The Lord Mayor invited those present to observe a minute’s silence in memory of former councillor and Lord Mayor, Harry Lyons.

Harry Lyons was elected to serve Blackley Ward and later Higher Blackley Ward between 1996 to 2015 and served as Lord Mayor in 2011/ 2012.

To allow members an opportunity to declare any personal, prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interest they might have in any items which appear on this agenda; and record any items from which they are precluded from voting as a result of Council Tax or Council rent arrears. Members with a personal interest should declare that at the start of the item under consideration. If members also have a prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interest they must withdraw from the meeting during the consideration of the item

No interests were declared regarding any of the business contained in the Council Summons.

To submit for approval the minutes of the meeting held on 5 February 2025

The Minutes of the meeting held on 5 February 2025 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Lord Mayor.

The Council met to consider and set the 2025/26 budget, Council Tax resolution for 2025/26 and Collection Fund budget for 2025/26.  In doing so, the proceedings of the Art Galleries Committee on 19 February 2025, which provided details of the Art Galleries budget for 2025/26 were submitted for approval. In addition, the part proceedings of the Executive on 19 February 2025 were submitted for approval, which contained details on the following:

·       Revenue Monitoring P9

·       Capital Programme Monitoring - P9

·       Medium Term Financial Strategy and 2025/26 Revenue Budget

·       Corporate Core Directorate Budget 2025/26

·       Children and Education Services Budget 2025/26

·       Public Health Budget 2025-2028

·       Adult Social Care Directorate Budget 2025-28 

·       Neighbourhoods Directorate Budget 2025/26 - Part 1

·       Neighbourhood Services Budget 2025-28 - Part 2

·       Growth and Development Directorate Budget 2025/26

·       Dedicated Schools Grant 2025/26

·       Housing Revenue Account 2025/26 to 2027/28

·       Capital Strategy and Budget 2024/25 to 2026/27

·       Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2025/26

·       Budget Equality and Poverty Impact Assessments

·       Budget consultation results 2025/26

The Council also considered:-

·       Details of proposed budget amendment;

·       The Council Tax Resolution 2024/25.

In addition, the Council received the minutes of the Resources and Governance Scrutiny Committee on 26 February 2025, that considered the Budget Report 2025-2026.

The Lord Mayor provided Council with an explanation of the process to be followed at the meeting to consider and vote on the two amendments received and to then consider the documents submitted and in doing so, to set the Council’s budget for 2025/26 by a named electronic vote.

Councillor Bridges moved the proceedings of the Art Galleries Committee held on 19 February 2025 and Councillor Craig moved the part proceedings of the Executive, both held on 19 February 2025.

Councillor Craig then moved the Revenue and Capital Budgets, and the recommendations as detailed in the reports submitted, this was seconded by Councillor Akbar. Councillor Akbar then presented his budget statement for 2025/26 to Council.

Councillor Kilpatrick presented the Opposition budget statement for 2025/26.

The Council then considered amendments to the Council Budget 2025/26.

The two amendments submitted to the budget were proposed by Councillor Leech were seconded by Councillor Northwood, as follows:.

Proposed amendment 1:

‘In order to support the least well-off Manchester Council Taxpayers during the

continuing cost of living crisis, the following proposals to the Council Tax

Support Scheme as follows:

·       ‘To allocate a one-off budget of £785,000 to enable the Council to deliver a £25 cost of living payment to provide a winter fuel top up payment to the 31,400 working age households in receipt of the maximum level of council tax support, to be funded through the use of £400,000 from the HFS7 contingency and £385,000 from a transfer from the General Fund Reserve.’ 

The Lord Mayor put the amendment to the vote. The outcome was recorded as follows:

For the amendment (7)

Councillors:

Good, Johnson Kilpatrick, Leech, Northwood, Nunney and Wiest

Against the amendment (80)

Councillors:

  Grimshaw, Akbar, Azra Ali, Ahmed Ali, Nasrin Ali, Shaukat Ali, Amin, Appleby, Bano, E Bell, L Bell, Benham, Bridges, Butt,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.