Agenda and minutes

At this point, Members are asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

All Members are granted dispensation in respect of any disclosable pecuniary interests they may have in relation toany interest they may have in land in York.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, any prejudicial interests or any disclosable pecuniary interests they might have in the business on the agenda.

It was noted that the Monitoring Officer had confirmed that all Members had been granted dispensation in respect of any disclosable pecuniary interests they may have because they are Council Tax payers in York.

The following personal interests were declared:

To consider any announcements made by the Lord Mayor in respect of Civic business.

The Lord Mayor invited all present to stand and observe a minute’s silence in memory of former councillor Joan Dales and Honorary Alderman Cyril Waite.  Joan Dales had been one of three Liberal York City Councillors for the Foxwood Ward from 1979 to 1982.  Honorary Alderman Cyril Waite had joined the then York City Council in 1980 and had continued with York District Council in 1995/96 and the City of York Council right through to 2003 without a break, serving as Lord Mayor for the 1986/87 municipal year.  He had been appointed as an Honorary Alderman to the city in 2003 until his death.  He had also been a long standing member and Chair of Rawcliffe Parish Council.

The Lord Mayor then invited Councillor Gunnell, as Lord Mayor Elect for the 2013/14 municipal year to announce her Sheriff Elect for her forthcoming year of office.  Councillor Gunnell stated that she was delighted that Councillor Watson and his wife had agreed to serve as Sheriff and Sheriff’s Lady.

The Lord Mayor stated that this would be Pete Dwyer’s last council meeting as Director of Adults, Children and Education.  Members joined the Lord Mayor in expressing their appreciation of the tireless work that he had carried out for City of York Council.

At this point in the meeting, any member of the public who has registered to address the Council, or to ask a Member of the Council a question, on a matter directly relevant to the business on this agenda (namely, the setting of the budget) may do so. The deadline for registering is 5:00pm on Wednesday 27 February 2013.

The Lord Mayor announced that ten members of the public had registered to speak at the meeting.

Majella Gillam drew Members’ attention to a petition containing 1167 signatories, requesting that the authority bring back Education Maintenance Allowances.  The petition was due to be debated later in the meeting.  He stated that the removal of the EMA had deterred a number of young people from attending college.  Some London boroughs had reintroduced the allowance and its reintroduction in York would provide support for many students.

Megan Ollerhead also spoke in support of the petition as a York University student.  She stated that she had benefited from the EMA and it had supported her in progressing to higher education.  She stated that she believed that the funding was available to meet the costs of its reintroduction and stated that a failure to do so would be a betrayal. 

Leigh Wilkes, a member of Aviva and the Trades Council, also spoke in support of the EMA petition. He drew attention to protests that were taking place across Europe against cuts to public spending.  He stated that austerity measures were not working and drew attention to comments made by the Child Poverty Group.  He stated that without the EMA young people would be denied access to education and he urged Members not to implement cuts to spending. 

Nigel Smith, a former NUT representative and retired teacher, also spoke in support of the petition.  He expressed concerns about a recent Talk Back Panel and the lack of clear information that was provided about social enterprise.  He stated that ordinary people were suffering from the impact of the cuts and that he believed that the budget was immoral.

Simon Moss spoke against the budget cut to leave parks unlocked, particular Hull Road.  He stated that if parks remained unlocked at night they would be subject to damage and would become dangerous.  He urged that further consideration be given to this budget proposal.  He stated that York was one of the most beautiful cities in England and it was important that it remained so.  The parks in York had improved and the funds needed to be found to enable them to be locked in the evening.

Mr Richardson, a resident of York Road, Haxby, spoke in relation to the proposal to charge for green waste.  He also expressed concerns regarding increases in council tax and proposed expenditure on the barge project.  He stated that the public should not have to pay for the disposal of green waste and should not have to pay more council tax.  He stated that he believed that the meeting should be suspended to enable the budget proposals to be reconsidered, particularly in respect of the council tax increase.  

Rebecca Seddon spoke in support of the petition against the proposed budget cut to cease the locking and unlocking of parks.  She stated that the parks were well utilised by children, adults and local groups and organisations.  She drew attention to the number of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.

To receive any petitions to be presented by Members in relation to business associated with setting the Council’s budget for the coming financial year, in accordance with Standing Order No.7.

Under Standing Order 7, petitions were presented by:

i)             Cllr Alexander on behalf of residents who wished to keep parks locked at night.

The Lord Mayor confirmed receipt of the e-petition from Councillor Alexander.  He stated that there was also a paper petition on this issue and that the two may amount to more than 1,000 signatories.  Although there had not been an opportunity to verify the signatories on either petition, the amendments that were due to be considered during the meeting raised this specific issue of locked parks.  There would therefore be an opportunity for Members to debate the issue as part of the consideration of those amendments.

ⁱⁱ⁾                   Councillor Orrell on behalf of residents of Brockfield Road and Brockfield Park Drive requesting inclusion of the resurfacing of their roads within the 2013/14 road surfacing programme. ^1.

The Lord Mayor confirmed receipt of the petition and stated that it would be considered by Members when they debated the budget proposals.

To consider the recommendations made by the Cabinet, at their meeting on 12 February 2013, following consideration of the third monitor report on the Capital Programme. These are set out in the attached Part B minute and will be moved by the Cabinet Leader.

Councillor Alexander moved and Councillor Gunnell seconded the recommendations made by the Cabinet at their meeting on 12 February 2013, following consideration of the third monitor report on the Capital Programme (minute 97 refers) as follows:

“That Council agree the adjustments in the Capital programme of an overall decrease of £11.752m in 2012/13 with re-profiling of budget from 2012/13 to 2013/14 and 2014/15 of £10.626m as detailed in the report and contained in Annex A of the report”

On being put to the vote the recommendations were declared CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED:       That the recommendation contained in minute 97 of the Cabinet meeting held on 12 February 2013 be approved.

A       Petition

To debate the following petition signed by 1,167 people:

 “We call on the City of York Council to:

·                    Introduce an EMA-style grant for college students in the area

·                    Make the grant available to all college students with no means-test

The Educational Maintenance Allowance has been scrapped by this Government.  This will leave many college students in York without the funds to travel to college, buy books and resources, or food.  Similar EMA style payments have been reintroduced in two London Boroughs. This shows that there is the money to pay for EMA if we stand up and fight for it.  Youth Fight for Jobs and Education believes that EMA could be brought back in York as well – it is evident from council expenditure in certain areas.  £2.5m is being spent on consultancy firms to “find out how to better manage funds in the future”, this alone would pay for all students to have EMA (£30 per week) at York College with £1,476,640 to spare (based on student numbers 2010/11).”

In accordance with the Council’s current Petitions Scheme, Members will debate the above petition and will take it into account when considering and setting it’s under mentioned budget.

B       Recommendations from Cabinet, 12 February 2013

To consider the recommendations made by the Cabinet, at their meeting held on 12 February 2013, in relation to:

a)      The Council’s Capital Programme Budget for 2013/14 – 2017/18

b)      The Council’s Revenue Budget proposals for 2013 to 2018 and

c)      The Council’s Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Prudential Indicators for 2013/14 – 2017/18

These recommendations are set out in the attached report and will be moved by the Council Leader.

Note:

The original budget reports to Cabinet, on which their recommendations are based, were circulated to all Members on 4 February 2013 and can be found on the Council’s website, here:

http://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=733&MId=6881&Ver=4

A       Petition

Members debated the following petition, which had been signed by 1,167 people:

 “We call on the City of York Council to:

·                    Introduce an EMA-style grant for college students in the area

·                    Make the grant available to all college students with no means-test

The Educational Maintenance Allowance has been scrapped by this Government.  This will leave many college students in York without the funds to travel to college, buy books and resources, or food.  Similar EMA style payments have been reintroduced in two London Boroughs. This shows that there is the money to pay for EMA if we stand up and fight for it.  Youth Fight for Jobs and Education believes that EMA could be brought back in York as well – it is evident from council expenditure in certain areas.  £2.5m is being spent on consultancy firms to “find out how to better manage funds in the future”, this alone would pay for all students to have EMA (£30 per week) at York College with £1,476,640 to spare (based on student numbers 2010/11).”

The Lord Mayor stated that the petition would be taken into account when Members debated the budget proposals.

B       Recommendations from Cabinet, 12 February 2013

Councillor Alexander moved, and Councillor Simpson-Laing seconded, the recommendations of the Cabinet, as set out in paragraphs 35 to 37 of the report at page 10 of the Council papers as follows, in relation to:

a)      The Council’s Capital Programme Budget for 2013/14 – 2017/18

b)      The Council’s Revenue Budget proposals for 2013 to 2018 and

c)      The Council’s Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Prudential Indicators for 2013/14 – 2017/18

“Capital Budget

35.Cabinet recommends that Council;

             i.        Agree to the revised capital programme of £176.709m, that reflects a net overall increase of £48.381m as set out in paragraph 30 table 10 and in Annex A ‘budget amendments’ column of the Cabinet report). Key elements of this include:

a.   Extension of prudential borrowing funded Rolling Programme schemes totalling £3.365m including the IT development fund as set out in paragraph 10 table 2 and summarised in paragraph 27 table 9;

b.   Creation of 2 new prudential borrowing funded Rolling Programme schemes totalling £1.500m as set out in paragraph 14 table 3 and summarised in paragraph 27 table 9

c.   New  schemes totalling £3.585m including an increase in prudential borrowing of £3.185m as set out in paragraph 16 table 4 and summarised in paragraph 27 table 9;

d.   New externally funded schemes totalling £25.974m as set out in paragraph 18 table 5 and summarised in paragraph 26 table 9

e.   An increase in HRA funded schemes totalling £13.957m funded from HRA balances of £13.957m as set out in paragraph 19 table 6 and summarised in paragraph 27 table 9.

            ii.        Approve the full restated programme as summarised in Annex A totalling £176.709m over financial years 2013/14 to 2017/18 as set out in paragraph 30 table 10 of the Cabinet report.

Revenue Budget

36.    Cabinet recommends that Council

a.   approve the budget proposals  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64.

To consider the Council Tax Resolution for 2013/14, as set out in the attached report.

On being put to the vote, the motion was declared CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED:       (i)      That it be noted that on 13 December                                  2012 the Director of Customer and

Business Support Services, under his delegated authority, calculated the Council Tax Base for the year 2013/14:

(a)   for the whole Council area as

  60,945.49 [Item T in the formula in

  Section 31B of the Local

  Government Finance Act 1992, as

  amended (the “Act”)]; and

(b)   for those dwellings in those parts of

       its area to which a Parish precept

       relates as in column 1 in the

       attached Schedule A.

(ii)          Calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2013/14 (excluding Parish precepts) is £69,710,060.

(iii)        That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2013/14 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:

(a)     £362,263,050.00 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act taking into account all precepts issued to it by Parish Councils.

                                             (b)       £291,931,312.00          being the

aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.

(c)         £70,331,738.00 being the

        amount by which the aggregate

        at 14(a) above exceeds the

        aggregate at 14(b) above,

        calculated by the Council in

        accordance with Section 31A(4)

        of the Act as its Council Tax

        requirement for the year. [Item R

        in the formula in Section 31B of

        the Act].

(d)        £1,154.01being the amount at

       14(c) above [Item R], all divided

       by Item T (12(a) above),

       calculated by the Council, in

       accordance with Section 31B of

       the Act, as the basic amount of

       its Council Tax for the year

       (including Parish precepts).

(e)        £621,678.00 being the aggregate

       amount of all special items

       (Parish precepts) referred to in

       Section 34(1) of the Act (as per

       the attached Schedule A).

(f)          £1,143.81  being the amount at

14(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 14(e) above by Item T (12(a) above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(2) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which no Parish precept relates.

(iv)        That it be noted that North Yorkshire Police and the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority have issued precepts to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Act for each category of dwellings in the Council’s area as indicated in the tables at 16 below.

(v)         That the Council, in accordance with sections 30 and 36 of the Act, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in the tables below, and at Schedule B for Parished areas, as the amounts of Council Tax for 2013/14 for each part of its area and for each of the categories of dwellings.

City of York Council

North Yorkshire Police

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority

Aggregate of Council Tax Requirements (excluding Parished Areas)

(ii)          Determine that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65.