Agenda and minutes

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

b)  The Lord Mayor informed Council that she would call for an adjournment at an appropriate time in the meeting.

c)  The Lord Mayor reported that Dr Ian Cameron would be retiring from his role as the Director of Public Health and wished him well in his retirement.

d)  The Lord Mayor informed Council that she would be taking part in a charity fire walk on the 6^th March 2020 along with Honorary Alderwomen Lowe.

e)  The Lord Mayor reported the recent death of Honorary Alderman Burnley and invited Members to observe a minutes silence.

Council stood in silent tribute.

To approve the minutes of the Council Meetings held on 15^th January 2020.

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

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meetings held on 15^th January 2020 be approved subject to a correction at minute 75(b), to replace ‘two years’ with ‘five years’ which was the period referred to in the report considered by Council.

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 a response to two Council resolutions one in September in respect of Active Travel had been received from Chris Heaton-Harris MP, Minister of State for Transport and had previously been circulated to all Members of Council and one in November in respect of  Local Government Finance from Luke Hall MP, Minister for Local Government and Homelessness and that would be circulated to all Members in due course.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.2 (d) Councillor Andrew Carter made a communication to Council in respect of correspondence received from Alec Shelbrooke MP about GORSE Acadamies Trust Schools, Councillor Pryor responded to the Communication.

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

RESOLVED –

a)  That Council Procedure Rules 14.6(b) be suspended in respect of the Budget item to allow amendments to be moved and seconded en bloc by those Members named on the order paper.

b)  That Council Procedure Rule 14.1 be suspended in respect of the Budget item and to agree;

(i)  that time limits will not be imposed on budget speeches of Group Leaders or their nominees in the budget debate.

(ii)  that a member contributing to the budget debate can do so for up to 5 minutes.

(iii)  that a member seconding the budget motion or budget amendments can do so for up to 5 minutes.

(iv)  that when summing up on the budget  motion the Leader of Council can do so for up to 15 minutes.

c)  That Council Procedure Rule 3.3 and 4.1 be suspended in respect of the Minutes and to agree that consideration of the Executive Board minutes will continue up to 4.45pm at which point the Leader of Council or the relevant Executive Member will sum up for up to 10 minutes. 

d)  That under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 13.2 (c) the order of business be changed in order that the Budget Item be heard immediately after the Communications Item.

i) Leeds City Council Revenue Budget 2020/21 

To consider the report of the Chief Officer Financial Services on the proposals for the City Council’s Revenue Budget for 2020/21.

ii) Council Tax 2020/2021

To consider the report of the Chief Officer Financial Services setting out how the council tax is calculated and making recommendations regarding Leeds’ council tax requirement, the calculation of Leeds’ and parish elements of council tax and the setting of the overall level of council tax for Leeds for 2020/21. 

iii) Capital Programme Update 2020 – 2024

To consider the report of the Chief Officer Financial Services on the Capital programme for the period 2020 – 2024

iv) Treasury Management Strategy 2020/2021

To consider the report of the Chief Officer Financial Services on the Treasury Management Policy and Strategy for 2020/21

Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 14.9 leave of Council was given for Councillor Blake to alter the motion in her name having now received the precept from West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Authority, and the anticipated precept for Ledston Parish Council by altering 6(ii) Council Tax by  alteration/confirmation of figures at (ii) 2 a to f as appropriate, by the alteration/confirmation of tabulations at (ii) 2 g (table 5) and h (table 6), (ii) 3 (table 7) and (ii) 4 (table 8) and by the inclusion of any budget amendments that are agreed by Full Council.

i)  Revenue Budget

a)  To note the recommendation of the Council’s statutory officer (the Chief Officer – Financial Services) that the proposed budget for 2020/21 is robust and that the proposed level of reserves is adequate, as set out at Section 11 of the report

b)  To agree that the revenue budget for 2020/21 totalling £525.7m be approved. This means that the Leeds element of council tax for 2020/21 will increase by 1.99% plus the Adult Social Care precept of 2%.

c) To agree grants totalling £65.7k to be allocated to parishes;

d) To approve the strategy at Appendix 9 in respect of the flexible use of capital receipts;

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

i)  An increase of 2.7% (CPI+1%) in dwelling rents; 

ii) A 2.4% RPI increase in charges for all District Heating schemes;

iii) That service charges for low/medium and multi-storey flats are increased by RPI of 2.4%;

iv) That the charge for tenants who benefit from the sheltered support service is increased to £14.71 per week to reflect full cost recovery. The charge is eligible for Housing Benefit;

v) That the subsidy for tenants who are not eligible for benefits but receive the sheltered support service is set at £4.71 per week; Therefore the amount payable by these tenants will increase from £8 per week to £10 per week;

vi) That any overall increase to tenants in respect of rents, service and sheltered support will be no more than £3.50 per week;

f) In respect of the Schools Budget, that the High Needs Block budget for 2020/21, as set out in paragraph 5 of the Schools Budget Report at Appendix 8 be approved.

ii)  Council Tax 

1  That it be noted that at the meeting on 15^th January 2020, Council agreed the following amounts for the year 2020/21, in accordance with regulations made under Sections 31B(3) and 34(4) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:-

a)  231,377.6 being the amount calculated by the Council, in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 (as amended) as its council tax base for the year.

b)  Table 4: Taxbase Numbers 2020/21

being the amounts calculated by the Council in accordance with Regulation 6 of the Regulations, as the amounts of its Council Tax base for the year for dwellings in those parts of its  ...  view the full minutes text for item 88.

To consider the report of the Director of Resources and Housing setting out recommendations from the Executive Board on 12 February 2020 to Full Council to adopt the Best Council Plan 2020 to 2025, to thank Scrutiny Boards and others for their comments throughout the development and consultation processes that have informed the proposed Plan and to note that further development and graphic design work will take place prior to publication and launch of the Best Council Plan 2020 to 2025 around 1st April 2020.

The report of the Director of Resources and Housing presenting the Best Council Plan 2020 to 2025 for Council’s consideration and approval was moved by Councillor J Lewis, seconded by Councillor Dowson and

RESOLVED -

a)  To adopt the Best Council Plan 2020 to 2025

b)  To thank Scrutiny Boards and others for their comments throughout the consultation process that has informed the Best Council Plan 2020 to 2025.

c)  To note that further development and graphic design work will take place prior to publication and launch of the Best Council Plan 2020 to 2025 around 1^st April 2020.

To consider the report of the Chief Officer (HR) setting out recommendations from the General Purposes Committee on 28 January 2020 to Full Council in respect of the 2020/21 Pay Policy.

The report of the Chief Officer Human Resources putting forward recommendations from the General Purposes Committee that met on 28^th January 2020, in relation to approving a revised pay policy statement was moved by Councillor Blake, seconded by Councillor Dowson and

RESOLVED –

  a)  That the updated 2020/21  financial year pay policy statement as set out in Appendix A of the attached report to General Purposes Committee be approved;

  b)  To approve that any in year requirement to amend the Annual Pay Policy Statement as a consequence of changes to Council Policies is reported to the General Purposes Committee to consider recommending to Full Council for approval.

   c)  To delegate to the Chief Officer HR 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 Dowson, seconded by Councillor Scopes and

RESOLVED - That the report of the City Solicitor on appointments and the additional recommendation on the order paper be approved, namely that Saleem Tariq, Director of Children and Families be appointed to the Health & Well Being Board and Councillor Campbell replace Councillor Hall on the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee.

To consider the report of the City Solicitor on attendance at meetings.

Further to minute 43 of the meeting held on the 11^th September 2019 it was moved by Councillor Dowson, seconded by Councillor Scopes and

RESOLVED – That approval be given to the absence of Councillor Tunnicliffe from meetings of the authority for a further period of six months from the date of this meeting.

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

The Lord Mayor informed Council that there was no time available to debate the Executive Board minutes.

Councillor Blake moved that the minutes be received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.2(i), seconded by Councillor Dowson and it was

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