Agenda and minutes

a)  The Lord Mayor reminded those present that the meeting was to be webcast.

b)  The Lord Mayor informed Council of Councillor Dawson’s recent surgery and wished him a full and speedy recovery.

c)  The Lord Mayor reminded Council that Saturday was Armistice Day and invited Members to join her at the War Memorial in Victoria Gardens.

d)  The Lord Mayor reminded Council that there would be the usual Remembrance Sunday Service and invited Members to join her.

e)  The Lord Mayor informed Council that the Chief Executive, Mr Tom Riordan had recently received the Yorkshire Man of the Year Award for 2017.

f)  The Lord Mayor informed Council of the recent deaths of a former Lady Mayoress, Liz Dawn.

  Council stood in silent tribute.

To approve the minutes of the Council Meeting held on 13^th September 2017.

It was moved by Councillor Ogilvie, seconded by Councillor G Latty and

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 13^th September 2017 be approved.

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.

The Chief Executive informed Council that responses to 2 Council resolutions had been received from Guy Opperman MP, Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion in respect of the White Paper on WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality) considered by Council in September 2017 and from Jake Berry MP, Minister for Local Growth and the Northern Powerhouse in respect of the White Paper on Government Investment/Northern Powerhouse also considered by Council in September.

The responses had previously been circulated to all Members of Council.

To receive deputations in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10.

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

1)  Leeds Childrens Mayor

2)  Campaign for Better Transport

3)  Leeds Rhinos Foundations   

4)  Bardsey Action Group

RESOLVED – That the subject matter in respect of deputation 1 be referred to the Director of Children and Families for consideration in consultation with the relevant Executive Member, that the subject matter in respect of deputations 2, 3 and 4 be referred to the Director of City Development for consideration in consultation with the relevant Executive Member.

To consider the report of the Director of City Development setting out recommendations from the Executive Board on 20 September 2017 to Full Council seeking Council’s approval to adopt the Aire Valley Leeds Area Action Plan.

It was moved by Councillor R Lewis, seconded by Councillor Ogilvie and

RESOLVED –

i)  That the recommendations be noted and to accept the recommended Main Modifications of the Inspector as detailed in her Report (August 2017) set out at Appendix 1;

ii)  To adopt the Aire Valley Leeds Area Action Plan adoption version set out at Appendix 2 and the Map Book at Appendix 4 pursuant to Section 23 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended), to take effect from 8 November 2017;

iii)  To note the deletion of UDP policies that have been deleted by the Plan and contained in Appendix 1 of the Plan to take affect from 8 November 2017;

iv)  To approve the combined Policies Map set out in the Plans Illustrating the Policies Map Inset Following the Adoption of the AVLAAP (Maps A and B) at Appendix 4;

v)  To note that the Chief Planning Officer shall following adoption, publish the Plan, Sustainability Appraisal and addenda (Appendix 5) and Adoption Statement in accordance with regulations 26 and 35 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 and shall send a copy of the Adoption Statement to the Secretary of State and to all persons on the Local Plan database.

To consider the report of the City Solicitor presenting to Council an amendment to the Leader’s executive arrangements for the 2017/18 Municipal year.

It was moved by Councillor Ogilvie seconded by Councillor Harland and

RESOLVED – That the report of the City Solicitor presenting to Council an amendment to the Leader’s executive arrangements for the 2017/18 Municipal year be noted.

To consider the report of the Chief Planning Officer presenting to Council the 2016-17 Plans Panel annual report.

It was moved by Councillor R Lewis, seconded by Councillor Ogilvie and

RESOLVED - That the annual report be received and noted.

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

Q1  Councillor Caroline Anderson to the Executive Member (Resources and Strategy):-

Would the Executive Member for Resources and Strategy agree with me that local authorities should try to keep mileage allowances paid to staff to a minimum?

The Executive Member (Resources and Strategy) replied.

Q2  Councillor Jonathan Bentley to the Executive Member (Environment and sustainability):-

In view of the increase in fly tipping and its consequent cost to the Council and impact on the environment will the Executive Member tell Council the cost of dealing with fly tipping and whether she is still happy with the decision to charge for bulky waste collections?

The Executive Member (Environment and sustainability) replied.

Q3  Councillor Graham Hyde to the Executive Member (Health, Wellbeing and Adults):-

Can the Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adults comment on the recent launch of the new Recovery Hubs across Leeds?

The Executive Member (Health, Wellbeing and Adults) replied.

Q4  Councillor Ann Blackburn to the Executive Member (Regeneration, Transport and Planning):-

Can the Executive Member for Regeneration, Transport and Planning tell me how much of the Traffic Regulation Order Contribution made under the Section 106 Agreement between the Council and West Yorkshire Police Authority on 28th October 2010 in order to mitigate the loss of parking on match days at Elland Road Stadium has been spent?

The Executive Member (Regeneration, Transport and Planning)

replied.

Q5  Councillor David Nagle to the Executive Member (Communities):-

Please can the Executive Member provide an update on the number of individuals in temporary accommodation in Leeds?”

The Executive Member (Communities) replied.

Q6  Councillor Dan Cohen to the Executive Member (Children and Families):-

Is the plan for the Roundhay Free School now shelved with the proposal for the new through school, with 4 classes of primary entry, at Allerton Grange?

The Executive Member (Children and Families) replied.

Q7  Councillor Stewart Golton to the Executive Member (Children and Families):-

Can the executive member comment on the recent reduction in take up of nursery places and outline her plans to reverse it?

The Executive Member (Children and Families) replied.

Q8  Councillor Jack Dunn to the Executive Member (Environment & Sustainability):-

Can the Executive Member for Environment and Sustainability Would the Executive Member for Environment and Sustainability join me in congratulating everyone involved in the recent opening of the Arium?

The Executive Member (Environment & Sustainability) replied.

Q9  Councillor Jonathan Pryor to the Executive Member (Regeneration, Transport and Planning):-

Will the Executive Member please update Council on the late night openings at Kirkgate Market?

The Executive Member (Regeneration, Transport and Planning) replied.

Q10  In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.1 (c) Councillor Lamb to the Executive Member (Health, Wellbeing and Adults):-

Will the Executive Board Member please advise Council of how many Blue Badges were confiscated in 2016/17 and so far in 2017/18 due to their illegal use?

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.3 (b) The Executive Member (Regeneration, Transport and Planning) replied.

Q11  Councillor Brian Cleasby  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.

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

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

An amendment (reference back) was submitted by Councillor Golton, seconded by Councillor Campbell to add the following at the end of item 9:

‘To ask the Executive Board to reconsider the decision in relation to the ‘Cultural Cohesion Quality Mark’ contained in minute 85 of the Executive Board minutes of 18^th October 2017.

The amendment (reference back) was declared lost and upon being put to the vote it was

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 16.25 to 16.55

To consider a report of the Chief Executive updating Members on matters in the Leeds City Region LEP and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, specifically this report provides details of the latest public combined authority meeting in October.

It was moved by Councillor Blake, seconded by Councillor J Lewis and

RESOLVED – That the report of the Chief Executive updating Members on matters in respect of devolution be received.

It was moved by Councillor Campbell, seconded by Councillor Golton that under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule (CPR) 22.1 (Suspension of CPRs), that CPR 3.4 (Time Limits for Business) be suspended to extend the debate on Cllr Buckley’s white paper by ten minutes.

Upon being put to the vote the motion was lost.

This Council is concerned at the administration’s proposals to accommodate Gypsies and Travellers on numerous undisclosed “negotiated stopping sites” across Leeds.

Council does not believe any new sites should be brought forward without full consultation and the support of local communities. Council calls on the administration to immediately publish a list of the intended locations of sites so that there can be proper democratic oversight of the proposals and to allow local communities to express their views on the plans.

Finally, Council requests the Director of Resources and Housing to set out in a report to Executive Board how the Council can become more innovative in its use of monitoring and enforcement methods, so that when disruptive or costly activities occur on unauthorised encampments, those responsible can be held accountable.

It was moved by Councillor N Buckley, seconded by Councillor Amanda Carter that this Council is concerned at the administration’s proposals to accommodate Gypsies and Travellers on numerous undisclosed “negotiated stopping sites” across Leeds.

Council does not believe any new sites should be brought forward without full consultation and the support of local communities. Council calls on the administration to immediately publish a list of the intended locations of sites so that there can be proper democratic oversight of the proposals and to allow local communities to express their views on the plans.

Finally, Council requests the Director of Resources and Housing to set out in a report to Executive Board how the Council can become more innovative in its use of monitoring and enforcement methods, so that when disruptive or costly activities occur on unauthorised encampments, those responsible can be held accountable.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Leadley, seconded by Councillor Finnigan

Delete all after “This Council” and insert the following:

“is concerned by the administration’s proposals to accommodate Gypsies and Travellers on numerous undisclosed ‘negotiated stop sites’ across Leeds.

Council does not believe that any new sites should be brought forward without local ward councillors, including those in Alwoodley and Headingley, being told in confidence, so that they can have goodly amounts of time in which to make plans to welcome Gypsies and Travellers into their communities.

Finally, Council requests the Director of Resources and Housing to set out in a report to Executive Board how the City Council can become more innovative in its use of monitoring and enforcement, with a view to showing whether negotiated stopping sites reduce expense to the City Council, environmental harm, and general nuisance to property owners and occupiers, and whether they are beneficial to Gypsies and Travellers.”

A second amendment was moved by Councillor Coupar, seconded by Councillor R Lewis

Delete all after “This Council” and replace with:

“respects the cultural traditions of the gypsy and traveller community and believes Leeds residents have the right to live lives that aren’t negatively affected by new encampments in their area. 

Council notes the current Administration has a coherent strategy to work with the police and other key agencies to limit the impact of unauthorised encampments on Leeds residents, in direct contrast to when the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Groups were in Administration. 

Council believes negotiated stopping is an innovative approach to addressing problems caused by unauthorised encampments, as it enables the use of behaviour contracts to help reduce any negative impact of encampments on residents of Leeds.

Council notes negotiated stopping forms one part of an overall strategy, which also includes support for travellers who wish to pursue permanent accommodation in Leeds.

Council notes there is no pool of sites as land used for negotiated stopping is land that is only available to be used for a limited period on a short term basis at the point when an encampment occurs. 

This Council believes decent homes are a key element  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60.

This Council is appalled to learn that in the first year of Universal Credit being rolled out to single unemployed people in Leeds, 25% of recipients were hit with sanctions. It is therefore of great concern that 50,000 current Housing Benefit claimants and 55,000 current Tax Credit claimants are due to transfer to Universal Credit by June 2018.

Council further notes the devastating impact of Universal Credit in areas where the benefit has been fully rolled out, particularly on families with children. Half of all council tenants across 105 local authorities who receive the housing element of universal credit are at least a month behind on their rent, with 30% two months behind.

Council is concerned a further damaging effect of Universal Credit is its impact on determining the eligibility of children from deprived backgrounds for Free School Meals, as well as an element of the Pupil Premium, meaning the risk of further cuts to vital Government funding and support for these children.

This Council therefore calls on government to immediately pause the roll-out of Universal Credit in order to prevent potentially significant hardship for thousands of Leeds residents, including families with children, and rethink its approach to welfare reform.

It was moved by Councillor D Coupar, seconded by Councillor Smart that this Council is appalled to learn that in the first year of Universal Credit being rolled out to single unemployed people in Leeds, 25% of recipients were hit with sanctions. It is therefore of great concern that 50,000 current Housing Benefit claimants and 55,000 current Tax Credit claimants are due to transfer to Universal Credit by June 2018.

Council further notes the devastating impact of Universal Credit in areas where the benefit has been fully rolled out, particularly on families with children. Half of all council tenants across 105 local authorities who receive the housing element of universal credit are at least a month behind on their rent, with 30% two months behind.

Council is concerned a further damaging effect of Universal Credit is its impact on determining the eligibility of children from deprived backgrounds for Free School Meals, as well as an element of the Pupil Premium, meaning the risk of further cuts to vital Government funding and support for these children.

This Council therefore calls on government to immediately pause the roll-out of Universal Credit in order to prevent potentially significant hardship for thousands of Leeds residents, including families with children, and rethink its approach to welfare reform.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Finnigan, seconded by Councillor Leadley

Remove everything after This Council and replace with

This Council supports the principles behind the introduction of Universal Credit along with the rights and responsibilities its introduction brings.

This Council supports the proposals from Labour MP Frank Field to improve Universal Credit which include payment fortnightly in arrears (as with other benefits) and the removal of the rent element from all payments of Universal Credit with such rent payments to be returned to the standard housing benefit system.

A second amendment was moved by Councillor B Anderson, seconded by Councillor Stephenson

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

‘notes with concern the impact universal credit has had with regard to rental arrears and believes that delays in payment should be kept to an absolute minimum in order to ensure that claimants are able to make timely payments of their rent under the new system.

This Council believes that the best way to break cycles of deprivation in Leeds is to encourage as many people back into the workplace as possible and notes the success achieved by the current and last Government in driving down unemployment rates in Leeds and nationwide.

Council is disappointed to see that the ruling administration appears content to allow the continuation of cycles of deprivation and worklessness that have left some communities in Leeds in the bottom 5% nationally in terms of levels of deprivation.

This Council supports the introduction of universal credit as a tool that will encourage more people back into work and increase social mobility.’

The amendments in the name of Councillors Finnigan and B Anderson were declared lost and upon being put to the vote it was

RESOLVED  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.

This council acknowledges that the decades-long failure to build social and affordable housing has resulted in a desperate shortage of these forms of accommodation and too many people forced into low quality, insecure and expensive housing in the private rented sector.

This council calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to use the opportunity of the forthcoming budget to remove the Housing Revenue Borrowing Cap that needlessly prevents the council building new homes to address the dire shortage of social housing in the city.

This council believes that the administration could also do more to increase the supply of affordable housing in Leeds and calls on the Executive Member for Communities and the Executive member for Regeneration, Transport and Planning to consider options such as a joint venture or arms-length trading building company and bring proposals to the Executive Board at the earliest opportunity.

It was moved by Councillor S Golton, seconded by Councillor J Bentley that this council acknowledges that the decades-long failure to build social and affordable housing has resulted in a desperate shortage of these forms of accommodation and too many people forced into low quality, insecure and expensive housing in the private rented sector.

This council calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to use the opportunity of the forthcoming budget to remove the Housing Revenue Borrowing Cap that needlessly prevents the council building new homes to address the dire shortage of social housing in the city.

This council believes that the administration could also do more to increase the supply of affordable housing in Leeds and calls on the Executive Member for Communities and the Executive member for Regeneration, Transport and Planning to consider options such as a joint venture or arms-length trading building company and bring proposals to the Executive Board at the earliest opportunity.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Coupar, seconded by Councillor R Lewis

Delete all after “This Council” and replace with:

“is dismayed that the failure of both the current Conservative and previous Conservative-Liberal Democrat governments has created a crisis in social and affordable housing.

Council is concerned by the devastating impact this crisis is having on young people, and in some cases entire communities, who are often forced to live in poor quality, insecure and expensive housing in the private rented sector.

This council calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to use the forthcoming Budget to remove the Housing Revenue Borrowing Cap that needlessly prevents the council building new homes to address the dire shortage of social housing in the city.

This Council further calls on government to allow councils to retain 100% of Right to Buy receipts for reinvestment in social housing; to end the ban on long-term council tenancies to give council tenants security in their home; and to drop legislation to force the sale of council homes through their high value levy.

This Council welcomes that, despite the dysfunctional state of Conservative government housing policy, the Council is embarking on a large-scale Council Housing Growth Programme to help alleviate the housing crisis in Leeds.”

A second amendment was moved by Councillor Andrew Carter, seconded by Councillor J Procter

Delete wording between: ‘This Council acknowledges’ and ‘This Council believes’ and insert:

‘the need to deliver more social and affordable housing and calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to consider, in his forthcoming budget, removing the Housing Revenue Account Borrowing Cap that prevents the council building more homes to address the shortage of social housing in the city.

Council notes the recent research carried out by Shelter that suggests that housing developers are not fulfilling their obligations on affordable housing as a result of viability assessments and welcomes the review of guidance on viability assessments contained within the Government consultation ‘Planning for the right homes in the right places.

Council further notes the efforts of the current Government to deliver  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

It was moved by Councillor Ogilvie, seconded by Councillor G Latty that under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule (CPR) 22.1 (Suspension of CPRs), that CPR 12 (Motions on Notice) (White Paper Motions) be suspended to allow the introduction of an additional White Paper (not for debate).

Upon being put to the vote it was

RESOLVED – That Council Procedure Rule 12 (Motions on Notice) (White Paper Motions) be suspended to allow the introduction of an additional White Paper (not for debate).

This Council congratulates Leeds Rhinos RLFC for their eighth Grand Final victory in 2017.

The contribution the Rhinos make to Leeds is a huge asset to the city and this Council wishes them every success in the future.

It was moved by Councillor Andrew Carter, seconded by Councillor Golton and supported by Councillors Blake, Finnigan, D Blackburn and M Dobson and

RESOLVED – That this Council congratulates Leeds Rhinos RLFC for their eighth Grand Final victory in 2017.

The contribution the Rhinos make to Leeds is a huge asset to the city and this Council wishes them every success in the future.