Agenda and minutes

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

(b)  The Lord Mayor on behalf of all Members thanked Council teams for their hard work over the last few days whilst dealing with the impact of Storm Dudley, Eunice and Franklin which had caused damage in the City.

To approve the minutes of the Council Meeting held on 12^th January 2022.

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

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 12^th January 2022 be approved.

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

Councillor Dobson informed Council that he wished to declare an interest as a Neighbourhood Network Manager and as he was temporarily running a Hub, and on that basis he would be abstaining on the vote on Amendment 4 in the name of Councillor Lamb.

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

The Chief Executive informed Council that correspondence had been received in response to Council resolutions at the January Council meeting;

From;

·  Andrew Stephenson MP Minister of State for Transport on the Integrated Rail Plan White Paper,

·  The Home Office Serious Violence Unit on the dangerous knife sales White paper.

·  Paul Scully MP Minister for Small Business, Consumers & Labour Markets and Minister for London

All of these responses have previously been circulated to all Members of Council.’

To consider the report of the Director of Resources setting out recommendations from the Executive Board on 9 February 2022 to Full Council to adopt the Best City Ambition.

Further to minute 46 of the meeting held on the 10^th November 2021 it was moved by Councillor Lewis , seconded by Councillor Coupar and

RESOLVED –

a)  That the Best City Ambition, attached at Appendix 1 of the submitted report be adopted as part of the council’s Budget and Policy Framework.

b)  That the further development and graphic design work, which may include amendments to wording, will take place prior to publication of the Best City Ambition around 1 April 2022 be noted.

c)  To note that the Director of Resources will be responsible for the next steps outlined in paragraphs 12 to 19 of the submitted report.

To consider the report of the Chief Officer (HR) setting out recommendations from the General Purposes Committee on 11 February 2022 to Full Council in respect of the Pay Policy Statement 2022/23.

The report of the Chief Officer (HR) putting forward recommendations from the General Purposes Committee that met on 11th February 2022, in relation to approving the pay policy statement was moved by Councillor Lewis, seconded by Councillor Lennox and

RESOLVED –

  a)  That the contents of the Pay Policy Statement 2022/23, as set out in Appendix A to the submitted report and the content as set out in Appendix B to the submitted report be noted;

  b)  That the Pay Policy Statement for the 2022/23 financialyear as set out in Appendix A of the submitted report be approved;

  c)  To delegate to the Chief Officer (HR), in consultation with the Chair of General Purposes Committee, the approval of an Addendum to Pay Policy Statement to include the updated pay multiple following the agreement of the 2022/23 pay award;

  d)  To note that the Chief Officer (HR) has existing delegated authority to make any necessary adjustments to the Council’s pay scales arising from nationally agreed pay awards.

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)  Councillor Almass to fill a vacancy on the Licensing Committee.

b)  Councillor Dowson replace Councillor Harland on the Health and Wellbeing Board.

i) Leeds City Council Revenue Budget 2022/23 

To consider the report of the Chief Officer Financial Services on the proposals for the City Council’s Revenue Budget for 2022/23.

ii) Council Tax 2022/2023

To consider the report of the Chief Officer Financial Services setting out the various steps in the process and the proposed council taxes for 2022/23 including the precepts issued by the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire, the West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Authority and the parish and town councils within the Leeds area.

iii) Capital Programme Update 2022 – 2026

To consider the report of the Chief Officer Financial Services on the Capital programme for the period 2022 – 2026.

iv) Treasury Management Strategy 2022/2023

To consider the report of the Chief Officer Financial Services on the Treasury Management Policy and Strategy for 2022/23.

It was moved by Councillor Lewis, seconded by Councillor Coupar

i)  Revenue Budget

a) To note the recommendation of the Executive Board asking Council to note the recommendation of the Council’s statutory officer (the Chief Officer – Financial Services) that the Budget proposals for 2022/23 are robust and that the proposed level of reserves is adequate, as set out at Section 11 of Appendix 1 to the submitted report.

b) As recommended by the Executive Board, this report asks Council to adopt the following resolutions:

i) That the revenue budget for 2022/23 totalling £521.9m be approved. This means that the Leeds element of council tax for 2022/23 will increase by 1.99% plus the Adult Social Care precept of 1.00%. This excludes the police and fire precepts which will be incorporated into the Council Tax report submitted to Council alongside this report;

ii)  Grants totalling £66.0k to be allocated to parishes;

iii)   Approval of the strategy at Appendix 9 in respect of the flexible use of capital receipts;

iv)   In respect of the Housing Revenue Account that the budget be approved with:

   • An increase of 4.1% (CPI+1%) in dwelling rents;

• An increase of 4.9% (RPI) in garage rent;

• A 35p per week change in the standing charge for Leeds PIPES (Providing Innovative Pro-Environmental Solutions) as the final step towards full cost recovery where tenants have moved from an old district heating scheme to the Leeds PIPES scheme;

• A 4.9% (RPI) increase in charges for all other District Heating schemes;

• That service charges for low/medium and multi-storey flats are increased by RPI of 4.9%;

• That the charge for tenants who benefit from the sheltered support service is increased to £15.62 per week to reflect full cost recovery. The charge is eligible for Housing Benefit;

 • That the subsidy for tenants who are not eligible for benefits but receive the sheltered support service is set at £1.62 per week; therefore the amount payable by these tenants will increase from £12 per week to £14 per week;

• That the Retirement Life charge for the provision of additional services linked to communal areas and for communal facilities where they are within a standalone community centre will increase by RPI of 4.9%. Whilst a full charge covering communal areas equates to £8.26 and for standalone Community Centres is £3.50, for self-payers this charge has initially been subsidised and introduced over 3 years. In 2022/23 for self-payers this charge for communal areas will be £6.54, subsidised by £1.72 and for standalone community centres will be £2.50, subsidised by £1;

• That any overall increase to tenants in respect of rents, service and sheltered support who are ‘self-payers’ will be no more than £5 per week.

v)  In respect of the Schools Budget, that the High Needs Block budget for 2022/23, as set out in paragraph 3.4.6 of the Schools Budget Report at Appendix 8 be approved.

ii)  Council Tax 

1)  That it be noted that at the meeting on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 82.

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 the Council meeting finished.