Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

(a)  To agree the minutes of the Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure, Sports and Parks meeting held on 21 January 2016.

(b) Matters arising

The minutes of the Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure, Sports and Parks meeting held on 21 January 2016 were signed as a true record. There were no matters arising.

Report of the Executive Director of Place

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Executive Director of Place which provided an update on the development of a walled garden in Allesley Park.

Allesley Hall Park is one of the Area Parks within the City, with a rich history and the Council is supported in its management and ongoing maintenance by very enthusiastic local people who are members of the Allesley Park Residents Association, Allesley Park Walled Garden Group and the Friends of Allesley Park.

In September 2014, the Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure, Sports and Parks approved the adoption of a document entitled A Vision for Allesley Park Walled Garden as a framework for the future development of the Walled Garden and furthermore also approved that a grant could be sought from the Heritage Lottery Fund to Implement the Vision (Minute 5/14 refers).

The report provided an update on progress and changes to the original proposal following discussions with the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The park falls under the control of the Parks Service within the Place Directorate.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure, Sports and Parks approves the submission of an external funding application to the Heritage Lottery Fund’s ‘Heritage Grants’ scheme for c£480,000 to implement the Vision for the Walled Garden rather than an original proposal for submitting a bid to the heritage Lottery Fund’s ‘Parks for People’ funding scheme.

Report of the Executive Director of Place

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Executive Director of Place which presented the Annual Compliance Report – Regulatory & Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA).

The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) Part 1 covers the acquisition and interception of communications data, and Part 2 covers covert surveillance and property interference. Each part of the Act is regulated by separate commissioners.

The Council’s use of RIPA would be to support its core functions for the purpose of prevention and detection of crime where an offence may be punishable by a custodial sentence of 6 months or more, or are related to the underage sale of alcohol and tobacco. We determine this by reference to the legislation covering the surveillance e.g. The Trade Marks Act relates to counterfeit goods and has a penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment. The three types of technique available to local authorities are: the acquisition and disclosure of communications data (such as telephone billing information or subscriber details); directed surveillance (covert surveillance of individuals in public places); and covert human intelligence sources (“CHIS”) (such as the deployment of undercover officers).

The Act sets out a compliance structure within which Coventry City Council can request judicial approval to use directed surveillance techniques or acquire communications data in order to support core function activities (e.g. typically those undertaken by Trading Standards, Environmental Health and Benefits). The information obtained as a result of such operations could later be relied upon in court proceedings providing RIPA was complied with.

The Home Office Code for Covert Surveillance Property Interference recommended that elected members, whilst not involved in making decisions or specific authorisations for the local authority to use its powers under Part II of the Act, should review the Council’s use of the legislation and provide approval to its policies for same. The Council adopted this approach for oversight of the authority’s use of Part I of the Act.

The report indicated that there has been no material change in the legislation since the September 2014 report. 

The Audit and Procurement Committee considered the report on 15 February 2016 and had no comments or recommendations to make to the Cabinet Member.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure Sports and Parks:

1.  Notes that the Audit & Procurement Committee has no comments or recommendations to make.

2.  Approves the report as a formal record of the Council’s use and compliance with RIPA.

To give approval for the Lord Mayor, the Head of Libraries, Health and Information Services and an Officer from Democratic Services to attend the Kiel Week and International City Forum 2016 to be held in Kiel, Germany from 17 to 20 June 2016.

RESOLVED that Cabinet Member approves the attendance of the Lord Mayor, the Head of Libraries, Health and Information Services and an Officer from Democratic Services at the Kiel Week and International City Forum 2016 to be held in Kiel, Germany from 17 to 20 June 2016.

Report of the Executive Director of Place

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

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member approves the deletion of item 2 “Progress report on the Hillfields Community Safety Action Plan” as Officers have undertaken to brief the St. Michael’s Ward Councillors on a monthly basis.  

To consider any other items of 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 business.