Agenda item

This Council welcomes the Government commitment to high streets both in Leeds and nationally. Key announcements such as the £675m Future High Streets Fund, the Open Doors Project and business rate reductions for small businesses are welcome measures that will help the UK high street to thrive and businesses to grow.

Council notes that apprenticeships can play an important role in supporting both the public sector and private sector businesses. Council welcomes the recent decision to commit £3.2m of apprenticeship levy funding but notes that £0.6m remains unspent. Council believes this money should be put to use as a matter of urgency either working proactively with private sector organisations to deliver new skills and new employment opportunities to Leeds residents or delivering more apprenticeships within the Council.

Council also sees significant potential in the Apprenticeship Levy to close the gender pay gap by working with the Third Sector to encourage women into engineering and the digital sector.

This Council believes that more can be done in Leeds to support local businesses particularly as potentially difficult issues such as the Clean Air Zone are very much on the horizon. Council should consider extending sunset clauses where appropriate to support businesses that could be affected by the CAZ, particularly HGV operators, and look to provide more support, in addition to the local centres programme, for small businesses operating in town and district centres across the city.

Finally Council notes with concern the proposals contained in the Initial Budget Proposals 2019/20 to introduce car parking charges in town and district centres. As the Government introduces measures to support businesses and high streets the ruling administration in Leeds is introducing measures that will stymie those efforts and could have a real impact on businesses in Garforth, Wetherby and Guiseley.

This Council calls for the proposed parking charges to be removed from the initial budget proposals and for a city wide ‘High Street Review’ to be initiated to identify what additional measures can be introduced to support the High Street, with a report to be brought back to Executive Board no later than Spring 2019 announcing further details. Supporting our local high streets must be something we do all year round, not just for Christmas.

It was moved by Councillor Robinson, seconded by Councillor Andrew Carter that this Council welcomes the Government commitment to high streets both in Leeds and nationally. Key announcements such as the £675m Future High Streets Fund, the Open Doors Project and business rate reductions for small businesses are welcome measures that will help the UK high street to thrive and businesses to grow.

Council notes that apprenticeships can play an important role in supporting both the public sector and private sector businesses. Council welcomes the recent decision to commit £3.2m of apprenticeship levy funding but notes that £0.6m remains unspent. Council believes this money should be put to use as a matter of urgency either working proactively with private sector organisations to deliver new skills and new employment opportunities to Leeds residents or delivering more apprenticeships within the Council.

Council also sees significant potential in the Apprenticeship Levy to close the gender pay gap by working with the Third Sector to encourage women into engineering and the digital sector.

This Council believes that more can be done in Leeds to support local businesses particularly as potentially difficult issues such as the Clean Air Zone are very much on the horizon. Council should consider extending sunset clauses where appropriate to support businesses that could be affected by the CAZ, particularly HGV operators, and look to provide more support, in addition to the local centres programme, for small businesses operating in town and district centres across the city.

Finally Council notes with concern the proposals contained in the Initial Budget Proposals 2019/20 to introduce car parking charges in town and district centres. As the Government introduces measures to support businesses and high streets the ruling administration in Leeds is introducing measures that will stymie those efforts and could have a real impact on businesses in Garforth, Wetherby and Guiseley.

This Council calls for the proposed parking charges to be removed from the initial budget proposals and for a city wide ‘High Street Review’ to be initiated to identify what additional measures can be introduced to support the High Street, with a report to be brought back to Executive Board no later than Spring 2019 announcing further details. Supporting our local high streets must be something we do all year round, not just for Christmas.

An amendment was moved by Councillor J Bentley, seconded by Councillor Lay;

After fourth paragraph insert a new paragraph 5:

“Additionally Council supports a radical reform of Business Rates to ensure that high street businesses are not unfairly disadvantaged by competition from the on-line economy.”

The white paper will then read:

This Council welcomes the Government commitment to high streets both in Leeds and nationally. Key announcements such as the £675m Future High Streets Fund, the Open Doors Project and business rate reductions for small businesses are welcome measures that will help the UK high street to thrive and businesses to grow.

Council notes that apprenticeships can play an important role in supporting both the public sector and private sector businesses. Council welcomes the recent decision to commit £3.2m of apprenticeship levy funding but notes that £0.6m remains unspent. Council believes this money should be put to use as a matter of urgency either working proactively with private sector organisations to deliver new skills and new employment opportunities to Leeds residents or delivering more apprenticeships within the Council.

Council also sees significant potential in the Apprenticeship Levy to close the gender pay gap by working with the Third Sector to encourage women into engineering and the digital sector.

This Council believes that more can be done in Leeds to support local businesses particularly as potentially difficult issues such as the Clean Air Zone are very much on the horizon. Council should consider extending sunset clauses where appropriate to support businesses that could be affected by the CAZ, particularly HGV operators, and look to provide more support, in addition to the local centres programme, for small businesses operating in town and district centres across the city.

Additionally Council supports a radical reform of Business Rates to ensure that high street businesses are not unfairly disadvantaged by competition from the on-line economy.

Finally Council notes with concern the proposals contained in the Initial Budget Proposals 2019/20 to introduce car parking charges in town and district centres. As the Government introduces measures to support businesses and high streets the ruling administration in Leeds is introducing measures that will stymie those efforts and could have a real impact on businesses in Garforth, Wetherby and Guiseley.

This Council calls for the proposed parking charges to be removed from the initial budget proposals and for a city wide ‘High Street Review’ to be initiated to identify what additional measures can be introduced to support the High Street, with a report to be brought back to Executive Board no later than Spring 2019 announcing further details. Supporting our local high streets must be something we do all year round, not just for Christmas.

 A second amendment was moved by Councillor J Lewis, seconded by Councillor Pryor;

Remove all after “This Council” and replace with:

“regrets the Tory led Government’s lack of support for the high street over the last 9 years of austerity.  Council deplores the Government’s failure to act on the vast majority of recommendations for improving the high street put forward by its own reviews, as well as a failure to respond to concerns about how large global corporations are taxed for trading online.

Council notes the Government’s recent announcement of funding for the Future High Streets Fund was only made in response to a suggestion by the Timpson Review that following 9 years of Tory led austerity funding local authorities are so desperately short of funding additional grants are needed to help improve the high street.

This Council welcomes action taken under the Council’s Local Centres Programme and Our Spaces Strategy to improve high streets in Leeds. However, Council believes further national support for the high street is needed, so supports the establishment of a new National Investment Bank to provide finance and support to small businesses.

Council welcomes that Expressions of Interest are being sought to its Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Fund to use the current underspend to fund apprenticeships in local private sector and third sector organisations. Council welcomes that priority will be given to bids that address inequalities and benefit hard to reach groups, as well as schemes for Women in Engineering and the Digital and Creative Sector.

This Council notes progress towards introducing a selective vehicle charging Clean Air Zone as required by Ministerial direction. However Council calls on the Government to swiftly provide the full funding to support businesses and drivers in Leeds affected to move to compliant vehicles. This will ensure the public has cleaner air to breathe without unfairly damaging small business.

This Council believes the availability of parking spaces is vital to the continued vibrancy of its town and district centres. Council recognises that in some instances, subject to consultation, the use of charges is an appropriate measure to help improve the turnover of parking spaces to ensure their availability for customers of local businesses.”

The amendment in the name of Councillor Bentley was declared lost the second amendment in the name of Councillor J Lewis was carried and upon being put to the vote it was

RESOLVED – That this Council regrets the Tory led Government’s lack of support for the high street over the last 9 years of austerity.  Council deplores the Government’s failure to act on the vast majority of recommendations for improving the high street put forward by its own reviews, as well as a failure to respond to concerns about how large global corporations are taxed for trading online.

Council notes the Government’s recent announcement of funding for the Future High Streets Fund was only made in response to a suggestion by the Timpson Review that following 9 years of Tory led austerity funding local authorities are so desperately short of funding additional grants are needed to help improve the high street.

This Council welcomes action taken under the Council’s Local Centres Programme and Our Spaces Strategy to improve high streets in Leeds. However, Council believes further national support for the high street is needed, so supports the establishment of a new National Investment Bank to provide finance and support to small businesses.

Council welcomes that Expressions of Interest are being sought to its Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Fund to use the current underspend to fund apprenticeships in local private sector and third sector organisations. Council welcomes that priority will be given to bids that address inequalities and benefit hard to reach groups, as well as schemes for Women in Engineering and the Digital and Creative Sector.

This Council notes progress towards introducing a selective vehicle charging Clean Air Zone as required by Ministerial direction. However Council calls on the Government to swiftly provide the full funding to support businesses and drivers in Leeds affected to move to compliant vehicles. This will ensure the public has cleaner air to breathe without unfairly damaging small business.

This Council believes the availability of parking spaces is vital to the continued vibrancy of its town and district centres. Council recognises that in some instances, subject to consultation, the use of charges is an appropriate measure to help improve the turnover of parking spaces to ensure their availability for customers of local businesses.