Agenda and minutes

To appoint a relief Chairman.

1.1      It was moved by the Lord Mayor and seconded by Councillor Paul Swaddle that Councillor Lindsey Hall be elected as Relief Chairman.

1.2      Motion put, and on a show of hands, declared CARRIED.

To sign the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council meeting held on 22 January 2020.

2.        RESOLVED: The minutes of the proceedings at the Council meeting on Wednesday 22 January 2020 were, with the assent of the Members present, signed by the Lord Mayor as a true record of the proceedings.

3.1      There were none.

4.1      There were no statements on urgent matters.

To receive and consider the following Cabinet report: 10 February 2020

(a)      Appendix 1 - Business and Financial Planning 2020-2021 to 2022-2023

           Report

(b)      Appendix 2 - Capital Strategy Report 2020-2021 to 2024-2025, Forecast position for 2019-2020 and Future Years’ summarised up to 2033-34

            Report

            Capital Programme by ELT Portfolio

(c)      Appendix 3 - Housing Revenue Account Business Plan 2020-2021 and 30 Year Housing Investment Plan

            Report

(d)      Appendix 4 - Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2020-2021 to           2024-2025

           Report

(e)      Appendix 5 - Integrated Investment Framework 2020-2021

           Report

(f)       Appendix 6 - Pay Policy: 2020-2021

           Report

           Pay Policy

5.1      The report of the Cabinet on 10^th February 2020 was submitted.          Paragraphs 1-6 were considered together.

5.2      Councillor Rachael Robathan spoke in favour of the recommendations set out in the Cabinet report which was seconded by Councillor Melvyn Caplan.

5.3      Following debate, to which Councillor Robathan replied, the Lord Mayor put the amendment to the recommendations in paragraph 1 of the Cabinet report moved by Councillor Adam Hug and seconded by Councillor David Boothroyd to a vote and on a show of hands there voted:

           For amendment one: Councillors Barraclough, Begum, Boothroyd, Butler-Thalassis, Carman, Dimoldenberg, Hug, Less, Lewis, Mann, McAllister, McKie, Noble, Roca, Talukder and Taouzzale.

           Against amendment one:  Councillors Acton, Adams, Arzymanow, Barnes, Bott, Caplan, Chalkley, Dean, Devenish, Flight, Freeman, Gassanly, Glanz, Glen, Green, Hall, Angela Harvey, David Harvey, Hitchcock, Hyams, Mitchell, Mohindra, Murphy, Payne, Rigby, Robathan, Rowley, Scarborough, Shearer, Short, Smith, Spencer, Swaddle, Warner and Wilkinson.

           Absence or not voting:  The Lord Mayor and Councillors Aiken, Beddoe, Burbridge, Bright, Cox, Elcho, Qureshi and Toki.

5.4      The Lord Mayor declared amendment one to be LOST.

5.5      The Lord Mayor advised that the voting was on the unamended recommendations in paragraph 1 of the Cabinet report 2020-2021.  The Lord Mayor put the recommendations of the Cabinet in paragraph 1 to the vote and on a show of hands there voted:

           For the recommendations:  Councillors Acton, Adams, Arzymanow, Barnes, Bott, Caplan, Chalkley, Dean, Devenish, Flight, Freeman, Gassanly, Glanz, Glen, Green, Hall, Angela Harvey, David Harvey, Hitchcock, Hyams, Mitchell, Mohindra, Murphy, Payne, Rigby, Robathan, Rowley, Scarborough, Shearer, Short, Smith, Spencer, Swaddle, Warner and Wilkinson.

           Against the recommendations: Councillors Barraclough, Begum, Boothroyd, Butler-Thalassis, Carman, Dimoldenberg, Hug, Less, Lewis, Mann, McAllister, McKie, Noble, Roca, Talukder and Taouzzale.

Absence or not voting:  The Lord Mayor and Councillors Aiken, Beddoe, Burbridge, Bright, Cox, Elcho, Qureshi and Toki.

5.6      The Lord Mayor declared the recommendations in paragraph 1 of the Cabinet report ADOPTED.

           RESOLVED:

           City for All

1.        That the City for All plan priorities set out in Appendix 1 to the report be noted and approved.

           Council Tax

2.       That the council tax for a Band D property be agreed at £448.21 for 2020/21, an increase of £8.67 (2.00%) for the Adult Social Care precept and £6.20 (1.43%) for general purposes;

3.       That, subject to 2) above, the council tax for the City of Westminster, excluding the Montpelier Square area and Queen’s Park Community Council, for the year ending 31 March 2021, be as specified in the Council Tax Resolution in Appendix H of Appendix 1. That the Precepts and Special Expenses be as also specified in Appendix H to Appendix 1 for properties in Montpelier Square and the Queen’s Park Community Council;

4.       That the formal resolution for 2020/21 attached at appendix H to Appendix 1 including the council tax requirement of £59.477m be agreed;

5.        That the proposed Greater London Authority precept (Band D) of £332.07 comprising of an increase of £10.00 for the Police element and a further £1.56 for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Members’ Allowances Scheme 2020-2021

The Lord Mayor put the recommendations in paragraph 1 of the General Purposes Committee report to the vote and on a show of hands declared the recommendation adopted.

RESOLVED:

1.        Agreed that the Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2020-2021 set out in Appendix 1 to the report from 1 April 2020 subject to the amendment that both deputy leaders of the minority party be eligible to receive the associated allowance for the post.

2.        Agreed that the Members’ Allowances (Basis and SRA) for 2020-2021 be increased further in line with any salary increase for Council staff that may be agreed above 2% by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services. 

Constitutional Issues: Reduction in the number of Policy and Scrutiny Committees

The Lord Mayor put the recommendation in paragraph 2 of the General Purposes Committee report to the vote and on a show of hands declared the recommendation adopted.

RESOLVED:

1.        Agreed to the reorganisation of the Policy and Scrutiny Committees, which includes reducing them in number from 5 to 4, with the same proportionality and allocation of seats as set out in Appendix 2 to the report.

2.        Agreed to reduce the membership of the Westminster Scrutiny Commission by one majority party seat to reflect the reduction in the number of Committee chairmen.

3.        Authorised officers to adjust the terms of reference and names of the Policy and Scrutiny Committees to reflect the changes in the Cabinet Member reporting lines as shown in Appendix 2 to the report.