Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 July 2016 and of the Extraordinary meeting held on 3 August 2016 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 report headed “City Wide Public Leisure Provision” 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 circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

To be presented by the Lord Mayor

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

“Michael Wileman is a community activist who has led on numerous projects which have transformed Canley Brook and the green spaces in the area.

Michael has been instrumental in collaborating with a number of agencies to ensure the people and wildlife of Canley benefit from greener and more environmentally friendly surroundings.

Amongst his achievements are the planting of 2,000 tree saplings and 15,000 Spring bulbs, building bird and bat boxes, removing 5 tonnes of fly-tipping from Canley Brook, undertaking monthly water checks to monitor the brook, creating a social media web site to promote Canley green spaces and bringing together various community groups to volunteer their services.

Canley has benefitted greatly from Michael’s proactive approach to transforming the area. The Ten Shilling Wood and Park Wood are now wildlife havens and this is thanks to Michael’s dedication and determination to improve his local environment.”

There were no correspondence or announcements from the Lord Mayor.

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

(a)  Request for improvement at the junction of Hockley Lane and Church Lane – 739 signatures, presented by Councillor Lepoidevin.

(b)  Request for Charlewood Road to be considered for a road safety scheme – 46 signatures, presented by Councillor Lancaster.

(c)  Request for assistance in improving the safety and general appearance of Craners Road, Newham and the part of Harnall Lane East that runs from Trentham Road to Pommies Convenience Store on Swan Lane in the Hillfields are of Coventry – 39 signatures, presented by Councillor Welsh. 

(d)  Request for increase in the parking capacity of Tile Hill Station or restrict its use to Coventry residents only Monday to Friday – 12 signatures, presented by Councillors Skinner and Welsh.

(e)  Objection to planning application FUL/2016/1812 for the erection of three dwellings with associated parking on land at the end of Woodhill Rise, Holbrooks, Coventry – 106 signatures, presented by Councillor Clifford.

(f)  Request for measures to control speeding on Hawkes Mill Lane running between Browns Lane and Washbrook Lane – 99 signatures, presented by Councillor Birdi.

(g)  Request National Express to cease any action to stop the number 5 bus from running through the Everdon Road estate – 194 signatures, presented by Councillor Lucas.

There were no declarations of interest.

From the Audit and Procurement Committee held on 25 July 2016

Further to Minute 11/16 of the Audit and Procurement Committee, the City Council considered the Audit and Procurement Annual Report 2015/16 which provided an overview of the Committee’s activity during 2015/2016.

RESOLVED that the City Council receive and note the Audit and Procurement Committee Annual Report 2015/2016.

Further to Minute 29/16 of the Cabinet, the City Councol considered a report of the Executive Director of Place which set out proposals for city wide public leisure provision.

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

In September 2014, Coventry City Council unanimously approved investment in a new city centre destination sport and leisure facility. The Council further unanimously agreed to continue to work to explore all opportunities to enable Coventry to keep a 50m swimming pool if technically possible and within the current financial envelope available, by exploring opportunities with other stakeholders in and around the city. 

Approval was now sought for the development of a new 50m swimming pool and enhanced public leisure facilities at the Alan Higgs Centre, Allard Way, Coventry.  Subject to planning approval, the meeting of conditions relating to existing planning applications on the site and the granting of consents for development at the Alan Higgs Centre, this proposed investment would form a central part of the creation of a ‘Sports Village’ complex at the site.  The intention would therefore be to substantially enhance the facility provision of two sports, being swimming and rugby, through the development of a Community Swimming Development Hub and a Community Rugby Development Hub, to complement wider community sporting provision and the development of a separately funded, Wasps Training Centre. 

In addition approval was sought to negotiate terms for entering into a commercial lease for the new City Centre Destination Facility and to explore any benefit that could be derived from a formalised commercial partnership with Coventry and Warwickshire Award Trust (CAWAT).  Approval was also sought to extend the existing leases between Coventry City Council and Coventry Sports Trust in respect of the operational management of the public leisure provision that they currently manage across the city.

The aim of these proposals was to provide high quality, accessible and sustainable city-wide public sports and leisure facilities, in accordance with the objectives of the Coventry Sports Strategy 2014-2024, the Coventry Indoor Facilities Strategy 2014-2024 and Coventry Aquatics Strategy 2014-2024.

RESOLVED that the Council approves the addition of £10.5m, to the capital programme for 2016/17 towards for the development of a 50m swimming pool and enhanced public leisure facilities at the Alan Higgs Centre.Within the £10.5m, £1.169m related to management and design development costs as per paragraph 5.10 of the report.

Report of the Executive Director of Resources

The City Council considered a report of the Executive Director of Resources which sought approval to amend appointments made at the Annual Meeting of the City Council in May 2016 in respect of membership of the Finance and Corporate Services Scrutiny Board (1) and the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3).

RESOLVED that the City Council approves with immediate effect:

1.  The appointment of Councillor Gary Ridley as a member of the Finance and Corporate Services Scrutiny Board (1) in place of Councillor Tim Mayer and;

2. The appointment of Councillor Tim Mayer as a member of the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board 3 in place of Councillor Gary Ridley.

Report of the Executive Director of Resources

The City Council considered a report of the Executive Director of Resources which reviewed the gifts and hospitality section of Employee Code of Conduct.

The terms of reference of Ethics Committee includes “monitoring the operation of the Code of Conduct for Employees and making appropriate recommendations to the relevant body.” Part of the Committee’s regular work programme was to monitor and review declarations of gifts and hospitality by employees.

Ethics Committee on 24 March 2016 raised concerns that the section in the Employee Code of Conduct dealing with gifts and hospitality no longer reflected common business practice and the changing role of employees, particularly senior officers. It resolved that the section of the Employee Code of Conduct, which sets out the Council’s rules on gifts and hospitality for employees should be reviewed (Minute 24/15).

At its meeting on 15 July 2016, the Ethics Committee considered proposals to amend the Code of Conduct with regard to gifts and hospitality. The Committee resolved to recommend to full Council that the proposed amendments be approved, subject to consultation with the Trade Unions. The results of that consultation were set out in Section 3 of the report.

An extract from the current Employee Code of Conduct dealing with gifts and hospitality was attached at Appendix 1 of the report. Appendix 2 detailed the proposed replacement for the current guidance. This was based on gifts and hospitality guidance issued to staff by other local authorities, guidance from the government on the Bribery Act 2010 and from the Institute of Business Ethics. It was an attempt to give clear guidance to employees while at the same time recognising that some officers have a legitimate need to network with outside organisations in order to promote the interests of the Council and the City of Coventry. 

RESOLVED that the City Council:

1.  Approves the changes to the Gifts and Hospitality section of the Code of Conduct for Employees; and

2.  Authorises the Executive Director of Resources to amend Section 13 of Part 4B of the Constitution (Code of Conduct for Employees) accordingly.

(a)  Written Question – 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 Innes, Maton and J Mutton provided written answers to the questions set out in the Questions Booklet and Councillors Innes and Maton provided 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:

(a)  The Leader made a statement in respect of “Progress on the Combined Authority”

Councillor Blundell responded to the Statement.

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

Councillor Lapsa responded to the Statement.

In September 2015, the Government pledged to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2020, yet huge parts of Britain have not taken in any Syrian refugees since the new government programme was announced last year.  By March this year, 1602 people had been accepted under the scheme.

There is no excuse for those Councils which have taken in no Syrian refugees.  The Government needs to step in and take action now if we are to meet the target of 20,000 people.  At this current rate the target will not be met.

We can’t continue to allow a two-tier system among local authorities to occur with some providing support to Syrian refugees and others not doing so at all.  Only 68 local authorities (17% or 1 in 6) had taken any of the 1,602; the remaining five-sixths between them had not resettled a single person.

The voluntary scheme has so far demonstrated that it is not working and it will not be able to achieve its overall aim, therefore the City Council calls upon the Prime Minister to step in and set a quota system for all local authorities.

Councillor A Khan moved the following Motion, which was seconded by Councillor P Akhtar

“In September 2015, the Government pledged to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2020, yet huge parts of Britain have not taken in any Syrian refugees since the new government programme was announced last year.  By March this year, 1602 people had been accepted under the scheme.

There is no excuse for those Councils which have taken in no Syrian refugees.  The Government needs to step in and take action now if we are to meet the target of 20,000 people.  At this current rate the target will not be met.

We can’t continue to allow a two-tier system among local authorities to occur with some providing support to Syrian refugees and others not doing so at all.  Only 68 local authorities (17% or 1 in 6) had taken any of the 1,602; the remaining five-sixths between them had not resettled a single person.

The voluntary scheme has so far demonstrated that it is not working and it will not be able to achieve its overall aim, therefore the City Council calls upon the Prime Minister to step in and set a quota system for all local authorities”.

The following amendment was moved by Councillor Blundell, seconded by Councillor Crookes and lost:

“In September 2015, the Government pledged to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2020, yet huge parts of Britain have not taken in any Syrian refugees since the new government programme was announced last year.  By March this year, 1602 people had been accepted under the scheme.

There is no excuse for those Councils which have taken in no Syrian refugees.  The Government needs to step in and take action now if we are to meet the target of 20,000 people.  At this current rate the target will not be met.

We can’t continue to allow a two-tier system among local authorities to occur with some providing support to Syrian refugees and others not doing so at all.  Only 68 local authorities (17% or 1 in 6) had taken any of the 1,602; the remaining five-sixths between them had not resettled a single person.”

RESOLVED that the Motion as set out above be adopted.

(Listing Officer: D Nuttall, tel: 024 7683 2362)

Further to Minute 49 above, the City Council considered a private report of the Executive Director of Place which detailed confidential aspects of proposals for the city wide public leisure provision.

RESOLVED that the City Council approves, in principle, the addition of £10.5m to the capital programme for 2016/17 onwards, towards the development of a 50m swimming pool and enhanced public leisure facilities at the Alan Higgs Centre. Within the £10.5m, £1.169m related to management and design development costs as per paragraph 5.10 of the report.