Meeting Details

Meeting Summary
Meeting of the City Council
8 Jul 2025 - 14:00 to 19:20
Scheduled
  • Documents
  • Attendance
  • Visitors
  • Declarations of Interests

Documents

Agenda

Public Agenda
1 Notice of Recording

 

Lord Mayor to advise that this meeting will be webcast for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council's Public-I microsite (please click this linkand that members of the press/public may record and take photographs except where there are confidential or exempt items.

 

 

2 Declarations of Interests

 

Members are reminded they must declare all relevant pecuniary and other registerable interests arising from any business to be discussed at this meeting.

 

If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared a Member must not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must not remain in the room unless they have been granted a dispensation.

 

If other registerable interests are declared a Member may speak on the matter only if members of the public are allowed to speak at the meeting but otherwise must not take part in any discussion or vote on the matter and must not remain in the room unless they have been granted a dispensation.    

 

If it is a ‘sensitive interest’, Members do not have to disclose the nature of the interest, just that they have an interest.

 

Information on the Local Government Association's Model Councillor Code of Conduct is set out via http://bit.ly/3WtGQnN. This includes, at Appendix 1, an interests flowchart which provides a simple guide to declaring interests at meetings.

 

 

 

 

To confirm and authorise the signing of the Minutes of the meeting held on 17 June 2025.

 

Minutes to follow.

4 Lord Mayor's Announcements

 

(1400-1410)

 

To receive the Lord Mayor's announcements and such communications as the Lord Mayor may wish to place before the Council.

5 Petitions

 

(10 minutes allocated) (1410-1420)

To receive and deal with petitions in accordance with Council Rules of Procedure (B4.4 E of the Constitution)

As agreed by Council Business Management Committee a schedule of outstanding petitions is available electronically with the published papers for the meeting and can be viewed or downloaded.

6 Question Time

 

(70 minutes allocated) (1420-1530)

 

To deal with oral questions in accordance with Council Rules of Procedure (B4.4 F of the Constitution).

 

A.   Questions from Members of the Public to any Cabinet

       Member or Ward Forum Chair (20 minutes)

 

B.   Questions from any Councillor to a Committee

       Chair, Lead Member of a Joint Board or Ward

       Forum Chair (up to 10 minutes)

 

C.   Questions from Councillors other than Cabinet

      Members to a Cabinet Member (up to 20 minutes)

 

D.   Questions from Councillors other than Cabinet

      Member to the Leader or Deputy Leader (up to 20 minutes)

7 Appointments by the Council

 

(5 minutes allocated) (1530-1535)

To make appointments to, or removal from, committees, outside bodies or other offices which fall to be determined by the Council.

 

 

 

(35 minutes allocated) (1535-1610)

 

Councillor Majid Mahmood to move the following recommendations:

 

"That Council:

1. Notes the progress and achievements made in the last 12 months both on the Route to Zero Carbon and City of Nature programmes set out in Appendix 1, alongside wider Council and city decarbonisation activities.

2.Notes the level of Council’s greenhouse gas emissions, calculated in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol reporting standards set out in para 4.2.

3. Notes the Birmingham’s City’s greenhouse gas territorial emissions using the UK local authority and regional greenhouse gas emissions national statistics set out in para 4.3.

4. The Route to Net Zero team will continue working with directorates and services across the Council to improve awareness of net zero and support activities to reduce the Council’s emissions. Alongside this, they will continue to work with stakeholders and citizens to support net zero, whilst pursuing further funding opportunities, building upon our previous successes, to deliver our climate change, nature, and net zero activities. Outcomes and progress will be reported annually to Council."

 

(30 minutes allocated) (1610-1640)

 

Councillor Nicky Brennan to move the following recommendation:

 

"That the report be noted by the City Council".

 

(Break 1640-1705) 

 

(10 minutes allocated) (1705-1715)

 

Councillor John Cotton to move the following recommendation: 

 

"That City Council approves the annual report of the Standards Committee." 

 

(25 minutes allocated) (1715-1740)

 

Councillor Katherine Iroh to move the following recommendations:

 

That the Council:

1. Considers the Inquiry’s key findings and requests the Executive implements the Inquiry’s recommendations:

2. Confirms the timeframe for when long term workforce planning for each directorate will be completed;

3. Analyse key findings from exit interviews with leavers aged 24 and under to understand why approximately 50% are leaving within their first 12 months;

4. Provide both a corporate and directorate summary of how these workforce plans will deliver on corporate objectives, with a specific focus on how they will increase numbers of staff aged 24 and under and informed by exit interviews;

5. Advise how this will be monitored in the future to ensure workforce plans are on track and remain focused on delivering corporate objectives;

6. Ensure there is a corporate list setting out the number and directorate/ service for all early entrants including apprentices and graduates;

7. Advise when the review of the Attraction Policy will be complete and the timescale for the implementation of a new policy;

8. Implement a new Attraction Policy including refreshed careers content on the Council website, information to schools, colleges and universities; attendance at Job Fairs, and with a focus on how local government careers can deliver social impact;

9. Review how work experience opportunities are accessed to ensure it is fair and equitable to all young people in Birmingham, and set out timeframes for how any improvements will be delivered;

10. Deliver a refreshed work experience programme;

11. Provide a timeframe for when Council will be able to guarantee interviews for care leavers and have appropriate support in place. This should include wraparound support for new starters;

12. Refresh the application process for roles at the Council including:

a. Resetting the different roles in recruitment and in particular, the role of HR, OD and Transformation as Subject Matter Experts in support of individual hiring managers;

b. Reviewing the time taken from advert to onboarding to enable joiners to start quicker;

c. All future job adverts and job descriptions to be reviewed by HR, OD and Transformation in line with directorate workforce plans;

d. All future job adverts and job descriptions are inclusive by ensuring any qualifications listed are necessary and all language used realistically sets out the role;

e. The introduction of wider application tools including phone based applications;

f. Reviewing managers’ unconscious bias training to ensure age and care experience as protective characteristics are recognised;

g. Ensuring applicant data is available and used to baseline current recruitment of young people and monitor any future impact;

13. Map out the current employment programmes delivered through the Council or partners and work with partners to adapt or design courses which create a talent pipeline to meet our corporate needs;

14.Consider options for how a corporately led approach for early entrant programmes could be implemented; and if this is not possible, advise what mitigations can be put in place to enable these programmes to contribute more effectively towards corporate objectives;

15. Consider introducing a challenge that all future recruitments should clearly state why this role could not be undertaken through an apprenticeship or other early entrant programme. This should be considered once the Workforce Strategy and Early Career Strategy have been completed;

16. Explore how further apprenticeship levy could be transferred to SMEs as part of new procurement arrangements;

17. Set out clearly future career pathways supported by accredited training in the Council long term workforce plans to create a talent pipeline; and

18. Confirm a manager package is in place to support staff on early entrant programmes.This should include (but not exclusively):

a. Ensuring all managers promote the Early Careers Network and provide time for staff to participate in network activities;

b. Surveying all early entrants to confirm how they are being supported by their managers and whether there are opportunities to improve this; and

c. Reviewing working at home practices to ensure all staff have access to regular in-person working to support wellbeing and professional development.

19. Agrees that the Executive reports on its progress on these recommendations to the Economy, Skills and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee every 6 months and with the first report in January 2026". 

 

(10 minutes allocated) (1740-1750)

 

Councillor John Cotton to move the following recommendation:

 

"That City Council notes the report".

 

(90 minutes allocated) (1750-1920)

 

To consider the attached Motions of which notice has been given in accordance with Council Rules of Procedure (B4.4 G of the Constitution).

Attendance

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Declarations of Interests

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Visitors

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