discussions with local authority neighbours; local enterprise partnerships and other partners, Coventry City Council and the other six West Midlands Metropolitan District Councils have undertaken a joint governance review to establish if the creation of a combined authority would improve economic development, regeneration and transport in the area. 

All seven councils agreed that, whilst a combined authority for the metropolitan area would deliver considerable benefits, one that covers a geography that includes other councils from wider Local Enterprise Partnership areas of Coventry and Warwickshire and Greater Birmingham and Solihull would be preferable. Discussions are continuing with these neighbouring local authorities (including Hinckley and Bosworth) and will continue through this consultation process.

The statement of intent “Growing the UK Economy through a Midlands Engine” setting out the case and aspirations for a West Midlands combined authority on this wider geographical basis was issued by the seven West Midlands Metropolitan District Councils on 6 July 2015 and was welcomed by the three local enterprise partnerships. The seven West Midlands Metropolitan District Councils now intend to consult across the West Midlands area on the governance review and proposals to set up a West Midlands Combined Authority.

RESOLVED that the City Council:

1.  Agree that joint consultation by the seven West Midlands Metropolitan District Councils on setting up a combined authority for the West Midlands should take place in Coventry.

2.  Delegate authority to the Leader of the Council with the Chief Executive to agree the documentation to be used in the joint consultation on the proposed combined authority for the West Midlands.

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 Noonan responded to the statement.