Agenda for City Council on Monday, 13th July, 2020, 2.00 pm

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Remote - To be held remotely via Zoom - https://www.youtube.com/user/NottCityCouncil. View directions

Contact: Jane Garrard, Senior Governance Officer  Email: jane.garrard@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

14.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Councillor Rebecca Langton (personal)

15.

Declarations of interests

Minutes:

Councillor Steve Battlemuch declared an Other Interest in relation to councillor question 5 of agenda item 5 Questions from Councillors (minute reference 21), because he is a Director of the Robin Hood Energy Board.  He stated that he would take no part in discussions regarding Robin Hood Energy at meetings of the Audit Committee.

16.

Questions from citizens pdf icon PDF 6 KB

Minutes:

Broadmarsh Development

IL asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Safety and Communications:

 

What is the situation regarding Intu Broadmarsh, what discussions have been had with Intu, and what options are being considered for the future of the site? Will the City Council consider taking Broadmarsh back from Intu and embarking down a radically different route which would provide a truly innovative and world class southern gateway to the city centre?

 

Councillor David Mellen replied as follows:

 

Thank you Lord Mayor, and can I thank the member of the public for asking this question which concerns Intu Broadmarsh, the future of the site and embarking on a different route for the future.

 

On 3 July the Intu holding companies associated with the Broadmarsh Centre entered receivership.  As a result, the Official Receiver disclaimed the lease for the Broadmarsh Centre to the Council as owners of the freehold.  This outcome is a hugely significant step for the City.  It means that the Council has control over the whole site as both the freeholder and the leaseholder, which means that the Council now has greater opportunity to start to develop a new sustainable plan for the future of the site.  It also means that the liabilities of the site also rest with the City Council.  To see a major development that had been making good progress stall because of the corona pandemic and Intu’s demise was a major blow.  Sadly, Intu is not the only company across the country that has been in trouble because of the effects of the virus. 

 

The Broadmarsh Centre is an extremely important site right at the heart of the City Centre.  It is vital that we take every opportunity to maximise its potential as part of the wider regeneration taking place in the City: bringing investment, creating jobs and improving the quality of life for local people.  Other developments in the area are ongoing such as the new College building, the car park, the bus station, the space for the new library and the renovation of the Castle and we look forward to both the College and the Castle opening early in 2021. 

 

Withdrawal of Intu from the site presents a financial challenge for the City Council at a time when our budget is under immense pressure.  Nevertheless, this is a great opportunity to look again at the plans for this key site, listening to the variety of ideas that are coming forward as to how the site should be developed.  We won’t be able to do this by ourselves and we will need to work in partnership to take this further forward.  Our initial task is to reopen the public right of way from Collin Street to Lister Gate to re-establish safe pedestrian access to and from the south of the City Centre. 

 

Thank you.

 

 

Racism awareness in schools

VS asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Early Years, Education and Employment:

 

Does the Council accept that racism  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

17.

Petitions from Councillors on behalf of citizens

Minutes:

Councillor Merlita Bryan presented a petition on behalf of residents of Radford Grove Lane, requesting the removal of the picnic table on St Peters Park (Churchfield Lane, Radford) to address issues of anti-social behaviour.

18.

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of Council held on 18 May 2020 pdf icon PDF 635 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 May 2020 were confirmed as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

19.

To receive official communications and announcements from the Leader of the Council and/or the Chief Executive

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council reported the following:

 

Andy Vaughan

Andy Vaughan, Corporate Director for Commercial and Operations, left the Council on 30 June. Andy worked for the Council for over 10 years, joining the Council in 2009 as Director for Neighbourhood Services. I would like to thank Andy on behalf of the Council for the contribution he has made over that time and his dedication to Nottingham.  I wish Andy all the very best in his future endeavours and, on behalf of the Council and the people of Nottingham, I thank him for his service and commitment to our City. Andy has been an established part of the Council’s officer leadership for well over a decade and has been at the heart of providing first class services and for leading some of the Council’s most innovative and transformational projects.

 

20.

Questions from Councillors - to the City Council's lead Councillor on the Nottinghamshire and City of Nottingham Fire and Rescue Authority

Minutes:

None

21.

Questions from Councillors - to a member of Executive Board, the Chair of a Committee and the Chair of any other City Council body pdf icon PDF 142 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Steve Battlemuch declared an Other Interest in relation to councillor question 5 of agenda item 5 Questions from Councillors (minute reference 21), because he is a Director of the Robin Hood Energy Board.  He stated that he would take no part in discussions regarding Robin Hood Energy at meetings of the Audit Committee.

 

Broadmarsh Development

Councillor Kevin Clarke asked the following question of the Leader of the Council:

 

Following last week’s developments regarding Intu handing back control of the Broadmarsh Centre to Nottingham City Council, can the Leader confirm that the responsibility of the site now lies fully with the Council?  If so, and while we understand firm plans cannot be drawn up overnight, can the Leader outline to us the options that are available and being considered for the future of the site?

 

Councillor David Mellen replied as follows:

 

Thank you Lord Mayor and can I thank Councillor Clarke for his question.  As mentioned in my previous answer to the member of the public, on 3 July 2020 the Intu holding companies associated with the Broadmarsh Centre entered into receivership.  As a result, the Official Receiver disclaimed the lease for the Broadmarsh Centre to the Council as owner of the freehold. This outcome is a hugely significant step for the City.  It means that the Council now has both a greater opportunity to start to develop a new sustainable plan for the whole of the Broadmarsh site; and it also takes on the liabilities for the area, which as all can see is a building site and, whatever the plans for the future, needs initially to be made safe before any future plans can be realised.  An open and widespread conversation about the future of the area needs to take place with Nottingham citizens as the opportunity arises to really assess what should happen in this space.  The first priority is to get the public access safely restored from Collin Street to Lister Gate through the Centre. 

 

Robin Hood Energy

Councillor Kevin Clarke asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Growth and the City Centre:

 

In the financial year 2018/19 Robin Hood Energy posted losses of £23.1million. According to their own accounts, they have made losses of over £33.5million across the previous five years. Indeed, they have only posted a profit one year across their entire existence.  While the Council can hardly be blamed for the current financial hardships caused by the Covid-19 crisis, the fact remains that the present situation is critically fragile. Does the Portfolio Holder not therefore agree that it is finally time to follow the Labour-led Bristol City Council’s lead and divest itself of its commitment to what is obvious to everyone, a failing energy company?

 

Councillor Sam Webster replied as follows:

 

Thank you Lord Mayor and thank you to Councillor Clarke for the question.  As he will know, the Executive Board of the Council, on 17 December 2019, noted the intention to carry out a full options appraisal and strategic  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

22.

Executive Appointments and Remits pdf icon PDF 194 KB

Report of the Leader of the Council

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council presented the report notifying Council of changes to Portfolio Holder roles and remits for the municipal year 2020/21.

 

Resolved to

 

(1)  note the changes to the Portfolio Holder remits as of 13 July 2020, as set out in the appendix to the report; and

 

(2)  amend the Council’s Constitution to reflect these changes.

23.

Decisions taken under Urgency Procedures pdf icon PDF 235 KB

Report of the Leader of the Council

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council presented the report detailing urgent decisions that Council is required to note, which have been taken under provisions within the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules and Access to Information Rules.

 

Resolved to note

 

(1)  the urgent decisions (exempt from call in)

 

Decision Reference Number

Date of Decision

Subject

Value of Decision

Reason for Urgency

3875

21 May 2020

Procurement – Supplier Relief Payments

Nil

Urgent payment was required to companies in order to relieve the financial pressures they were under.

 

3877

23 May 2020

Contract Extensions to Mitigate the Impact of the Coronavirus Outbreak

£24,840,628

The contract extensions were emergency measures to sustain the delivery of essential works, services and supplies during the current Coronavirus outbreak, when it would not be possible to renew contract through a full procurement process as it was not feasible to undertake planned procurement activity.

3879

26 May 2020

Purchase of Personal Protective Equipment during the Coronavirus Outbreak

£6,500,000

To enable purchases to be made as soon as possible as supplies are identified, subject to relevant minimum checks on suppliers.

3883

29 May 2020

Nottingham Small Business Grant

£3,500,000

The scheme was required by Government to issue grants to businesses in June.

3892

5 June 2020

Opening High Street Fund

£294,000

The funding was to support opening the city centre and neighbourhoods, as retail reopened from 15 June.  The funding was to help citizens and businesses with clear information and messages.  Funding was released by Government on 24 May to be spent from 1 June.  Contracts and services needed to be procured to have advertising, materials and programmes in place ready for the gradual re-opening of the City post Covid-19.

3900

6 June 2020

Financial Support for the Tram

£3,700,000

The tram service had been running with substantially reduced passenger levels for several weeks and the transfer of the Department for Transport funding to Tramlink was urgently required for them to maintain cash-flow within their business.

3909

10 June 2020

Allocation of Adult Social Care Infection Control Grant Funding

£2,727,217

The Department for Health and Social Care’s guidance required that, in order to ensure that the relevant infection control measures were put in place as speedily as possible, local authorities accepted the grant and made the relevant payments to providers as soon as they could, on receipt of their allocations.

3911

13 June 2020

Property Trading Account Rental Deferral

Exempt

The support measures needed to be implemented urgently to allow officers to negotiate flexible rental payment terms with tenants, to provide financial support to tenants therefore minimising the risk of tenant failure, and securing income to the Council.

3918

25 June 2020

Financing Arrangements

Exempt

Delay would have jeopardised the ongoing viability of a wholly owned company.

 

 


 

(2)  the Key Decisions taken under the Special Urgency Procedure

 

Decision reference number

Date of Decision

Subject

Value of Decision

Reason for Special Urgency

3879

26 May 2020

Purchase of Personal Protective Equipment during the Coronavirus Outbreak

£6,500,000

As a result of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

24.

Date of next meeting

To agree to change the date of the next meeting to 28 September 2020 at 2pm.

Minutes:

In an amendment to the agenda, the Lord Mayor proposed changing the date of the next meeting to 5 October 2020.

 

Resolved to amend the date of the next meeting to 5 October 2020 at 2pm.