Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 January 2016 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 press and public be excluded under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 relating to the private report headed “Leasehold Disposal of Lane, Cox Street” on the grounds that the report involved the likely disclosure of information defined in Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as it contained 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.

The City Council noted that Councillor Rupinder Singh was returned as the elected member for the Lower Stoke Ward in the City on 11 February 2016.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Lucas, welcomed Councillor Singh to his first meeting of the Council and reported that he would be serving as a substitute member of the Finance and Legal Services Scrutiny Board (1) in place of Councillor Skipper for the remainder of the 2015/16 municipal year.

To be presented by the Lord Mayor

On behalf of the City Council, the Lord Mayor presented Mr Kenneth Leonard Holmes with the Good Citizen Award. His citation read:

“Kenneth Holmes has worked tirelessly in a variety of roles in numerous charitable organisations in Coventry for over 30 years. These include 32 years as a Board Member of the YMCA including 20 years as Chair and, since 2010, Vice President, Chair of the Trustees of St Andrew’s Residential Care Home, Chair of The Rotary Club of Coventry together with international positions supporting a variety of charities which help the most vulnerable people in our society.”

Kenneth is the Chair of the Building Advisory Board at Coventry University. This body provides a critical overview of the various degree courses and needs of the Construction Industry.

Kenneth’s passion is the preservation of churches. He has been heavily involved in the care of the 1,000 year old St Mary Magdalene Church in Wyken.

Kenneth has not only provided support to many deserving causes in Coventry, but he has helped to support the very fabric of the city through his devotion to the built environment, thus proving beyond doubt that he is a true Good Citizen of Coventry.”

The Lord Mayor referred to the recent death of Bill Thompson.  Mr Thomson served as a co-opted member on the following Committees for a number of years in the late 1980s and 1990s:

  Environmental Services Committee

Housing, Environment and Public Protection Policy Co-ordinating Committee

Environment and Housing Policy Co-ordinating Committee

Members of the Council paid tribute to Mr Thomson and noted that the Lord Mayor had written to his widow offering the City Council’s sincere condolences.

The Lord Mayor extended his best wishes to Councillor Marcus Lapsa on the occasion of his recent 60^th Birthday.

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

(a)  Request consultation and survey of traffic and parking in and around Tile Hill Railway Station – 356 signatures, presented by Councillor Lapsa.

(b)  Request that the Council remove thorny bushes on Honeyfield Road and Edmund Road – 32 signatures, presented by Councillor Birdi.

As members of Centro, Councillors McNicholas and P Akhtar declared disclosable pecuniary interests in the matter referred to in Minute 128 below (Approval of the Draft Order to establish a West Midlands Combined Authority).

They withdrew from the meeting during consideration of this item.

From the Cabinet, 9 February 2016

Further to Minute 113 of the Cabinet, the City Council considered a report of the Executive Director of Place which set out proposals for the leasehold disposal of land at Cox Street.

A corresponding private report detailing confidential aspects of the proposals was also submitted to the meeting for consideration (Minute 131 below refers).

The report indicated that there was an opportunity for the Council to secure a capital receipt for the leasehold disposal of part of Cox Street surface car park.  This would lead to a significant investment in the city centre, delivering a purpose built, self-managed, high quality, 1,000 bed, student residential scheme and bringing new life to that part of the city centre.

Since the publication of the report the Council had received an additional, unsolicited conditional offer from a third party, dated 8th February 2016. The offer was similar in terms of the proposed type of student housing development as well as financially. It was incumbent on the Council to explore this additional offer. As such revised recommendations were submitted, the purpose of which were to obtain approval in principle the land disposal but provide an opportunity for officers, in consultation with relevant Cabinet Members, to explore the alternative offer now presented. 

RESOLVED that the City Council:

1)  Subject to consideration of the private report on the agenda, approve a leasehold disposal in the Council’s land on terms no less favourable than those contained in the private report now submitted.

2)  Delegate authority to the Assistant Director for City Centre and Development Services, Executive Director of Resources and Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services as appropriate, following consultation with Cabinet Member for Business, Enterprise and Employment, to enter into negotiations with the parties and conclude the documentation required to complete the lease.

3)  Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Resources and Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services to complete the necessary legal documentation in this matter and collect the agreed consideration.

4)  Approve the commencement of the process to remove part of the land in Cox Street from the off street parking order.

In accordance with the Consitution:

(i)  A motion without notice was moved by Councillor McNicholas, seconded by Councillor Abbott and adopted that agenda items 10 (2016/17 Council Tax Report) and 11 (Budget Report 2016/17) be considered together.

(ii)  It was noted that a recorded vote would be taken in respect of all decisions relating to matters the subject of Minutes 127 and 128 (including any amendments)

Further to Minute 122 of the Cabinet, the City Council considered a report of the Executive Director of Resources, which set out the Council Tax level for 2016/17.

In previous years the Council has had the flexibility to increase Council Tax by up to 2% without holding a local referendum on the matter.  The report indicated that the Pre-Budget Report was approved on the basis of consulting on a Council Tax rise of 1.9%.  It had subsequently been confirmed that, in recognition of the increasing pressure on adult social care services across the country, the Government had increased this flexibility by a further 2%, up to a maximum of 4%.  On that basis, the budget was being proposed on the basis of increasing the Council Tax by 3.9% in order to increase the resources available to fund adult social care services within the City.

The precepts from the West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority were approved at their meeting on 15^th February 2016 and, as a result, the figures indicated as provisional within the report were confirmed.

The recommendations followed the structure of resolutions drawn up by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, to ensure that legal requirements were fully adhered to in setting the tax.  As a consequence, the wording of the resolutions was necessarily complex.

RESOLVED that the City Council:-

(1)  Note the following Council Tax base amounts for the year 2016/17, as approved by Council on 12^th January 2016, in accordance with Regulations made under Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended) (“the Act”):

a)  77,525.1 being the amount calculated by the Council as its Council Tax base for the year for the whole area;

b)  Allesley  318.3

Finham  1,467.8

Keresley  226.2

being the amounts calculated by the Council as its Council Tax base for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which one or more special items relate.

(2)  That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2016/17 in accordance with Sections 31A, 31B and 34 to 36 of the Act:

(a)  £692,642,421  being the aggregate of the amounts that the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act taking into account all precepts issued to it by Parish Councils (Gross Expenditure and reserves required to be raised for estimated future expenditure);

(b)  £581,800,332  being the aggregate of the amounts that the council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act. (Gross Income including reserves to be used to meet the Gross Expenditure but excluding Council Tax income);

(c)  £110,842,089  being the amount by which the aggregate at (2)(a) above exceeds the aggregate at (2)(b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act, as its Council Tax requirement for the year;

(d)  £1,429.76  (2)(c)  =  £110,842,089

  (1)(a)  77,525.1

  being the amount at (2)(c) above divided by the amount at (1)(a) above, calculated by the Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 127.

Further to Minute 123 of the Cabinet, the City Council considered a report of the Strategic Management Board, which set outlined the Councils proposed revenue and capital budget for 2016/17 following a period of public consultation.

The allocation of Government funding for 2016/17 was confirmed in the Local Government Finance Settlement announced on 8 February 2016.  The Settlement signalled a continued reduction in local government funding over the next 4 years with a planned reduction of £40m in Coventry’s Settlement Funding Assessment – the sum of Revenue Support Grant, Top-Up Funding and an estimate of Coventry’s local share of Business Rates.

In previous years, the Council had the flexibility to increase Council Tax by up to 2% without holding a local referendum on the matter.  The Pre-Budget Report was approved on the basis of consulting on a Council Tax rise of 1.9%.  However, in recognition of the increasing pressure on Adult Social Care services across the country, the Government had increased this flexibility by a further 2%, up to a maximum of 4%.  The recommended budget assumed the taking up of this additional 2% flexibility  in order to increase the resources available to fund Adult Social Care services in the City.  As a result, the budget was being proposed on the basis of increasing the Council Tax by 3.9%.  This proposed increase would be the equivalent of between 70p and 80p per week for a typical Coventry Household.

The overall budget reflected reductions in Government funding that had already been anticipated and savings programmes that were approved as part of the 2015/16 budgeting setting.  Going into the 2016/17 budget setting, the Council faced a financial gap of £13m and a new financial pressure of £10m had emerged since, in particular in relation to Adult Social Care.  These have been balanced by higher than planned resources available to the Council, as well as a series of savings options to balance the budget.  Overall the report incorporated a package of changes that allowed the Council to continue to deliver its key policies, as set out in the Council Plan.

Despite the financial pressure it faced, the Council was maintaining an ambitious approach to investing in the City.  The proposed capital progamme amounted to £117m in 2016/17 and included major schemes such as the Friargate and the City Centre Leisure facility developments and the Coventry Station Master Plan.

The annual Treasury Management Strategy, incorporating a revised Minimum Revenue Provision Policy, was also proposed, covering the management of the Council’s investments, cash balances and borrowing requirements.

In respect of the above, a recorded vote was required in accordance with Paragraph 18.3 of the City Council's Constitution. The Councillors voting for, against or abstaining in respect of the recommendations were as follows:

An amendment, as detailed in the Appendix to these minutes, was moved by Councillor Sawdon, seconded by Councillor Blundell and lost.

RESOLVED that the City Council:

(1)  Approve the spending and savings proposals in Appendix 2 of the report submitted.

(2)  Approve the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 128.

Report of the Chief Executive

The Council considered a report of the Executive Director of Resources which sought approval of the draft Order to establish a West Midlands Combined Authority.

A combined authority was a statutory body that facilitates the collaboration and joint working between local authorities to drive economic prosperity for the area. On 13 October 2015 Coventry City Council resolved that it should join the proposed West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) after considering the information available including the West Midlands statutory governance review and Statement of Intent for the Combined Authority and the results of the local engagement and consultation process. Council further resolved to approve the Scheme for a West Midlands Combined Authority which was submitted to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

The next step in the creation of a WMCA is for an Order to be laid before Parliament by the Secretary of State. The Order, if made, will be the statutory basis on which a WMCA is established.

Assurance work around the Devolution Deal continues and this will be subject of a future report to Council for full consideration and debate.  The following documents were appendices to the report:

Appendix 1  The Draft Order from the Secretary of State

Appendix 2  Proposed Combined Authority Constitution

Appendix 3  Papers provided to The Secretary of State from the shadow WMCA (Governance Review, Scheme, engagement and consultation summaries)

RESOLVED that the City Council:

1.  Formally approve the draft Order.

2.   Delegate approval of any minor drafting amendments of the Order to the Chief Executive following consultation with the Leader of the Council

3.   Endorse the Draft Constitution for the West Midlands Combined Authority for adoption.

4.   Agree that approval to make any technical amendments to the Combined Authority Constitution on behalf of the City Council is delegated to the Chief Executive following consultation with the Leader of the Council.

5.   Delegate to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader of the Council, authority to consider and continue any further and future assurance and due diligence work around the Devolution Deal and WMCA.

Note: Councillors P Akhtar and McNicholas withdrew from the meeting for the consideration of this item.

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

On behalf of Councillor Andrews, Councillor Blundell responded to the Statement.

From the Cabinet, 9 February 2016

(Listing Officer: P Beesley, Tel 024 7683 1377)

Further to Minute 125 above, the City Council considered a private report of the Executive Director of Place that set out confidential aspects of proposals for the leasehold disposal of land at Cox Street.

Since the publication of the report the Council had received a received an additional, unsolicited conditional offer from a third party, dated 8th February 2016. The offer was similar in terms of the proposed type of student housing development as well as financially.

It was incumbent on the Council to explore this additional offer. As such revised recommendations were submitted, the purpose of which were to obtain approval in principle the land disposal but provide an opportunity for officers, in consultation with relevant Cabinet Members, to explore the alternative offer now presented.

RESOLVED that the City Council:

1)  Approve a leasehold disposal in the Council’s land on terms no less favourable than those contained in the report.

2)  Delegate authority to the Assistant Director for City Centre and Development Services, Executive Director of Resources and Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services as appropriate, in consultation with Cabinet Member for Business, Enterprise and Employment, to enter into negotiations with the parties and conclude the documentation required to complete the lease.

3)  Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Resources and Assistant Director of Legal and Democratic Services to complete the necessary legal documentation in this matter and collect the agreed consideration.

4)  Approve the commencement of the process to remove part of the land in Cox Street from the off street parking order.