Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the Extraordinary and Ordinary meetings held on 14 July 2015 were signed as true records.

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 press and public be excluded under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 relating to the private reports detailed below on the grounds that the reports involve the likely disclosure of information defined in Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as they contain information relating to the financial and business affairs of a particular person (including the authority holding that information) and that in all circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

·  Public Realm and Major Projects Update

·  City Centre South – Update

To be presented by the Lord Mayor and Judge Griffith-Jones, Honorary Recorder

On behalf of the City Council, the Lord Mayor and Judge Griffith-Jones, Honorary Recorder, presented Mr Cornell Barnes with the Good Citizen Award.  His citation read:

“Cornell ‘Barney’ Barnes is well known around Coventry as a ‘beat bobby’ having worked in the Hillfields area of the city since 1990. Barney is well-respected by both his peers and members of the public, having seen many people he has arrested turn their lives around.

When not on duty Barney is the Musical Director of the West Midlands Police Band. The band play at many social events around the city and in particular have played at charity functions free of charge. The band regularly play at the Army Benevolent Fund Summer Reception giving their time to this charity.

Barney has spent over 25 years working in the community,  helping the citizens of Coventry and giving his time freely for the entertainment and benefit of others. His actions truly merit this Good Citizen Award.”

The Lord Mayor referred to the recent death of former Councillor Mohammed Raja Asif, who represented Upper Stoke Ward for 12 years between 1992 and 2000 and again in 2007 until 2011.  He was Chair of the former Housing Management Panel and Vice-Chair of Housing Committee. 

Members paid tribute to the work undertaken by Mohammed and extended the Council’s sincere condolences to his family.

Rob Hayward

The Lord Mayor referred to former City Councillor Rob Hayward’s elevation to the Peerage.  He had been a Councillor for Whoberley Ward in the 1970’s.  The City Council’s congratulations were extended to Lord Hayward.

The Queen

On behalf of the City Council, the Lord Mayor congratulated her Majesty the Queen in advance of her becoming the UK’s longest serving monarch on 9^th September 2015.

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

(a)  Reject plan for 500 student bedsits at the back of the Belgrade Theatre  – 200 signatures, presented by Councillor O’Boyle.

(b)  Request for a parking verge on Beake Avenue – 31 signatures, presented by Councillor Mrs Lucas.

(c)  Request for maintenance and improvements on steps by postbox on Belgrave Road – 63 signatures, presented by Councillor Thay.

(d)  Request action against anti-social behaviour activity around Saint Anne and All Saints Church – 86 signatures, presented by Councillor N Akhtar

There were no declarations of interest.

From the Audit and Procurement Committee held on 3 August 2015.

Further to Minute 19/15 of the Audit and Procurement Committee, The City Council considered the Audit and Procurement Committee’s Annual Report. The report provided an overview of the Committee’s activity during 2014/15.

RESOLVED that the City Council receive and note the Audit and Procurement Committee Annual Report 2014/15.

From Cabinet, 1 September 2015

Further to Minute 38/15 of the Cabinet, the City Council considered a report of the Executive Director of Place, which set out the Council’s funding allocation following a bid for further European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) and the proposed amendments to the programme of public realm and major projects as a result of the award.

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

The City Council has had a very ambitious major projects programme comprising City Centre public realm, Friargate, station masterplan, Whitley junction, pinch point schemes at Walsgrave Hospital and Warwick University and Nuckle.  In total this represented over £130m of investment in the city.

The report indicated that the lack of corporate resources to support any cost overruns had meant that it was essential that this programme was fully funded from a combination of external grant and existing resources.  The outcome from the latest ERDF bid, the delayed timing of this announcement, and significant cost changes on the Whitley junction project had made it necessary for the overall major projects and public realm programme to be revised.  This was to ensure that it could be delivered on time, within the available budget and thus avoid any claw back of ERDF money.  As the funding for Nuckle and pinch point schemes were effectively ring fenced, they had been excluded from further consideration within the report. 

The previously approved programme for Phase 3a was on the assumption of the full £11.7m of additional ERDF bid for being awarded but had noted the risk that this may not happen and therefore set out a priority list of schemes to be funded in the event of not all of that funding being received.  The Council had been awarded £3m against the bid submitted, but helpfully the Department for Local Government and Communities (DLGC) had agreed to previously approved ERDF of £2.346m being transferred to new projects in cases where projects are no longer proceeding such as the canal basin.

The Council had also been told that the ERDF decision would be announced in February 2015.  In the event, notification was only received on June 4th, whilst the deadline of December 31st 2015 for scheme completion and monetary claims remained unchanged.

The bid to the DCLG for an additional £11.7m of ERDF had also assumed that £3m of Growth Deal 2 money could be brought forward to act as match funding.  Confirmation of this funding had been expected in March 2015 but was now not expected to be given until February 2016 and had to be considered at risk. 

In view of the above changes, options for revisions to the capital programme and funding packages had been considered to ensure a balanced programme could be delivered.

The report set out a proposed works programme that maximized project delivery and would ensure no ERDF was returned whilst requiring no additional City Council money together with details on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57.

From Cabinet, 1 September 2015.

Further to Minute 39/15 of the Cabinet, the City Council considered a joint report of the Executive Director of Place and the Executive Director of Resources, which set out proposals to undertake fresh developer procurement to potentially secure a preferred developer to deliver a transformational City Centre South Scheme with an offer of financial support from the Council.

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

The Cabinet noted that Coventry was currently ranked as the 13th largest city in the UK and was a growing city with a projected population growth of 50,000 by 2031.  Yet its city centre was under performing in relation to its size, position and aspiration to be in the top ten of UK cities. 

Coventry required a city centre that supported its aspiration to become a top 10 UK city and to improve in order to shift perceptions of the city as a whole, attract investment, cope with future demands and compete with rival cities.

Transforming the city centre was therefore a top priority for the Council and was the last major part of various regeneration schemes which were already underway and included Friargate, the Railway Station Master-plan and Cathedral Lanes developments.

The City Centre South regeneration scheme obtained Outline Planning Permission in 2012 and the procurement of a “Preferred Developer Partner” was undertaken in 2013.  Following the appointment of Queensberry Real Estate (QRE) as the Councils “Preferred Developer Partner” in 2014, feasibility work on their City Centre South scheme proposal was undertaken.

This feasibility work was now complete and the results showed retailer demand for a transformational scheme and financial unviability. To address this lack of financial viability, the QRE scheme proposal for City Centre South would require a capital investment from the Council.

RESOLVED that the City Council:

1.   Authorise officers to undertake a further OJEU compliant developer procurement exercise for a transformational scheme and to test level of financial support required.

2.  Authorise a statement for inclusion in the City Centre South developer tender documents confirming that the Council will consider funding land acquisition for the scheme where it is not viable for the developer to do so, subject to finding a suitable development partner and future Cabinet and Council approvals once tenders have been received.

3.   Authorise officers to develop a financial strategy based on identifying and prioritising capital receipts to fund any future Council financial support.

4.   Request officers to bring a report to Cabinet and Council at the end of the procurement process to consider scheme proposals and any financial contribution required.

Report of the Executive Director of Resources

The City Council considered a report of the Executive Director of Resourceswhich recommended changes to the Constitution’s ‘Scheme of Delegation for Employees’ in order to appoint an Acting Monitoring Officer as the City Solicitor and Monitoring Officer had left the Council. 

RESOLVED that the City Council:

(1)  Designate the Legal Services Manager (Place and Regulatory) as Acting Monitoring Officer under Section 5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

(2)  Approve the proposed changes to onwards delegations of the Proper Officer functions of the Chief Executive and  Executive Director of Resources set out in paragraph 2.2.1  of the report.

(3)  Approve the proposed delegation of the functions of the City Solicitor/ Monitoring Officer as set out in paragraphs 2.3.1 and 2.3.4  of the repor

(4)  Authorise the Legal Services Manager (Place and Regulatory) to amend the Constitution accordingly.

Report of the Executive Director of Resources

The City Council considered a report of the Executive Director of Resources which sought approval to appoint a City Council representative to the newly formed Coventry City of Culture Trust.

On 14 July 2015, Council approved that the Coventry City of Culture Steering Group lead a whole-city bid for the title of UK City of Culture 2021.  On 25 August 2015, it was agreed by the Chair of the Coventry City of Culture Steering Group, at a meeting of founding Directors, that the Coventry City of Culture Trust would be established as a company limited by guarantee with charitable status, with David Burbidge (Chair of the City of Culture Steering Group) serving as Chair and Company Secretary.  Councillor Abbott, as Cabinet Member with portfolio responsibility for City of Culture, was proposed by the Chair as the Council’s representative on the new Trust.

RESOLVED Councillor Abbott be appointed to the Coventry City of Culture Trust.

Report of the Executive of Resources

The City Council considered a report of the Executive Director of Resources which sought approval to appoint a new Chair and Deputy Chair for the Board along with a replacement Council Member to fill the current vacancy following the resignation of the current Chair of the Health and Well-being Board, Councillor Alison Gingell.  The Leader of the council paid tribute to the work undertaken by Councillor Gingell in this regard.

The Health and Well-Being Board had, at their meeting on 7^th September 2015, nominated Dr Adrian Canale-Parola, Chair of the Coventy and Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group Governing Body, to serve as Deputy Chair on the Health and Well-being Board for the remainder of the municipal year 2015/16.

RESOLVED that the City Council:

(1)  That the City Council appoints Councillor Kamran Caan as the Chair of the Health and Well-being Board for the remainder of the municipal year 2015/16.

(2)  That the City Council accepts the nomination from the meeting of the Health and Well-being Board on 7^th September, 2015, to appoint Dr Adrian Canale-Parola to serve as Deputy Chair of the Board for the remainder of the municipal year 2015/16.

(3)  That the City Council appoints Councillor Joseph Clifford to take the place of Councillor Alison Gingell on the Health and Well-being Board for the remainder of the municipal year 2015/16. 

Councillor Ruane provided written answers to the question set out in the Questions Booklet, together with oral responses to Supplementary Questions put to him 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:

(a)  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.

(b)  The Leader, Councillor Mrs Lucas, made a statement in respect of the “Refugee Situation.”

Councillor Andrews responded to the statement.

There were no debates.

From Cabinet, 1 September 2015

(Listing Officer: D. Cockcroft: Tel: 024 7683 3964) 

Further to Minute 57 above, the City Council considered a report of the Executive Director of Place, which set out the commercially confidential aspects of the Council’s funding allocation following a bid for further European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) and the proposed amendments to the programme of public realm and major projects as a result of the award.

RESOLVED that the City Council:

(a)  Approve the revised Capital Programme as set out in Table 1 of  the report submitted.

(b)  Authorise the under-writing of the programme at a rate of £0.5m  per annum from the Transportation and Highways Capital Programme.

From Cabinet, 1 September, 2015

(Listing Officer: N. Clews, Tel: 024 7683 1320)

Further to Minute 58 above, the City Council considered a joint report of the Executive Director of Place and the Executive Director of Resources, which set out the commercially confidential aspects of proposals to undertake a fresh developer procurement to potentially secure a preferred developer to deliver a transformational City Centre South Scheme with an offer of financial support from the Council.

RESOLVED that the City Council:

(a)  Authorise officers to undertake a further OJEU compliant developer procurement exercise for a transformational scheme and to test level of financial support required.

(b)  Authorise a statement for inclusion in the City Centre South developer tender documents confirming that the Council will consider funding land acquisition for the scheme where it is not viable for the developer to do so, subject to finding a suitable development partner and future Cabinet and Council approvals once tenders have been received.

(c)  Authorise officers to develop a financial strategy based on identifying and prioritising capital receipts to fund any future Council financial support.

(d)  Request officers to bring a report to Cabinet and Council at the end of the procurement process to consider scheme proposals and any financial contribution required.