Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the Annual Meeting and the Extraordinary Meeting held on 19 May 2022 were agreed and signed as a true record.

To be presented by the Lord Mayor and Judge Lockhart, Honorary Recorder

On behalf of the City Council, the Lord Mayor presented Sybil Hanson with the Good Citizen Award. Her citation read:

“For over 50 years Sybil has made a significant contribution to education in Coventry. Having begun her teaching career in 1961, she came to the City in 1972 where she spent 25 years at Blue Coat CE School, initially as Head of Mathematics before being appointed Deputy Head in 1977.

Since her retirement in 1997, Sybil has continued to make a significant contribution to education in the City, including, but not limited, to her appointment on the Board of Directors for the Inspire Education Trust.  A Multi-Academy Trust covering local primary schools within Coventry, it aims to ensure each child receives a first-class education, in order to identify their capabilities and talents so that they can strive for excellence and succeed in the next stages of education and the world of work.

Sybil was also a well-respected member of the Diocesan Board of Education, having only recently stepped down as its Vice Chair.  She represented the DBE as a co-opted member on Coventry City Council’s Education & Children’s Services Scrutiny Board 2 for over 15 years, to which she has contributed fully, including being on several task and finish group, most recently on Partnership Working in Children’s Services and another on Autism, which have identified recommendations to improve the lives of children and their families in the city. Additionally, she continues to chair The Coventry Schools Forum which she has done for many years.

In 2020, Sybil turned 80 and she continues to do be a significant contributor to the education debate in Coventry.  She has given a huge amount of her time, experience and knowledge over the years and her contribution is highly valued by the many organisations with which she works with, including the City Council.  Her actions truly reflect her character, and she is a worthy recipient of this Coventry Good Citizen Award.”

(a)  Condolences

(i)  The Lord Mayor referred to the recent death of dear colleague Councillor John Mutton and indicated that an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council has been arranged for Tuesday 19 July 2022 which will give members an opportunity to pay tribute to John. The Lord Mayor indicated  that the Council’s thoughts are with Councillor Mal Mutton and her family at this sad time.

(ii)  The Lord Mayor referred to the recent death of John Taylor, a trustee of the Heart of England Foundation.

John was Regional Head of the Big Lottery Fund, now The National Lottery Community Fund in the West Midlands between 2005 and 2013 and was responsible for the delivery of £60 million per year of funding for charities and voluntary organisations in the West Midlands.  John also led on regional policy, communications and outreach to local groups, helping to widen access to Lottery funding. In addition, he spearheaded the £100million ‘Talent Match’ programme, supporting thousands of young people into work and played a key role in delivering the ‘myplace’ programme helping to transform local youth facilities to the sum of £270million.

John will sadly be missed by all who knew him.

Members noted that a letter of condolence had been sent to John’s family.

(b)  Queen’s Birthday Honours

The Lord Mayor referred to the awards made to the following people in the recent Queen’s Birthday Honours List:

MBE – Pete Fahy, Director of Adult Social Care and Support, for services to local government and vulnerable people.

OBE – Martin Sutherland, Chief Executive of Coventry City of Culture Trust, for services to culture and to economic and social regeneration in Coventry.

MBE - Chenine Bhatena, Coventry City of Culture Trust Director, for services to Culture and to the community in Coventry.

MBE – Laura McMillan, Coventry City of Culture Trust Director of Audience Strategy, for services to Culture and to the community in Coventry.

MBE – Catherine Thomas, a teacher at Sidney Stringer Academy, for services to education and the community.

BEM – Sorrelle Thomas, Service Development Manager for Coventry Libraries, for services to libraries in Coventry including making libraries more autism friendly.

BEM - Abrar Khan, Councillor AS Khan’s brother, for services to the community in Ilford, London Borough of Redbridge, particularly during Covid-19, during that time he raised around £100,000 for several charities across the region.

A letter of congratulations had been sent on behalf of the City Council congratulating all the recipients.

(c)  Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service

On behalf of the City Council, the Lord Mayor congratulated Earlsdon Carnegie Community Library and the Friends of Longford Park,  recipients of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. 

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

(a)  Request for the Council to repair the road surface on Tile Hill Lane near to West Coventry Academy, as soon as possible – 120 signatures, presented by Councillor A Masih

(b)  Request by residents for traffic calming measures in Hadleigh Road and Brentwood Avenue – 44 signatures, presented by Councillor M Heaven, on behalf of Councillor T Sawdon

(c)  Residents of Aldrich Avenue, Tile Hill, petition the Council to remove a tree that poses a risk to their homes and to renew their previous commitments to regularly clear the ditches and storm drains on the nature reserve alongside Aldrich Avenue – 18 signatures, presented by Councillor G Ridley

(d)  Petition requesting the Council to create an Earlsdon 20 MPH zone – 584 signatures, presented by Councillor B Gittins, on behalf of the Earlsdon Ward Councillors

(e)  Request for the Council to make Windmill Road safe for children as road accidents are occurring on a regular basis, yet it is a walk and cycle route for local school and nurseries – 218 signatures, presented by Councillor L Bigham

Councillor G Lloyd declared a disclosable pecuniary in the matter the subject of Minute 29 below (Debate: Model Motion – Armed Forces Act 2021) in so far as he had benefitted from the Armed Forces support previously. He withdrew from the meeting during the consideration of this item.

Report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services

The Council considered a report of the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services which provided information on the report of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman – Community Trigger Process.

In April 2022, The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) published a report in the public interest setting out the findings of a complaint against Coventry City Council in respect of the Community Trigger process regarding matters concerning Anti Social Behaviour.

The LGO identified that there was an issue in the Council’s Community Trigger process, in that the Council needed to be more proactive to ensure that it better addresses applicants concerns that led to them making the application.

Furthermore, the LGO found that the Council needs to review and update its process to address these concerns and ensure that relevant officers and agencies receive training to ensure this does not happen again in the future.

The Report of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman: Reference 21000 098 was attached at Appendix 1 of the report.

RESOLVED that the City Council:

1.  Acknowledges the recommendations of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) in its published decision of the 11 April 2022, reference number: 21000 098.

2.  Notes that the Council has accepted and is implementing all recommendations.

Report of the Director of Law and Governance

The City Council considered a report of the Director of Law and Governance which provided information on the creation of Integrated Care Systems.

The Health and Care Act 2022 sets up a series of Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) to cover England. The ICSs for each relevant area would include an Integrated Care Board (ICB), the key element in the new system which would assume the commissioning responsibilities currently undertaken by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs).

Under the new system, there will also be an Integrated Care Partnership (ICP), a committee of the ICB intended to give a voice to the wider health and care community.

Both the Integrated Care Board and the local authority will be statutory members of the ICP so will be directly involved in developing the integrated care strategy and will be equal partners.

In Coventry the relevant area is across Coventry and Warwickshire and in readiness for the new legislation to come into force, appointments from the City Council would need to be made to the relevant boards and partnerships.

RESOLVED that the City Council:

1.  Confirms the appointment of the Cabinet Member for Public Health and Sport, Councillor K Caan, to the Integrated Care Board for Coventry and Warwickshire.

2.  Notes the following officer appointments:

a)  Chief Partnership Officer (as nominee of the Chief Executive) to the Integrated Care Board for Coventry and Warwickshire

b)  Chief Partnership Officer to the Integrated Care Partnership for Coventry and Warwickshire

c)  Director of Adult Services and Housing (as Chair of the Coventry Care Collaborative) to the Integrated Care Partnership for Coventry and Warwickshire

d)  Director of Public Health to the Integrated Care Partnership for Coventry and Warwickshire

Report of the Director of Law and Governance

The City Council noted a report of the Director of Law and Governance which presented the Annual Report from the Leader to the Council on Key Decisions made under Special Urgency Provisions 2021/2022.

The Leader must submit to the Council at the first ordinary meeting after the Annual Meeting, a report of key Decisions made in the previous year where the Special Urgency provisions were used. This applied where it was not practicable to give notice at least 5 clear days in advance before a key decision being made.

The Leader reported that there were no such cases during the 2021/2022 Municipal Year.

Report of the Chief Executive

The City Council noted a report of the Chief Executive which informed the Council of decisions undertaken by the Chief Executive on 31 January, 2022 and on 1 April 2022 in accordance with the Constitution and following consultation with the Leader of the Council, to exercise emergency functions as a result of the all-out-strike action by Unite union, which were deemed necessary on urgency grounds to ensure the continuous functioning of the waste collection business of the City Council to residents and to minimise pollution to the environment and harm to human health.

(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

Councillor AS Khan provided a written answer to the question set out in the Questions Booklet.

The following Members answered oral questions put to them by other Members as set out below, together with supplementary questions on the same matters:

Councillor P Seaman, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services made a statement in respect of Childrens Services.

Councillor J Lepoidevin responded to the Statement.

The following Motion Without Notice was moved by Councillor R Simpson and seconded by Councillor S Gray:-

  “That, in accordance with the Constitution, the Council’s Procedure Rule 9.1 in relation to Debates be suspended to allow Councillor S Gray, to propose a Motion to this Chamber”.

RESOLVED that the above Motion be not adopted.

Note:  A recorded vote was taken, in accordance with the Constitution, in respect of the Motion.

The Councillors voting for and against the Motion were as follows:

Result: Lost

For: 12

Against: 30

Abstentions: 0

“This Council will endeavour to find suitable, alternative city centre accommodation for Coffee Tots.” 

The following Motion was moved by Councillor P Male and seconded by Councillor J Lepoidevin:

  This Council will endeavour to find suitable, alternative city centre accommodation for Coffee Tots. “

The following amendment was moved by Councillor J O’Boyle, seconded by Councillor R Singh and, in accordance with the Constitution, accepted by Councillor P Male: -

  Replace the first word “This” with the word “The”

After the words:- 

“Council will” delete the words “ endeavour to find suitable, alternative city centre accommodation for” and insert the following:-

“continue to support”. After the words “Coffee Tots” insert “ in their search for alternative accommodation”

The amended Motion to now read:-

“The Council will continue to support Coffee Tots in their search for alternative accommodation”

RESOLVED that, the amended Motion, as set out above, be unanimously adopted.

Model Motion – Armed Forces Act 2021

This Council:

·  Stands firmly behind our UK Armed Forces and fully supports the aims of the Armed Forces Covenant.

·  Welcomes the new Armed Forces Act but sees the legislation as a missed opportunity to improve the lives of veterans in Coventry

·  Notes with disappointment that the Act which makes Coventry Council and local public bodies legally bound to have “due regard” to the Covenant when providing support to Forces communities but exempts central government from any such duty, creating a two-tier Covenant for veterans.

·  Notes with further disappointment that proposals backed by the Royal British Legion and ex-Service chiefs to enshrine the Covenant fully into law, but government voted down these plans to improve Armed Forces accommodation, employment support and pensions and to end the scandal of visa fees for Commonwealth and Gurkha personnel.

·  Resolves to continue the campaign with Forces charities to see the Government strengthen the Covenant and improve vital services to veterans.

The following Motion was moved by Councillor L Bigham and seconded by Councillor R Singh:

  “Model Motion – Armed Forces Act 2021

This Council:

·  Stands firmly behind our UK Armed Forces and fully supports the aims of the Armed Forces Covenant.

·  Welcomes the new Armed Forces Act but sees the legislation as a missed opportunity to improve the lives of veterans in Coventry

·  Notes with disappointment that the Act which makes Coventry Council and local public bodies legally bound to have “due regard” to the Covenant when providing support to Forces communities but exempts central government from any such duty, creating a two-tier Covenant for veterans.

·  Notes with further disappointment that proposals backed by the Royal British Legion and ex-Service chiefs to enshrine the Covenant fully into law, but parliament voted down these plans to improve Armed Forces accommodation, employment support and pensions and to end the scandal of visa fees for Commonwealth and Gurkha personnel.

·  Resolves to continue the campaign with Forces charities to see the Government strengthen the Covenant and improve vital services to veterans.”

RESOLVED that, the Motion as set out above be unanimously adopted.

(Note: Councillor G Lloyd, having declared a disclosable pecuniary interest, left the meeting for the consideration of this item.)