Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 July 2018 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 Minute 51 below headed “Commercial Waste Expansion Plan”, on the grounds that it involved 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 circumstance of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

On behalf of the City Council, the Lord Mayor and His Honour Judge Lockhart QC presented Mr Richard Stanton with the Good Citizen Award. His citation read:

“Richard Stanton served with the West Midlands Fire Service based in Canley for 25 years.

As a member of the South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team, he and his diving partner, John Volanthen, were called to help rescue the youth football team and their coach trapped in the Tham Luang caves in Thailand in July of this year.

The team of divers risked their lives in rescuing the boys who had been trapped for nine days before being found by Mr Stanton and Mr Volanthen. It has been reported to be the most challenging underground rescue in history, with more than 90 Special Forces Soldiers originally drafted in to help.

In an interview in 2007, Mr Stanton stated that he became interested in diving as a child, after watching a programme called "Underground Eiger". He went on to join diving clubs at university.

Richard Stanton has been described as "one of the world's most accomplished cave-divers" and in 2004 he was involved in the rescue of six British cavers who were trapped for 8 days in a cave at the Mexican Alpazat caverns.

In 2008 Richard Stanton received the EUROTEK award for his contribution to advanced and technical diving and in 2012 he received a medal from the Royal Humane Society for his attempt to rescue a diver from a French cave.

He was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 New Year Honours.”

(a)  Death of Ian Fletcher

The Lord Mayor referred to the recent death of Ian Fletcher, husband of Colleen Fletcher MP.

Members noted that a letter, expressing the Council’s sincerest condolences had been sent to Colleen and her family.

(b)  Neville Staple’s Grandson

The Lord Mayor referred to the recent shocking death of Neville Staple’s grandson, Fidel Glasgow.

Members noted that a letter expressing the Council’s sincerest condolences had been sent to the family.

(c)  Becky Cooke (nee Ainsbury)

The Lord Mayor referred to the recent death of Becky Cooke who had worked in Members Services.

Members noted that a letter expressing the Council’s sincerest condolences would be sent to her family.

(d)  Presentation of Illuminated Address

The Lord Mayor presented Councillor Tony Skipper, Lord Mayor for 2017/18, with his Illuminated Address.

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

(a)  Request for traffic calming measures on Terry Road near junction with St Georges Road and Blue Coat School – 165 signatures, presented by Councillor O’Boyle

(b)  Request for parking permits for residents of Kings Grove, Stoke – 18 signatures, presented by Councillor McNicholas

(c)  Request for refurbishments of play facilities at the Tic Toc play area, Stoke Green, Stoke Park and Gentleman’s Green – 22 signatures, presented by Councillor McNicholas

(d)  Request for the City Council to complete the adoption process of Bannerbrook Park – 188 signatures, presented by Councillor Male

(e)  Request for installation of speed bumps along Avon Street – 256 signatures, presented by Councillor Auluck

(f)  Request for the City Council to adopt the roads: Burlywood Close, Seashell Close and Mistyrose Close – 38 signatures, presented by Councillor Williams

(g)  Objection to the proposed auger bore referred to in planning application DC/2018/1950 – 73 signatures, presented by Councillor Williams

(h)  Request that the City Council not grant an easement over the Village Green in Holloway Field – 73 signatures, presented by Councillor Williams.

(i)  Request for allocated parking for Holloway and Thistley Fields residents – 11 signatures, presented by Councillor Williams

(j)  Concerns that residential properties in Cannon Close could be turned into student properties and requesting a review – 38 signatures, presented by Councillor Taylor

(k)  Request for permanent crossing across Cannon Hill Road – 662 signatures, presented by Councillor Sawdon.

There were no declarations of interest.

From the meeting of the Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities, 13 August 2018.  

Further to Minute 11/18 of the Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities, the City Council considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) which provided advice from the recent meeting of the Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities Advisory Panel – Coventry Award of Merit to support the nomination of Mr R Stanton to receive the Coventry Award of Merit following the key role that he played in the rescue of 12 boys and their football coach from the Tham Luang caves in Thailand.

The Advisory Panel met on 30^th July, 2018 to advise the Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities following the receipt of a nomination for Mr R Stanton and unanimously supported the granting of the award. Rick Stanton was nominated following his internationally publicised key role in the rescue of 12 boys and their football coach from the Tham Luang caves in Thailand. The group had been trapped for 9 days before being found by Rick and his diving partner John Volanthen. It had been reported to the most challenging underground rescue in history. Mr Stanton had previously been involved in other rescue missions, as well as being a firefighter with West Midlands Fire Service for 25 years. A copy of the nomination form was set out at an appendix to the report.

RESOLVED that the City Council grant the Coventry Award of Merit to Mr Richard Stanton. 

From the Audit and Procurement Committee, 16 July 2018

Further to Minute 26 of the Audit and Procurement Committee, the City Council considered the Audit and Procurement Committee’s Annual Report which provided an overview of the Committee’s activity during 2017/2018.

RESOLVED that the Audit and Procurement Committee Annual Report for 2017-18 be noted.

From the Cabinet, 17 July 2018

Further to Minute 18/18 of the Cabinet, the City Council considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) noting the use of the urgency provision, as set out in Paragraph 6 of Part 3C of the Council’s Constitution, by the Leader, following consultation with the Chair of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee, to take a decision approving additional capital funding to deliver the Upper Precinct Public Realm scheme.

In March 2018, the Cabinet approved the ‘Public Realm Phase 5’ programme which identified priority public realm and streetscape schemes to be delivered across the city centre (their minute 139/17). The report noted the significant investment in public realm in the city centre since 2011 and how this investment had played a key role in attracting the private sector, including Shearer Property Group’s (SPG) investment in the Cathedral Lanes scheme, to invest in the city and support our vision for transforming the city centre as a place for business, leisure and shopping.

The March 2018 Cabinet report also identified the fantastic opportunity the award of UK City of Culture provides to further enhance the city centre ahead of 2021 and as a lasting legacy for residents and businesses. To this end, the report identified a priority order for the schemes, based on location and likely footfall, that would maximise the impact on the city centre. The number one priority was the proposal to bring forward the transformation of the Upper Precinct through public realm enhancements to create a high quality public space. 

RESOLVED that the City Council notes the use of the urgency provision, as set out in Paragraph 6 of Part 3C of the Council’s Constitution, by the Leader, following consultation with the Chair of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee, to take a decision approving that £450,000 is added to the Council’s capital programme, funded from corporate reserves, to enable the delivery of the Upper Precinct public realm scheme.

From the Cabinet, 17 July 2018.

Further to Minute 23/18 of the Cabinet, the City Council considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) which sought approval to conclude negotiations with Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council (NBBC) to deliver domestic recycling collections to the residents of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough.

A corresponding private report detailing confidential aspects of the proposals was also submitted to the meeting for consideration (Minute 51 below refers)

Coventry City Council’s Commercial Waste Team continued to deliver a gross income of c.£5.7m per annum. Over the last five years a proportion of this income had been achieved by successfully providing a Commercial Waste service on behalf of NBBC.

Building on this successful relationship with NBBC the City Council’s Commercial Waste Team had explored further areas for joint working between the two authorities.

The report sought delegated approval from Cabinet to conclude negotiations with NBBC, and to enter into an agency agreement with them to deliver domestic recycling collections to the residents of the Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough. Further approval was also sought from Council to include the cost of purchasing five split bodied vehicles in the 2018/2019 capital programme, to service this arrangement.

RESOLVED that the City Councilapprove that the Council’s 2018/2019 capital programme, funded from the on-going revenues of NBBC agency agreement, for the acquisition of 5 new vehicles to be used to service the arrangement set out in this report.

From the Ethics Committee, 27 July 2018.

Further to Minute 6/18 of the Ethics Committee, the City Council noted a report of the Director of Finance and Corporate Services which formed the second annual report of the Ethics Committee setting out the work of the Committee over the last municipal year. In particular, the report detailed:

• Further work that the Committee has done in reviewing the revising

  governance arrangement and developing a Member Officer Protocol

  and Monitoring Officer Protocol. This follows on from work in 2016/17

  on the Whistleblowing Policy and Complaints Protocol 

• Representations that the Committee has made to the Committee on

  Standards in Public Life as part of its review of local government ethical

  Standards

• Training for Councillors and Independent Persons on the Code of

  Conduct and ethical matters

• A review of ethical standards in parish councils

RESOLVED that the City Council notes the Annual Report of the Ethics Committee for 2017/18.

Further to Minute 7/18 of the Cabinet, the City Council considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) which sought approval for the City Council to invest in a city readiness programme aligned to Coventry City of Culture 2021. 

On 5December 2017 (minute 74/17 referred), Coventry City Council committed £4.75m of Corporate Reserves for the UK City of Culture 2021 build-up programme, title year and legacy programme, to be drawn-down if the city was awarded the title. On 7^th December 2017, Coventry was awarded the title of UK City of Culture 2021 and on 10 July 2018 (minute 23/18 referred) the Council approved £3.25m of reserve contributions as part of £5.05m of reserves to be set aside to meet the Council’s commitments to UK City of Culture and cultural events cost. 

Alongside the Council’s contribution to UK City of Culture build-up, title year and legacy programmes, the city had been reviewing the potential for a city readiness programme, aligned to Coventry 2021. Ahead of City of Culture 2017, Hull developed such a readiness and legacy programme structured across themes of Place, Product, Positioning and People. Designed to maximise the benefits of being awarded the title, a city readiness and legacy programme addresses the benefits of aligned investment in areas such as city infrastructure; destination promotion and marketing; cultural capital; skills and sector development. Hull City Council successfully used UK City of Culture as a catalyst to accelerate development and regeneration. Investment from its City Plan and first-in capital commitments to the Hull New Theatre and Feren’s Art Gallery allowed the city to lever significant national funding from Government via the Northern Powerhouse and from Heritage Lottery Fund for its museums. Its investment in tourism also enabled the city to secure regional packages of funding from the Explore England Fund. It was proposed that Coventry City Council invest in such a city readiness programme for Coventry. 

RESOLVED that the City Council:

i)Approves the addition of £5m to the capital programme for 2018/19 onwards for the development of a cultural capital investment programme in order to lever in external cultural and heritage monies in support of the Five Goals and Seven Big Ideas for Cultural Growth, as outlined in the Coventry Cultural Strategy 2017-2027.

ii)  Authorises that the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) and the Director of Finance and Corporate Services be given the delegated authority to approve all elements of capital expenditure associated with Recommendation i) above.

iii)  Delegates authority to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) and the Director of Finance and Corporate Services, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Finance, to identify and bid for grant assistance, where available, that supports the aims of the City of Culture and the European City of Sport. The delegated authority given under this recommendation shall include the power to accept the terms and conditions of grant funding and the entering into all necessary legal agreements to secure the grant funding where the level is below the existing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

Further to Minute 35/18 of the Cabinet, the City Council considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that sought approval to commence with phase 2 of the extension programme for Lentons Lane Cemetery that would ensure that Coventry City Council would be able to supply burial as an option for the residents of Coventry for approximately the next 35-40 years.

In 2011/12 Bereavement Services began and completed phase 1 of the Lentons Lane Cemetery extension. Given the lead time to create new burial space, it was now necessary to proceed with phase 2 of the Lentons Lane extension to ensure that there would be continuing grave provision within the City.

RESOLVED that the City Council approve:

i)  £260,000 being made available from Corporate Capital Resources during September 2018 to commence the first part of the project, to cover the appointment of the design team and cover the ecology reports required. 

ii)  That £1,893,000 is added to the Capital Programme, being made available from Corporate Capital Resources during 2019/2020, to complete the project as described in section 1 of the report.

RESOLVED that the City Council notes the Scrutiny Boards' Annual report to the City Council for 2017/18 which highlighted examples of the wide-ranging scrutiny work undertaken during the year across all the Scrutiny Boards and the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee.

(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 Maton, Abbott, Ruane, and N Akhtar 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:

There were no statements.

The following motion was moved by Councillor Crookes and seconded by Councillor Lapsa:

“This Council notes the difficulties facing the retail sector in the city centre and calls upon  the leadership to consider free evening parking on a regular basis”

The following amendment (additional wording in bold) was moved by Councillor O’Boyle and Seconded by Councillor Duggins and, in accordance with the Constitution, accepted by Councillor Crookes:

“This Council notes the difficulties facing the retail sector in the city centre and calls upon  the leadership to consider free evening parking on a regular basis and welcomes all ongoing work and suggestions to increase the viability and footfall of the City Centre”

A further amendment (additional wording in bold) was moved by Councillor Crookes, seconded by Councillor Lapsa and lost:

“This Council notes the difficulties facing the retail sector in the City Centre and welcomes all ongoing work and suggestions including considering free evening parking on a regular basis to increase the viability and footfall of the City Centre”

RESOLVED that the Motion as set out below be unanimously adopted:

“This Council notes the difficulties facing the retail sector in the city centre and calls upon  the leadership to consider free evening parking on a regular basis and welcomes all ongoing work and suggestions to increase the viability and footfall of the City Centre”.

From the Cabinet, 17 July 2018

(Listing Officer: A Walster, tel: 024 7683 2621)

Further to Minute 43 above, the City Council considered a private report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that set out confidential aspects of proposals to conclude negotiations with Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council for the delivery of domestic recycling collections to the residents of the Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough, and the inclusion of the cost of purchasing five split bodied refuse vehicles in the 2018/2019 Capital Programme, to service this arrangement.

RESOLVED that the City Council approves that the sum now indicated is added to the Council’s 2018/2019 capital programme, funded from the on-going revenues of the NBBC agency agreement, for the acquisition of 5 new vehicles to be used to service the arrangements set out in the report.