To approve as a correct record for signature by the Mayor as Chair of the Council, the Minutes of the following meetings:

That the Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting of the Council held on 4 January 2023 and the Meeting of the Council held on 25 January 2023, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To receive any announcements from the Mayor, Leader of the Council, Members of the Executive, Chairs of Scrutiny Committees and the Head of Paid Service.

(a)       His Majesty The King’s New Year’s Honours

The Mayor took the opportunity to recognise those residents named in His Majesty the King's New Year’s Honours List, namely:

Professor Linda Joyce Merrick of Altrincham awarded the citation of Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to Music in Higher Education;

Professor Mohamed Pourkashanian of Bowdon awarded the citation of Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services to Net Zero Research and to Innovation;

Mr Charles Frederick Banks of Urmston awarded the citation of Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to People with Disabilities in Greater Manchester and North-West England;

Mrs. Gwynneth Bellman of Hale awarded the MBE for services to the Administration of Justice and to the community in Manchester;

Miss Jade Bridget Clarke of Partington awarded the MBE for services to Netball;

Mrs. Shelly Jayne Quinton-Hulme of Stretford awarded the MBE for services to the community in Stretford;

Professor Charlotte Anne Skitterall of Altrincham awarded the MBE for services to Pharmacy; and

Mr. Mark Smallwood awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the community in Greater Manchester during Covid-19.

The Council joined with the Mayor to convey congratulations for their achievements and richly deserved recognition.

(b)       Manchester United Stadium Scrutiny Task and Finish Group

Councillor Acton, Chair of Scrutiny Committee was pleased to inform Members that a task and finish group had been established specifically to consider the experiences of residents living in the shadow of Manchester United’s Stadium which was being chaired by local Councillor Walsh. It was the first exercise of this type and an initial survey was to date approaching 500 responses, the highest return since the Council had started to use Citizens Space surveys. The task and finish group would be considering the responses at its next meeting.

·         To consider and adopt the resolutions contained the joint reports of the Executive Member for Finance and Governance and the Director of Finance and Systems, presented to the Executive on 15 February 2023 and set out (a) - (d) below.

•         To set and approve the Council Tax Requirement for the District for the year beginning 1 April 2023, in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended.

•         To set and approve, in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended, the amounts as the amounts of the Council Tax for the year 2023/2024 for each of the categories of dwellings included in the respective valuation bands A to H.

(Note: PROCEDURAL ARRANGEMENTS - In respect of the main item of business on the agenda, the Mayor announced that the Leader of the Council (or his nominee) would have a maximum of 15 minutes to make the initial speech and a further maximum of 15 minutes to summarise the debate. The Leader of the Main Opposition Group (or her nominee) would have a maximum of 15 minutes, whereas, the Leaders of the Minority Opposition Groups (or their respective nominees) would each have a maximum of 10 minutes to make their initial speeches. Each Opposition Group Leader (or their respective nominees) would each have a further maximum of 5 minutes to summarise on behalf of their respective Groups. Time for all other speeches would be restricted to a maximum of 3 minutes.)

The Leader of the Council and portfolio holder for Finance and Governance presented a number of reports setting out the proposed budget for the forthcoming year which had been recommended by the Executive at its meeting held earlier that evening.

It was moved and seconded that the Executive’s recommendations set out in each of the following reports be approved:

(a)       Executive’s Revenue Budget Proposals 2023/24 and Medium Term Financial Strategy 2024/25 – 2025/26;

(b)       Capital Strategy, Asset Investment Strategy, Capital Programme and Prudential and Local Indicators 2023-2026;

(c)       Treasury Management Strategy 2023/24 – 2025/26; and

(d)       Fees, Charges and Allowances 2023/24,

and that the Council sets and approves the amounts as the amounts of the Council Tax for the year 2023/2024, in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended, for each of the categories of dwellings included in the respective valuation bands A to H.

Responding to the Motion, Councillor Morgan responded on behalf of the Conservative Group, Councillor Newgrosh responded on behalf of the Liberal Democrats Group and Councillor Jerrome responded on behalf of the Green Party Group, following which the budget proposals were debated..

In accordance with procedures agreed at the outset of the debate, the Political Group Leaders summarised the essential views of their respective group and responded to some of the issues that had arisen from the debate.

The Motion was then put to a recorded vote, in accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014. The result was as follows:

Those in favour of the substantive Motion: Councillors Acton, Adshead, Axford, Bennett, Brotherton, G. Carter, K. Carter, Freeman, Gilbert, Harding, Hartley, Hassan, Haughey, Hornby, Hynes, Jarman, Jones, Maitland, O’Sullivan, Patel, K. Procter, S. Procter, Ross, Slater, Taylor, Thomas, Thompson, Walsh, D. Western, Whitham, Whyte, Williams, Winstanley and Wright.

Those against the substantive Motion: Councillors Miss Blackburn, Brophy, Butt, Chalkin, Coggins, Duncan, Ennis, Frass, Holden, Jerrome, Minnis, Morgan, Myers, Newgrosh, Welton, Whetton, Mrs. Young and Zhi.

With the result of the vote being 34 in favour and 18 against, with 0 abstentions and the Mayor choosing not to vote, the Motion was declared carried.

        RESOLVED:

(1)       That the Council:

a)     Approves the 2023/24 net Revenue Budget of £209.38 million.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing and Equalities, following a referral from Employment Committee on 6 February 2023.

Further to a recommendation from Employment Committee on 6 February 2023, the Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing and Equalities submitted a report advising that as the current postholder had indicated her intention to retire that year, a pay benchmarking exercise for salary levels of Directors of Public Health had been undertaken with local authorities across Greater Manchester that informed the recommendations which were now before the Council.

RESOLVED –

(1)       That the uplift of the salary for the Director of Public Health post, up to £105,000, as recommended by Employment Committee in recognition of pay comparisons across Greater Manchester, be approved by the Council.

(2)       That the recruitment arrangements in progress with the Faculty of Public Health, be noted.

(3)       That the Council thanks Eleanor Roaf for all her exemplary work and formally recognises her exceptional performance as Trafford’s Director of Public Health.