Agenda and minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 10^th September 2013 were signed as a true record.

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

On behalf of the Council,the Deputy Lord Mayor presented Mr Bernard Keogh with the Coventry Good Citizen Award. His citation read:

“On the night of 7^th May 2013 at approximately 12:30-1:00am Bernard received a distress call from his next door neighbour whose house was on fire. Bernard kept his neighbour on the phone and told her to shut the bedroom door and open the window whilst he phoned the Fire Brigade. Bernard inspected the front entrance of the property but the smoke and flames were too overwhelming to attempt entering.

Bernard kept his neighbour talking whilst waiting for the Fire Brigade to arrive, which they did five minutes later. When his neighbour was out of the house she was overcome with smoke inhalation and had to be taken to hospital, for which Bernard’s wife accompanied her.

Once released from hospital the following day without any home to go to and no family to stay with Bernard took her in and supported her for two weeks whilst assisting her to find some new accommodation for a four to six month period while her home was being repaired. Bernard and his wife have also taken her to get new furniture for the house once she is able to return.

This courage and willingness to help is a perfect example of the Coventry spirit and is worthy to be named a Good Citizen.”

There were no items of correspondence or announcements of the Lord Mayor.

RESOLVED that the following petitions be referred to the appropriate City Council body and/or external organisation:

  (a)  Cuts to Youth Services posts in Coventry - 26 signatures – presented by Councillor Bains.

  (b)   Wyken Young Peoples Centre – 429 signatures – supported by Councillor Abbott and presented by Councillor Sweet in her absence.

There were no declarations of interest.

From the Cabinet 8^th October 2013

Further to Minute 65/13 of the Cabinet, the City Council considered a report of the Executive Director, Place, that identified a site disposal programme of recognised housing development sites that could result in 1100 new houses being built over a 4 year period, to meet one of their 20 priorities to identify within a year how 1000 new homes could be built in Coventry. In addition, the Council’s budget for 2013/14 required the continuation of significant savings stretching into the medium term, which were primarily being achieved through the Council’s ABC Programme. The Programme’s Fundamental Service Review for Strategic Property required the Council to save £3m per annum from its property portfolio by 2016/17. This target could only be achieved through a combination of property solutions including rationalisation of operational property, optimisation of the commercial property portfolio, and disposal of property assets. The report set the work of the review team in identifying an indicative programme of asset disposals for the period 2013/14 to 2016/17 that would contribute an estimated £1.1 million per annum revenue towards the target when all disposals had been completed, as well as providing 1100 new homes in Coventry.

In response to a question from Councillor Blundell, Councillor Kelly agreed that appropriate Member briefings in relation to the details of the Propoerty Disposal Programme would be provided.

RESOLVED that the City Council:

(1)  Approves the indicative Capital Disposal Programme set out in the Appendix to the report, subject to detailed terms being approved in accordance with the Council’s Constitution and Section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972.

(2)  Approves that the proceeds of sale, over and above the values required to support the approved capital programme, be allocated to reduce debt servicing costs in accordance with the Council's Medium Term Financial Strategy which provides that the prudential borrowing should be repaid from capital receipts as they are generated.

(3)  Approves that the savings realised through debt reduction be allocated against the savings targets for the Strategic Property Fundamental Service Review.

(4)  Give delegated authority to the Executive Director, Place, to approve any variations in the Programme in consultation with the Cabinet Member (Business Enterprise and Employment).

From the Cabinet, 8^th October 2013

Further to Minute 68/13 of the Cabinet, the City Council considered a report of the Executive Director, People, detailing the City Council's response to a Department of Health (DH) consultation on reforming what and how people paid for their care and support. The City Council also considered a Briefing Note of the Executive Director, People, detailing the recommendations and comments made by the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Board (5) following consideration of the report at their meeting on 25^th September 2013 (their minute 17/13 refers.)

The Department of Health published the ‘Caring for our future: reforming care and support’ White Paper in July 2012 and in February 2013 the Government announced reforms to give more certainty and peace of mind over the costs of old age, or of living with a disability and committed to reforming the funding of care and support. The proposals represented the biggest changes in adult social care since 1948 and would affect Local Authorities, Health partners and providers of care and support and covered issues including assessment of care, how this care was met, how this care was paid for, the impact of the reforms on the care market and the required changes to local authorities to deliver this change.

The proposals were welcomed as a significant step forward in improving and simplifying the charging framework for adult social care, with the introduction of a standardised approach across all settings providing the local authority and the public with much needed clarification.

RESOLVED that the City Council approves the consultation response.

From the Cabinet, 8^th October 2013

Further to Minute 70/13 of the Cabinet, the City Council considered a report of the Executive Director, Place, that indicated that the City Council had been successful in securing Regional Growth Fund (RGF) money on behalf of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) and requested that the City Council acts as accountable body for the successful RGF4 Programme.

In October 2012, £24.3m had been secured from the third round of RGF (RGF3).The Programme offered £1m in grants to businesses and provided funding for three key infrastructure projects – the Friargate Bridge Deck, Whitley Interchange and improvements to M40 Motorway Junction 12.

The City Council had been successful in the fourth round of bidding (RGF4) with a bid for a programme of business grants worth £4m to help businesses invest in new equipment, premises or products, leading to the creation of up to 500 new jobs in Coventry and Warwickshire.

The funding Programmes were key to the CWLEP’s and the Council’s current economic development agenda; almost £13m in RGF3 cash was being used to fund the Friargate Bridge deck, which was needed to allow the Kickstart Project and to attract major tenants to the Friargate development. Both RGF3 and RGF4 were closely aligned to the emerging City Deal proposals and would form an important part of the support that Coventry and Warwickshire offered to businesses, particularly in advanced manufacturing sectors.

The condition on which both of these bids had been won was that the City Council acts as accountable body.

RESOLVED that the City Council recognise the funding opportunity secured through Regional Growth Fund Round 4, and agree that the City Council act as guarantor for the Programme.

Report of the Executive Director, Place

The City Council considered a report of the Executive Director, Place,which sought approval for the appointment of five Elected Members to the new Board of Culture Coventry.

In 2012, Coventry City Council engaged in a review of the city’s cultural trusts, in partnership with Coventry Heritage and Arts Trust (CHAT), Coventry Transport Museum (CTM) and the Belgrade Theatre Trust.  In October 2012, Council approved recommendations arising from the above review, including the recommended establishment of a new company limited by guarantee to take over the existing premises, employees, assets, liabilities and contracts of CHAT and CTM.  In January 2013, Culture Coventry was formed as this new company.  In July 2013, the Interim Board of Culture Coventry approved the planned TUPE transfer of staff from CHAT and CTM to Culture Coventry on 1^st August 2013 and assumed responsibility from this date for the operations of facilities previously managed by CHAT and CTM

Resolved that the City Council appoints the following Elected Members to the Board of Culture Coventry for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2013/14:

  Councillor Gannon

  Councillor Hetherton

  Councillor McNicholas

  Councillor Sawdon

  Councillor Skipper

(a)  Written Questions – There are no written questions

(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

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

The Leader, Councillor Mrs Lucas, made a statement in respect of “The Ricoh Arena and Coventry City Football Club”

The Leader of the Opposition Group, Councillor Blundell, responded to the Statement.

13.1  To be moved by Councillor Kelly and seconded by Councillor Ruane

“The City Council resolves to continue to work in partnership with public and private sector organisations to further develop the economic profile of the City, supporting schemes for regeneration, providing support to small and medium size enterprises through alternative funded options, and the delivery of an ambitious housing programme of both aspirational and social housing.

The City Council further resolves to seek to generate further income from Business Rates by promoting the development of the Friargate Scheme and the redevelopment of the City Centre, including Coventry South, and to seek to raise the profile and perceptions of the City regionally, nationally and internationally.”

Councillor Kelly moved the following Motion which was seconded by Councillor Ruane:

“The City Council resolves to continue to work in partnership with public and private sector organisations to further develop the economic profile of the City, supporting schemes for regeneration, providing support to small and medium size enterprises through alternative funded options, and the delivery of an ambitious housing programme of both aspirational and social housing.

The City Council further resolves to seek to generate further income from Business Rates by promoting the development of the Friargate Scheme and the redevelopment of the City Centre, including Coventry South, and to seek to raise the profile and perceptions of the City regionally, nationally and internationally.”

Councillor Blundell proposed the following amendment which was seconded by Councillor Andrews and which, in accordance with paragraph 4.1.62 of the City Council’s Constitution, was accepted by Councillor Kelly.

That Council amends the motion set out on the Council agenda as follows:

“In the 2^nd paragraph, 1^st sentence after  “….. development of the Friargate Scheme”,  insert  “', which thanks to the current Government has been enabled to proceed,”

Amended motion to then read:

The City Council resolves to continue to work in partnership with public and private sector organisations to further develop the economic profile of the City, supporting schemes for regeneration, providing support to small and medium size enterprises through alternative funded options, and the delivery of an ambitious housing programme of both aspirational and social housing.

The City Council further resolves to seek to generate further income from Business Rates by promoting the development of the Friargate Scheme, which thanks to the current Government has been enabled to proceed, and the redevelopment of the City Centre, including Coventry South, and to seek to raise the profile and perceptions of the City regionally, nationally and internationally.”

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