This Council believes that local democracy and civic governance are strengthened and improved by quality local daily newspapers, and that the Yorkshire Evening Post is a Leeds institution whose contribution to the city is vital. This council also understands that the staff of the Yorkshire Evening Post and the Leeds based Yorkshire Post are currently engaged in negotiations with management at the newspaper to prevent compulsory redundancies and an imposed wage freeze.
Council notes that Johnston Press who own the Yorkshire Evening Post have pursued a high risk expansion policy which now sees them owe more than £460 million whilst the company’s market value is only £77 million. Council believes that these financial decisions are responsible for the threat to jobs in Leeds. Council further notes that Johnston Group made a 29 per cent profit in 2007, and that they have an operating profit of £81.6 million on revenue of £293 million for January to June last year.
Council finally resolves that should negotiations fail they will offer all legitimate support for any industrial action that the National Union of Journalists, employed by Yorkshire Post Newspapers, sanction in order to fight these compulsory redundancies and the wage freeze. This council believes redundancies and wage freezes will damage the YEP.
K WAKEFIELD
Minutes:
Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 14.10(a) leave of Council was given to Councillor Wakefield to amend the motion in his name by the deletion of the second paragraph.
It was moved by Councillor Wakefield seconded by Councillor Gruen and
RESOLVED – That Council Procedure Rule 3.1(d) be suspended to allow Councillor Wakefield to read a brief statement prior to the voting on this matter.
It was moved by Councillor J Procter seconded by Councillor J L Carter and
RESOLVED – That Council Procedure Rule 3.1(d) be further suspended to allow that this matter be debated in full.
It was moved by Councillor Wakefield seconded by Councillor Nash
That this Council believes that local democracy and civic governance are strengthened and improved by quality local daily newspapers, and that the Yorkshire Evening Post is a Leeds institution whose contribution to the city is vital. This council also understands that the staff of the Yorkshire Evening Post and the Leeds based Yorkshire Post are currently engaged in negotiations with management at the newspaper to prevent compulsory redundancies and an imposed wage freeze.
Council finally resolves that should negotiations fail they will offer all legitimate support for any industrial action that the National Union of Journalists, employed by Yorkshire Post Newspapers, sanction in order to fight these compulsory redundancies and the wage freeze. This Council believes redundancies and wage freezes will damage the YEP.
An amendment was moved by Councillor Brett seconded by Councillor A Carter
Replace ‘believes’ [after This Council] as follows
‘ is extremely concerned about the loss of jobs across all sectors of industry and commerce in this city and the distress that this is causing.
Whilst Council fully understands the commercial pressures which local businesses are subjected to during this recession we believe’
Replace all after ‘thatlocal democracy and civic governance are strengthened and improved by quality local’ as follows
‘media including locally based daily and weekly newspapers, as well as locally based broadcast media news programmes.
In the light of this Council is concerned by the recent relocation of print operations from Leeds to South Yorkshire and also by reports of a reduction in journalists at the Yorkshire Post newspaper group and the OFCOM proposals to reduce the requirement on ITV to broadcast regional news programmes.
Council therefore requests the Chief Executive to write to Yorkshire Post Newspapers and ITV expressing our concerns about the proposed reductions in their operations’
The amendment was carried and upon being put to the vote as the substantive motion it was
RESOLVED – That this Council is extremely concerned about the loss of jobs across all sectors of industry and commerce in this city and the distress that this is causing.
Whilst Council fully understands the commercial pressures which local businesses are subjected to during this recession we believe that local democracy and civic governance are strengthened and improved by quality local media including locally based daily and weekly newspapers, as well as locally based broadcast media news programmes.
In the light of this Council is concerned by the recent relocation of print operations from Leeds to South Yorkshire and also by reports of a reduction in journalists at the Yorkshire Post newspaper group and the OFCOM proposals to reduce the requirement on ITV to broadcast regional news programmes.
Council therefore requests the Chief Executive to write to Yorkshire Post Newspapers and ITV expressing our concerns about the proposed reductions in their operations.
On the requisition of Councillors Bentley and J Procter the voting on the amendment was recorded as follows:
YES
Anderson, Andrew, Bale, Barker, Bentley, D Blackburn, Brett, Campbell, A Carter, J L Carter, Castle, Chapman, Chastney, Cleasby, Downes, Elliott, Ewens, Mrs R Feldman, R D Feldman, Finnigan, Golton, Hamilton, Harker, Harrand, Hollingsworth, W Hyde, Kendall, Kirkland, Lamb, Lancaster, Lobley, Marjoram, Matthews, Monaghan, Parnham, J Procter, R Procter, Pryke, Rhodes-Clayton, Shelbrooke, Smith, A Taylor, Townsley, Wadsworth, Wilkinson, Wilson
46
ABSTAIN
Armitage, Atha, A Blackburn, Blake, Congreve, Coulson, Coupar, Davey, Dobson, Dowson, Driver, Dunn, Gabriel, Grahame, Gruen, Hanley, Harington, A Hussain, G Hyde, Illingworth, Iqbal, Jarosz, J Lewis, R Lewis, Lowe, Lyons, A McKenna, Morgan, Mulherin, Murray, Ogilvie, Rafique, Renshaw, Selby, Taggart, E Taylor, Wakefield, Yeadon
38
NO
Beverley, J McKenna, Parker
3
On the requisition of Councillors Bentley and Harker the voting on the substantive motion was recorded as follows:
YES
Anderson, Andrew, Bale, Barker, Bentley, D Blackburn, Brett, Campbell, A Carter, J L Carter, Castle, Chapman, Chastney, Cleasby, Downes, Elliott, Ewens, Mrs R Feldman, R D Feldman, Finnigan, Golton, Hamilton, Harker, Harrand, Hollingsworth, W Hyde, Kendall, Kirkland, Lamb, Lancaster, Lobley, Marjoram, Matthews, Monaghan, Parnham, J Procter, R Procter, Pryke, Rhodes-Clayton, Shelbrooke, Smith, A Taylor, Townsley, Wadsworth, Wilkinson, Wilson
46
ABSTAIN
Armitage, Atha, Beverley, A Blackburn, Blake, Congreve, Coulson, Coupar, Dobson, Dowson, Driver, Dunn, Gabriel, Grahame, Gruen, Hanley, Harington, A Hussain, G Hyde, Illingworth, Iqbal, Jarosz, J Lewis, R Lewis, Lowe, Lyons, A McKenna, Morgan, Mulherin, Murray, Nash, Parker, Ogilvie, Rafique, Renshaw, Selby, Taggart, E Taylor, Wakefield, Yeadon
40
NO
J McKenna
1