Agenda and minutes

(a)  The Lord Mayor referred to the recent death of Yorkshire cricketer Fred Trueman and Council stood in silent tribute.

(b)  The Lord Mayor reported that Councillor Denise Atkinson was in hospital, that he had visited her and offered best wishes of Council for a speedy recovery.

(c)  The Lord Mayor reported that Bob Lake, Civic Hall Warden was to retire at the end of August and Council offered their appreciation for his services.

J PROCTER

It was moved by Councillor J Procter seconded by Councillor Selby and

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 21^st June 2006 be approved

The Lord Mayor announced that a list of written  declarations submitted by members was on display in the ante-room, on deposit in the public  galleries and had been circulated to each member’s place in the Chamber.

Following an invitation to declare further individual interests, declarations in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct were made as follows:

(a)  Councillors Gruen, Driver, Downes, Fox, Russell and Cleasby declared that, as members of the School Organisation Committee, it was their intention to leave the meeting during the deputation relating to Miles Hill School (minute 32) in order to avoid any perception of predetermination of the decision of the School Organisation Committee in relation to the school

(b)  Councillors Gruen, Selby, Shelbrooke, Castle and Hollingsworth declared personal and prejudicial interests in minute 33 of this meeting as  recipients of additional allowances in the event of the report being approved.

(c)  Councillor Campbell declared a personal interest in minute 35 of this meeting as a named objector to 19/006 East of Otley housing allocation.

(d)  Councillors R Lewis, Akhtar and J L Carter declared personal interests in minute 38 of this meeting as members of the West Yorkshire Police Authority.

(e)  Councillor Beverely declared a personal and prejudicial interest in minute 41 of this meeting having a close relative employed at a sports centre.

(f)  Councillor Illingworth declared a personal interest in minute 40 of this meeting his wife being Chair of the Bethel Day Centre and Councillor McKenna a personal interest as an employee of Armley Helping Hands.

(g)  Councillor Murray declared a personal and prejudicial interest in item 13 on the agenda for this meeting, being involved in the bidding process as an unsuccessful bidder. Councillors Driver and Blake declared personal interests in item 13 as board members of the Belle Isle Foundation.  In the event, item 13 was not debated

(h)  The following members declared personal interests in item 14 of the agenda for this meeting, which in the event was not debated:

Wakefield  -  Board Member, Learning and Skills Council

Mulherin  -  Governor, Joseph Priestley College

G Hyde  -  Governor, Leeds College of Art and Design

  Governor, Leeds College of Building

McKenna  -  Governor, Northern College

Murray  -  Governor, Thomas Danby College

Driver  -  Governor, Thomas Danby College

Finnigan  -  Governor, Joseph Priestley College

Hussain  -  Governor, Park Lane College

Fox  -  Governor, Leeds College of Technology

Ewens  -  Board Member, Swarthmore Centre

Harker  -  Older People’s Lifelong Learning Forum

(i)  The following members declared personal interests in item 15 on the agenda, which in the event was not debated:

  Gabriel  -  Employee of Leeds Mental Health NHS Trust

  Wakefield  -  Board Member, East Leeds PCT

  McKenna  -  Board Member, West Leeds PCT

  Harper  -  Board Member, West Leeds PCT

  Ogilvie  -  Board Member, South Leeds PCT

  Harington  -  Chair, East Leeds PCT

  Smith  -  Board Member South Leeds PCT

  Councillor S Hamilton declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this same item as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

It was moved by Councillor Harris under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 22.1 seconded by Councillor A Carter and

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY – That Procedure Rules 2.3 and 12.1 be suspended to allow Council to debate the motion referred to in the following minute.

It was moved by Councillor Harris seconded by Councillor A Carter and

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY –

(a)  That the budget for the School Clothing Awards Scheme for 2006/07 be increased  by £400,000

(b)  That this increase be met by a virement from the Council’s Contingency Budget and

(c)  That, in the light of these determinations, the Executive Board be requested to revoke the decision of the Director of Corporate Services, made on 27^th June 2006 with respect to that scheme.

Four deputations were admitted to the meeting and addressed Council as follows:

1  School Community of Miles Hill Primary School regarding the closure of the school

2  Save Our Pool and Sport Hall Campaign to save South Leeds Sports Centre

3  Local residents against the sale, demolition and redevelopment of the redundant Blackgates school at Tingley

4  Drighlington Conservation Group regarding lack of consultation on the disposal of Drighlington old school and land.

RESOLVED – That the subject matter of each of the deputations be referred to the Executive Board for consideration.

(Councillors referred to in minute 29(a) above left the meeting for the duration of the first deputation)

The report of the Chief Democratic Services Officer on Members’ Allowances

J PROCTER

It was moved by Councillor J Procter seconded by Councillor M Hamilton and

RESOLVED – That the following recommendations, as contained in the report of the Chief Democratic Services Officer, be approved:

(a)  That subject to (b) below, the recommendations in the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel be approved

(b)  That recommendation (b) of the Panel be approved with the amendment that it not be applied to 2006/07 in accordance with budgetary arrangements already approved.

(c)  That the Director of Legal and Democratic Services be authorised to make any consequential changes to the Members’ Allowances Scheme.

(Councillors referred to in minute 29(b) above left the meeting during consideration of this item)

1  Councillor Lowe to the Executive Member (City Services)

Will the Executive Member for City Services please update council on his Administration’s consultation exercise to move to a fortnightly collection of black bins?

The Executive Member (City Services) replied

2  Councillor M Hamilton to the Leader of Council

  Would the Leader of Council care to comment on the difference between the amount of non domestic rates collected in the Leeds City Council area, and the amount of funding from non domestic rates returned to the City as part of the Governments financial settlement for 2006/07

  The Leader of Council replied

3  Councillor Shelbrooke to the Executive Member (Leisure)

  Could the Executive Member for leisure please tell us what opera, football, pop music and photography all have in common?

  The Executive Member (Leisure) replied

4  Councillor Russell to the Executive Member (Customer Services)

  Would the Executive Member for Customer Services provide a detailed comparison of the performance of all lines coming into the contact centre between June of this year and June 2004

  The Executive Member (Customer Services) replied

5  Councillor Grahame to the Leader of Council

  Will the Leader of Council please tell me what plans are in place to alleviate the effects of flooding in parts of the city?

  The Leader of Council replied

6  Councillor Cleasby to the Executive Member (Leisure)

  Can the Executive Member for Leisure tell me what the relationship is between the Middleton Park Equestrian Centre and the City Council

  The Executive Member (Leisure) replied

7  Councillor Andrew to the Executive Member (Development)

  Can the Executive Member for Development please explain the misrepresentation of the Transport Innovation Fund bid in a regional newspaper

  The Executive Member (Development) replied

8  Councillor A Blackburn to the Support Executive Member (Children’s Services)

  Would the Portfolio Holder for Learning in Children’s Services like to comment on the Lord Adonis letter about the future admissions policy to be used by the David Young Academy and shown to the Admissions Forum on the 10^th July 2006?

  The Support Executive Member (Children’s Services) replied

9  Councillor Parker to the Executive Member (Neighbourhoods and Housing)

  Will the Executive Member for Neighbourhoods & Housing please tell me what plans he has to devolve responsibility for community centres to Area Committees?

  The Executive Member (Neighbourhoods and Housing) replied

10  Councillor Hussain to the Executive Member (Customer Services)

  Would the Portfolio Holder for Customer Services care to comment on the reduction in sickness levels in call centre operations?

  The Executive Member (Customer Services) 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 response would be sent to each member of Council.

11  Councillor Phillips to the Executive Member (Development)

12  Councillor Dunn to the Leader of Council

13  Councillor Campbell to the Executive Member (Adult Health and Social Care)

14  Councillor Lyons to the Executive Member (City Services)

15  Councillor Hollingsworth to the Executive Member (Neighbourhoods and Housing)

16  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

M HARRIS

It was moved by Councillor Harris seconded by  Councillor A Carter and

RESOLVED - That the recommendations of the Executive Board of 14^th June 2006 relating to the proposed adoption of the Leeds UDP review as detailed in the report of the Director of Development be approved subject to corrections in recommendation 5 to change the words ‘modifications’ to ‘alterations’ and ‘modified’ to ‘altered’

M HARRIS

It was moved by Councillor Harris seconded by Councillor D Blackburn and

RESOLVED – That the recommendations of the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee  in relation to proposed amendments to the Constitution as detailed in the report of the Director of Legal and Democratic Services be approved

M HARRIS

It was moved by Councillor Harris seconded by Councillor J Procter

That the minutes submitted to Council in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.2(l) be received.

Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 14.10, with the consent of the seconder and of Council, Councillor Wakefield withdrew the amendment (reference back) in his name relating to the Council Plan.

Upon being put to the vote it was

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

This Council notes the Home Secretary’s decision to defer the proposed Police merger, this Council also notes the fact that it is still the intention of the Labour Government to move ahead at some time with these proposed mergers.  This Council therefore resolves:

To request the Home Secretary to abandon the proposed merger in Yorkshire & Humberside as we believe it to be expensive, unnecessary and likely to damage effective policing across the area.  This Council further resolves that, should the Home Secretary refuse to abandon these damaging plans, to call on the government to have a referendum across the whole of the Yorkshire and Humberside area to establish whether there is, or is not, public support for the Governments proposals.

A CARTER

It was moved by Councillor A Carter seconded by Councillor Harris

That this Council notes the Home Secretary’s decision to defer the proposed Police merger, this Council also notes the fact that it is still the intention of the Labour Government to move ahead at some time with these proposed mergers.  This Council therefore resolves:

To request the Home Secretary to abandon the proposed merger in Yorkshire & Humberside as we believe it to be expensive, unnecessary and likely to damage effective policing across the area.  This Council further resolves that, should the Home Secretary refuse to abandon these damaging plans, to call on the government to have a referendum across the whole of the Yorkshire and Humberside area to establish whether there is, or is not, public support for the Governments proposals.

An amendment was moved by Councillor R Lewis seconded by Councillor Rafique

Delete all after This Council and replace with:

‘congratulates all the Leeds MP’s on their work to persuade the Government not to proceed with these unpopular proposals and congratulates the Government on listening to local people.”

The amendment was lost and upon the motion being put to the vote it was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY – That this Council notes the Home Secretary’s decision to defer the proposed Police merger, this Council also notes the fact that it is still the intention of the Labour Government to move ahead at some time with these proposed mergers.  This Council therefore resolves:

To request the Home Secretary to abandon the proposed merger in Yorkshire & Humberside as we believe it to be expensive, unnecessary and likely to damage effective policing across the area.  This Council further resolves that, should the Home Secretary refuse to abandon these damaging plans, to call on the government to have a referendum across the whole of the Yorkshire and Humberside area to establish whether there is, or is not, public support for the Governments proposals

On the requisition of Councillors Harris and J Procter the voting was recorded as follows:

The amendment in Councillor R Lewis’s Name:

YES

Armitage, Atha, Blake, Congreve, Coulson, Davey, Dowson, Driver, Dunn, Gabriel, Grahame, Gruen, S Hamilton, Harper, A Harrison, G Hyde, Illingworth, Jarosz, J Lewis, R Lewis, Lowe, Lyons, McKenna, Minkin, Morgan, Mulherin,  Murray, Nash, Ogilvie, Parker, Rafique, Renshaw, Selby, Taggart, Wakefield

  35

NO

Akhtar, Anderson, Andrew, Bale, Barker, Bentley, Beverley, A Blackburn, D  Blackburn, Brett, Campbell, A Carter, J L Carter, Mrs A Carter, Castle, Chapman, Cleasby, Downes, Elliot, Ewens, Mrs R Feldman, R D Feldman, Finnigan, Fox, Golton, Grayshon, M Hamilton, Harker, Harrand, Harris, Hollingsworth, Hussain, W Hyde, Jennings, Kendall, Kirkland, Lancaster, Latty, Leadley, Lobley, McArdle, Millard, Monaghan, Morton, Phillips, J Procter, Pryke, Rhodes-Clayton, Robinson, Russell, Schofield, Shelbrooke, Smith, Taylor, Townsley, Wadsworth, Wilkinson, Wilson

  58

The Motion

YES

Akhtar, Anderson, Andrew, Armitage, Atha, Bale, Barker,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.

It was moved by Councillor Selby seconded by Councillor Nash and

RESOLVED – That under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 2.3 the order of business be varied to give precedence to item 12 of the agenda

This Council condemns the continuing cuts in services to some of the most vulnerable people in our city. In particular Council opposes the continual reduction in home and day care services and increased charges for older people using leisure facilities that have been introduced by the ruling administration.

A HARRISON

It was moved by Councillor Harrison seconded by Councillor Blake

That this Council condemns the continuing cuts in services to some of the most vulnerable people in our city. In particular Council opposes the continual reduction in home and day care services and increased charges for older people using leisure facilities that have been introduced by the ruling administration.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Bale seconded by Councillor Harrand

Delete all after ‘This Council condemns’ and replace with:

“the cuts in Supporting People funding, unhelpful reforms in the incapacity benefit system, and the inadequate Social Services settlement by the Labour government to this Council”

The amendment was carried and upon being put as the substantive motion it was

RESOLVED  - That this Council condemns the cuts in Supporting People funding, unhelpful reforms in the incapacity benefit system, and the inadequate Social Services settlement by the Labour government to this Council.

On the requisition of Councillors J Procter and J L Carter the voting on the substantive motion was recorded as follows:

YES

Akhtar, Anderson, Andrew, Bale, Barker, Bentley, Beverley, A Blackburn, D Blackburn,  Brett, Campbell, A Carter,  J L Carter, Mrs A Carter, Castle, Chapman, Cleasby, Downes, Elliot, Ewens, Mrs R Feldman, R D Feldman, Finnigan, Fox, Golton, Grayshon, M Hamilton, Harker, Harrand, Harris, , Hollingsworth, Hussain, W Hyde, Jennings, Kendall, Kirkland,  Lancaster, Latty, Leadley, Lobley, Millard, Monaghan, Morton, Phillips, J Procter, Pryke, Rhodes-Clayton, Robinson, Russell, Schofield, Shelbrooke, Smith, Taylor, Townsley, Wadsworth, Wilkinson, Wilson

  57

NO

Armitage, Atha, Blake, Coulson, Davey, Dowson, Driver, Dunn, Gabriel, Grahame, Gruen, S Hamilton, Harper, Harrison, Illingworth, Jarosz, J Lewis, R Lewis, Lowe, Lyons, Minkin, Morgan, Mulherin, Murray, Nash, Ogilvie, Parker, Rafique, Renshaw, Selby, Taggart, Wakefield

  32

This Council welcomes any sensible programme to improve sports centre provision which will have a positive impact on local communities. However, Council expresses its concerns about proposed closures which will mean a reduction in the level of service in the most deprived areas of the city and in the case of Morley a much reduced facility which involves a severe reduction in the level of service. Council agrees to support the provision of a facility consisting of sports facilities at least equal in size to the present centre in Morley and opposes any reduction in the sports facilities in the former borough or elsewhere in the city

B P ATHA

It was moved by Councillor Atha seconded by Councillor Ogilvie

That this Council welcomes any sensible programme to improve sports centre provision which will have a positive impact on local communities. However, Council expresses its concerns about proposed closures which will mean a reduction in the level of service in the most deprived areas of the city and in the case of Morley a much reduced facility which involves a severe reduction in the level of service. Council agrees to support the provision of a facility consisting of sports facilities at least equal in size to the present centre in Morley and opposes any reduction in the sports facilities in the former borough or elsewhere in the city.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Leadley seconded by Councillor Finnigan

Delete all after the words ‘programme to’ and replace with:

“replace or repair sports centres which would benefit its communities, whilst acknowledging that some centres, such as that in Morley, may be beyond economic or practicable repair.  Council expresses concerns that restrictions on funding imposed by central government may make like for like replacement difficult or impossible.  Even so, it will use its best endeavours to keep the numbers and floorspace of its sports centres at least as large as they are now, in the interests of the health and wellbeing of all its citizens, including those in Morley”

A second amendment was moved by Councillor J Procter seconded by Councillor Campbell

Delete all after the word ‘communities’ and replace with:

Council further notes the conditions placed on local authorities by Central Government when bidding for PFI credits

The first amendment was lost the second amendment was carried and upon being put as the substantive motion it was

RESOLVED – That this Council welcomes any sensible programme to improve sports centre provision which will have a positive impact on local communities.  Council further notes the conditions placed on local authorities by Central Government when bidding for PFI credits.

On the requisition of Councillors Leadley and Finnigan the voting was recorded as follows:

The amendment in Councillor Leadley’s name

YES

Elliot, Finnigan, Grayshon, Leadley, McArdle

  5

NO

Anderson, Andrew, Armitage, Atha, Bale, Barker, Bentley, A Blackburn, D Blackburn, Blake, Brett, Campbell, A Carter, J L Carter, Mrs A Carter, Castle, Chapman, Cleasby, Congreve, Coulson, Davey, Downes, Dowson , Driver, Dunn, Ewens, Mrs R Feldman, R D Feldman, Fox, Gabriel, Golton, Grahame, Gruen, M Hamilton, S Hamilton, Harker, Harper, Harrand, Harris, Hollingsworth, Hussain, W Hyde, Illingworth, Jarosz, Kendall, Kirkland, Lancaster, Latty, J Lewis, R Lewis, Lobley, Lowe, Lyons, Millard, Minkin, Monaghan, Morgan, Morton, Mulherin, Murray, Nash, Ogilvie, Parker, Phillips, J Procter, Pryke, Rafique, Renshaw, Rhodes-Clayton, Robinson, Russell, Schofield, Selby, Shelbrooke, Smith, Taggart, Townsley, Wadsworth, Wakefield, Wilkinson, Wilson

  81

The amendment in Councillor J Procter’s name

YES

Anderson, Andrew, Bale, Barker, Bentley, A Blackburn, D Blackburn, Brett,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

During the debate under minute 41 above it was

(a)  moved by Councillor J Procter seconded by Councillor M Hamilton and

  RESOLVED – That under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 22.1 Procedure Rule 3.2 be suspended to allow the debate on the motion under discussion to be concluded.

(b)  moved by Councillor J Procter seconded by Councillor J L Carter and

  RESOLVED – That under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 22.1 Procedure Rule 14.6 be suspended to allow Councillor J Procter to speak for a second time in the debate.

(Council rose at 8.50 pm)

The White Paper Motions on the following subjects, included on the Summons, but not debated at the conclusion of meeting were:

New Deal Services in Leeds

Adult Further Education Classes

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Car Parking Charges

Carer’s Emergency Plan Scheme