Agenda and minutes

Councillor Merlita Bryan – unwell

Councillor Phil Jackson – unwell

Councillor Sue Johnson - unwell

Councillor Dave Liversidge – unwell

Councillor Carole McCulloch - leave

None

Student safety

EM asked the following question of the Leader of the Council:

What is the Council planning to do about the recent incidents of students being spiked via injection in clubs?

Councillor David Mellen replied as follows:

Thank you Lord Mayor and can I thank the member of the public for their question about the recent reports of spiking via injection in Nottingham clubs.  These reports, I’m sure Council would agree, are alarming and I have discussed them with both the Chief Constable and the Senior Police Officer in the City, Superintendent Kathryn Craner, as the Police have the primary responsibility for dealing with these criminal acts.  In addition, as key partners with the Police, the Council is doing everything possible by working closely with them and the City’s hospitality venues to investigate and confirm the facts about these cases.

Councillor Neghat Khan (Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods, Safety and Inclusion) and colleagues in the Community Protection Licensing Service have been working to make sure that licensed venues are supporting the Police and that any criminal behaviour is identified and quickly reported. The Council encourages people to promptly report concerns to the venue and the Police if they feel that an incident has occurred, or they have just seen something suspicious. The Council supports the position that women should feel safe in any environment and especially in the night time economy settings. My colleague, Councillor Khan, will cover this area in more detail in her reply to Councillor Watson’s question later in the meeting. Clearly, this is not just a Nottingham problem or indeed one which is restricted just to the UK. We here in Nottingham will play our part in seeking to stamp out this criminal and dangerous behaviour.

John Carroll Leisure Centre

SH asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Schools:

What plans are there for the future of the premises of the John Carroll Leisure Centre? Could you address local concerns about littering and general misuse of that area?

Councillor Eunice Campbell-Clark replied as follows:

Thank you Lord Mayor. The Council has continued discussions with community groups around the use of the leisure centre and will shortly be reviewing all of the outcomes of the discussions and will decide the future of the site shortly. We will examine the issues of littering and misuse of the local area and will raise this as a matter of urgency with officers to look for solutions to the problems. We will continue to monitor this area Lord Mayor. Thank you.

National Leisure Recovery Fund

DC asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Schools:
Did Nottingham City Council apply for emergency funding from the national Leisure Recovery Fund? If not, why not?  This funding may have provided John Carroll Leisure Centre with a much-needed lifeline pending ongoing discussions.

Councillor Eunice Campbell-Clark replied as follows:

Thank you Lord Mayor. The Council was not eligible to apply to the national Leisure Recovery  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

None

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 September 2021 were confirmed as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

The Chief Executive reported the following:

I would like to start by welcoming Councillor Nayab Patel and Councillor Corall Jenkins who were elected to the Sherwood and St Anns wards respectively at by-elections on 7 October 2021.

I am pleased to report a number of recent award successes for services across the Council.  The Council won Clean Van Fleet Operator of the Year at the Motor Transport Awards recognising the Council’s push towards an electric fleet and particularly its work in helping other public sector bodies, individuals and companies to do the same.  The Fleet Management Team also won the Dr Will Murray Award for Analysis and Action at the UK Fleet Awards.  The award highlighted how the Team use telematics to analyse the impact the fleet is having on the local area and take action to address adverse impacts.  The Schools Catering Team has also been successful in winning a national award for championing environmental issues through school meals at the Local Authority Catering Association Awards.  Finally, I would like to mention the Parks Team and their contribution to the City being awarded a total of 41 Green Flag Awards this year from Keep Britain Tidy.  This brings the total in the City to 72, which is the most for any local authority area in the country, and recognises the value placed on parks and green spaces in the City.

I would also like to congratulate Councillor Maria Watson who has been shortlisted for the 2021 LGIU and CCLA Councillor Awards in the category of Community Champion. 

I am sad to report to Council the tragic death of Sir David Amess on 15 October 2021.  David died while doing his duty as an elected representative of this country to make himself accessible to those who elected him as their MP and serve all those in his constituency.  My thoughts are with his family, friends and those in his community affected by this loss.

With Remembrance Day on this coming Sunday, I would also like to take a moment to remember the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces, and their families, from Britain and the Commonwealth, the vital role played by the emergency services and those who have lost their lives as a result of conflict or terrorism.

A minute’s silence was held.

None

Night-time safety

Councillor Maria Watson asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods, Safety and Inclusion:

As I’m sure everyone here agrees, the recent reports of “spiking” in the City’s bars and clubs make for terrifying reading.  It is completely unacceptable that anyone should have to worry that they could become the victim of these crimes while they are enjoying Nottingham’s nightlife.  Can the Portfolio Holder outline the steps that we, as a Council, are undertaking to safeguard our citizens of Nottingham and to reassure parents of students that Nottingham is a safe city for them to attend?

Councillor Neghat Khan replied as follows:

Thank you Lord Mayor and can I thank Councillor Watson for her question. As this question has already been raised under ‘Questions from Citizens’ and answered by the Leader, I would reiterate his response and add that: yes, there has been a recent increase in the number of alleged drink spiking cases across the country and so Nottingham is not alone in tackling this very serious concern.

I can confirm that the Police are in primacy for investigating the allegations of drink spiking within Nottingham, however the City Council’s Community Protection and Licensing Services are working collaboratively on this matter of serious concern. City Council officers have been attending and contributing to the inter-agency meetings led by the Assistant Chief Constable.  The Police are thoroughly investigating these potential crimes and are seeking the required evidence as part of the ongoing investigations. In addition, the Police have issued advice to venues on how to record and report suspicious behaviour to obtain the best evidence possible to progress investigations. The Police are undertaking high profile patrols as well as undercover operations in order to both deter and detect such incidents. The use of CCTV to investigate allegations is also being fully used as a tool to obtain evidence.  Community safety partnerships including the BID and Pub Watch have also contributed in assisting businesses to take precautionary measures to reassure customers. The City Council Licensing Services have carried out visits to nightclub premises to assess if door supervision and entry checks are reasonable and proportionate in accordance with their licensing conditions. All premises were found to be cooperative with both Council Officers and Police colleagues in promoting reasonable safety at their venues.  Should the Police find any evidence in their investigation that suggests some current licensing conditions are not being met or that additional measures should be put in place, then the City Council Licensing Service will work with the Police and other Responsible Authorities to implement appropriate changes to secure reasonable safety of citizens.

I am pleased to report Nottingham’s collaborative approach by all the agencies and businesses together in addressing these ongoing concerns and commend everyone for their continued efforts to protect citizens from harm.  Lord Mayor, of course, we will never be complacent and will continue to take the necessary steps within the powers prescribed to us but I hope this reassures citizens that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

Report of the Leader of the Council

The Leader of the Council, Councillor David Mellen, presented the report detailing urgent decisions that the Council is required to note, which have been taken under provisions within the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules and Access to Information Rules.  The report was seconded by Councillor Sally Longford.

Resolved to note:

(1)  the following decisions taken under the Call-in and Urgency provisions of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules:

(2)  the following Key Decision taken under the Special Urgency provisions of the Access to Information Procedure Rules:

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods, Safety and Inclusion

The Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods, Safety and Inclusion, Councillor Neghat Khan, presented the report proposing adoption of a new Statement of Gambling Policy for the City covering the period 2022-2025 and a renewal of the Council’s ‘no casino’ resolution.  The report was seconded by Councillor Toby Neal.

Resolved to:

(1)  renew the Council’s previous ‘no casino’ resolution pursuant to S166 of the Gambling Act 2005 so that, with effect from 31 January 2022, no casino licences will be issued within the administrative area of the City of Nottingham;

(2)  adopt the Statement of Gambling Policy as set out in Appendix 1 to the report; and

(3)  authorise the Director of Community Protection to comply with the relevant statutory requirements in respect of the advertisement and publication of the Statement.

Nottingham City Council recognises: 

·  Childcare is a critical social infrastructure that can both tackle childhood inequality and enable mothers to work but childcare in England is in crisis and this has been compounded by Covid-19. 

·  England is one of the most expensive places in the world for childcare; the average cost of a full-time nursery place is £263 a week, which is over half the average wage.

·  Childcare costs increased 7 times faster than wages in the East Midlands, the highest level of inflation outside of London 

75% of families use private nurseries and 56% of parents rely on grandparents for help.

Although childcare affects all parents, this Council recognises that the impact of unaffordable childcare is disproportionately felt by women. 

This Council notes a recent survey conducted by Nottingham Women’s Centre, which found that: 

·  75% of Nottingham women surveyed said the cost of childcare affects the amount they can work 

·  53% of women reported that the pandemic has increased the negative impacts of unaffordable childcare 

·  25% of women said they have been affected by redundancy/furlough because of childcare issues 

This Council resolves to: 

·  Deliver an awareness raising campaign to increase access to support amongst job seekers and practitioners 

·  Ensure easy access to information relating to childcare and support available to parents, addressing the specific needs of the family

·  Work in partnership with the Nottingham Women’s Centre to run a joint campaign on child care and work, providing employers with a toolkit for best practice on issues relating to inclusive recruitment and childcare as a barrier to accessing work 

·  Review its own policies to ensure it is doing all it reasonably can to set a good example on supporting working parents 

·  Seek funding to develop and deliver a Women into Work initiative

·  Reaffirm its commitment to Child Friendly status for Nottingham.

This Council calls on the Government to: 

·  Provide subsidised childcare from 6 months 

·  Introduce a cap on extra hours of childcare of £1/hour 

·  Introduce flexible furlough for all parents 

·  Increase child benefit and remove the two-child cap for Child Tax credits and Universal Credit 

·  Improve the Self Employment Income Support Scheme so that parents are supported when they are unable to work due to school and early years closures

• Encourage private companies to assess employee childcare needs and invest in solutions to meet those needs and those of the surrounding community 

Councillor Rebecca Langton proposed the following motion, which was seconded by Councillor Audra Wynter:

Nottingham City Council recognises: 

·  Childcare is a critical social infrastructure that can both tackle childhood inequality and enable mothers to work but childcare in England is in crisis and this has been compounded by Covid-19. 

·  England is one of the most expensive places in the world for childcare; the average cost of a full-time nursery place is £263 a week, which is over half the average wage.

·  Childcare costs increased 7 times faster than wages in the East Midlands, the highest level of inflation outside of London 

·  75% of families use private nurseries and 56% of parents rely on grandparents for help.

Although childcare affects all parents, this Council recognises that the impact of unaffordable childcare is disproportionately felt by women. 

This Council notes a recent survey conducted by Nottingham Women’s Centre, which found that: 

·  75% of Nottingham women surveyed said the cost of childcare affects the amount they can work 

·  53% of women reported that the pandemic has increased the negative impacts of unaffordable childcare 

·  25% of women said they have been affected by redundancy/furlough because of childcare issues 

This Council resolves to: 

·  Deliver an awareness raising campaign to increase access to support amongst job seekers and practitioners 

·  Ensure easy access to information relating to childcare and support available to parents, addressing the specific needs of the family

·  Work in partnership with the Nottingham Women’s Centre to run a joint campaign on child care and work, providing employers with a toolkit for best practice on issues relating to inclusive recruitment and childcare as a barrier to accessing work 

·  Review its own policies to ensure it is doing all it reasonably can to set a good example on supporting working parents 

·  Seek funding to develop and deliver a Women into Work initiative

·  Reaffirm its commitment to Child Friendly status for Nottingham.

This Council calls on the Government to: 

·  Provide subsidised childcare from 6 months 

·  Introduce a cap on extra hours of childcare of £1/hour 

·  Introduce flexible furlough for all parents 

·  Increase child benefit and remove the two-child cap for Child Tax credits and Universal Credit 

Resolved to carry the motion.

·  Improve the Self Employment Income Support Scheme so that parents are supported when they are unable to work due to school and early years closures

·  Encourage private companies to assess employee childcare needs and invest in solutions to meet those needs and those of the surrounding community 

To note the following changes to committee membership:

a)  Councillor Angharad Roberts has been appointed as a substitute member of the Police and Crime Panel

b)  Councillor Phil Jackson has been appointed to replace Councillor Jane Lakey as a member of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee

c)  Councillor Azad Choudhry has been appointed to fill a vacant seat on the Planning Committee

The following committee membership changes were noted:

(1)  Councillor Angharad Roberts had been appointed as a substitute member of the Police and Crime Panel;

(2)  Councillor Phil Jackson had been appointed to replace Councillor Jane Lakey as a member of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee; and

(3)  Councillor Azad Choudhry had been appointed to fill a vacant seat on the Planning Committee.