Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor Helen Kalsi – work commitments

Councillor Anwar Khan - leave

Councillor AJ Matsiko – work commitments

Councillor Georgia Power - unwell

Councillor Sarita-Marie Rehman-Wall - unwell

None

A citizen asked the following question of the Executive Member for Communities, Waste and Equalities:

How do you intend to contribute to keeping people safe when on the streets in the next year with the violence we have seen in Nottinghamshire in recent times?

Street safety

Councillor Corall Jenkins replied as follows:

Thank you, Lord-Mayor. In response to the citizen’s question, I can say we work with the police and other partners like probation to develop a public health led approach to reduce violence in the city with the involvement of the Violence Reduction Team. Because of this partnership, effectively sponsors are commissioned, such as the Streets Youth Team, or Breaking Barriers Building Bridges, which have been shown to reduce violence, and they have supported younger people into purposeful activity. Nottingham, as a purple flag city, recognises the safety in the night-time economy. We have an extensive CCTV network across the city that is regularly monitored, and it is linked to the police control room, thereby reducing response time. The Nottingham Community Partnership Team meets regularly. The body not only includes the police, the Crime Commissioner, and the Nottingham City Council Safety Team, but it also includes other partners like Notts Healthcare Mental Health Team. There is a good range of providers coming together to share data and coordinate approaches where needed. Councillors may have noticed in their wards that the Police Officers have been more visible and Community Protection Officers are more visible. Police and Community Protection meet regularly with community groups to provide reassurance, and in addition the North, South, and Central Police Neighbourhood Inspectors share monthly crime rates with communities and the Police and Crime Commissioner. This information is also shared by the police on their social media, thereby keeping the public up to date. The Police Commissioner has targets and aims to tackle anti-social behaviour in all its forms, making it it’s number one priority. I sit on the Partnership Board, and I can confirm that there is a lot of discussion, planning, preparation, and evaluating that goes on behind the scenes to ensure that Nottingham remains a safe place to live. Thank you.

Library consultation

A citizen asked the following question of the Executive Member for Carbon Reduction, Leisure and Culture:

At the final library consultation event, held at the Council House on Thursday 15 August, it was indicated that the decision on the library review would come later in 2024. Campaigners were heartened at a recent protest outside Basford Library on Saturday 19 October, when Basford Councillor Linda Woodings, who is also Executive Member for Finance and Resources, said that library closures “were not a done deal.” Could the Executive Member report on the next stage of the process, and also when the final decision will be made?

Councillor Sam Lux replied as follows:

Thank you, Lord-Mayor, and I’d like to thank the citizen for this question regarding the next steps in the decision-making process for the proposed library service which were consulted on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.

None

The minutes of the Ordinary meeting of Council held on 9 September 2024 were confirmed as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

The minutes of the Extraordinary meeting of Council held on 30 September 2024 were confirmed as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

The Chief Executive made the following announcements:

Yesterday, on Remembrance Sunday, a service of remembrance and thanksgiving was held at the War Memorial on Victoria Embankment. I joined the Lord Mayor, Leader of the Council and other councillors, civic representatives, representatives of faith communities and military personnel to remember those who have fallen, those serving in our armed forces today and those who will serve in the future. This morning, on Armistice Day, the Leader of the Council and I joined the Lord Mayor for a service of commemoration and two minute silence led by the bishop of Sherwood on the steps of the Council House.

It is with sadness that I report the death of former councillor and Honorary Alderman Hylton James on 12 October. Hylton was elected to serve the Aspley ward in 1991, where he served for a total of 16 years until 2011. During that time, he served on many different committees, including as a Chair of Licensing Panels, and he was also an Executive Assistant for Adult Services. In December 2011 he was appointed as an Honorary Alderman in recognition of his eminent service.

A minute’s silence was held.

Fire and Rescue Service inspection report

Councillor Nick Raine asked the following question of the Council’s Lead Councillor on the Nottinghamshire and City of Nottingham Fire and Rescue Authority:

Following the recent report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, what steps will Nottinghamshire and City of Nottingham Fire and Rescue Service take to build on this success and share best practices nationally?

Councillor Audra Wynter replied as follows:

Thank you, Lord-Mayor, and thank you Councillor Raine for your question. In this service’s latest report, published on the 18^th September 2024, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service has made significant strides in its improvement journey, achieving a rating of good in 10 out of the 11 areas of judgement. This represents a remarkable decline from the 24 areas that required improvement in 2019. Despite facing some of the most severe funding cuts in the sector since 2010, the service has shown progress across every area of assessment, establishing it as one of the best performing fire and rescue services in England. While this positive outcome highlights exceptional work and management and the dedication of our personnel, both the authority and the service are committed to continued improvement. We employ our proven approach to address the many areas that need enhancement, specifically relating to the assurance of our risk-based inspection program for assessing non-domestic premises. The combined fire authority will maintain rigorous oversight in the areas we are pursuing our ambition to plan to achieve that statutory status by 2032. The exploration is central to our new community risk management plan which is currently in consultation and will guide our services to choose a direction from 2025 to 2028. I strongly encourage all members in this chamber to participate in this consultation to ensure that their communities are informed about both the proposals and the challenging context we are operating in. The service maintains strong connections with the national Fire Chiefs Council, and this information supports the team’s vast improvements across the sector. We are actively sharing successful practices through the National Positive Practice Portal, while also learning from others. Our dedicated service improvement teams support the teams and address the officers’ efficiency targets. However, it is important to note after 14 years of austerity there is little efficiency left behind other than to think about impacts on local services. Despite facing real-time reductions and challenges relating to funding and sustainability, the service is committed to continuous improvement. Lord-Mayor, core spending power reduced by 19.4% in real terms since 2010. The achievements recognised over the past 5 years should demonstrate the ambitions and drive of our teams. However, this ongoing improvement depends on appropriate, sustainable funding to meet our community’s needs. Currently the service is facing an unprecedented projected deficit of £1.9 million for the 2025-26 financial year which will grow to a nearly £4.5 million in 2027-28. Councillor Khan talked about the Labour party who obviously did now come into power. I believe in what you  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

Government Budget implications

Councillor Hayley Spain asked the following question of the Leader of the Council:

Could the Leader please update Council on what the Government budget of 30 October means for Nottingham in terms of transport, jobs, healthcare and the services we provide, and would she join me in welcoming the news that Clifton will be retaining its Clifton Town Fund?

Councillor Neghat Khan replied as follows:

Thank you, Lord-Mayor. Thank you, Councillor Spain, for your question. At last, we have a Labour government budget that can begin to turn the page on 14 years of Tory austerity. A responsible budget that acknowledges the hard path ahead of us to get this country back on track as the Tories have left Britain broke and broken. We have the worst living standards on record, our NHS and public services are on their knees, and we have an enormous black hole in the nation’s finances. Let’s not forget Liz Truss, whose 49-day stay as Prime Minister is the shortest on record. Her disastrous mini-budget caused significant upheaval, deepening the cost-of-living crisis, and throwing the country into chaos. The latest Labour budget is a million miles away from that disaster. Labour’s budget is fixing the foundations which will allow for future currency stability. Nottingham, like many cities, has been hit hard by the government’s cuts to grants. We’ve had to deal with the increasing demand for social care services, especially for vulnerable children and adults, while seeing our funding slashed year after year. This budget under Chancellor Rachel Reeves begins to acknowledge the challenges we face. In a number of cases the exact impact on Nottingham will become clear over time, but change has begun. I am pleased that the Chancellor has announced a range of measures for local government that will help us to continue supporting our communities and residents. I welcome the announcement of £1.3 billion increased funding for grants to support our essential services, £600 million additional funding to support adult social care, £500 million for the affordable homes programme to build up to 5,000 additional affordable homes, £233 million additional funding to tackle homelessness, an increase on the national living wage by 6.7% to £12.21 per hour, additional funding of £650 million to support local transport projects, continuation of the household support fund, a £22.6 billion increase in the day-to-day health budget, and a £3.1 billion increase in the capital budget. This will hopefully improve healthcare outcomes across the city. The list goes on, but with time constraints I have just picked a few of the proposals. The government’s budget contains wide-ranging proposals that provide more support to low-income working people. As Nottingham is a city with a higher number of low-income working people this is good news for our city and its residents. The increase in national living wage will be a boost for low-income workers. Increased wages will also mean more spending in the city. There is £100 million to support local authorities to install and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 55.

Report of the Leader of the Council

Councillor Neghat Khan, Leader of the Council, proposed the report informing Council that, since the last report to Council in July 2024, there had been no decisions taken under the urgency provisions within the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules and no decisions taken under the special urgency provisions within the Access to Information Procedure Rules. Councillor Ethan Radford seconded the report.

Resolved to note that

(1)  no decisions have been taken under urgency provisions within the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules (Article 11) of the Constitution since the last report to Council;

(2)  no decisions have been taken under the special urgency provisions within the Access to Information Procedure Rules (Article 13) of the Constitution since the last report to Council.

Report of the Chair of the Audit Committee

Councillor Adele Williams, Chair of the Audit Committee, presented the Audit Committee Annual Report for 2023/24, which summarises the work undertaken by the Audit Committee over the municipal year 2023/24, explaining how the Committee has filled its designated role within the Constitution and how this work relates to its core responsibilities. The report was seconded by Councillor Sam Gardiner.

Resolved to

(1)  note the work undertaken by the Audit Committee during 2023/24;

(2)  accept the Audit Committee Annual Report 2023/24.

Report of the Chair of the Licensing Committee

Councillor Audrey Dinnall, Chair of the Licensing Committee, presented the report seeking approval to adopt a new Statement of Gambling Policy for the City of Nottingham. The purpose of the Statement is to inform individuals making an application for a licence of the Authority’s standards and values in promoting the licensing objectives within the framework of the Gambling Act 2005 (the Act) and approved guidance issued by the Gambling Commission under the Act. The report also gives Council the opportunity to renew the “No Casino” resolution should it wish to do so and which will otherwise cease to have effect in January 2025.

Resolved to

(1)  having regard to the principles/matters identified in both the Introduction and Appendix 2 of the draft Policy, resolve to renew Council’s previous “No Casino” resolution pursuant to S166 of the Act so, that with effect from 31 January 2025, no casino licences will be issued within the administrative area of the City of Nottingham;

(2)  adopt the Statement of Gambling Policy;

(3)  authorise the Director of Communities, Environment and Resident Services to comply with the relevant statutory requirements in respect of the advertisement and publication of the Statement, and should Council not agree to renew the No Casino resolution to make the appropriate amendments to the policy deleting reference to that matter before publication.

Report of the Head of Paid Service

Councillor Neghat Khan, Leader of the Council, presented the report asking Council to note the appointment of an Interim Corporate Director of Finance and Resources, and that the post is designated as the Council’s Chief Finance Officer/ Section 151 Officer. In addition, the role will also include oversight of IT, Commercial and Procurement, Internal Audit and Risk.

Resolved to

(1)  note that Stuart Fair has been appointed as Interim Corporate Director of Finance and Resources with effect from 8 November 2024 and that, as set out in Article 5 of the Constitution, this post is designated as the Council’s Chief Finance Officer/ Section 151 Officer for the purposes of Section 151 of the Local Government Act 1972;

(2)  note that as an interim arrangement the Director of Legal and Governance, Director of Customer Services and Strategic Director of HR and Equality and Diversity and Inclusion will report to the Chief Executive prior to options for a permanent management structure being presented to the Appointments and Conditions of Service Committee for consideration and approval.

As a globally recognised climate leader, Nottingham City Council is committed to embedding equitability into the city’s decarbonisation journey. It must therefore support citizens to shape and benefit from local climate policy, so that Nottingham can successfully reduce emissions and in a way that improves the wellbeing of all its communities.

The Strategic Council Plan 2024-27 includes a commitmentto “engage with our diverse local communities through a Nottingham Climate Assembly, working towards a more informed and resilient city”.

Nottingham Green Partnership and Nottingham Climate Assembly have been working tirelessly to make this happen. Already they have organised a series of volunteer-run mini-assemblies across the city to instigate rich conversations about the climate and ecological emergency, and how we can collectively work towards carbon neutrality.

These eight mini-assemblies (Nottingham University Hospitals Trust, Emmanuel School, Green Festival, Green Hustle, Nottingham College, with Environmental groups, Nottingham City Council, Green Meadows) have illuminated new insights into what can be done by local people working together and developed a range of ideas and projects. Further mini-assemblies will take place at Farnborough School, Trades Council, Nottingham University, BACKLIT, Age Friendly Nottingham, Its in Nottingham, and Nottingham Women’s Centre.

The aim is to hold the full Nottingham Climate Assembly over four weekends in 2025.

A climate assembly for the city, which will meaningfully give voice to our diverse communities, necessitates a representative sample of the population involved. Participants will be financially supported through the process to maximise inclusivity, and they need to be informed by experts in the field to help them reach their conclusions. There are therefore significant costs associated.

Fundraising is underway, with several thousand pounds raised towards the goal, but much more is needed and part of the fundraising strategy is to launch a Crowdfunder. This is taking place on 18^th November at the Nottingham Green Partnership.

This council resolves to:

• Give full support to the efforts of Nottingham Green Partnership 
• Thank all the people who have been involved in reaching this point in the project; the members of the Oversight Panel who have given their time and expertise and the committed group of volunteers from Nottingham Climate Assembly, a not for profit organisation, who have organised and facilitated the mini-assemblies and spread the word about the importance of talking about the subject of climate in the city.
• Continue to support the work of Nottingham Green Partnership, working towards the NCA and give our support to the launch of the Crowdfunder and future fundraising efforts.

Approval of the motion does not commit the Council to any financial expenditure, including in relation to officer time. Any expenditure would be subject to a separate decision(s) taken in accordance with the decision making requirements set out in the Council’s constitution.

Councillor Sam Lux proposed the following motion, which was seconded by Councillor Hayley Spain:

As a globally recognised climate leader, Nottingham City Council is committed to embedding equitability into the city’s decarbonisation journey. It must therefore support citizens to shape and benefit from local climate policy, so that Nottingham can successfully reduce emissions and in a way that improves the wellbeing of all its communities.

The Strategic Council Plan 2024-27 includes a commitment to “engage with our diverse local communities through a Nottingham Climate Assembly, working towards a more informed and resilient city”.

Nottingham Green Partnership and Nottingham Climate Assembly have been working tirelessly to make this happen. Already they have organised a series of volunteer-run mini-assemblies across the city to instigate rich conversations about the climate and ecological emergency, and how we can collectively work towards carbon neutrality.

These eight mini-assemblies (Nottingham University Hospitals Trust, Emmanuel School, Green Festival, Green Hustle, Nottingham College, with Environmental groups, Nottingham City Council, Green Meadows) have illuminated new insights into what can be done by local people working together and developed a range of ideas and projects. Further mini-assemblies will take place at Farnborough School, Trades Council, Nottingham University, BACKLIT, Age Friendly Nottingham, Its in Nottingham, and Nottingham Women’s Centre.

The aim is to hold the full Nottingham Climate Assembly over four weekends in 2025.

A climate assembly for the city, which will meaningfully give voice to our diverse communities, necessitates a representative sample of the population involved. Participants will be financially supported through the process to maximise inclusivity, and they need to be informed by experts in the field to help them reach their conclusions. There are therefore significant costs associated.

Fundraising is underway, with several thousand pounds raised towards the goal, but much more is needed and part of the fundraising strategy is to launch a Crowdfunder. This is taking place on 18^th November at the Nottingham Green Partnership.

This council resolves to:

• Give full support to the efforts of Nottingham Green Partnership 
• Thank all the people who have been involved in reaching this point in the project; the members of the Oversight Panel who have given their time and expertise and the committed group of volunteers from Nottingham Climate Assembly, a not for profit organisation, who have organised and facilitated the mini-assemblies and spread the word about the importance of talking about the subject of climate in the city.
• Continue to support the work of Nottingham Green Partnership, working towards the NCA and give our support to the launch of the Crowdfunder and future fundraising efforts.

Approval of the motion does not commit the Council to any financial expenditure, including in relation to officer time. Any expenditure would be subject to a separate decision(s) taken in accordance with the decision making requirements set out in the Council’s constitution.

Resolved to carry the motion.

To note the following changes to committee membership:

a)  Councillor Liaquat Ali has been appointed to replace Councillor AJ Matsiko as a member of the Audit Committee

b)  Councillor Sam Gardiner has been appointed to replace Councillor Maria Joannou as a member of the Audit Committee

c)  Councillor AJ Matsiko has been appointed to replace Councillor Matt Shannon as a member of the Licensing Committee

d)  Councillor Maria Joannou has been appointed to replace Councillor Devontay Okure as a member of the Licensing Committee

e)  Councillor Matt Shannon has been appointed to replace Councillor Farzanna Mahmood as a member of the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee

f)  Councillor Devontay Okure has been appointed to replace Councillor Sam Gardiner as a member of the Communities and Environment Scrutiny Committee

g)  Councillor Michael Edwards has been appointed to replace Councillor Devontay Okure as a member of the Joint Committee on Waste and Mineral Planning

h)  Councillor Naim Salim has been removed as a member of the Planning Committee leaving a vacant seat.

It was noted that:

a) Councillor Liaquat Ali has been appointed to replace Councillor AJ Matsiko as a member of the Audit Committee;

b) Councillor Sam Gardiner has been appointed to replace Councillor Maria Joannou as a member of the Audit Committee;

c) Councillor AJ Matsiko has been appointed to replace Councillor Matt Shannon as a member of the Licensing Committee;

d) Councillor Maria Joannou has been appointed to replace Councillor Devontay Okure as a member of the Licensing Committee;

e) Councillor Matt Shannon has been appointed to replace Councillor Farzanna Mahmood as a member of the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee;

f) Councillor Devontay Okure has been appointed to replace Councillor Sam Gardiner as a member of the Communities and Environment Scrutiny Committee;

g) Councillor Michael Edwards has been appointed to replace Councillor Devontay Okure as a member of the Joint Committee on Waste and Mineral Planning; and

h) Councillor Naim Salim has been removed as a member of the Planning Committee leaving a vacant seat.

To agree to:

a)  move the date of the next Council meeting to 27 January 2025 6pm; and

b)  move the date of the Council meeting currently scheduled for 24 February to 3 March 2025 2pm.

Resolved to agree to

(1)   move the date of the next Council meeting to 27 January 2025 6pm; and

(2)  move the date of the Council meeting currently scheduled for 24 February to 3 March 2025 2pm.