Agenda item

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

Minutes:

Chief Executive Pay

 

Councillor Andrew Rule asked the following question of the Chair of the Appointments and Conditions of Service Committee:

Does the Chair of the Appointments and Conditions of Service Committee agree with me that pay increases for the new Chief Executive should be wholly contingent upon the meeting of performance metrics and depart from the existing system where increases in pay do not seem to be linked to performance?

 

In the absence of Councillor Helen Kalsi, Councillor Steve Battlemuch replied as follows:

Thank you Lord-Mayor, and I thank Councillor Rule for his question.  As he will know, we are currently going through the process of recruitment for a new Chief Executive at the moment and in doing so we advertise salary and terms and conditions in line with the rules of the Local Government Association and the position that is adopted nationally – we don’t change the rules in Nottingham to adapt to that situation. So I’m quite happy to read a statement out that explains how we’re doing that, and that’s as follows: “The Chief Executive, Corporate Directors and Strategic Directors are currently paid on an all-inclusive, fixed spot salary drawn from a predetermined band. The pay and conditions of employment for Local Government Chief Executives is determined by the joint negotiating committee for Chief Executives. This means that the annual pay awards for Chief Executives in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are currently a contractual entitlement and subject to a national pay review process and negotiated centrally between national employers and the trade unions.  The Council is committed, as part of its single status journey, to undertake a review to ensure that the grading structure for the Chief Executive and other senior roles is fit for purpose, with a recommendation to move away from fixed spot salaries to a performance assessment-led incremental-based structure. Recommendations regarding the broadening and enhancing of the Local Government Scheme employees, heads of service, and director pay grades were finalised over the summer of 2023 and were implemented through September and October 2023, which now include performance-related incremental progression. All employees of the Council are currently subject to annual individual performance reviews and further work will need to be undertaken to assess the cost implications and the options for the introduction of performance-related incremental progression for the Chief Executive, Corporate, and Strategic Directors.” 

 

Cleaning of the Council House Façade

 

Councillor Kevin Clarke asked the following question of the Executive Member for Skills, Growth and Economic Development:

Could the Executive Member confirm whether sourcing external funding to clean up the façade of the Council House remains a priority over this Council term?

 

Councillor Ethan Radford replied as follows:

Thank you Lord-Mayor, and thank you Councillor Clarke for your question.  Given the extent of the financial challenges this Council currently faces, while grappling with huge demand pressures on our services, I must admit looking for funding to spruce up the façade of this building is not high up on our list of priorities. Given our funding pressures we are only approving essential maintenance works currently. Council officers in all our services are already working with reduced capacity, and I would rather they were spending what time they do have looking for external sources of funding that could be put to better use for our residents than cleaning the pigeon guano off the Council House façade.  We may have to be content with allowing the pigeons to roost in the façade of this building just a little while longer while we attend to more pressing matters, Councillor Clarke.

Clifton Town Board

 

Councillor Kirsty M Jones asked the following question of the Executive Member for Skills, Growth and Economic Development:

Will the Executive Member join me in congratulating the work of the Clifton Town Board who are in the process of completing an extensive engagement exercise ensuring that the views of Clifton residents are front and centre of the Board’s priorities?

 

Councillor Ethan Radford replied as follows:

Thank you Lord-Mayor, and thank you Councillor Jones for your question.  I’d be very happy to join you in congratulating the work of the Clifton Town Board. Having had the pleasure of attending Board meetings since I took up the post of Executive Member for Skills, Growth and Economic Development, I’ve seen for myself the passion, commitment, love and pride that residents have for their community in Clifton. To be party to the discussion of local residents and stakeholders like Nottingham Trent University, the police, local councillors and others, I can see a way forward that empowers local people to take ownership of this huge opportunity to make long-lasting change for the better.  I should like to think too that the Clifton Town Board has been, and could be, a good example of cross-party working, with Councillors Watson and Spain and myself on the Board because I know we all want the same thing, don’t we? The liveable outcomes that will make a tangible difference to Clifton and leave an indelible mark of good on the local community.  In the past I have attended too many meetings where the loud views of a small handful have dwarfed the quiet consensus of the many, where the lone loudest voices won out against a more moderately quiet majority. It should never be the case that one councillor, one resident, one community group or one Council officer should unduly smother the views of local people.

 

We must be realistic in our expectations though. £20 million sounds like a lot, but it will not address every need in Clifton, or fix every problem. Indeed, the restrictions placed on the terms of use for the funding from the last Tory Government are extremely restrictive and require an Olympic feat of acrobatic creativity to try and stay within those restrictions, while at the same time using the money in such a way as is of actual benefit to Clifton. Such is the shoddiness of the way the last Government went about allocating funding, depriving communities like Clifton of services via cuts from Central Government grants to the Council, only to hand them the cumulative difference years later.  Nevertheless, the Clifton Town’s deal is a deal this Council is committed to make work. The £20 million is a huge opportunity we won’t let slip through our fingers and we will make sure this deal works for local residents in Clifton.  The best way we can do that is by empowering them to be the ones who shape it. By using capacity funding, the Clifton Town Board has already surveyed hundreds of Clifton residents to seek input into the development of a ten-year vision and three-year investment plan into the area. This included holding a community day on 22June which was attended by hundreds of local people.  By using this deal as a catalyst, we will bring together all the levers of influence and power and put them in the hands of local people so that together we can make Clifton a more safe, connected and vibrant place to live.

 

Use of Council Resources

 

Councillor Andrew Rule asked the following question of the Executive Member for Finance and Resources:

At a time when the financial pressures on adult and children’s services, which the Council has a statutory duty to provide, are well documented, does the Executive Member really think spending £600,000 on ANPR cameras is a prudent use of Council resources?

 

Councillor Linda Woodings replied as follows:

Thank you Lord-Mayor, and thank you Councillor Rule for your question.  As you’re no doubt fully aware as a very longstanding member of the Audit Committee, local authority finance is bound by innumerable rules and legislation as to how it can be spent. I’ll give you a bit of a lesson if you haven’t already figured that out.  We have a General Fund – monies that can be spent on general council services – and that is made up of Council Tax, part of our Business Tax refund generated in the city and our Revenue Support Central Grant from Government which is now, if I need to remind you, £100 million less per year that it was in 2013. We then have the additional Social Care Levy we can add on to Council Tax and there are also specific grants received that supplement the costs of Adult Social Care and Childrens’ Services – that additional income can’t be spent on anything else, although it is still insufficient for our needs as a city.  In addition to this we have many other ring-fenced funding areas, in areas such as such as Public Health – can only be spent on Public Health funding; Education – can only be spent on Education funding; Licensing revenue can only be spent on Licensing enforcement; and specific grants we have successfully applied for such as Transforming Cities, Streets For People  they can only be spent in the areas specified.  That is the case with this £600,000. The Council collects funds from traffic enforcement, and any surplus in those funds – which we can’t budget for, by the way, because we don’t know how much money there’s going to be surplus at the end of each year – can only be spent on traffic safety and improvement schemes within the city boundary, and in line with our additional statutory obligations in respect of road safety and the effective management of our highway network.  As you’ll know, in October 2023 we accepted a Designation Order from the Department for Transport that granted us additional enforcement powers in the area of Moving Traffic Enforcement, to enable us to tackle inappropriate and unsafe driver behaviour at key locations across the city, thereby improving pedestrian safety, reducing congestion, reducing traffic accidents, and improving air quality.  The four original sites were highlighted at the point of application for these powers, and I should also add that our Traffic and Highways Team meet regularly with the Police to ensure that this money is spent where it is most needed, and fully evidenced as necessary for the safety of road users and pedestrians.  The four original sites were supported by the Police and are as follows:

the Victoria Embankment to have a Prohibition of Driving Order made (at the moment, there are barriers along there, but people are going around those barriers and driving along the Embankment. It’s not for moving traffic. So, we will be able to allow emergency vehicles to go along there in the case of emergency, but we won’t have to have a physical barrier because any driver who drives along there will be fined); the Shakespeare Street section from Goldsmith Street (a very heavily student-populated area with lots of pedestrian activity, significant risk of harm and injury to pedestrians, and there are also parents visiting for Open Days and Graduations, so we will be mindful that the signage is clear, and we have asked the University every year to make that clear in their communications to applicants); the Sheriffs Road/Queens Road Junction with Arkwright Street to regulate the No Left Turns, No Right Turns into Arkwright Street, because that is direct conflict with the green man pedestrian crossing phase, so that is a significant risk to road users, and it causes unnecessary congestion on Queens Road; and finally, the Maid Marian Way/Friar Lane junction (traffic u-turns there, in direct conflict with the signage, and again in conflict with the pedestrian crossing phasing of the ‘green man’, so you could effectively be u-turning into people crossing the road on the ‘green man’. That is a significant risk to pedestrians and vulnerable road users, and therefore that was part of our original application for these powers.)  Legislation restricts the use of these ring-fenced budgets generated from this type of traffic enforcement activity, meaning that expenditure on ANPR cameras does not impact the Council’s General Fund, and it cannot therefore be used to directly support Adults’ and Children’s Services, although it certainly will prevent a lot of adults and children from getting injured in the first place.  Thank you.

 

Rental Charges for Community Centres

 

Councillor Maria Watson asked the following question of the Executive Member for Communities, Waste and Equalities:

Can the Executive Member confirm that she, as her predecessor was, is committed to introducing a social value matrix as a means of mitigating rental charges for community centres and support the fantastic volunteers that run them?

 

Councillor Corall Jenkins replied as follows:

Thank you Lord-Mayor, and thank you for the question Councillor Watson.  The current financial situation of the Council is widely known and we are having to review our position with regards to the Community Assets Policy. However, it is important to say that we, as a Council, remain committed to working with the voluntary and community sector to support social value. We cannot forget that given our commitment, that our efforts must be in the context of a Council with priorities, and the current financial situation but I think it’s important just to repeat, that it is important point that we are committed to it.  Thank you.

 

Victoria Centre Market

 

Councillor Kevin Clarke asked the following question of the Executive Member for Carbon Reduction, Leisure and Culture:

Following reconfirmation last month of the decision to withdraw all subsidies from the Victoria Centre Market, can the Executive Member confirm whether any savings generated from this make any provision for the prospect of legal action from market traders seeking to challenge their forthcoming evictions?

 

Councillor Sam Lux replied as follows:

Thank you Lord-Mayor, and thank you Councillor Clarke for the question.  I’d like to reassure Councillor Clarke that any action taken by the Council will be in compliance with the terms of the traders’ agreements and relevant law, and the Council is confident that this will minimise the risk of any successful legal challenge. Of course, each trader’s circumstances are different, and it would be inappropriate to discuss individual details in a public forum.  Thank you.

 

Impact of the General Election Results for Nottingham

Councillor Michael Edwards asked the following question of the Leader of the Council:

Can the Leader of the Council give their interpretation of the impact of the General Election results for Nottingham?

 

Councillor Neghat Khan replied as follows:

Thank you Lord-Mayor, and thank you Councillor Edwards.  The Labour Party have a massive election victory. It ends fourteen years of Conservative mismanagement and five failed Prime Ministers who put Party before country and presided over a culture of incompetence, lies and greed. It was one rule for them and another for the rest of us. They have made us poorer and more divided as a society. At the ballot box, the message from the people of Britain was clear. Following on from Nottingham City’s example at last year’s local elections, vote the Tories out.  This was a landmark day for our country and for our city. I’m proud that our three Nottingham MPs have all been returned and I offer my congratulations to Alex Norris, Lilian Greenwood, and Nadia Whittome who will now continue their tireless good work for people in our city. I would also like to congratulate my colleagues Councillor Saj Ahmad and Councillor Zafran Khan on their campaigns in Newark, and Melton and Syston. Whilst they were unsuccessful in their bid to become MPs, they ran the Conservatives close in both seats and bit into their majorities. I am also a little selfishly pleased that I will still have them both here in Nottingham as valued councillors for Wollaton West.  However, as I’ve said earlier, momentous as the Labour victory is, it brings no magic wand and no quick fix for the problems created by the Tories. It will take years to repair the harm done to our neighbourhoods, our towns, our cities and our country. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us. In Nottingham, we have our own improvement journey to be more financially stable and to change the way we deliver our services. I’m confident that we are on the right track to complete this journey, and Labour’s policies on care, our NHS, homelessness, planning, and investment priorities will help Nottingham. We have what it takes to make our Council fit for purpose for the people of Nottingham, while the Labour Party nationally helps to fix broken Britain. There is a bright future ahead and I’m proud that we all will play a part in that.

 

Nottingham Forest

Councillor Steve Battlemuch asked the following question of the Leader of the Council:

Would the Leader of the Council be able to give an update on the situation with Nottingham Forest since the last Council meeting?

 

Councillor Neghat Khan replied as follows:

Thank you Lord-Mayor, and thank you Councillor Battlemuch for your question.  The last time I stood in this Chamber I promised decisive action to secure the future of the world famous City Ground, which has been home to Nottingham Forest for over 125 years. Lord Mayor, I’m pleased to announce to you all today that talks with Nottingham Forest have resulted in in-principle terms being agreed for the Club to buy the land on which the City Ground sits. Football is staying home, here in Nottingham, and the mists will keep rolling in off the Trent for years to come.  The terms of the deal will be presented to the Council’s Executive Board for decision on 16 July. If agreed, subject to legal contracts and due diligence, this will be a historic day for the Club, for the fans and for our city. This is the result that everyone hoped for, and I thank Councillor Mellen and Councillor Battlemuch for their work on this. It will allow the Club to move forwards with its ambitious plans to expand the stadium whilst also securing a significant capital receipt for the Council. The Council and the Club have agreed that measures will be put into the sale contract that will protect the Council’s position in a highly unlikely event that the Club should choose to relocate from the City Ground in the future.  We understand that this has been an uncertain time for supporters, but property transactions like this can often be long and complex. We are legally bound to seek best value for our taxpayers, and we feel that the deal now on the table satisfies those requirements and also works for Nottingham Forest, entrusting the future of this important asset to the Club. The Council is incredibly proud of our supporting heritage here in Nottingham, and the great work the Clubs do in engaging with our communities. They are woven in the fabrics of our city, and we wish them every success on and off the pitch.  As for Nottingham Forest, we hope this deal helps them realise their ambitions and, following on from Thursday’s election results, many more victories for the team in red.

 

Challenges facing the Council

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

Since being elected Leader in this Chamber at the last Council meeting, could the Leader give us an idea of the challenges this Council, and our City, will face in the coming year, and the work that will have to be done to rise to these challenges?

 

Councillor Neghat Khan replied as follows:

Thank you Lord-Mayor and can I thank Councillor Spain for her question.  There is no doubt that our city faces many challenges and, as I’ve said in this Chamber today, there is no quick fix to the damage done over fourteen years of Tory austerity. There is no magic money tree or a Labour Government bailout that is coming to our rescue. We have to do this for ourselves. The challenges ahead are ours to meet, and as the new Leader of the Council I am determined to do everything I can to put our Council back on track. Let me be clear: the next two or three years will make or break this Council and many more across the country. We still face a large budget gap and an ever-increasing demand for our services. A Labour win on Thursday has not miraculously changed this. We still do not have the money to deliver all of the services people need or to support them how we would like. Demand is overwhelming us. The landscape in which we operate is changing, and we have sometimes been slow to adapt to deliver services in different way or working with partners.  My priority so far has been to work with senior council officers and with commissioners to draw up a clear plan of action. Our Council needs a vision. We must be financially stable, and our systems and processes need to be fit for purpose. I am a problem solver and I’m confident that with the support of elected members and our brilliant council staff we can deliver for the people of Nottingham. We need a whole Nottingham solution. I am committed to working with partners and looking at the work other local authorities do to see how we can deliver better and smarter services. I want to work with partners in the public sector like our new East Midlands Mayor, with businesses, charities and the voluntary sector, and with our citizens to ensure our city is the best it can be for the people who live, work, study and visit here. I believe we all want the same.  I say here today to politicians of all parties: my door is always open to discuss ideas, proposals and shared solutions that will benefit our city and our people. I am passionate about making sure everyone in Nottingham has the best opportunities to succeed and that we invest in the city for future generations. The people of Nottingham deserve nothing less.

 

Nottingham Economic Growth Plan

Councillor Matt Shannon asked the following question of the Executive Member for Skills, Growth and Economic Development:

Last month at Executive Board, the Council announced the Nottingham Economic Growth Plan. Could the Executive Member please explain the impact this Plan will have on Nottingham and for residents?

 

Councillor Ethan Radford replied as follows:

Thank you Lord-Mayor, and thank you Councillor Shannon for your question.

The Nottingham Economic Growth Plan is a catalyst to ignite positive change, sparking constructive dialogue, stimulating collaboration, and uniting key stakeholders from across the private, public, voluntary community and educational sectors. Crafting this Plan has been a truly collaborative endeavour, with invaluable input from a diverse range of stakeholders, developed through a comprehensive four-stage process which I won’t go through now, this Plan is rooted in evidence-based interventions, designed to deliver real results not lofty statements.  The new Economic Plan is designed to drive our city forwards towards a shared agenda for sustainable growth, and I’d like to thank my predecessor Councillor Battlemuch for kickstarting it in its early stages.

 

Built on extensive economic research and enriched by widespread consultation, this Plan reflects the collective vision and insights of partners across Nottingham, guided by the Nottingham Growth Board.  We are setting our sights on a shared vision for 2030 and I am excited to embark on this journey together with our partners.  The creation of the East Midlands Combined County Authority offers new opportunities to accelerate growth in Nottingham, benefitting the entire East Midlands. Through this powerful collaboration Nottingham can join forces with neighbouring local authorities to drive regional transport and infrastructure projects which unlock unprecedented growth. It is through the Combined Authority that we will elevate Nottingham’s status to a regional hub of excellence in life sciences, digital and creative industries, and advanced manufacturing, paving the way for exciting new business opportunities across the region and beyond. The Plan puts Nottingham’s ambitious goals front and centre within this regional context, and will serve as a reminder both inside and outside this Council that Nottingham is a Core City, not a borough or a district – a Core City with a focused, strategic plan to harness our city’s potential and propel us towards a prosperous future as the capital of the East Midlands.  This is not a plan for growth at any cost via deregulation, accepting the first offer, or chasing after the biggest bid. It’s about smart, responsible, and sustainable progress committed to green growth, creating a safe and child-friendly city and tackling deprivation and growth inequalities head-on. Rooted in Nottingham’s rich tradition of innovation and forward-thinking, this Plan sets us on course towards a bright and sustainable future. An impressive sustainable transport connectivity, just a few weeks ago the British Consulate in Canada reached out to us to enquire about the success of our trams, and we have an exciting regeneration agenda, and a strong cultural heritage and sporting offer, which we don’t currently make enough of, considering our extensive sporting assets.  Our city has the potential for greatness, but in today’s challenging economic climate and an economy left in ruins by the last Government, we need bold and impactful strategies to drive us forward with the realisation that we cannot deliver in isolation. We must be outward-looking and collaborative in our approach, and we should count ourselves lucky too that this Plan has coincided with the election of a Labour Government.

 

Our initial targets include generating an additional £500 million in gross value added, creating 12,00 new jobs, and developing the infrastructure and services to support population growth in the future across both the city and the Greater Nottingham area to secure the next £4 billion worth of regenerative investment in our city.  To deliver these ambitions, this Plan sets out 26 targeted actions to spur on positive change, both in the immediate and longer term. Key to the Plan’s success is a strong partnership with stakeholders across Nottingham and beyond, and our approach underscores our commitment to unified growth and development, ensuring a prosperous future for all that isn’t just reliant on the Council.  Nottingham is the economic and cultural heart of the East Midlands, and our success is pivotal to the region’s prosperity. As Board Members of the new Authority, Councillor Khan and myself are perfectly positioned to embrace the new East Midlands Combined County Authority, to grasp the new opportunities it presents, to drive forward impactful, large-scale interventions towards inclusive, clean and sustainable growth, and to have the political will to embrace change and to deliver for our city.  The Plan is ambitious and forward-looking, with clear objectives to foster inclusive growth and build a united community that works together towards shared successes. We are confident that by working together and leveraging our strengths, Nottingham will thrive and prosper, securing a positive and viable future for all our residents.  Nottingham City Council will be dedicated in the process moving forward, and the Nottingham Growth Board will take the helm, keeping our partnership on track and ensuring our efforts are informed by insights and expertise from across the business community and key stakeholders. Together, we will bring our bold vision to life, realise our ambitious targets, and make Nottingham a model of innovation, collaboration, and shared economic success.  Thank you.

 

Inclusion for LGBT People

Councillor Audrey Dinnall asked the following question of the Executive Member for Communities, Waste and Equalities:

Last month was international LGBT Pride month, with Nottingham Pride taking place on 27 July. Will the Executive Member confirm the work that the Council is doing to boost inclusion for LGBT people across the City?

 

Councillor Corall Jenkins replied as follows:

Thank you Lord-Mayor, and thank you Councillor Dinnall for the question.  The work we are doing as a Council to boost inclusion for LGBT people across the city is led by the Council’s LGBT+ Employee Network who in partnership with the Integrated Care Partnership will be marching together with our joint banner, raising awareness around the LGBTQ+ equalities issues across the city. Our joint partners include the NHS across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, the City and County Council. The Council’s LGBT+ Network will also have various internal communications going out in the build up to Pride. We will be utilising social media platforms to raise awareness of the Event. Housing Services will also have a stall, and I can confirm that the Rainbow Road will be refreshed. There will also be a photoshoot taking place.  As with other citywide major community events, Nottingham Events are supporting Nottinghamshire Pride with events and production management support. This support will comprise of the use of the Council’s own events infrastructure and Events Staff resources both onside and during planning the event, which will have a value of around £10,000. The new route for the march incorporating a new stage and market is around Sneinton Market Avenue and Sneinton Market Square. This would not have been possible without the support of teams across the Council, notably Highways Network Management Team.  Thank you.

 

Victoria Embankment Paddling Pool

Councillor Eunice Regan asked the following question of the Executive Member for Carbon Reduction, Leisure and Culture:

Will the Executive Member join me in welcoming the news that work has begun on the Victoria Embankment Paddling Pool, and confirm when this work will be completed?

 

Councillor Sam Lux replied as follows:

Thank you.  It is indeed great to see the work has recently started on the improvement and redesign of the paddling pool at Victoria Embankment. This project is being delivered thanks to funding from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and also from the Council’s own Section 106 contributions. For those who aren’t familiar with the term, Section 106 contributions essentially means finance secured from private developers who build in our city, which is agreed ahead of the granting of the planning permission.

The Paddling Pool project is one of several exciting park improvements that are soon to reach completion including the heritage restoration of the Victoria Embankment Memorial Gardens, a new skate park at Broxtowe Country Park, and proposals to upgrade the Forest Recreation Ground’s Sports Zone.  As always, our small but dedicated team in the Green Space and Natural Environments Service continue to maximise the use of Section 106 funds to secure additional external grant contributions, which enable them to deliver a wonderful Green Space Improvements Programme at practically no cost to the Council. These improvements are all designed to reduce the maintenance burden of existing facilities and will be delivered in line with the Council’s new soon-to-be-adopted green space strategy, ‘Greener, Healthier, Happier’. This is a really progressive and ambitious piece of work, one which I cannot take any credit for at all but nevertheless I am extremely proud of.

With regards to the specific Embankment development in question, the facility will include an open paddling pool area and a new splash pad and, something I’m personally really excited about at the works, we’ll also include a new water recycling and filtration plant that will help to ensure that the facility reduces annual running costs and operates more sustainably from an environmental perspective.  The construction will be going on through this summer and is currently scheduled for completion later in the autumn, which will give the Green Space Team time to prepare ready for an opening in May 2025.  Thank you.

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