1.         To receive a presentation on the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Accreditation status for Manchester City Council.

2.         To receive a presentation on the progress of implementing the findings of the recent race review into Council workforce practices.

The Lord Mayor presented the Chief Executive, Joanne Roney with the Municipal Journal Annual Award for Local Authority Chief Executive 2021. The award is presented to leaders in the top tier of local government in recognition of outstanding leadership, innovation, determination and commitment to their organisation and communities. The Lord Mayor acknowledged the achievement in view of the challenges Manchester has faced over the recent past including the terrorist attack at Manchester Arena, Manchester’s response to Covid-19 and work to improve opportunities and skills for local people.

The Lord Mayor introduced the Director of City Centre Growth and Infrastructure, Pat Bartoli who gave a presentation to Council on the Benefits of Development. Following the presentation, the Director answered questions from Council members.

The Lord Mayor introduced the Director of Children’s Services, Paul Marshall who gave a presentation on the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Accreditation that the Council has received.Following the presentation, the Director answered questions from Council members.

The Lord Mayor introduced Michael Salmon, Policy Partnerships and research Team who gave a presentation on the progress of the implementation of the findings of the recent race review into Council workforce practices.Following the presentation, the Michael answered questions from Council members.

To submit for approval the minutes of the meeting held on 14 July 2021.

Decision

The Minutes of the meeting held on 14 July 2021 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

This Council notes:-

Universal Credit was increased by £20 a week (or £1,040 a year) in April 2020 as part of a government support package when the country first went into lockdown. This was paid to all working age residents in receipt of Universal Credit and other means tested benefits. This has continued for the last eighteen months and has had a positive impact on residents and the economy of the city.

The government has now withdrawn this additional payment from 6 October 2021. This withdrawal will have a negative impact on low-income households in the city, including those that are working, and is also expected to have an impact on discretionary budgets including the Welfare Provision Scheme and the Discretionary Housing Payment scheme.

This will have a devastating impact on residents across our city. It has been calculated that the withdrawing of the £20 per week uplift will result in a loss of approximately £4.96m per month to families across our city. This will impact an estimated 58,339 households across Manchester.

Many of these households are working households in low paid jobs who rely on Universal Credit to make ends meet on a daily basis. We are talking about carers, shop workers, cleaners the roles that got us all through the pandemic. The roles that had previously been described as low skilled became some of the most important roles in society when Covid hit.

In Manchester we have a long standing commitment to creating good jobs for Manchester residents, proudly paying the real living wage and promoting the GM Good Employment Charter. We must continue to work to create good, sustainable jobs that all Manchester people can access.

This Council moves to:

·                Call upon the Conservative Government not to scrap the £20 per week uplift in Universal Credit.

·                Call upon the Government to increase the minimum wage to the real living wage that reflects the cost of living.

·                To support our residents impacted by government changes to benefits.

·                To continue to work to ensure jobs in our city are sustainable, secure and fairly paid.

·                To continue to support our residents through training and upskilling to make sure that jobs in this City are accessible to all of our residents.

Proposed by Councillor S Judge, seconded by Councillor Taylor and also signed (via email) by Councillors Baker Smith, Newman and Russell.

Motion proposed and seconded:

This Council notes:

Universal Credit was increased by £20 a week (or £1,040 a year) in April 2020 as part of a government support package when the country first went into lockdown. This was paid to all working age residents in receipt of Universal Credit and other means tested benefits. This has continued for the last eighteen months and has had a positive impact on residents and the economy of the city. The government has now withdrawn this additional payment from 6 October 2021. This withdrawal will have a negative impact on low-income households in the city, including those that are working, and is also expected to have an impact on discretionary budgets including the Welfare Provision Scheme and the Discretionary Housing Payment scheme. This will have a devastating impact on residents across our city. It has been calculated that the withdrawing of the £20 per week uplift will result in a loss of approximately £4.96m per month to families across our city. This will impact an estimated 58,339 households across Manchester. Many of these households are working households in low paid jobs who rely on Universal Credit to make ends meet on a daily basis. We are talking about carers, shop workers, cleaners the roles that got us all through the pandemic. The roles that had previously been described as low skilled became some of the most important roles in society when Covid hit. In Manchester we have a long standing commitment to creating good jobs for Manchester residents, proudly paying the real living wage and promoting the GM Good Employment Charter. We must continue to work to create good, sustainable jobs that all Manchester people can access.

This Council moves to:

· Call upon the Conservative Government not to scrap the £20 per week uplift in Universal Credit.

· Call upon the Government to increase the minimum wage to the real living wage that reflects the cost of living.

· To support our residents impacted by government changes to benefits.

· To continue to work to ensure jobs in our city are sustainable, secure and fairly paid.

· To continue to support our residents through training and upskilling to make sure that jobs in this City are accessible to all of our residents.

Resolution

The motion was put to Council and voted on and the Lord Mayor declared that it was carried unanimously.

Decision

This Council notes:

Universal Credit was increased by £20 a week (or £1,040 a year) in April 2020 as part of a government support package when the country first went into lockdown. This was paid to all working age residents in receipt of Universal Credit and other means tested benefits. This has continued for the last eighteen months and has had a positive impact on residents and the economy of the city. The government has now withdrawn this additional payment from 6 October 2021. This withdrawal will have a negative impact on low-income households in the city, including those that are working, and is  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.

To submit the minutes of the Executive on 28 July 2021 and 15 September 2021 and in particular to consider:

Exe/21/74      Capital Programme Monitoring 2021/22

The Executive recommends that the Council approve the virement of £1.0m to the Maintenance Challenge Fund, consolidating the budget to enable priority works to be completed within the Highways Portfolio.

Exe/21/76 National Cycling Centre

To recommend that Council approves:-

·                The establishment of a capital budget of £22.456 million for the refurbishment of the Centre, funded from £20.566 million from borrowing and £1.89 million on a spend to save basis funded by joint funds held by Manchester City Council and Sport England and that Council; and

·                A virement from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme budget of £2.145 million

Exe/21/86      Capital Programme Update

Recommends that Council approve the following changes to Manchester City Council’s capital programme:

·                Children’s Services - Manchester Creative Media Arts Academy Completion Works. A capital budget increase of £0.661m, funded by borrowing.

·                Growth and Development - Manchester Equipment and Adaptations Partnership (MEAP) Relocation. A capital budget virement of £2.025m, funded by the Asset Management Programme budget.

The proceedings of the Executive on 28 July 2021 and 15 September 2021 were submitted. The Council was asked to give particular consideration to the following recommendations:

Exe/21/74 Capital Programme Update

The Executive recommends that the Council approve the virement of £1.0m to the Maintenance Challenge Fund, 17 – 42 Council consolidating the budget to enable priority works to be completed within the Highways Portfolio.

Exe/21/76 National Cycling Centre

To recommend that Council approves:-

· The establishment of a capital budget of £22.456 million for the refurbishment of the Centre, funded from £20.566 million from borrowing and £1.89 million on a spend to save basis funded by joint funds held by Manchester City Council and Sport England. 

· A virement from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme budget of £2.145 million.

Exe/21/86 Capital Programme Update

Executive recommends that Council approve the following changes to Manchester City Council’s Capital Programme:

· Children’s Services - Manchester Creative Media Arts Academy Completion Works. A capital budget increase of £0.661m, funded by borrowing.

· Growth and Development - Manchester Equipment and Adaptations Partnership (MEAP) Relocation. A capital budget virement of £2.025m, funded by the Asset Management Programme budget.

Decisions

1.    To receive the minutes of the Executive held on 28 July 2021 and 15 September 2021.

2.    To approve the virement of £1.0m to the Maintenance Challenge Fund, 17 – 42 Council consolidating the budget to enable priority works to be completed within the Highways Portfolio.

3.    To approve the establishment of a capital budget of £22.456 million for the refurbishment of the Centre, funded from £20.566 million from borrowing and £1.89 million on a spend to save basis funded by joint funds held by Manchester City Council and Sport England. 

4.    To approve virement from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme budget of £2.145 million.

5.    To approve the following changes to the Council’s Capital Programme:

· Children’s Services - Manchester Creative Media Arts Academy Completion Works. A capital budget increase of £0.661m, funded by borrowing.

· Growth and Development - Manchester Equipment and Adaptations Partnership (MEAP) Relocation. A capital budget virement of £2.025m, funded by the Asset Management Programme budget.

To receive answers to any questions that councillors have raised in accordance with Procedural Rule 23.

Councillor Rawlins responded to a question from Councillor S Judge fly tipping and the use of Trails Cams to help combat the issue.

Councillor Bridges responded to a question from Councillor Igbon regarding youth and play services within Hulme ward.

Councillor Midgley responded to a question from Councillor Flanagan regarding measures to improve the lives and safety of woman and girls in Manchester.

Councillor Rawlins responded to a question from Councillor Stanton regarding road safety and road resurfacing.

Councillor Rawlins responded to a question from Councillor Nunney regarding the Council’s strategy for litter bins outside the city centre.

Councillor White responded to a question from Councillor Nunney regarding Council support those who have lost their employment within the aviation industry, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Councillor Leese responded to a question from Councillor Nunney regarding the Council’s position on the Places for Everyone document on plans to increase passenger numbers at Manchester Airport.

Councillor Akbar responded to a question from Councillor Stanton regarding an update on work with the GMP to ensure Didsbury is a safe and inclusive community for all its residents.

Councillor Akbar responded to a question from Councillor Leech regarding a planning application at Houghend Fields.

Councillor Rawlins responded to a question from Councillor Leech regarding charges to owners of non-compliant motorcaravans and campervans as part of clean air zone proposals.

Councillor White responded to a question from Councillor Leech regarding the residency requirement to join the Manchester social housing waiting list.

Councillor Rawlins responded to a question from Councillor Leech regarding the Greater Manchester Pension Fund investments.

Councillor Akbar responded to a question from Councillor Leech regarding Greater Manchester Police.

To note the minutes of the following committees:

Communities & Equalities                    20 July 2021 and 7 September 2021

Resources & Governance                    20 July 2021 and 7 September 2021

Health                                                      21 July 2021 and 8 September 2021

Children and Young People                 21 July 2021 and 8 September 2021

Environment & Climate Change          22 July 2021 and 9 September 2021

Economy                                                 22 July 2021 and 9 September 2021

The minutes of the following Scrutiny Committee meetings were submitted:

Resources and Governance – 25 May and 22 June 2021

Health – 21 July and 8 September 2021

Children and Young People – 21 July and 8 September 2021

Environment and Climate Change – 22 July and 9 September 2021

Economy – 22 July and 9 September 2021

Communities and Equalities – 20 July and 7 September 2021

Decision

To receive those mnutes.

To submit for approval the minutes of the following meetings and consider recommendations made by the committee:

Audit                                                                27 July 2021 and 28 September 2021

Constitutional & Nomination Committee   6 October 2021 (to be tabled)

Health & Wellbeing Board                           1 September 2021

Licensing Committee                                    19 July 2021

Licensing & Appeals Committee                13 September 2021

Licensing Policy                                            16 August 2021

Planning & Highways                                   29 July 2021 and 23 September 2021                                      

The minutes of the following meetings were submitted:

Audit Committee – 27 July and 28 September 2021

Health and Wellbeing – 1 September 2021

Licensing Committee – 19 July 2021

Licensing and Appeals – 13 September 2021

Licensing Policy Committee – 16 August 2021

Planning and Highways Committee – 29 July and 23 September 2021

Constitutional and Nomination Committee – 6 October 2021

The Council was asked to give particular consideration to the following recommendations from the minutes:

CN/21/20       Membership of Council Committees

To recommend the Council to make the following changes in appointments to Committees and Boards of the Council.

CN/21/21       Appointments to Joint Authorities and Joint Committees

To recommend the Council to make the following changes in appointments to the membership of GM bodies and committees and other external bodies.

Decisions

1.    To receive those minutes submitted.

2.    To approve the changes in appointments to Committeesof the Council, as detailed above.

To approve the changes in appointments to Appointments to Joint Authorities and Joint Committees, as detailed above.

Report of the Director of City Centre Growth and Infrastructure and Director of Planning, Building Control and Licensing attached.

Due to the size of the appendices of this report, these can be viewed on line:–

https://democracy.manchester.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=135&MId=3697&Ver=4

The Council considered the report of the Director of City Centre Growth and Infrastructure and Director of Planning, Building Control and Licensing.

The report sought approval by the Council for the submission of the draft Places for Everyone Publication Plan (PfE) plan pursuant to Regulation 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. It is expected that the plan will be submitted for examination in early 2022.

Decision

To approve submission of the Places for Everyone Publication Plan 2021 and supporting background documents, to the Secretary of State for examination pursuant to Regulations 19 and 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.

The report of the City Solicitor is enclosed.

The Council considered the report of the City Solicitor on key decisions that have been taken in accordance with the urgency provisions in the Council’s Constitution.

Decision

To note the report.