Agenda and minutes

(a)  The Lord Mayor welcomed members to this meeting of Full Council and also any members of the public who were joining the meeting and reminded those present that the meeting was to be streamed live.

(b)  The Lord Mayor informed Council of the risk management work that had been undertaken to ensure the safety of the Chamber and that the ventilation system was working well and both he and whips would be kept informed of the CO2 levels within the Chamber. The Lord Mayor also informed Council that he had asked for the Banquet Hall to be set up and available should the need arise. 

(c )  The Lord Mayor also congratulated the Olympians and Para Olympians from Leeds or based in Leeds for their performances at the Tokyo Olympic games.

(d)  The Lord Mayor also congratulated Emma Raducanu for her recent success at the 2021 US Tennis Open.

To approve the minutes of the Council Meeting held on 14^th July 2021.

It was moved by Councillor Lennox, seconded by Councillor Cohen and

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 14^th July 2021 be approved.

To disclose or draw attention to any interests in accordance with Leeds City Council’s ‘Councillor Code of Conduct’.

There were no declarations of interests.

To receive such communications as the Lord Mayor, the Leader,  Members of the Executive Board or the Chief Executive consider appropriate.

There were no communications.

To receive deputations in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10.

Three deputations were admitted to the meeting and addressed Council, as follows:-

1)  Leeds Disabled People`s City Accessibility Network.

2)  XR Families Leeds

3)  Freedom4Girls

RESOLVED – That the subject matter in respect of deputation 1 be referred to the Director of City Development for consideration in consultation with the relevant Executive Member, that the subject matter in respect of deputations 2 and 3 be referred to the Director of Children and Families for consideration in consultation with the relevant Executive Member.

To consider the report of the City Solicitor on appointments.

It was moved by Councillor Lennox, seconded by Councillor Coupar and

RESOLVED – That the report of the City Solicitor on appointments be approved, namely;

a)  Pat McGeever (Health for All) to the Health and Wellbeing Board as the Representative of the Third Sector.

b)  Councillor Billy Flynn replace Councillor Matthew Robinson on the Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Board.

c)  Councillor Linda Richards replace Councillor Billy Flynn on the Children and Families Scrutiny Board.

To consider the report of the City Solicitor in respect of the Leeds Award.

It was moved by Councillor Lennox, seconded by Councillor Venner and

RESOLVED – That the recommendation of the Leeds Award Panel to nominate Val Hewison to receive the Leeds Award, as presented by the report of the City Solicitor, be approved.

To consider the report of the Director of Communities, Housing and Environment presenting to Council the Community Committees’ Annual Report which looks at the progress made over the last twelve months. It also outlines the changes which have taken place during 2020 to 2021 and gives examples of some of the work the Community Committees have carried out within their communities to improve the lives of local people of all ages and backgrounds.

The report also looks at Wellbeing and Youth Activities Funding (YAF) and the impact it makes, as well as the role the Community Committees undertake in bringing communities together and outlines the social media activity that takes place through the Community Committee structures, which ensures they reach a large number of residents every month through local stories and conversations.

It was moved by Councillor Harland, seconded by Councillor Lennox and

RESOLVED – That the report of the Director of Communities, Housing and Environment presenting to Council the Community Committees’ Annual report for 2020/21 be received and that the work now being progressed to further improve the effectiveness, community engagement role and improvement work of Community Committees be noted.

To deal with executive questions in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.

Q1  Councillor Wadsworth to the Executive Member (Environment and Housing):-

Will the Executive Member for Environment and Housing please update Council on the number of drivers employed by the Council who are qualified to drive refuse vehicles and the mitigation actions already taken to retain these skilled operatives?

The Executive Member (Environment and Housing) replied.

Q2  Councillor Bentley to the Executive Member (Public Health and Active Lifestyles):-

Would the Executive Member for Public Health and Active Lifestyles explain why a Council committed to improving children’s health and reducing pollution allows ice-cream vendors to operate diesel generators close to children’s play areas?

The Executive Member (Public Health and Active Lifestyles) replied.

Q3  Councillor Jenkins to the Leader of Council:-

Please can the Leader of Council update members on the implications of the recent adult social care announcement?

The Leader of Councilreplied.

Q4  Councillor McCormack to the Executive Member (Environment and Housing):-

Does the Executive Member for Environment and Housing believe that the mechanisms for dealing with antisocial tenants and their associates is robust and fit for purpose?

The Executive Member (Environment and Housing) replied.

Q5  Councillor Smart to the Executive Member (Communities):-

Please can the Executive Member outline what the Council has done to support refugees from Afghanistan?

The Executive Member (Communities) replied.

Q6  Councillor Robinson to the Executive Member (Infrastructure and Climate):-

Given the perceived attempts to sneak a park & ride (P&R) proposal into the Harewood ward in a location that many residents feel isn’t appropriate, will the Executive Member confirm (a) the value of the land upon which LCC are seeking to build a P&R and (b) will they agree to meet with myself and a delegation of residents to discuss this proposal and look to review the preferred site and consultation process?

The Executive Member (Infrastructure and Climate) replied.

Q7  Councillor Golton to the Executive Member (Environment and Housing):-

Does the executive member responsible for waste management believe it is reasonable to excuse repeated citywide missed bin collections on ‘Covid pressures’ when on a given day only 3 out of 83 staff absences could be attributed to directly related Covid sickness or quarantine?

The Executive Member (Environment and Housing) replied.

At the conclusion of question time, the following questions remained unanswered and it was noted that, under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 11.6, written answers would be sent to each Member of Council:-

Q8  Councillor Garthwaite to the Executive Member (Resources):-

Q9  Councillor Finnigan to the Leader of Council:-

Q10  Councillor Heselwood to the Executive Member (Public Health and Active Lifestyles):-

Q11  Councillor Cohen to the Executive Member (Environment and Housing).

Q12  Councillor Bentley to the Executive Member (Environment and Housing).

Q13  Councillor Marshall-Katung to the Executive Member (Economy, Culture and Education).

Q14  Councillor D Blackburn to the Executive Member (Infrastructure and Climate).

Q15  Councillor Truswell to the Executive Member (Infrastructure and Climate).

Q16  Councillor Buckley to the Executive Member (Public Health and Active Lifestyles).

Q17  Councillor  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

To receive the minutes in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.2(i).

It was moved by Councillor Lewis, seconded by Councillor Lennox that the minutes be received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.2(i).

RESOLVED – That the minutes be received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.2(i).

Council Procedure Rule 4, providing for the winding up of business, was applied prior to all notified comments on the minutes having been debated.

At the conclusion of this item Council adjourned from 16.20 to 16.50

This Council notes the outcome of Ofsted’s focussed visit to Leeds children’s services on 20 and 21 July 2021.

Her Majesty’s Inspectors found that the front door is well resourced, observing that continued investment in early help services means there are a wide range of effective help services available to children and families.

Regrettably, Ofsted also found that social work practice is not consistently strong; decision making is not always timely where a child protection risk is not clear; the cumulative impact of domestic abuse is not always considered in the assessment of risk and decision-making; and audits do not provide sufficient evidence to drive forward practice.

Council calls on the Executive Member for Adult and Children’s Social Care and Health Partnerships to implement an urgent three-point plan to monitor progress of the improvement plan:

1.  Call-in best practice advice from local authorities that are making good progress in areas we are not.

2.  Ask the Children & Families Scrutiny Board to establish ‘monitoring workshops’ to track progress on the quality and consistency of assessments, the quality and impact of management oversight and supervision, and the quality and independence of audits.

3.  Publish recent informal peer reviews and commit to a further peer review within six months to monitor progress of the improvement plan.

It was moved by Councillor Stephenson, seconded by Councillor Richards that 

this Council notes the outcome of Ofsted’s focussed visit to Leeds children’s services on 20 and 21 July 2021.

Her Majesty’s Inspectors found that the front door is well resourced, observing that continued investment in early help services means there are a wide range of effective help services available to children and families.

Regrettably, Ofsted also found that social work practice is not consistently strong; decision making is not always timely where a child protection risk is not clear; the cumulative impact of domestic abuse is not always considered in the assessment of risk and decision-making; and audits do not provide sufficient evidence to drive forward practice.

Council calls on the Executive Member for Adult and Children’s Social Care and Health Partnerships to implement an urgent three-point plan to monitor progress of the improvement plan:

1.  Call-in best practice advice from local authorities that are making good progress in areas we are not.

2.  Ask the Children & Families Scrutiny Board to establish ‘monitoring workshops’ to track progress on the quality and consistency of assessments, the quality and impact of management oversight and supervision, and the quality and independence of audits.

3.  Publish recent informal peer reviews and commit to a further peer review within six months to monitor progress of the improvement plan.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Venner, seconded by Councillor Marshall-Katung

Delete all after:

“This Council notes the outcome of Ofsted’s focussed visit to Leeds children’s services on 20 and 21 July 2021.

Her Majesty’s Inspectors found that the front door is well resourced, observing that continued investment in early help services means there are a wide range of effective help services available to children and families.”

Replace with:

“Council notes Ofsted’s positive feedback that services have adapted to meet demands during the pandemic and ensured that children and families receive support that helps avoid the need for more formal statutory interventions. Council notes, also, Ofsted’s positive comments regarding our committed and stable workforce who have felt supported throughout the Covid 19 crisis and are proud to work for Leeds.

Council fully accepts the three recommendations for improvement in the published letter of the Ofsted Focused Visit and offers its support to the Children and Families Directorate in the delivery of their action plan developed following the visit. Social work teams are now being paired to carry out audits and moderation put in place. Learning for team managers is being updated around assessments and recording of supervisions and an action plan is in place for the front door that includes a focus on timeliness and ensuring that all conversations are comprehensively recorded.

After a decade of austerity and cuts to Local Authority Funding of Children’s Services, and three years since the Conservative MP and former Children’s Minister Tim Loughton highlighted the consequences of the “woeful underfunding” of children’s services; Council calls on the government to properly fund Children’s Social Care and agree to the call made  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

This Council notes and endorses the following Resolution to Leeds City Council from the Save Our Homes LS26 Campaign representing the community of the Sugar Hill estate in Oulton:

“We the undersigned confirm our support for the SOH LS26 Campaign and recognise that only the City Council can protect this community from the profit-motivated threat of eviction by the current landlord.

We call upon the Labour Group of the Council to support the immediate initiation of negotiations with the owner for the purpose of buying the houses, backed by the willingness to resort, if necessary, to the exercise of the Council’s powers of compulsory purchase.

Whilst recognising the financial and practical challenges implicit in this course of action, we note that it is entirely consistent with the Council’s established policies, which are fundamental to the ‘Best Council’ strategic plan. We also consider that this step is essential to creating conditions conducive to the development of a partnership approach with other providers, such as housing associations, to secure the retention and refurbishment of these homes and the survival of this community.”

Council therefore calls upon the Chief Executive to immediately implement the necessary arrangements for such interventions to take place.

It was moved by Councillor Golton, seconded by Councillor Drinkwater that this Council notes and endorses the following Resolution to Leeds City Council from the Save Our Homes LS26 Campaign representing the community of the Sugar Hill estate in Oulton:

“We the undersigned confirm our support for the SOH LS26 Campaign and recognise that only the City Council can protect this community from the profit-motivated threat of eviction by the current landlord.

We call upon the Labour Group of the Council to support the immediate initiation of negotiations with the owner for the purpose of buying the houses, backed by the willingness to resort, if necessary, to the exercise of the Council’s powers of compulsory purchase.

Whilst recognising the financial and practical challenges implicit in this course of action, we note that it is entirely consistent with the Council’s established policies, which are fundamental to the ‘Best Council’ strategic plan. We also consider that this step is essential to creating conditions conducive to the development of a partnership approach with other providers, such as housing associations, to secure the retention and refurbishment of these homes and the survival of this community.”

Council therefore calls upon the Chief Executive to immediately implement the necessary arrangements for such interventions to take place.

An amendment was moved by Councillor B Anderson, seconded by Councillor Buckley

Delete all after “This Council” and replace with:

“notes the Save Our Homes LS26 Campaign representing the community of the Sugar Hill estate in Oulton and understands the concerns of residents in this community who are facing the threat of eviction.

“Council notes that the condition of the properties on this estate has deteriorated significantly, meaning that residents are living in accommodation that is sub-standard and which does not meet the city’s ambitions on being the Best City for Health and Wellbeing, nor the city’s aspirations for tackling Climate Change, particularly around energy efficiency and sustainability.

“Council regrets that the administration failed to take the advice of opposition groups, over successive budget meetings, to set up a housing company, which would have presented a greater range of options to help residents of the Sugar Hill estate in the current circumstances.

“Council calls for a report to be brought to Executive Board outlining how this administration intends to use its influence to engage with the owners, residents and other housing providers on a plan to try to ensure the refurbishment of the homes and the survival of this community.”

A second amendment was moved by Councillor Hayden, seconded by Councillor Lewis

Delete all after “This Council” and replace with:

“…notes the distressing position the community of Sugar Hill Has been put in by the private developer Pemberstone.

Council notes a Government Planning Inspector approved the application for the redevelopment of the site submitted by Pemberstone, overturning a Leeds City Council decision.

This council remains committed to working with the community and all parties to find an outcome to this situation and will bring forward an Executive  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

This Council calls on the Government to cancel the £20 cut to Universal Credit that will hit over 70,000 people in Leeds, including many in low-income jobs, at a time when the cost of food in shops and supermarkets has increased by 8% already this year.

It was moved by Councillor Harland, seconded by Councillor Smart that this Council calls on the Government to cancel the £20 cut to Universal Credit that will hit over 70,000 people in Leeds, including many in low-income jobs, at a time when the cost of food in shops and supermarkets has increased by 8% already this year.

An amendment was moved by Councillor D Blackburn, seconded by Councillor A Blackburn

Add “and energy bills are due to rise” to the end of the final sentence.  The amended White Paper would then read:

“This Council calls on the Government to cancel the £20 cut to Universal Credit that will hit over 70,000 people in Leeds, including many in low-income jobs, at a time when the cost of food in shops and supermarkets has increased by 8% already this year and energy bills are due to rise.”

A second amendment was moved by Councillor Bentley, seconded by Councillor Lay

Insert further paragraph:

“The Council further calls on the Government to undertake a review and reform of Universal Credit which will deal with the financial hardships caused by:

·  the five week waiting period,

·  the lack of a second-earner work allowance and

·  insufficient support for self-employed claimants”

The amended White Paper will then read:

“This Council calls on the Government to cancel the £20 cut to Universal Credit that will hit over 70,000 people in Leeds, including many in low-income jobs, at a time when the cost of food in shops and supermarkets has increased by 8% already this year.

The Council further calls on the Government to undertake a review and reform of Universal Credit which will deal with the financial hardships caused by:

·  the five week waiting period,

·  the lack of a second-earner work allowance and

·  insufficient support for self-employed claimants”

A third amendment was moved by Councillor Lamb, seconded by Councillor Buckley

Delete all after “This Council” and replace with:

“supports the aims and ambitions behind Universal Credit to encourage people back into work and make work pay for families in Leeds and across the country.

“Council notes that families and businesses have benefited from unprecedented levels of additional support to help protect jobs and assist with living costs during the worst stages of the pandemic, including through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and grants and loans for businesses.

“Council regrets that the administration in Leeds opted, over this same time period, to increase council tax in 2020 and 2021, creating additional financial burdens, particularly for low income families. Conversely the government provided millions of pounds of grant funding to Leeds to deliver financial support, including reduced council tax bills, to economically vulnerable residents.

“This Council welcomes the Government’s £33bn Plan for Jobs, which focuses on protecting, supporting and creating jobs as the economy reopens, giving people the skills and opportunities they need to succeed through schemes including Kickstart, Restart and apprenticeships.”

The amendments in the name of Councillors D Blackburn and Bentley were declared carried,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

It was moved by Councillor Lennox, seconded by Councillor Cohen and

RESOLVED -  That Council Procedure Rule (CPR) 22.1 (Suspension of CPRs) & 12.2 (motions and amendments) be suspended to allow the introduction of a fourth White Paper ‘not for debate’ on Afghanistan.

It was moved by Councillor Lewis, seconded by Councillor Lamb and supported by Councillor Bentley, Councillor Finnigan, Councillor Dobson and Councillor D Blackburn and

RESOLVED –

That this Council supports the ongoing work with Government on its Afghanistan resettlement programme. Council welcomes all who are relocated to Leeds under the scheme, and the extension of support to Leeds residents who have family still in Afghanistan.  Council notes all 15 Councils in Yorkshire and Humber have committed to resettling Afghans and calls on Councils in other regions to join this unanimous pledge.

On the requisition of Councillors Cohen and Lamb the voting on the motion was recorded as follows;

YES – 81

Alderson, Akhtar, Almas, B Anderson, C Anderson, Arif, Bentley, A Blackburn, D Blackburn, Brooks, Buckley, Burke, Carlill, Chapman, Charlwood, Cohen, Collins, Coupar, Cunningham, Dobson, Downes, Dowson, Dye, Field, Firth, Finnigan, Flint, Flynn, Foster, Gabriel, Garthwaite, Gettings, Gibson, Goddard, Golton, P Grahame, Groves, C Gruen, Harland, Harrington, Hart-Brooke, Hayden, Heselwood, A Hussain, Z Hussain, Hutchison, Illingworth, Iqbal, Jenkins, Lamb, G Latty, Lay, Lennox, Lewis, Maqsood, Marshall-Katung, Martin, McCormack, McKenna, Midgley, Mulherin, Nash, Pryor, Rafique, Ragan, Renshaw, Richards, Ritchie, D Seary, Scopes, Shahzad, Sharpe, Smart, Stephenson, E Taylor, J Taylor, Truswell, Venner, Wadsworth, Walshaw and Wray.

NO – 0

ABSTAIN  - 0