By Don Mort, local democracy reporter
Leeds City Council is set to go ahead with the sale of the Lord Mayor’s official car number plate, thought to be worth £500,000.
The civic plate, which bears the number U1, has been owned by the authority for around 120 years.
Calls have been made for a public consultation on the proposed sale, which would help the Labour-controlled council plug a multi-million pound budget gap.
A council report said: “Advice was taken from relevant officers as to whether wider public consultation was necessary.
“Their view was that it was not required given the public impact of any decision would be very low.”
The U1 plate is said to be the first ever bought in Leeds after the Motor Car Act was passed in 1903.
The report said the Lord Mayor, council leader and chief executive were among those asked for their views on the sale.
Alan Lamb, leader of the city’s Conservative group, called for a wider public consultation, citing the plate’s historical significance.
The council said decisions to sell assets were not taken lightly.
The report said: “The proposal would enable the net proceeds of the disposal to be used to contribute positively to the substantial, long standing and on-going financial challenge the council is facing.
“Formal consultation has taken place with those persons that have the most direct interest in the proposal to dispose of the Cherished Plate, including the most appropriate members of the executive board.”
The sale is classed as a “key decision” by the council, with a financial impact of more than £500,000.
The report said: “Research indicates that the value of the U1 plate may be substantial and potentially may exceed the key decision threshold.”
The council faces rising costs in services, including adult social care, while central Government has under-funded councils over the past 15 years.
WLD is following ongoing council cuts, closures and building sales in our Cutswatch series of articles.
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Now use the funds raised from the car plate to keep Abbey House Museum in Kirkstall open for a few more years.
Why the hell do the tories want to waste time/money on a public consultation – it’s a numberplate? The tories are the first to complain about Council cuts, but then want to delay the council raising extra funds.
This was a gift to the city. Part of our history. Not for a Labour council to go flogging it off. It should not be allowed to end up in private hands. Suggest cuts to councillors expenses if they want to save money long term.