City Council Minutes of a meeting of the Council held on 12 July 2006 Present: The Right Worshipful, The Lord Mayor Councillor James Ashley (In the Chair) Councillors Ali, Andrews, S. Ashley, Barnes, Barrett, Battle, Bethell, Bhatti, Boyes, Brandy, Bridges, Burns, Cameron, Carmody, Carroll, Chohan, Chowdhury, Clayton, Commons, Cooley, Cooper, Cowan, Cowell, Cox, Curley, Dobson, Donaldson, Evans, Fairweather, Fender, Firth, Flanagan, Gallagher, Grant, Green, Hackett, Hall, Harrison, Hassan, Helsby, Hitchen, Hobin, Isherwood, Jones, Judge, Kane, Karney, Keegan, Keller, A. Khan, M. Khan, Leech, Leese, Lewis, Longsden, Loughman, Lyons, McCulley, Morrison, M. Murphy, N. Murphy, P. Murphy, S. Murphy, E. Newman, S. Newman, O’Callaghan, Brian O’Neil, Pagel, Parkinson, Pearcey, Priest, Pritchard, Ramsbottom, Risby, Royle, Sandiford, Shannon, Shaw, Siddiqi, Jeff Smith, John Smith, Smitheman, Stevens, Swannick, Trotman, Walters, Watson, Wheale, and Whitmore. Honorary Aldermen Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw and Ken Franklin Also Present by invitation : Colonel Sir John Timmins, Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester CC/06/61 Urgent Business The Lord Mayor reported that he had agreed to the Minutes of the Constitutional and Nomination Committee held earlier that morning being submitted and considered as urgent business. CC/06/62 Welcome The Lord Mayor welcomed the Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester to the meeting and also a group of pupils from St John’s Primary School in Chorlton. CC/06/63 Sir Richard Leese On behalf of the whole Council The Lord Mayor extended congratulations and led a standing ovation to the Leader of the Council upon the conferment of the honour of knighthood for services to local government. Page 1 of 13 City Council The Lord Mayor also reported that he had written to congratulate three other Manchester residents who had received honours - Alan Grafton, MBE., Arthur Allen Bodgers MBE and Mrs Ruth Bannister MBE. CC/06/64 Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw The Lord Mayor welcomed Honorary Alderman Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw to the meeting. He informed the Council that Dame Kathleen was this year celebrating 50 years association with the work of the City Council since her first election as Councillor for the Rusholme Ward in 1956; 50 years in which she had been a remarkable ambassador for the City of Manchester both at home and abroad and had been recognised with civic and national honours for her many achievements. To mark this special event he invited Dame Kathleen to come forward to receive a memento to mark the occasion. Dame Kathleen then addressed the Council. CC/06/65 Energy Awards The Lord Mayor reported that Alison Hartley from Manchester Housing had been chosen by the North West region to receive an award for her outstanding work in energy conservation. Alison won this award for Manchester out of the 42 Authorities representing the North West. At the same occasion Brian Sexton from Manchester Housing was presented with only the second ever Maddock Lifetime Achievement Award for his enthusiasm in Housing and Energy over many years. The Lord Mayor then presented them each with their awards. CC/06/66 Charter Mark Award The Lord Mayor also reported that the Contracting Services Team in the Adult Services Department had been successful in being awarded the Charter Mark and he presented the award to members of the management team. CC/06/67 Terrorist attacks in Mumbai The Lord Mayor referred to the horror of the terrorist atrocity in Mumbai on 11 th July which had claimed 183 lives and injured over 700, and informed the Council that on behalf of the City he had sent a letter of condolence to the Governor of the State of Maharashtra. Page 2 of 13 City Council CC/06/68 Death of Sir Robert Calderwood With regret the Lord Mayor reported the death on 29 May of Sir Robert Calderwood at the age of 74. The Council recalled that Sir Robert served the Council with distinction as its Town Clerk and Chief Executive from 1974 until 1980 when he was appointed Chief Executive of Strathclyde Regional Council. The members of the Council, guests, and visitors to the meeting observed a respectful period of silence to his memory. CC/06/69 Minutes Decision To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 17 th May 2006. The Minutes were then signed by the Lord Mayor. CC/06/70 Levenshulme Neighbourhood Centre Motion moved – This Council notes that the Levenshulme Neighbourhood Centre is due to close it’s doors in July due to the unacceptable dangerous state of the building. Despite efforts over a long period of time to keep the building open for community use it now seems the building is in such a dangerous state that it can no longer remain open for community use at all. Council instructs the Chief Executive to urgently bring forward a report on community provision in Levenshulme and to ensure that premises are available where the Levenshulme community are able to have community use especially for young people and in particular babies and toddlers given that these facilities will cease when the centre is no longer available for use. A Procedural motion was then made to suspend Procedural Rule 13 to enable the motion to be referred to the Community Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration, at which meeting local community representatives would be able to address the Committee. The procedural motion being put, the Council divided – For the Procedural Motion (56) Councillors Andrews, Barrett, Barnes, Battle, Brandy, Burns, Carmody, Carroll, Cooley, Cooper, Cowell, Cox, Curley, Evans, Fairweather, Fender, Flanagan, Green, Hackett, Harrison, Hitchen, Hobin, Judge, Kane, Karney, Keegan, Keller, A. Khan, M. Khan, Leese, Longsden, Loughman, Lyons, McCulley, Morrison, M. Murphy, N. Murphy, P Murphy, S. Murphy, E. Newman, S. Newman, O’Callaghan, Brian O’Neil, Pagel, Priest, Pritchard Royle, Siddiqi, Jeff Smith, John Smith, Smitheman, Stevens, Swannick, Trotman, Walters and Watson. Page 3 of 13 City Council Against the Procedural Motion (30) Councillors Ali, S. Ashley, Bethell, Bhatti, Boyes, Bridges, Cameron, Chohan, Chowdhury, Clayton, Commons, Cowan, Dobson, Donaldson, Gallagher, Grant, Hall, Helsby, Isherwood, Jones, Leech, Lewis, Parkinson, Pearcey, Ramsbottom, Sandiford, Shannon, Shaw, Wheale and Whitmore. Abstention: The Lord Mayor (1) The Lord Mayor declared that the procedural Motion was CARRIED. Motion made and seconded To refer the motion to the Community Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration, at which local community representatives would be able to address the Committee. The Lord Mayor declared that the Motion was CARRIED. Decision To refer the motion to the Community Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration, at which meeting local community representatives would be able to address the Committee. CC/06/71 Proceedings of the Executive The Leader of the Council moved the recommendations of the Executive (Minutes EXE/06/106 and 107) relating to the Council’s Capital Budget. Decision 1. To note the minutes of the Executive on 31 May and 28 June 2006. 2. To make a formal determination that the following items the amounts shown below are applicable for the financial year ended 31 March 2006 - (a) expenditure for capital purposes, which is to be reimbursed by another person, has been capitalised - £114.387m (£98.185m government grant, £16.202m external contributions). (b) supported borrowing has been used as authorisation either to capitalise expenditure or to enter into or vary a credit arrangement - £46.219m. (c) usable capital receipts have been applied to meet expenditure for capital purposes - £39.690m. (d) an amount not less than the minimum revenue provision has been set aside from the revenue account as a provision for credit liabilities - £19.623m. 3. To approve the following increases in the Capital Budget - Page 4 of 13 City Council Chief Executives – Cornerhouse Redevelopment: To increase the capital budget in 2006/07 for site acquisition and relocation/disturbance costs funded from the Capital Fund and to delegate to the City Treasurer, in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance and Human Resources, authority to determine the precise amount of the project. Corporate Services – Strategic Acquisitions: To approve an increase in the capital budget by £2,000,000 in 2006/07 for investment either in direct purchase or through a Joint Venture Partner in the Victoria area, funded from the Capital Fund, and to delegate detailed approval to the Chief Executive and City Treasurer, in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance and Human Resources. Councillor Burns declared a personal interest in Minute EXE/06/114 as an honorary member of the Irish World Heritage Centre. Councilro Commons declared a personal interest in Minutes EXE/06/91 and EXE/06/92 as a supporter of Moss Care Housing Ltd Councillor Cox declared a prejudicial interest in Minute EXE/06/101 and withdrew from the meeting during consideration of this item Councillor Judge declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Minute EXE/06/78 as an employee of GMPTE and withdrew from the meeting during consideration of this item Councillor Leese declared a prejudicial interest in respect of part of Minute EXE/06/106 as a director of the Manchester Ship Canal Company and withdrew from the meeting during consideration of that part of the item Councillor P. Murphy declared a personal interest in Minute EXE/06103 as a season ticket holder at Manchester City Football Club Councillor Pagel declared a personal interest in Minute EXE/06/114 as a member of IWAC Councillor Shannon declared a prejudicial interest in Minutes EXE/06/91;92 and 93 as a Board Member of Mosscare Councillor Jeff Smith declared a prejudicial interest in Minute EXE/06/104 and withdrew from the meeting during consideration of this item Councillor Walters declared a prejudicial interest in Minutes EXE/06/91;92 and 93 as a Board Member of Mosscare CC/06/72 Questions to Executive Members In accordance with Procedural Rule 22 Councillor Swannick responded to a question from Councillor Donaldson regarding on-street residents’ parking arrangements in Lane End Road, Burnage.