Agenda item

This Council notes with concern the recent YEP article relating to the Fantasia knife store on Ludgate Hill and is deeply concerned about the Council’s commercial involvement in those premises.

Council calls for the establishment of a refreshed and more robust policy, including the power of veto, that ensures commercial lets of this nature cannot happen again.

This Council therefore asks for a report to be brought to the February Executive Board addressing this issue, including a review of all current commercial lets and setting out a new proactive policy approach that will ensure council owned premises are never used for this purpose again.

It was moved by Councillor Robinson, seconded by Councillor Amanda Carter that this Council notes with concern the recent YEP article relating to the Fantasia knife store on Ludgate Hill and is deeply concerned about the Council’s commercial involvement in those premises.

Council calls for the establishment of a refreshed and more robust policy, including the power of veto, that ensures commercial lets of this nature cannot happen again.

This Council therefore asks for a report to be brought to the February Executive Board addressing this issue, including a review of all current commercial lets and setting out a new proactive policy approach that will ensure council owned premises are never used for this purpose again.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12.4(b) Councillor Bentley’s amendment was moved by Councillor Campbell, seconded by Councillor Lay

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This Council also regrets that the current administration refused to adopt an Ethical Landlord Policy as proposed by the Liberal Democrat Group some years ago. Such a policy, through ensuring consistency of values between the Council and organisations trading under its roof, would have avoided this irresponsible association

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In the final paragraph:

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proposing an outline Ethical Landlord Policy that ensures businesses operating in Council owned premises appropriately reflect the Council’s strategic priorities for enhancing the health and well-being of Leeds residents, and recognises the Council’s desire ‘to be a key influencer in terms of good employment practice.

The amended White Paper would then read:

This Council notes with concern the recent YEP article relating to the Fantasia knife store on Ludgate Hill and is deeply concerned about the Council’s commercial involvement in those premises.

This Council also regrets that the current administration refused to adopt an Ethical Landlord Policy as proposed by the Liberal Democrat Group some years ago. Such a policy, through ensuring consistency of values between the Council and organisations trading under its roof, would have avoided this irresponsible association.

This Council therefore asks for a report to be brought to the February Executive Board addressing this issue, proposing an outline Ethical Landlord Policy that ensures businesses operating in Council owned premises appropriately reflect the Council’s strategic priorities for enhancing the health and well-being of Leeds residents, and recognises the Council’s desire to be a key influencer in terms of good employment practice.

A second amendment was moved by Councillor Coupar, seconded by Councillor Pryor

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welcomes the Partial Closure Order secured against the Fantasia Store on Ludgate Hill by the council’s Anti-Social Behaviour Team in partnership with West Yorkshire Police.

Council will not hesitate to take further robust action against any shop in Leeds, regardless of who owns the premises, selling products that fail to meet legal requirements including knives specifically marketed as combat weapons and not utensils for appropriate use.

Council calls for a national review of legislation relating to the sale of knives and for the Government to grant police and councils further powers to tackle shops that sell knives marketed as combat weapons.

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

RESOLVED – That this Council welcomes the Partial Closure Order secured against the Fantasia Store on Ludgate Hill by the council’s Anti-Social Behaviour Team in partnership with West Yorkshire Police.

Council will not hesitate to take further robust action against any shop in Leeds, regardless of who owns the premises, selling products that fail to meet legal requirements including knives specifically marketed as combat weapons and not utensils for appropriate use.

Council calls for a national review of legislation relating to the sale of knives and for the Government to grant police and councils further powers to tackle shops that sell knives marketed as combat weapons.

On the requisition of Councillor Lewis and Coupar the voting on the substantive motion was recorded as follows;

YES – 79

Akhtar, Almass, Brooks, Burke, Carlill, Charlwood, Coupar, Cunningham, Dowson, Dye, Flint, Gabriel, Garthwaite, Gibson, Goddard, P Grahame, R Grahame, Groves, C Gruen, Hamilton, Harland, Hayden, Heselwood, A Hussain, Z Hussain, Illingworth, Iqbal, Jenkins, Lennox, Lewis, Maqsood, Marshall-Katung, Martin, McKenna, Midgley, Mulherin, Nash, Pryor, Rafique, Ragan, Renshaw, Ritchie, Scopes, Shahzad, Sharpe, E Taylor, Truswell, Venner, Walshaw, Wray, A Blackburn, D Blackburn, Forsaith, Alderson, B Anderson, C Anderson, Buckley, Campbell, Amanda Carter, Andrew Carter, Chapman, Cohen, Firth, Flynn, Foster, Golton, Harrand, Harrington, Hart-Brooke, Lamb, G Latty, Lay, Richards, Robinson, D Seary, S Seary, Stephenson, J Taylor and Wadsworth.

NO – 0

ABSTAIN - 6

Dobson, Field, Finnigan, Gettings, McCormack and Senior