Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Chairman and a relief Chairman.

Moved by Councillor Melvyn Caplan and seconded by Councillor Robert Rigby that Councillor Judith Warner be elected Chairman and Councillor Angela Harvey, Relief Chairman.

Motion put and on a show of hands declared CARRIED.

To sign the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council meeting held on 21 January 2015.

The minutes of the proceedings at the Council meeting held on Wednesday 21 January 2015 were, with the assent of the Members present, signed by the Chairman as a true record of the proceedings.

To receive Declarations of Interests from Members and Officers.

The Chairman advised that there was no requirement on Members to declare an interest on account of being a Council taxpayer and in the Members’ Allowances item as these were noted on behalf of all Members.  There were no other declarations.

To receive and consider the following Cabinet report:  23 February 2015

The report of the Cabinet on 23 February 2015 was submitted.  Paragraphs 1 and 2 were considered together.

Councillor Philippa Roe delivered the Leader’s speech and Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg made the first opposition speech.

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg moved the following amendments which were seconded by Councillor David Boothroyd.

Amendment 1: Paragraph 1

To amend the Cabinet Recommendation by restoring the following cuts in services to Children Centres, Play Services and Youth Services:

Children’s Centres - £474k

Play Service - £152k

Youth Service - £125k

to be funded by a reduction of £400,000 in the Communications budget for publications and a further £351,000 reduction on staffing in the Policy, Performance and Communications Department focusing in the areas of press and campaigns in particular.

Amendment 2:

Paragraph 1: To be moved by Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg and seconded by Councillor David Boothroyd:

To amend the Cabinet Recommendations so that the Cabinet Member undertake a review of parking charges.  A review is suggested as paid for parking charges have not been changed in the Inner Zone since 2009 and the Outer Zone since 2011 and it is important that charges reflect current environmental and traffic management requirements of the Council.

Such a review would have to be conducted in accordance with the requirements of Section 122 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.  Although there is no certainty over the likely outcome of a review on parking, as an example, if a review of charges were to lead to changes equivalent to 2% of current income, this would generate an additional £1.1m.

Any additional income from parking service could be used on restoring cuts of £450,000 in road and pavement maintenance and parks; funding additional expenditure of £400,000 on road and pavement maintenance; £50,000 on consulting on introducing 20mph zones and £200,000 on implementing 20mph zones.

All above income and expenditure falls within scope of the parking places reserve account/Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, Section 55.

Following debate

The Chairman put amendment one moved by Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg and seconded by Councillor David Boothroyd and on a recorded vote, there voted:

For amendment one: Councillors Begum, Boothroyd, Bush, Dimoldenberg, Gassanly, Grahame, Hug, McAllister, McKie, Mukerji, Qureshi, Rampulla, Talukder, Taylor, Toki and Williams.

Against amendment one:  Councillors Acton, Adams, Aiken, Argar, Arzymanow, Astaire, Beddoe, Bott, Burbridge, Caplan, Chalkley, Church, Connell, Cox, Crockett, Cuthbertson, Davis, Devenish, Evans, Flight, Floru, Freeman, Glanz, David Harvey, Holloway, Hyams, Mitchell, Mohindra, Rahuja, Rigby, Roe, Rowley, Smith and Summers.

Absence or not voting: The Lord Mayor, Councillors Hall, Angela Harvey, Mohammed, Prendergast, Roberts, Robathan, Scarborough, Thompson and Warner.

The Chairman declared amendment one to be LOST.

The Chairman put amendment two and on a recorded vote, there voted:

For amendment two: Councillors Begum, Boothroyd, Bush, Dimoldenberg, Gassanly, Grahame, Hug, McAllister, McKie, Mukerji, Qureshi, Rampulla, Talukder, Taylor, Toki and Williams.

Against amendment two:  Councillors Acton, Adams, Aiken, Argar, Arzymanow, Astaire, Beddoe, Bott, Burbridge, Caplan, Chalkley, Church, Connell, Cox, Crockett, Cuthbertson, Davis, Devenish, Evans, Flight, Floru, Freeman, Glanz, David  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.