Agenda item

Council is asked to approve the recommendations set out on page xx.

Moved by the City Mayor, seconded by Councillor Cassidy

 

That Council:

 

1)         Thanks the Overview Select Committee for their comments on our draft budget, which are attached to the report in the agenda pack.

 

2)         Notes the comments made in the City Mayor’s Recommendation to Council Notice published on 21 February 2024 and attached as Appendix D to this script;

 

3)         Approve the recommendations for the Capital Programme 2024/25 in paragraph 2 of the report at Item 2c in the agenda pack, including the City Mayor’s recommendations, which are attached as Appendix D to this script

 

AMENDMENT

 

Moved by Councillor Osman under the name of Councillor Bajaj, seconded by Councillor Kitterick.

 

(a)  To amend the Mayor’s capital budget proposals as follows:

·         To add £2,000k for Neighbourhood Regeneration as a policy provision to be funded by a reduction of the 12-20 Cank Street budget £2,000k in the current programme.  

 

·         To add £3,000k for Flood Remediation Works as a policy provision to be funded by a reduction of £500k in the current programme for Connecting Leicester and the removal of £2,500k contingency proposed in the 2024/25 programme. 

 

(b)  To note the Director of Finance’s advice attached.

 

Attachment

Advice of Director of Finance

When reducing the capital programme there is the potential to have an impact on the remaining scheme or the delivery of a service.  Some of the potential risks of the proposed schemes are listed below:

·         The capacity of teams to deliver the additional schemes proposed.

·         Having a reduced programme contingency may result in schemes having to be reduced or aborted if actual costs exceed the budget.  If the adventure playground and this amendment are approved, there would be no programme contingency left.

·         Flood works may not be our responsibility so would require working with partner organisations.

·         Cuts to Connecting Leicester may lead to schemes that are already promised not being delivered.

·         The reduction to the 12-20 Cank Street is so significant that it is likely to mean the scheme cannot be delivered.

Furthermore, it should be noted that:

-          Capital Programme contains provision for releasing policy provisions. 

Following the debate, the Lord Mayor put the amendment to the vote.

 

Under Council Procedure Rule 29 of the Council’s Constitution, three Councillors requested a recorded vote.

 

For the amendment:

Councillors Bajaj, Barnes, Cank, Chauhan, Dave, Gregg, Joshi, Karavadra, Kennedy-Lount, Kitterick, Mahesh, Orton, Osman, Porter, Rae Bhatia, Sahu, Singh Patel, Westley

 

Against the amendment:

Councillors Aldred, Barton, Batool, Bonham, Cassidy, Clarke, Cole, Cutkelvin, Dawood, Dempster, Halford, Kaur Saini, Malik, Mohammed, Moore, O’Neill, Pantling, Pickering, Russell, Singh Johal, Singh Sangha, Sood, Soulsby (City Mayor), Surti, Waddington, Whittle, Zaman

 

The Lord Mayor declared that the amendment was lost.

 

AMENDMENT

 

Moved by Councillor Kitterick, seconded by Councillor Porter

 

(a) To amend the Mayor’s capital budget proposals as follows:

·         To add £750k to the capital programme as an immediate start for Connecting Neighbourhoods to be funded by a reduction in the current programme for Connecting Leicester.  Schemes detailed below:

-          £500,000 for pedestrian crossing including Orwell Drive/Beaumont Way and St Barnabas Primary school

-          £100,000 residential parking schemes including Buswells Lodge, Streets near the Merlyn Vaz Centre

-          £100,000 for benches in outer areas of Leicester

-          £50,000 for street name plates in outer areas of Leicester

 

 

·         To add £500k to the capital programme as an immediate start, Neighbourhoods and Exercise Initiatives to be funded by a reduction in the current programme for Connecting Leicester.  Schemes detailed below:

-          £50,000 for a walking track in Jesse Jackson Park Rushey Mead

-          £150,000 for the renovation of Clarendon Park Play Area

-          £150,000 for the ball Court Montrose Road South open area  

-          £150,000 for youth exercise facilities at Gilmorton

 

(b)  To note the Director of Finance’s advice attached.

 

Attachment

Advice of Director of Finance

When reducing the capital programme there is the potential to have an impact on the remaining scheme or the delivery of a service.  Some of the potential risks of the proposed schemes are listed below:

·         The capacity of teams to deliver the additional schemes proposed.

·         The schemes proposed have not been fully costed by officers, and the proposed budgets must therefore be seen as provisional.

·         Cuts to Connecting Leicester may lead to schemes that are already promised not being delivered.

Furthermore, it should be noted that:

-          Capital Programme contains provision for releasing policy provisions. 

 

Following the debate, the Lord Mayor put the amendment to the vote.

 

Under Council Procedure Rule 29 of the Council’s Constitution, three Councillors requested a recorded vote.

 

For the amendment:

Councillors Bajaj, Barnes, Cank, Chauhan, Dave, Gregg, Joshi, Karavadra, Kennedy-Lount, Kitterick, Mahesh, Orton, Osman, Porter, Rae Bhatia, Sahu, Singh Patel, Westley

 

Against the amendment:

Councillors Aldred, Barton, Batool, Bonham, Cassidy, Clarke, Cole, Cutkelvin, Dawood, Dempster, Halford, Kaur Saini, Malik, Mohammed, Moore, O’Neill, Pantling, Pickering, Russell, Singh Johal, Singh Sangha, Sood, Soulsby (City Mayor), Surti, Waddington, Whittle, Zaman

 

The Lord Mayor declared that the amendment was lost.

 

The Lord Mayor put the original motion to the vote.

 

The Lord Mayor declared that the motion was carried.