-TEXT-MINUTES OF THE MEETING

OF THE COUNCIL 15 February 2001

(6.00pm – 10.40pm)

PRESENT: The Mayor (Councillor Knowles), Deputy Mayor (Councillor Lakin), Councillors Bagnall, Benstead, Blencowe, Bradnack, Callaghan, Currie, Dixon, Douglas, Dryden, Ellis-Miller, Gilchrist, Griffiths, Harrison, Hipkin, Howarth, Howell, James, Johnston, Levison, Liddle, Nimmo-Smith, Overhill, Reed, C Rosenstiel, J Rosenstiel, M Schofield, T Schofield, Slatter, Smart, Smith, Stebbings, Stuart, Talbot, Taylor, Ward, White, and Woodford

FOR THE INFORMATION OF THE COUNCIL

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-COMMITTEE-Council 20th May 1999

-DATE-19990520

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-COMMITTEE-Council 20th May 1999

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-HEADING-MINUTES

T-CONTENTS-TTThe Minutes of the special meeting and the ordinary meeting held on 7 December 2000, were approved as a correct record, subject to the amendment of minute 00/A/79 -Trade Union Facility Agreement, the Declaration of an interest by Councillor Reed, so as to read that she was an employee of the TUC instead of a member of a Trades Union.

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-COMMITTEE-Council 20th May 1999

-DATE-19990520

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-COMMITTEE-Council 20th May 1999

-DATE-19990520

-MINUTE_NUMBER-01/2 MAYOR=S ANNOUNCEMENTS

Apologies

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Cowell, Durrant and Mbaya.

Octocentenary

The Mayor thanked members for their support of the Octocentenary civic events held in January and for their attendance at the various celebrations.

The next event to mark the 800th anniversary was to be a Guildhall Open Day on Tuesday, 20 February. Members of the public were to be invited to have tours of the civic suite commencing at 10am and then on the hour, through to 3pm. George Swindles, the Sergeant at Mace, would show the charters and civic insignia and a Blue Badge Guide would conduct a walking tour of the immediate city centre. All councillors were welcome to attend.

On Tuesday, 20 March, at 7.30pm, a Blue Badge Guide would be giving a talk at the Central Library on the history of Stourbridge Fair.

The Mayor reminded members that on 24 March it would be the fiftieth anniversary of the grant of City status. No celebratory events were planned, but the Cambridge Evening News would be doing a feature article.

Human Rights Act Training

Members had been notified of a training event on 26 February dealing with the Human Rights Act and its implications for the Council. On present indications of attendance, the event would have to be cancelled. Members were invited to attend and reply to Members' Services as soon as possible.

Civic Reception For The Council’s Retired Staff

The annual civic reception for the Council’s retired staff was to take place at the Guildhall on Wednesday, 21 March from 6.30pm. Members were invited to meet retired employees at this event.

Declarations of Interest

Councillor Talbot declared an interest in the following items:

Item 4 – Petition relating to Parkside Pools

City Board Adoption Minute 01/A/01 – General Fund Revenue Budgets 2000/2001 (Revised), 2001/2002 (Original) & Capital Plan

as he had a relative who was employed at Parkside Pools.

01/3 PETITION

The following petition, signed by 589 Cambridge residents, has been received:

We, the undersigned are extremely concerned that the proposed cuts of key management posts at Cambridge Parkside pools will lead to a reduction in service at this flagship facility. We call upon Full Council to abandon these staffing cuts and invest in swimming in Cambridge for everybody’s good.

Christine Dawkins and Martin Ballard spoke to the petition and responded to questions from members of the Council.

01/4 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

No members of the public wished to address the Council..

01/5 MINUTES PRESENTED BY COMMITTEES FOR ADOPTION

The Council considered the recommendations of the City Board meeting held on 29 January 2001 and the Property and Administration Subcommittee meeting held on 16 January 2001.

01/A/1 General Fund Revenue Budgets 2000/2001 (Revised), 2001/2002 (Original) & Capital Plan

Councillor Bagnall proposed and Councillor Bradnack seconded the amendment set out in Annex 1 to these minutes.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was lost by 13 votes to 23.

Councillor Bagnall proposed and Councillor Talbot seconded the following amendment:

“To continue to pay for estate rangers from the General Fund, making a £60,000 less contribution to reserves in 2001/02, and appropriate adjustments to reserves in future years. And to use the £60,000 in the HRA thus liberated to pay for improved services to residents in sheltered schemes”

On being put to the vote, the amendment was lost by 15 votes to 22.

Resolved ( by 23 votes to 12)

in relation to the General Fund

1) to approve the overall revised budget of £19,942,920 for 2000/01;

2) to approve the following revenue budgets of committees and sub-committees for 2001/2002, incorporating the Priority Policy Fund (PPF), Priority Development Programme (PDP) Exit Fund and revenue development bids, savings and review of charges approved by committees and the Board:

	2001/02 £
City Board	2,501,880
Community Development & Leisure	9,237,940
Environment	5,135,210
Housing & Health (General Fund)	2,586,700
Property & Administration	113,770
	19,575,500

Asset Management Revenue Account	(5,488,620)
Minimum Revenue Provision	(869,910)
Contribution to Capital Spending	1,600,000
Employee National Insurance	(74,150)
Single Status/Job Evaluation	123,940
JNC salary review	135,120
New IT contract savings	(115,840)
Contributions to Technology Investment Fund	155,000
Spending Requirement	15,041,040

Spending Limit	14,872,740

Contribution from Reserves	168,300

3) that the total level of net General Fund spending in 2001/2002 be £15,041,040 with a contribution from Reserves of £168,300.

4) that it be noted that at its meeting on 7^th December 2000 the Council calculated the amount of 35,707 as its Council Tax Base for the year 2001/2002 in accordance with regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 made under Section 33(5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992;

5) that the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2001/2002 in accordance with Sections 32 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

(a) £78,967,510 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for items set out in Section 32(2)(a) to (e) of the Act [the Council's gross expenditure including a contribution to Reserves for 2001/2002]

(b) £64,094,770 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 32(3)(a) to (c) of the Act [gross income]

(c) £14,872,740 being the amount by which the aggregate at (a) exceeds the aggregate at (b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 32(4) of the Act, as its budget requirement for the year [net expenditure]

(d) £10,802,150 being the aggregate of the sums which the Council estimates will be payable for the year into its general fund in respect of redistributed non-domestic rates and revenue support grant, reduced by the amount of any sum which the Council estimates will be transferred from its General Fund to its Collection Fund in accordance with section 97(4) of the Local Government Finance Act 1998 [Council Tax Deficit] and increased by the amount of any sum which the Council estimates will be transferred from its Collection Fund to its General Fund pursuant to the Collection Fund (Community Charges) Directions under Section 98 (4) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 [Community Charge surplus].

(e) £114.00 being the amount at (c) above less the amount at (d) above, all divided by the amount at (4) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 33(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year.

(f)

BAND

A

76.00

88.67

101.33

114.00

E

139.33

164.67

190.00

228.00

being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at (e) above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation band D, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different valuation bands [Council Tax relating to the City Council's expenditure].

6) that it be noted that at its meeting on 14 February the Cambridgeshire Police Authority had approved, and at its meeting on 13 February Cambridgeshire County Council had approved, the following amounts in precepts to be issued to the City Council for the year 2001/2002, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each of the categories of the dwellings shown below:

BAND	County Council £	Police Authority £
A	445.38	45.36
B	519.61	52.92
C	593.84	60.48
D	668.07	68.04
E	816.53	83.16
F	964.99	98.28
G	1,113.45	113.40
H	1,336.14	136.08

7) that, having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at 5(f) and 6 above, the Council, in accordance with Section 30(2) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the following amounts as the amounts of Council Tax for the year 2001/2002 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:

BAND	£
A	566.74
B	661.20
C	755.65
D	850.11
E	1,039.02
F	1,227.94
G	1,416.85
H	1,700.22

8) that all necessary steps be taken to collect and recover the Council Tax;

9) that Appendix L of the report of the Director of Finance be noted and, for the purpose of Section 45 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, the Council make the following determinations for the financial year 2001/2002:

(a) overall borrowing limit: £55,000,000

(b) short term borrowing limit: £40,000,000

10) Also in Appendix M, Council approve the lending list additions and deletions.

in relation to the Capital Plan

11) To include the bids in the attached appendix for funding within the Capital Plan and Housing Investment Programme and agree to re-phase the Capital Plan to take account of these bids.

01/A/2 The Local Government Act 2000 – New Political Management Arrangements

Resolved that (by 23 votes to 0) the Leader and Cabinet be the Council’s preferred option for the new executive arrangements.

01/B/1 Grants: Delegations To Officers

Resolved (unanimously) that the General Scheme of Delegations be amended to allow the level of grant which can be allocated by officers to be increased from £500 to £1,000. (Appendix D to Standing Orders, part A, paragraph 1(a) refers.)

01/6 ORAL QUESTIONS

Subject	Question By	Answer By
Provision for the homeless through third party organisations	Councillor Howell	Councillor Nimmo-Smith
Changes in the budget for Environmental Improvements	Councillor Callaghan	Councillor Harrison
Swimming pool budget for 2001/2002	Councillor Stuart	Councillor J Rosenstiel
Bins on Kings Parade	Councillor Gilchrist	Councillor Harrison
Essential car users	Councillor Douglas	Councillor Howarth
Free swimming for young people after school at Parkside Pools	Councillor Reed	Councillor J Rosenstiel
Encouraging children to take more exercise	Councillor Ellis-Miller	Councillor J Rosenstiel
Development at Clay Farm	Councillor Douglas	Councillor Harrison

01/7 MOTION: NATIONAL HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY

Councillor Reed proposed and Councillor C Rosenstiel seconded the following motion:

A. The Council wishes to express its sincere thanks to the representatives from the Jewish community, to survivors of the holocaust and their relatives and to Classworks Theatre Co., in particular Jenny Culank, for their major contribution to making the first National Holocaust Memorial Day such a memorable and challenging event in Cambridge.

B. The Council endorses the Holocaust Memorial Day Statement of Commitment and resolves to work with Jewish residents and the wider community in planning how to mark the National Holocaust Memorial Day in future years.

C. The council requests officers to report to the Community Development and Leisure Committee on ways of commemorating this event in the future.

Under Standing Order 7 it was agreed to deal with the motion at the meeting.

Resolved (unanimously) that the Council

1) expresses its sincere thanks to the representatives from the Jewish community, to survivors of the holocaust and their relatives and to Classworks Theatre Co., in particular Jenny Culank, for their major contribution to making the first National Holocaust Memorial Day such a memorable and challenging event in Cambridge.

2) endorses the Holocaust Memorial Day Statement of Commitment (the text of which is appended to these minutes) and works with Jewish residents and the wider community in planning how to mark the National Holocaust Memorial Day in future years.

3) requests officers to report to the Community Development and Leisure Committee on ways of commemorating this event in the future.

01/8 MOTION: Annual StatementS to Council in April

Councillor Howarth proposed and Councillor Nimmo-Smith seconded the following motion:

A. That, for this year, the provision in Standing Orders for group leaders to present a preview of their Annual Statement to Council in April be suspended. This will not affect the presentation of Annual Statements at the annual Council meeting in May this year. (Standing Order 4 (1) (j) and the Scheme at Appendix (i) refer.)

B. That the future of Annual Statements be reviewed as part of drawing up the new political management arrangements.”

Under Standing Order 7 it was agreed to deal with the motion at the meeting.

Resolved (unanimously) that the Council

1) suspend for this year the provision in Standing Orders for group leaders to present a preview of their Annual Statement to Council in April, noting that this would not affect the presentation of Annual Statements at the annual Council meeting in May this year. (Standing Order 4 (1) (j) and the Scheme at Appendix (i) refer.)

2) review the future of Annual Statements as part of drawing up the new political management arrangements.

01/9 MOTION: affirmation of responsibilities and obligations to and of the people of the City

Councillors Douglas proposed and Councillor Stuart seconded the following motion:

“This Council recognises its responsibilities and obligations to the people of our City and seeks to secure a safe, sustainable and pleasant environment for all members of this society. It recognises the contributions of many private individuals and organisations in many ways, large and small. It calls on all the people of Cambridge to reaffirm their responsibilities and obligations as citizens to the well-being of our City.”

Under Standing Order 7 it was agreed to deal with the motion at the meeting.

Under Standing Order 7 the Council resolved to continue the meeting beyond 10.30pm.

Resolved (by 31 votes to 0) that the Council recognises its responsibilities and obligations to the people of the City and seeks to secure a safe, sustainable and pleasant environment for all members of society. It recognises the contributions of many private individuals and organisations in many ways, large and small. It calls on all the people of Cambridge to reaffirm their responsibilities and obligations as citizens to the well-being of our City.

01/10 RECEption OF MINUTES

The minutes of committees were presented for the information of the Council.

01/11 NOTIFICATION OF SEALING

The Council received notification from the Head of Legal and Democratic Services of the sealing of documents listed in the Council’s Sealing Register as having been sealed between 8 December 2000 and 15 February 2001

MAYOR

ANNEX 1

City Board Adoption Minute 01/A/1: General Fund Revenue Budgets 2000/2001 (Revised), 2001/2001 (Original) & Capital Plan

Amendment proposed by Councillor Bagnall and seconded by Councillor Bradnack

1) General Fund:

That changes are made to the Committee Revenue Budgets as detailed in Appendix A including that there is no change to the Council Tax at Band D from the current level of £115.14.

2) Capital Plan:

That changes are made to the Capital Plan as detailed in Appendix B.

3) That recommendations (1) to (11) of City Board be deleted and replaced by the following:

[The changes are indicated by bold typeface in italics and deletions are shown as struck through]. [The net effect on the General Fund, Reserves and Capital Funding Availability is shown in Appendices C, D and E respectively].

(1) to approve the overall revised budget of £19,942,920 for 2000/01;

(2) to approve the following revenue budgets of committees and sub-committees for 2001/2002, incorporating the Priority Policy Fund (PPF), Priority Development Programme (PDP) Exit Fund and revenue development bids, savings and review of charges approved by committees and the Board:

	2001/02 £
City Board	*2,524,880*
Community Development & Leisure	*9,493,410*
Environment	*5,007,260*
Housing & Health (General Fund)	*2,646,700*
Property & Administration	*149,770*
	*19,822,020*

Asset Management Revenue Account	(5,488,620)
Minimum Revenue Provision	(869,910)
Contribution to Capital Spending	*1,400,000*
Employee National Insurance	(74,150)
Single Status/Job Evaluation	123,940
JNC salary review	135,120
New IT contract savings	(115,840)
Contributions to Technology Investment Fund	155,000
Spending Requirement	*15,087,560*

Spending Limit	*14,913,450*

Contribution from Reserves	*174,110*

(3) that the total level of net General Fund spending in 2001/2002 be £15,087,560 with a contribution from Reserves of £174,110.

(4) that it be noted that at its meeting on 7^th December 2000 the Council calculated the amount of 35,707 as its Council Tax Base for the year 2001/2002 in accordance with regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 made under Section 33(5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992;

(5) that the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2001/2002 in accordance with Sections 32 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

(a) £79,009,030 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for items set out in Section 32(2)(a) to (e) of the Act [the Council's gross expenditure including a contribution to Reserves for 2001/2002]

(b) £64,095,580 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 32(3)(a) to (c) of the Act [gross income]

(c) £14,913,450 being the amount by which the aggregate at (a) exceeds the aggregate at (b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 32(4) of the Act, as its budget requirement for the year [net expenditure]

(e) £115.14 being the amount at (c) above less the amount at (d) above, all divided by the amount at (4) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 33(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year.

(f)

BAND

A

76.76

89.55

102.35

115.14

E

140.73

166.31

191.90

230.28

(6) that it be noted that at its meeting on 14 February the Cambridgeshire Police Authority is likely to approve, and at its meeting on 13 February Cambridgeshire County Council is likely to approve, the following amounts in precepts to be issued to the City Council for the year 2001/2002, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each of the categories of the dwellings shown below:

BAND	County Council £	Police Authority £
A	445.38	45.36
B	519.61	52.92
C	593.84	60.48
D	668.07	68.04
E	816.53	83.16
F	964.99	98.28
G	1,113.45	113.40
H	1,336.14	136.08

(7) that, having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at 5(f) and 6 above, and subject to the County Council and Police Authority setting their precepts at the levels given in 6 above, the Council, in accordance with Section 30(2) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the following amounts as the amounts of Council Tax for the year 2001/2002 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:

BAND	£
A	*567.50*
B	*662.08*
C	*756.67*
D	*851.25*
E	*1,040.42*
F	*1,229.58*
G	*1,418.75*
H	*1,702.50*

(8) that all necessary steps be taken to collect and recover the Council Tax;

(9) that Appendix L of the report of the Director of Finance be noted and, for the purpose of Section 45 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, the Council make the following determinations for the financial year 2001/2002:

(a) overall borrowing limit: £55,000,000

(b) short term borrowing limit: £40,000,000

(10) Also in Appendix M, Council approve the lending list additions and deletions.

in relation to the Capital Plan (by 7 votes to 4)

(11) To include the bids in the Council agenda ~~attached~~ appendix * with the addition of restoring Neighbourhood Community Planning, as per the attached appendix B, for funding within the Capital Plan and Housing Investment Programme and agree to re-phase the Capital Plan to take account of these bids.

* i.e. the Appendix in the Council Agenda.

Minute 01/7 refers Appendix 1

Holocaust Memorial Day

Remembering Genocides: Lessons for the Future

STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT

1. We recognise that the Holocaust shook the foundations of modern civilisation. Its unprecedented character and horror will always hold universal meaning.

2. We believe the Holocaust must have a permanent place in our nation's collective memory. We honour the survivors still with us, and reaffirm our shared goals of mutual understanding and justice.

3. We must make sure that future generations understand the causes of the Holocaust and reflect upon its consequences. We vow to remember the victims of Nazi persecution and of all genocide.

4. We value the sacrifices of those who have risked their lives to protect or rescue victims, as a touchstone of the human capacity for good in the face of evil.

5. We recognise that humanity is still scarred by the belief that race, religion, disability or sexuality make some people's lives worth less than others'. Genocide, antisemitism, racism, xenophobia and discrimination still continue. We have a shared responsibility to fight these evils.

6. We pledge to strengthen our efforts to promote education and research about the Holocaust and other genocide. We will do our utmost to make sure that the lessons of such events are fully learnt.

7. We will continue to encourage Holocaust remembrance by holding an annual UK Holocaust Memorial Day. We condemn the evils of prejudice, discrimination and racism. We value a free, tolerant, and democratic society.

(Home Office, Race Equality Unit - 25 September 2000)

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