Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Khales Uddin Ahmed, Shiria Khatun, Harun Miah and Kosru Uddin.

To note any declarations of interest made by Members, including those restricting Members from voting on the questions detailed in Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992.   See attached note from the Monitoring Officer.

No declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests were made.

There were no announcements.

To note that new regulations by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (namely The Local Authorities (Standing Orders (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014) will come into effect on 25^th February 2014.

The effect of the regulations is that a recorded vote shall be held on the substantive motion at any Budget Council Meeting and this will apply during the budget debate at agenda item 6 below.  The report of the Service Head, Democratic Services is attached.

The Council considered the report of the Service Head, Democratic Services on changes to the regulations regarding voting at Budget Council meetings and consequent amendments made by the Monitoring Officer to Council Procedure Rule 17.

Councillor Peter Golds moved, and Councillor Tim Archer seconded an amendment to expand the requirement to record votes to include those on amendments as well as the substantive motion.

The amendment was put to the vote and was agreed.

RESOLVED

This Council Notes:-

• The action taken by the Monitoring Officer to amend Council Procedure Rule 17 in response to the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulation 2014.
• That the amendment to Procedure Rule 17 falls short of the Government’s intentions in making the regulations, as set out in a letter from Brandon Lewis MP to all Councils in England on 4^th February 2014. Specifically, Ministers intend for a recorded vote to be taken on any amendments voted on by councillors
• That the Statutory Instrument states “immediately after any vote is taken at a budget decision meeting of an authority there must be recorded in the minutes of the proceedings of the meeting the names of the persons who cast a vote for the decision or against the decision or who abstained from voting.”
• That the Explanatory Notes to the Statutory Instrument states “Regulation 2 provides that the votes (plural) at key budget decision meetings by local authority are recorded.”
• That in this context “any vote” includes votes on amendments at such a meeting; and that the use of the plural “votes” further indicates that the regulations are intended to cover votes on amendments. That a short piece of research of a number of authorities this afternoon has established that:
  1. Conservative-run Swindon Borough Council accordingly held a recorded vote on amendments at their budget meeting
  2. Labour/Lib Dem-run Norfolk County Council accordingly held a recorded vote on amendments at their budget meeting
  3. Conservative-run Suffolk County Council accordingly held a recorded vote on amendments at their budget meeting
  4. Labour/Lib Dem-run Cumbria County Council accordingly held a recorded vote on amendments at their budget meeting
  5. And that Labour-run Nottingham City Council accordingly will hold a recorded vote on amendments at their budget meeting
  6. That many other councils held, or will hold, a recorded vote on amendments at their budget meeting
• That the European Parliament has today decided to take a recorded vote for every future decision, by 617 votes to 23

This Council Believes:

• That local people should be able to see how their councillors vote, not only on the substantive budget motions agreeing the budget or setting council taxes, but also on any amendments proposed at the meeting.

This Council Resolves:

• To amend the new Council Procedure Rule 17.5 to read as follows:- “In relation to any debate at a Budget Council Meeting on the authority’s budget and level of the Council Tax to be levied for each financial year, a recorded vote shall take place on any amendment that is put to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

The Council Procedure Rules provide for the Budget Council Meeting to receive a maximum of three petitions, which must relate to the Council’s budget or the setting of the Council Tax.   

The deadline for receipt of petitions for this meeting is noon on Thursday 20^th February 2014.  However, at the time of agenda despatch the maximum of three petitions had already been received as set out in the attached report. 

5.1 Petition regarding support for fair pay for Local Government Workers

Mr John McLoughlin addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitioners and responded to questions from Members. Councillor Alibor Choudhury, Cabinet Member for Resources, then responded to the matters raised in the petition. He called the current 1% offer derisory and stated that the Administration supported the Unions campaign for a significantly improved offer.

RESOLVED

That the petition be referred to the Acting Corporate Director, Resources for a written response on any outstanding matters within 28 days.

5.2       Petition regarding Mayor’s Car and Advisors

Mr Kahar Chowdhury addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitioners and responded to questions from Members. Councillor Alibor Choudhury, the Cabinet Member for Resources, responded to the matters raised in the petition. He stated that the car was an essential support to the Mayor and enabled him to work whilst travelling to all the meetings he held to engage with local people. He also highlighted the value to the Council of the advice and policies that were developed in conjunction with the Mayor’s advisors.

RESOLVED

That the petition be referred to the Acting Corporate Director, Resources for a written response on any outstanding matters within 28 days.

5.3       Petition regarding Free School Meals

Mr John Biggs addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitioners and responded to questions from Members. Councillor Oliur Rahman, the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, then responded to the matters raised in the petition. He pointed out that the Administration had already brought in free school meals for the younger primary school children and would welcome the idea of extending this to all primary pupils. However, he explained that the Labour Group’s proposals were not properly funded so the Mayor would be looking to bring forward his own, properly costed, proposals at a later date.

RESOLVED

That the petition be referred to the Corporate Director, Education, Social Care and Wellbeing for a written response on any outstanding matters within 28 days.

To consider the proposals of the Mayor and Executive for the Council’s Budget and Council Tax 2014/15.

Mayor Lutfur Rahman introduced, and Councillor Alibor Choudhury moved, the budget proposals of the Mayor and Executive as set out in the agenda pack. Councillor Ohid Ahmed seconded the proposals.

Three amendments were tabled and moved as follows:

(i)    Amendment proposed by Councillor Carlo Gibbs and seconded by Councillor Sirajul Islam.

(ii)  Amendment proposed by Councillor David Snowdon and seconded by Councillor Zara Davis.

(iii)Amendment proposed by Councillor Peter Golds and seconded by Councillor Tim Archer.

Additional papers were tabled as follows:-

-       Comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee from their meeting on Tuesday 11^th February on the revised budget proposals agreed at Cabinet on 5^th February 2014; and

-       Officers’ amended comments on alternative budget proposal by the Labour Group: Restoration of Victoria Park Fireworks Display

Procedural Motions

During the debate, Councillor Peter Golds moved and Councillor Bill Turner seconded, a procedural motion “that under Procedure Rule 14.1.16 Councillor Alibor Choudhury be not further heard” due to misconduct.

The procedural motion was put to the vote and was agreed.

A second procedural motion was moved by Councillor Ohid Ahmed and seconded by Councillor Oliur Rahman “that under Procedure Rule 14.1.6 Councillor Rachael Saunders be not further heard” due to misconduct.

The procedural motion was put to the vote and was defeated.

A third procedural motion was later moved by Councillor Anwar Khan and seconded by Councillor Rabina Khan “that under Procedure Rule 14.1.6 Councillor Joshua Peck be not further heard” due to misconduct.

The procedural motion was put to the vote and was defeated.

Following debate the budget amendment proposed by Councillor Carlo Gibbs was put to the vote and was agreed.  Councillors recorded their votes on the amendment as follows:-

The amendment proposed by Councillor David Snowdon was then put to the vote and was defeated.  Councillors recorded their votes on the amendment as follows:-