Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Freer and Hewson.

To confirm the Minutes of the previous meeting held on 12 February 2025.

Councillor Gordon clarified the following:

·       In relation to CO50, she clarified that at the meeting held on 12 February 2025 she had made an error when referring to CO46 of the meeting held on 5 December 2024 and that she would like to apologise to Council for the error that she had made.

·       In relation to CO51, Councillor Gordon clarified that her interest was because she is a tenant of a Council-owned property.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 12 February 2025 were confirmed.

(For 24, Against 0, Abstentions 2)

Members to declare any interest as appropriate in respect of items to be considered at this meeting.

An other registrable interest in respect of Councillor J. Orson was noted as being on record for any matters which relate to the Leicestershire County Council.

The Mayor stated that as it had only been two weeks since the last Council meeting, he had not been to many engagements and therefore he would cover these at the next Council meeting in March.

The Mayor did take the opportunity to inform Members that the Melton Borough Council flag is being flown at half-mast in memory of and in respect for a previous serving Member and former Mayor, Mrs Barbara Hart, who passed away on Sunday (23 February 2025).

The Mayor explained that Mrs Hart served as a Borough Councillor from 1974 to 1991 and was Mayor from 1988 to 1989. She also served as Chair of the Housing Committee from 1979 to 1982 and again from 1984 to 1987.

Members were informed that the Council had received an email in from Mrs Hart's daughter, Dawn Carlile, who stated the following:

“Thank you so much for sending me this information about flying the borough flag at half-mast. As a family we are very touched the Council have taken these steps and I know how much it would have meant to my mum. She loved her work at the Council and was committed to serving people of Bottesford and the Borough of Melton during her time as Councillor.”

The Mayor then conveyed that Members’ thoughts are with Mrs Hart’s family and friends at this sad and difficult time.

On the 13 February, the Leader chaired the Landlord Assurance Board. Other Councillors present were Margaret Glancy, Jim Adcock and Mike Brown. The Landlord Assurance Board was created before the Regulator’s inspection last year and is not a requirement, but it is good practise. The Leader explained that now the Council are considered an exemplar of good practise. The Board provides a forum in which the Council’s duties as a social landlord may be monitored by a cross-section of tenants, who have received training, volunteering as critical friends. It is also attended by an experienced external social housing provider as an additional point of reference. Some of the agenda is a bit formal in order to meet reporting standards but the meetings are friendly, informative and respectful. The Board does not discuss individual cases but are open about trends and aspirations. So far it is clear that for the most part the tenant representatives are pushing at an open door and their contributions are greatly valued because they are based on lived experience which enable the Council to focus better on key priorities. On 26 February, the Leader attended a routine follow up meeting with members of the inspection team. Having listened very carefully to everything the inspection team shared with the Council, it is clear that the Board is an important part of the Council’s continuous improvement programme, and that Melton is doing well and is on target.

On 18 February, the Leader met with the Police and Crime Commissioner. They discussed an open letter sent by the PCC on Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation and established a large measure of agreement, including his critique of the County Council’s approach to this profound change. They also took the opportunity to discuss other issues of mutual concern.

Council was informed that on the 19 February, he had a routine meeting with representatives of the Town Estate and as part of the agenda, he was able to explain the general picture on Devolution and Local Government Reform.

The Leader informed Council that on 20 February he attended the Barkstone, Plunger and Redmile Parish Council meeting at their invitation and agreed to re-visit the area to follow up on various issues. He attended the meeting with County Councillor Bryan Lovegrove and Borough Councillor Chris Evans.

Members were informed that on 20 February the Leader chaired a meeting of Leicestershire’s district council leaders regarding Devolution and Local Government Reform (LGR). They discussed the assertions from the day before by the County Council Leader at their meeting and they unanimously rejected those assertions. The Leader noted that out of the seven leaders, two are Conservative, two Labour and three Liberal Democrat. Four of the district leaders are also County Councillors. In addition, there had been a further exchange of emails in which they have re-stated their willingness to meet with the County Council, Rutland County Council and Leicester City Council and a meeting will now be held on the 6 March, 4pm at  ...  view the full minutes text for item CO66

In accordance with the Constitution, Members of the Council may answer questions from the public of which notice has been given.

No questions were received by the deadline. All confirmed questions will be circulated after the deadline.

Deadline for questions – Thursday 20 February, 12pm

No questions from the public were received.

In accordance with the Constitution, a Member may ask the Leader, a Portfolio Holder, the Chair of the Council or a Committee Chair, a question on any matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affects the Borough.

No questions were received by the deadline. All confirmed questions will be circulated after the deadline.

Deadline for questions – Thursday 20 February

No questions from Members were received.

In accordance with the Constitution, motions on notice must be signed by at least two Members and be about matters for which the Council has a responsibility or which affect the Melton Borough.

No motions were received by the deadline.

No motions on notice were received.

The Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance, Property and Resources is to provide the Council Tax setting report for 2025/26.

The Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance, Property and Resources, Councillor Cox, introduced the Council Tax Setting 2025/26 report and moved the recommendations. The Leader, Councillor Allnatt, seconded the motion.

No comments were raised.

RESOLVED

Council noted the calculations and sets the Council Tax for the year 2025/26, made in accordance with the requirement set out in the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

The above resolution was considered through a recorded vote as follows:

FOR THE MOTION (17)

Adcock, Allnatt, Brown, Butcher, Carter, Clay, Cliff, Cox, Cumbers, Evans, Glancy, Gordon, Higgins, Lumley, Mason, Sharp, Thwaites

AGAINST THE MOTION (0)

ABSTAINING FROM THE MOTION (9)

I Atherton, S Atherton, Browne, Child, Chubb, J Orson, S Orson, Pritchett, Webster

The Leader is to provide a report on the Devolution White Paper.

The Leader, Councillor Allnatt, introduced the Devolution White Paper report and moved the recommendation. Councillor Glancy seconded the motion.

In introducing the report, the Leader outlined events so far and explained to Members that the District and Borough Council Leaders’ and Rutland Council Leader’s preference is for three unitary authorities covering Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. One authority for the north of Leicestershire including Rutland, one for the south of Leicestershire and the third covering the city of Leicester.

The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Browne, stated that this is the beginning of a process and that his view was that change is required, as Councils have struggled over the last 20 years. He added that Members needed a say before a decision is taken. He proposed the following amendment. Councillor J. Orson seconded the proposed amendment.

1)    That Council requests the Leader to work together with all partners to secure the best structure of Local Government for the residents of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, and report on progress at each Council meeting until submission is made of final proposals in November.

2)    That as part of that regular update, the Leader provides Members of Melton Borough Council with details of costings, and commissioning of works with outside agencies to support the development of the Council’s preferred option for Local Government Reorganisation.

3)    That the Council requests the Leader to engage with all partners including Leicestershire County Council, County NHS Bodies, Police, Fire Service, Integrated Care Board and other key statutory stakeholders as part of developing the Council’s preferred option. 

4)    That before any final proposal is submitted to Government in November 2025, setting out Melton Borough Council’s preferred option, that a report will be submitted to Full Council detailing the full benefits and weaknesses considered in relation to this, and compared against those options which have been rejected, and that Council will have an opportunity to consider, debate and give its view on this.

The meeting adjourned to allow legal advice to be provided. When the meeting reconvened, the proposer and seconder of the original motion accepted the amendment into the motion.

Councillor Lumley proposed the following amended. Councillor Higgins seconded the motion.

Thanks the Leader for all his work on devolution and local government reform and thanks him for circulating information when it becomes available. Acknowledges that there are bound to be differences of opinion but Council has complete trust in the Leader to represent the best interests of Melton Borough in a fair and balanced way. Welcomes the broader engagement envisaged with the public and stakeholders over the coming months.

In seconding the motion, Councillor Higgins stated that a unitary form of local government is probably the right way to go but that the local must be kept in local government.

The proposer and seconder of the original motion accepted the amendment into the motion.

During the debate the following points were raised:

• There was concern expressed over the potential changes to standards regime.
• A comment was made  ...  view the full minutes text for item CO71