Looks good to me.

I use common collector without base resistors all the time. See Figure 10.1 in LEDs, 555s, Flashers, and Light Chasers

 

haha well I have been removing reistors from all sorts of projects where i have used 2n3904 transistors and they keep working just fine. Thanks for that , nice to use less components. I see you still have a resistor on the base of the pnp transistor. I gather this is not an emitter -follower?

 

The datasheet for the CD4017 from Texas Instruments has full details for its output current. The absolute max dissipation per each output transistor is 100mW over the full package temperature range 100 degrees C). So at an ambient of only 25 degrees C then an output dissipation of 100mW is fine. only One output is turned on at a time.

They show typical and minimum graphs of output current vs supply voltage vs output voltage loss. It can drive LEDs directly without a current-limiting resistor.

For example, the typical output current into a dead short with a 10V supply is 19.5mA and then the dissipation in the output transistor is 195mW which is too high.
The typical output current into a 3.5V blue or white LED with a 9V supply is about 13mA and then the dissipation in the output transistor is about 72mW which is fine.
The typical output current into a 2V red LED with a 9V supply is about 15mA and then the dissipation in the output transistor is 105mW which is probably fine since the package is not anywhere near its max allowed temperature (it can dissipate 500mW when the ambient temperature is 100 degrees C).

 

thanks the data sheets are making more sense to me now