(Members Code of Conduct - Part 4A of the Constitution)

To receive disclosures of interests from members and co-opted members on matters to be considered at the meeting. The disclosure must include the nature of the interest.

An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting when it becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.

Notes:

(1)          In relation to Agenda Item 7A to approve the following recommendations contained in the report of the Monitoring Officer (Document “Q”) to grant a dispensation to all Members who have certain Disclosable Pecuniary Interests listed in  Appendix A to the report, as defined in the Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012, in the decision to approve the budget and to set the level of Council Tax and Business Rates for 2020/21 and 2021/22 during the Budget Council meetings on 20 February 2020 and 18 February 2021.

            That Council:

            (1)       Grants a dispensation to the Members of the Authority who have requested one, to enable them to participate in full in the decision to approve the budgets for 2020/21 and 2021/22 and to set the Council Tax and Business Rates for 2020/21 and 2021/22.

            (2)       Approves the dispensation for a period of two years until 19 February 2021.

           (3)      Notes the Monitoring Officer’s advice that personal interests that may give rise to a perception of a conflict of interest shall not prevent Members from speaking and voting at the Budget meetings.

(2)       Members in arrears of Council Tax by more than two months must not vote in decisions on, or which might affect, budget calculations, and must disclose at the meeting that this restriction applies to them.  A failure to comply with these requirements is a criminal offence under section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. 

(3)       Members have also disclosed interests which are not disclosable pecuniary interests but which they consider should be made in the interest of clarity (as listed in Appendix B to the report). Any other interests may be disclosed prior to, or at, the meeting.

(4)       Officers must disclose interests in accordance with Council Standing Order 44.

The report of the Monitoring Officer (Document “Q”) considered the granting of dispensations to all Members who had certain Disclosable Pecuniary Interests as defined in the Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012 for approving the budget and setting the Council Tax and Business Rates. Members had also disclosed interests which were not disclosable pecuniary interests but which they considered should be made in the interests of clarity.

The lists attached as appendices A and B to the report had been updated with further notifications by Members on their declarations. It was,

Resolved –

That Council:

(1)       Grants a dispensation to the Members of the Authority who have requested one, to enable them to participate in full in the decision to approve the budgets for 2020/21 and 2021/22 and to set the Council Tax and Business Rates for 2020/21 and 2021/22.

(2)       Approves the dispensation for a period of two years until 19 February 2021.

(3)      Notes the Monitoring Officer’s advice that personal interests that may give rise to a perception of a conflict of interest shall not prevent Members from speaking and voting at the Budget meetings.

Dispensations under the Localism Act 2011 for the declaration of Members’ Disclosable Pecuniary Interests were given to the following Members to enable them to speak and vote on the Budget 2020/21:

Employment – Councillors Amran, Berry, Brown, D Green, Griffiths, T Hussain, I Khan, Lal, Sajawal, Salam, Shaheen, Tait, Thornton and Wood.

Sponsorship - Councillors Davies, Dodds, Ellis, Engel, Farley, Gibbons, D Green, Griffiths, Heseltine, Hinchcliffe, T Hussain, Iqbal, Jabar, I Khan, Love, Mullaney, Pennington, Poulsen, Reid, Ross-Shaw, Slater, D Smith, Stubbs, J Sunderland, R Sunderland, Tait, Thirkill, Thornton, Wainwright and Winnard.

Contracts – Councillors Naylor, Salam, Shafiq and D Smith.

Land – A Ahmed, R Ahmed, Ali, Amran, Azam, Barker, Berry, Bibby, Brown, Cromie, Davies, Dodds, Duffy, Dunbar, Ellis, Engel, Farley, Ferriby, Firth, Gibbons, Godwin, D Green, Greenwood, Griffiths, Hargreaves, Herd, Heseltine, Hinchcliffe, Humphreys, Abid Hussain, Arshad Hussain, Kamran Hussain, Khadim Hussain, Shabir Hussain, T Hussain, Iqbal, Jabar, Jamil, Jenkins, Johnson, H Khan, I Khan, S Khan, Knox, Lal, Lee, Lintern, Love, Mir, Mohammed, Mukhtar, Mullaney, Naylor, Nazir, Pennington, Pollard, Poulsen, Reid, Riaz, Ross-Shaw, Sajawal, Salam, Shabbir, Shafiq, Shaheen, Slater, Smith, Stubbs, Sullivan, J Sunderland, R Sunderland, Tait, Thirkill, Thornton, Townend, Wainwright, Warburton, Ward, Warnes, Watson, Whitaker, Whiteley, Winnard and Wood.

Licences - Smith and J Sunderland.

Corporate Tenancies – Cromie

Securities – Smith

The following personal declarations were received:

Members with a spouse, partner or close relative in the employment of the Council

Councillors A Ahmed, Amran, Brown, Dodds, Ellis, Firth, D Green, Griffiths, Kamran Hussain, T Hussain, Iqbal, Jabar, Jenkins, I Khan, Lal, Love, Nazir, Pennington, Pollard, Riaz, Salam, Shabbir, Shafiq, Slater, Stubbs,

R Sunderland, Tait, Thornton and Townend

Members employed by or who have a spouse, partner or close relative employed by a voluntary organisation/public body funded by the Council

Councillors Brown, Duffy, Jenkins, I Khan,Lal, Mullaney, Shabbir, Shaheen, and Thirkill  ...  view the full minutes text for item 92.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Goodall, Kyle Green, Hawkesworth and Swallow.

Recommended –

That the minutes of the meetings held on 14 January 2020 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

(Adrian Tumber – 01274 432435)

Resolved –

That the minutes of the meetings held on 14 January 2020 be signed as a correct record.

STORMS AFFECTING THE DISTRICT

Two weekends of severe weather had affected many residents across the district.  Storm Ciara hit on 8 and 9 February 2020 bringing gale force winds, very heavy rainfall and consequent flooding.  Another prolonged period of terrible weather heralded the arrival of Storm Dennis on 15 and 16 February.

Council staff from Emergency Planning, Highways and other departments worked alongside other bodies such as the Environment Agency, Police and Fire Services, other partners and community groups to counter the effects of the storms and assist residents, in particular vulnerable people. The Lord Mayor thanked everybody who worked, volunteered or was on call, during the emergency periods and who did so much to help, clear and restore services, reassure, inform and set up emergency provision for residents. 

TOP PLACING IN THE ‘BEST PLACES FOR DOING BUSINESS 2020’ GUIDE

The Sunday Times cited Bradford among the top twenty best places for doing business in the country. Bradford was placed 15^th on the list with the judges drawing attention to Bradford’s £10.1bn economy and its burgeoning young population as well as highlighting low commercial rents, fast broadband and good transport infrastructure attracting start-ups to the district.

VISIT OF THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE

Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were given the warmest of welcomes to the district when they visited on 15 January 2020. A number of projects which support and promote cohesion within Bradford’s diverse community were visited by the royal couple. The royal visit generated extensive publicity which, both locally and nationally, was hugely positive for Bradford and the Lord Mayor placed on record thanks to all staff who worked hard to ensure the success of the visit.

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY

The Lord Mayor had been pleased to attend Bradford’s Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration and introduce the event, which took place on 27 January 2020 in City Hall, on the 75^th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi extermination camp complex at Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland and the 25th anniversary of the Bosnian genocide. Thanks were given to the organisers and all the participants at this annual event enabling voices to be heard opposing oppression and victimisation.

There were no appeals.

To consider any motions (i) to appoint members to a Committee or a Joint Committee; or (ii) to appoint Chairs or Deputy Chairs of Committees (excluding Area Committees). 

Resolved –

(1)       That Councillor Griffiths be the Liberal Democrat and Independent Group alternate on the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

(2)       That Councillor Humphreys be appointed to the Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee in place of Councillor Kamran Hussain.

(3)       That Councillor Humphreys be appointed to the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee in place of Councillor Engel.

(4)       That Councillor Humphreys be appointed as a Labour Group alternate for the Bradford East Area Committee.

ACTION:       City Solicitor

The Executive at its meeting on 18 February 2020 will make recommendations to Council on the Budget for 2020/21.

The following reports are submitted: 

(i)         The Council’s Revenue Estimates for 2020/21

The report of the Director of Finance provides details of the Council’s Revenue Estimates for 2020/21 (Executive Document “BA”). This report may require updating following the meeting of the Executive on 18 February 2020.

                                                            (Chris Chapman – 01274 433656)

(ii)        Allocation of the Schools’ Budget 2020/21 Financial Year

The report of the Director of Finance seeks approval of the recommendations of the Schools Forum in allocating the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for 2020/21(Executive Document “BB”).

                                                            (Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

(iii)       The Council’s Capital Investment Plan for 2020/21 to 2023/24

The report of the Director of Finance proposes the Capital Investment Plan for 2020/21 to 2023/24 and an updated Capital Strategy for 2020/21 (Executive Document “BC”). This report may require updating following the meeting of the Executive on 18 February 2020.

                                                      (James Hopwood – 01274 432882)

(iv)       2020/21 Budget Proposals and Forecast Reserves - Section 151 Officer Assessment

The report of the Director of Finance (Executive Document “BD”) sets out the S151 Officer’s assessment of the proposed budget for the financial year 2020/21, the adequacy of the forecast level of reserves and associated risks. The assessment of the Executive’s recommendations to Council on the budget may require updating following the meeting of the Executive on 18 February 2020.          

(Chris Chapman – 01274 433656)

(v)        Consultation Feedback and Equality Assessment on new proposals in the Council Budget for 2020/21

The report of the Assistant Director, Office of the Chief Executive, appendices and addendum (Executive Document “AR”) provide feedback from the public engagement and consultation programme and the consultation with Trade Unions and sets out a summary of the equality assessments as outlined in the Proposed Financial Plan Updated (2020/21).

                                                            (Phil Witcherley – 01274 431241)

Note

In view of the short timescale between the Executive on 18 February and the meeting of Council on 20 February the budget recommendations from the Executive to Council will be e-mailed to all Members of Council following the Executive on 18 February and will be published on the Council’s website at www.bradford.gov.uk . The recommendations will also be circulated at this meeting of Council.

The Executive met on 4 and 18 February 2020 to make recommendations to Council on the Budget for 2020/21.  The following reports were submitted:

(i)         The Council’s Revenue Estimates for 2020/21

The report of the Director of Finance provided details of the Council’s Revenue Estimates for 2020/21 (Document “R”).

.             

(ii)        Allocation of the Schools’ Budget 2020/21 Financial Year

The report of the Director of Finance sought approval of the recommendations of the Schools Forum in allocating the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) for 2020/21 (Executive Document “BB”).

(iii)       The Council’s Capital Investment Plan for 2020/21 to 2023/24

The report of the Director of Finance proposed the Capital Investment Plan for 2020/21 to 2023/24 and an updated Capital Strategy for 2020/21(Executive Document “BC”).

(iv)      2020/21 Budget Proposals and Forecast Reserves - Section 151 Officer Assessment

The report of the Director of Finance set out the S151 Officer’s assessment of the proposed budget for the financial year 2020/21, the adequacy of the forecast level of reserves and associated risks (Executive Document “BD”).

 (v)       Consultation Feedback and Equality Assessment on new proposals in the Council budget for 2020/21

The report of the Assistant Director, Office of the Chief Executive, appendices, addendum presented to the Executive on 4 February 2020, further addendum and additional consultation feedback presented to the Executive on 18 February 2020 (Executive Document “AR”) provided feedback from the public engagement and consultation programme and set out a summary of the equality assessments as outlined in the Proposed Financial Plan Updated 2020/21.

An amendment to the Executive’s recommendations was moved by Councillor Mike Pollard. The S151 Officer provided an assessment of the amendment contained in Document “S”. The amendment was defeated.

In accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 a recorded vote was taken on Councillor Mike Pollard’s amendment and the Council voted as follows: 

For the Amendment (20)

Against the Amendment (66)

An amendment to the Executive’s recommendations was moved by Councillor Martin Love. The S151 Officer provided an assessment of the amendment contained in Document “T”. The amendment was defeated.

In accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 a recorded vote was taken on Councillor Love’s amendment and the Council voted as follows: 

For the Amendment (2)

Against the Amendment (84)