Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

(a)  To agree the minutes of the Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities meeting held on 22 January 2015.

(b)  Matters arising

(c)  To note the minutes of the meeting of the Joint Cabinet Members’ for Business, Enterprise and Employment and for Policing and Equalities held on 18 December 2014.

(a)  The minutes of the Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities meeting held on 22 January 2015 were signed as a true record.

(b)  There were no matters arising.

(c)  The minutes of the meeting of the Joint Cabinet Members for Business, Enterprise and Employment and for Policing and Equalities held on 18 December 2014 were noted.

Report of the Executive Director of People

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Executive Director of People which provided information on Round Two of Grant Fund awards following on from Round One which closed on 30 June 2014.

In Round One, a total of £54,754 was awarded to 31 community and voluntary sector groups.

Round Two of the Grant Fund awards followed the same process as Round One. Groups were invited to apply for a maximum grant of £5000, with a restriction of one award per round. Round Two closed on 31 December 2014.

This report provided information and recommendations on applications received during Round Two of the process. 

The Community Grant is a valuable resource for local community and voluntary sector groups and supports the Council’s Asset Based Working Strategy “Active Citizens, Strong Communities”. The Strategy makes a series of commitments to support the growth of community led activities and support and the Community Grant Fund is a valuable means of providing important one-off funding to a number of community organisations to enable their work to continue.

The Cabinet Member noted that the dates for applications for the next round of funding would be amended to 1April 2015 to 31 May 2015 and round two would be from 1 October 2015 to 30 January 2016. In addition, all applications would be encouraged to demonstrate how they would meet at least one of the objectives outlined in the report through the delivery of their project. This would ensure alignment of outcomes with corporate objectives.

Furthermore, the Cabinet Member noted that organisations who submitted grant applications which were not recommended for approval were provided feedback on their applications and were also sign posted to other types of funding available to them.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities:

1.  Approves the award of grants as identified in section 2.3 Table One.

2.  Requests that there be proactive communications strategy on this.

3.  Requests that the report and award of grants be referred to the Assistant Director for Policy with a request that officers work together to engage and encourage potential applications for the Queens Award for Voluntary Service.

4.  Thanks all officers involved and appreciates the sheer volume of work undertaken and requests that a copy of this be sent to the Chief Executive for information. 

Report of the Executive Director of Place

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Executive Director of Place which sought to renew the authorisation for officers employed by Birmingham City Council, who operate a National Trading Standards Team known as the England Illegal Money Lending Team, to investigate illegal money matters that may arise in Coventry.

Such investigations fall within the relevant sections of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as delegated through the Financial Services Act 2012 and Part III of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

Previous authorisations were given by the Cabinet Member (City Services) in 2009 and 2011. The current authorisation was due to expire on 31 March 2015.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities:

1.  Approves the delegation of authority to Birmingham City Council to enforce the legislation specified in the Appendix of the report by virtue of Regulation 5 of the Local Authorities [Arrangements for the Discharge of Functions] [England] Regulations 2012 and/or Sections 9D to 9EB of the Local Government Act 2000.

2.  Authorises officers in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities, to negotiate and sign the terms of any protocol and ancillary legal agreements with Birmingham City Council to facilitate the arrangements in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.

3.  Requests that a short report be submitted to the Cabinet Member meeting scheduled for 23 April 2015 identifying the number of Coventry cases investigated by Birmingham City Council in connection with this legislation; the number of criminal prosecutions brought by them and the number of convictions achieved in the 12 months preceding this report.

Report of the Executive Director of Resources

The Cabinet Member noted a report of the Executive Director of Resources that identifies those issues on which further reports had been requested and were outstanding, so that progress could be monitored.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities:

1.  Requests that with reference to item 1 in the report – “Report back on progress of ongoing development of the Youth Space in Cope Street, Coventry” progress of this be followed up as a matter of urgency.

2.  Requests that with reference to item 4 in the report – “Equalities in Employment”, the Executive Director of Resources be requested to submit a report to the first meeting of the Cabinet Member in the New Municipal Year.

To consider any other items of public business which the Cabinet Member decides to take as a matter of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

There were no other items of public business.