Agenda item - General Fund Revenue Budget & Council Tax 2017/18

Extract from the proceedings of the Policy, Resources & Growth Committee meeting held on the 9^th February 2017, together with a report of the Executive Director for Finance & Resources (copies attached).

78.1   The Mayor noted that all three budget areas listed as Items 78, 80 and 81 would be debated together, along with Item 79 Supplementary Financial Information, once the proposed budget and the various amendments had been moved and seconded.  He therefore invited Councillor Morgan to propose the budget for 2017/18.

 

78.2   Councillor Morgan thanked the Mayor and stated that he wished to thank finance officers and all the officers across the council involved in the budget process.  He also wished to thank his colleagues in enabling the budget papers to be brought to the council meeting.  He acknowledged that the council continued to face unprecedented demands and pressures.  It had seen a number of redesigns across departments, the loss of staff and without the willingness of staff to change and adapt such changes would not be possible.  He therefore called on all Members to show their appreciation of the staff throughout the council.

 

78.3   In looking at the proposed Budget, Councillor Morgan stated that the aim was to ensure that three key priorities were supported; to get the basics right, protecting the most vulnerable and growing the economy.  He stated that there was a need to be able to do more with fewer resources, to protect front-line services, address rent level, support young people and take forward the recommendations of the Fairness Commission.  In this regard he wished to pay tribute to the work of Councillors Mitchell, Daniel and Robins who had overseen changes in their areas of responsibility that were bringing in new revenue, improving recycling rates, supporting young people, maintaining libraries and opening hours so that thy remained at the heart of local communities.  He also wished to move an amendment on behalf of the Labour & Co-operative Group which sought to provide additional funding for youth services.

 

78.4   Councillor Morgan stated that he wished to thank Councillors Barford and Yates for their work and leadership in relation to health and social care and collaborative working with partners across the health and voluntary sector.  He also wanted to note the work of Councillors Meadows, Hill and Moonan and the development of a new allocations policy and the rent smart initiative for housing.  In regard to growing the economy he noted the improvements and investment made to the Planning team and work of Councillor Cattell to turn around the planning process.  He was also aware of the work undertaken by Councillors O’Quinn and Bewick in regard to licensing and young people respectively.

 

78.5   Councillor Morgan stated that the overall budget proposals aimed to enable the council to deliver its services and meet the needs of residents.  However, he noted that the continued cuts in government funding and the reliance on council tax only increased the pressure on local government.  The proposed 4% 4.99% increase for the 2017/18 council tax was not made easily and he recognised it would impact on those on low incomes; but the pressures on social care meant that the full 3% pre-cept had to be recommended.   The council had made over £76m in savings over the last 4 years and was continuing to have to make significant savings over the next 4 years.  All Members were elected to serve the residents of the city and he hoped that they could agree a budget today that would meet the needs of the city.  The Labour & Co-operative Group were happy to support a number of the amendments that had been put forward in the addendum papers and he noted that overall they came to about 1% of the total budget being put forward.  He therefore recommended the budget to the council.

 

78.6   Councillor Hamilton formally seconded the budget proposals together with the Labour & Co-operative Group’s amendment.  He stated that he had not entered local government to have to make such levels of savings.  It was likely that a further £25m would have to be found over the next two years and the council was working with neighbouring authorities to provide shared services which would generate savings and revenue.  He hoped that the council would achieve a balanced budget by year end and continue to meet the needs of its residents.

 

78.7   Councillor Wealls stated that he wished to move six amendments to the Budget for 2017/18 on behalf of the Conservative Group, five in relation to the General Fund and one in relation to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).  He also wished to record his thanks to the finance officers who had been instrumental in enabling the Group to put forward the amendments and understand the overall budget position of the council.  He acknowledged that the budget process had not been an easy task and that there were tremendous pressures in Adult Services and Children’s Services.  He welcomed the number of young people to the meeting and their interest and engagement over the last few months in the budget process.  However, he was disappointed by the late bombardment of changes to proposals and additional amendments on the day.  He accepted that there were difficult choices to be made and challenges that had to be met but felt that the Conservative Group’s amendments were ones that recognised the need to support the community and voluntary sector and young people.  He therefore hoped that both the Labour & Co-operative and Green Groups could support them.

 

78.8   Councillor Wealls welcomed the proposal to accept the Government’s 3% pre-cept for adult social care and stated that it was necessary to help meet pressures across that area.  In regard to the proposal to cut the NCE committee, it was felt that there was a high level of duplication across other committees which were not necessary.  The reduction in special responsibility allowances also meant that the basic allowance was protected as this was an important element in enabling people to become councillors.

 

78.9   Councillor Wealls then outlined the various amendments and hoped that these would be supported and accepted as they looked to protect areas that were important and provided valuable services.   

 

78.10   Councillor G. Theobald formally seconded the proposed amendments and also thanked the finance officers for their help during the budget process.  He believed that all Members could support the amendments that had been put forward as they sought to protect important areas.  He also noted that the amendments had been submitted in good time and had to express his disappointment about the late availability of information and last minute submissions of amendments, which were primarily aimed at saving the NC&E committee and SRAs.  He also wished to pay tribute to the arguments put forward by young people to protect the Youth Services Budget and hoped that these would be taken on board with the acceptance of the Conservative group’s amendments.

 

78.11   The Mayor stated that he felt there should be a short adjournment, and prior to that asked the Section 151 Officer to inform the Council of the need for a slight correction to the Green Group’s amendment 1.

 

78.12   The Section 151 Officer stated that the figure shown in the second bullet point at the bottom of the page shown as £0.80m should read £0.080m.

 

78.13   The Mayor then adjourned the meeting at 6.50pm.

 

78.14   The Mayor reconvened the meeting at 7.30pm.

 

78.15   Councillor Sykes then moved the Green Group’s three amendments, two relating to the General Fund and one to the Housing Revenue Account.  He stated that also wished to thank the Finance Officers for their support during the budget process.  He was however concerned that more could have been done to protect services and reduce the need for such severe cuts.  There was a clear lack of consultation with residents and missed opportunity as shown with the amendment on diesel users.  He also had to report that the revised Green amendment 1 did not fully reflect the Group’s intentions and therefore he suggested that the budget spokespersons and Leaders should get together to clarify the position and agree a way forward.  He therefore sought a short adjournment to deal with this matter.

 

78.16   Councillor Mac Cafferty formally seconded the proposal for a short adjournment.

 

78.17   The Mayor noted the proposal for an adjournment and put it to the vote which was carried.  The Mayor then adjourned the meeting at 7.40pm.

 

78.18   The Mayor reconvened the meeting at 8.15pm.

 

78.19   The Mayor informed the meeting that the Leaders had agreed to a composite amendment and this would be circulated as soon as it had been finalised and printed.  In the meantime he would continue with the meeting and then call a further adjournment in order to enable Group Leaders to brief their respective Groups.

 

78.20   Councillor Mac Cafferty formally seconded the Green Group’s amendments and stated that it there was a need to protect front-line services.  He noted that there had been a growth in the level of homelessness in the city and further pressures on services that were being cut, which would have long-term implications for the council and the city.  He hoped that the amendments would be supported and the need to maintain service provision recognised so that those in need could be protected.

 

78.21   The Mayor then opened the matter up to a general debate and the following Members of the Council spoke on the various amendments that had been put forward as well as the general prevailing budget proposals and position:

 

Councillors Brown, Daniel, Mears, Atkinson, Page, C. Theobald, Robins, Miller, Mitchell, Gibson, Hyde, Chapman, Nemeth, Hill, Phillips, Simson, Barford, Peltzer Dunn, Moonan, Littman, A. Norman, Meadows, Taylor, Cattell, Greenbaum, Janio, Bewick, Bell, Inkpin-Leissner, Deane, Yates and Penn.

 

78.22   The Mayor noted that all Members wishing to speak during the debate had done so.  He then called on Councillor Mitchell to respond to the debate and the amendments.

 

78.23   Councillor Mitchell thanked the Mayor and all Members for their contributions during the debate.  She noted that all Members wanted to protect those who needed the services most and to modernise the council so that it could face future challenges.  In the meantime she recommended the budget proposals as outlined to the council for approval.

 

78.24   The Mayor stated that prior to putting the budget to the vote; there would be a short adjournment to allow the Group Leaders to brief their respective Groups on the revised composite amendment and budgetary position.

 

78.25   The Mayor then adjourned the meeting at 10.00pm.

 

78.26   The Mayor reconvened the meeting at 10.20pm.

 

78.27   The Mayor stated that in view of the fact that the amendments related to all of the budget items, items 78 to 81 would be taken together. He intended to put each of the amendments to the vote, during which he would call on the Executive Director for Finance & Resources to confirm the budgetary position should any amendment be carried and have an impact on the overall budget.  He would then put the substantive recommendations to the vote as outlined in the procedural rules.

 

78.28   The Mayor then stated that he would put the all-party composite amendment the vote as Joint Amendment No.1; which replaced the Labour & Co-operative Group’s amendment and both amendment No.1’s from the Conservative and Green Groups.

 

78.29   The Mayor then asked for the electronic voting system to be activated and put the joint composite amendment to the vote which was carried unanimously as detailed below:

 

		For	Against	Abstain			For	Against	Abstain
1	Allen	ü				Marsh	ü
2	Atkinson	ü				Meadows	ü
3	Barford	ü				Mears	ü
4	Barnett	ü				Miller	ü
5	Bell	ü				Mitchell	ü
6	Bennett	Not present				Moonan	ü
7	Bewick	ü				Morgan	ü
8	Brown	ü				Morris	ü
9	Cattell	ü				Nemeth	ü
10	Chapman	ü				Norman A	ü
11	Cobb	ü				Norman K	ü
12	Daniel	ü				O’Quinn	ü
13	Deane	ü				Page	ü
14	Druitt	Not present				Peltzer Dunn	ü
15	Gibson	ü				Penn	ü
16	Gilbey	ü				Phillips	ü
17	Greenbaum	ü				Robins	ü
18	Hamilton	ü				Russell-Moyle	ü
19	Hill	ü				Simson	ü
20	Horan	ü				Sykes	ü
21	Hyde	ü				Taylor	ü
22	Inkpin-Leissner	ü				Theobald C	ü
23	Janio	ü				Theobald G	ü
24	Knight	ü				Wares	ü
25	Lewry	ü				Wealls	ü
26	Littman	ü				West	ü
27	Mac Cafferty	ü				Yates	ü
						Total	52	0	0

 

78.30   The Mayor then put the Conservative Group’s amendments No’s 2 – 6 to the vote as detailed below:

 

Conservative Amendment No.2

 

		For	Against	Abstain			For	Against	Abstain
1	Allen		X			Marsh		X
2	Atkinson		X			Meadows		X
3	Barford		X			Mears	ü
4	Barnett	ü				Miller	ü
5	Bell	ü				Mitchell		X
6	Bennett	Not present				Moonan		X
7	Bewick		X			Morgan		X
8	Brown	ü				Morris		X
9	Cattell		X			Nemeth	ü
10	Chapman		X			Norman A	ü
11	Cobb	ü				Norman K	ü
12	Daniel		X			O’Quinn		X
13	Deane		X			Page		X
14	Druitt	Not present				Peltzer Dunn	ü
15	Gibson		X			Penn		X
16	Gilbey		X			Phillips		X
17	Greenbaum		X			Robins		X
18	Hamilton		X			Russell-Moyle		X
19	Hill		X			Simson	ü
20	Horan		X			Sykes		X
21	Hyde	ü				Taylor	ü
22	Inkpin-Leissner		X			Theobald C	ü
23	Janio	ü				Theobald G	ü
24	Knight		X			Wares	ü
25	Lewry	ü				Wealls	ü
26	Littman		X			West		X
27	Mac Cafferty		X			Yates		X
						Total	19	33	0

 

78.31   The Mayor confirmed that the amendment had been lost by 19 votes to 33 with no abstentions.

 

Conservative Amendment No.3

 

		For	Against	Abstain			For	Against	Abstain
1	Allen	ü				Marsh	ü
2	Atkinson	ü				Meadows	ü
3	Barford	ü				Mears	ü
4	Barnett	ü				Miller	ü
5	Bell	ü				Mitchell	ü
6	Bennett	Not present				Moonan	ü
7	Bewick	ü				Morgan	ü
8	Brown	ü				Morris	ü
9	Cattell	ü				Nemeth	ü
10	Chapman	ü				Norman A	ü
11	Cobb	ü				Norman K	ü
12	Daniel	ü				O’Quinn	ü
13	Deane	ü				Page	ü
14	Druitt	Not present				Peltzer Dunn	ü
15	Gibson	ü				Penn	ü
16	Gilbey	ü				Phillips	ü
17	Greenbaum	ü				Robins	ü
18	Hamilton	ü				Russell-Moyle	ü
19	Hill	ü				Simson	ü
20	Horan	ü				Sykes	ü
21	Hyde	ü				Taylor	ü
22	Inkpin-Leissner	ü				Theobald C	ü
23	Janio	ü				Theobald G	ü
24	Knight	ü				Wares	ü
25	Lewry	ü				Wealls	ü
26	Littman	ü				West	ü
27	Mac Cafferty	ü				Yates	ü
						Total	52	0	0

 

78.32   The Mayor confirmed that the amendment had been carried unanimously.

 

Conservative Amendment No.4

 

		For	Against	Abstain			For	Against	Abstain
1	Allen	ü				Marsh	ü
2	Atkinson	ü				Meadows	ü
3	Barford	ü				Mears	ü
4	Barnett	ü				Miller	ü
5	Bell	ü				Mitchell	ü
6	Bennett	Not present				Moonan	ü
7	Bewick	ü				Morgan	ü
8	Brown	ü				Morris			Ab
9	Cattell	ü				Nemeth	ü
10	Chapman	ü				Norman A	ü
11	Cobb	ü				Norman K	ü
12	Daniel	ü				O’Quinn	ü
13	Deane			Ab		Page			Ab
14	Druitt	Not present				Peltzer Dunn	ü
15	Gibson			Ab		Penn	ü
16	Gilbey	ü				Phillips			Ab
17	Greenbaum			Ab		Robins	ü
18	Hamilton	ü				Russell-Moyle	ü
19	Hill	ü				Simson	ü
20	Horan	ü				Sykes			Ab
21	Hyde	ü				Taylor	ü
22	Inkpin-Leissner	ü				Theobald C	ü
23	Janio	ü				Theobald G	ü
24	Knight			Ab		Wares	ü
25	Lewry	ü				Wealls	ü
26	Littman			Ab		West			Ab
27	Mac Cafferty			Ab		Yates	ü
						Total	41	0	11

 

78.33   The Mayor confirmed that the amendment had been carried by 41 votes to 0 with 11 abstentions.

 

Conservative Amendment No.5

 

		For	Against	Abstain			For	Against	Abstain
1	Allen		X			Marsh		X
2	Atkinson		X			Meadows		X
3	Barford		X			Mears	ü
4	Barnett	ü				Miller	ü
5	Bell	ü				Mitchell		X
6	Bennett	Not present				Moonan		X
7	Bewick		X			Morgan		X
8	Brown	ü				Morris		X
9	Cattell		X			Nemeth	ü
10	Chapman		X			Norman A	ü
11	Cobb	ü				Norman K	ü
12	Daniel		X			O’Quinn		X
13	Deane		X			Page		X
14	Druitt	Not present				Peltzer Dunn	ü
15	Gibson		X			Penn		X
16	Gilbey		X			Phillips		X
17	Greenbaum		X			Robins		X
18	Hamilton		X			Russell-Moyle		X
19	Hill		X			Simson	ü
20	Horan		X			Sykes		X
21	Hyde	ü				Taylor	ü
22	Inkpin-Leissner		X			Theobald C	ü
23	Janio	ü				Theobald G	ü
24	Knight		X			Wares	ü
25	Lewry	ü				Wealls	ü
26	Littman		X			West		X
27	Mac Cafferty		X			Yates		X
						Total	19	33	0

 

78.34   The Mayor confirmed that the amendment had been lost by 19 votes to 33 with no abstentions.

 

Conservative Amendment No.6

 

		For	Against	Abstain			For	Against	Abstain
1	Allen			Ab		Marsh			Ab
2	Atkinson			Ab		Meadows			Ab
3	Barford			Ab		Mears	ü
4	Barnett	ü				Miller	ü
5	Bell	ü				Mitchell			Ab
6	Bennett	Not present				Moonan			Ab
7	Bewick			Ab		Morgan			Ab
8	Brown	ü				Morris			Ab
9	Cattell			Ab		Nemeth	ü
10	Chapman			Ab		Norman A	ü
11	Cobb	ü				Norman K	ü
12	Daniel			Ab		O’Quinn			Ab
13	Deane	ü				Page	ü
14	Druitt	Not present				Peltzer Dunn	ü
15	Gibson	ü				Penn			Ab
16	Gilbey			Ab		Phillips	ü
17	Greenbaum	ü				Robins			Ab
18	Hamilton			Ab		Russell-Moyle			Ab
19	Hill			Ab		Simson	ü
20	Horan			Ab		Sykes	ü
21	Hyde	ü				Taylor	ü
22	Inkpin-Leissner			Ab		Theobald C	ü
23	Janio	ü				Theobald G	ü
24	Knight	ü				Wares	ü
25	Lewry	ü				Wealls	ü
26	Littman	ü				West	ü
27	Mac Cafferty	ü				Yates			Ab
						Total	29	0	23

 

78.35   The Mayor confirmed that the amendment had been carried by 29 votes to 0 with 23 abstentions.

 

78.36   The Mayor confirmed that the Conservative Group’s amendments No’s 3 and 4 relating to the General Fund and No.6 relating to the HRA had been carried and No’s 2 and 4 relating to the General Fund had been lost.

 

78.37   The Mayor then put the Green Group’s amendments No’s 2 – 3 to the vote as detailed below;

 

Green Amendment No.2

 

		For	Against	Abstain			For	Against	Abstain
1	Allen	ü				Marsh	ü
2	Atkinson	ü				Meadows	ü
3	Barford	ü				Mears	ü
4	Barnett	ü				Miller	ü
5	Bell	ü				Mitchell	ü
6	Bennett	Not present				Moonan	ü
7	Bewick	ü				Morgan	ü
8	Brown	ü				Morris	ü
9	Cattell	ü				Nemeth	ü
10	Chapman	ü				Norman A	ü
11	Cobb	ü				Norman K	ü
12	Daniel	ü				O’Quinn	ü
13	Deane	ü				Page	ü
14	Druitt	Not present				Peltzer Dunn	ü
15	Gibson	ü				Penn	ü
16	Gilbey	ü				Phillips	ü
17	Greenbaum	ü				Robins	ü
18	Hamilton	ü				Russell-Moyle	ü
19	Hill	ü				Simson	ü
20	Horan	ü				Sykes	ü
21	Hyde	ü				Taylor	ü
22	Inkpin-Leissner	ü				Theobald C	ü
23	Janio	ü				Theobald G	ü
24	Knight	ü				Wares	ü
25	Lewry	ü				Wealls	ü
26	Littman	ü				West	ü
27	Mac Cafferty	ü				Yates	ü
						Total	52	0	0

 

78.38   The Mayor confirmed that the amendment had been carried unanimously.

 

Green Amendment No.3

 

		For	Against	Abstain			For	Against	Abstain
1	Allen	ü				Marsh	ü
2	Atkinson	ü				Meadows	ü
3	Barford	ü				Mears		X
4	Barnett		X			Miller		X
5	Bell		X			Mitchell	ü
6	Bennett	Not present				Moonan	ü
7	Bewick	ü				Morgan	ü
8	Brown		X			Morris	ü
9	Cattell	ü				Nemeth		X
10	Chapman	ü				Norman A		X
11	Cobb		X			Norman K		X
12	Daniel	ü				O’Quinn	ü
13	Deane	ü				Page	ü
14	Druitt	Not present				Peltzer Dunn		X
15	Gibson	ü				Penn	ü
16	Gilbey	ü				Phillips	ü
17	Greenbaum	ü				Robins	ü
18	Hamilton	ü				Russell-Moyle	ü
19	Hill	ü				Simson		X
20	Horan	ü				Sykes	ü
21	Hyde		X			Taylor		X
22	Inkpin-Leissner	ü				Theobald C		X
23	Janio		X			Theobald G		X
24	Knight	ü				Wares		X
25	Lewry		X			Wealls		X
26	Littman	ü				West	ü
27	Mac Cafferty	ü				Yates	ü
						Total	33	19	0

 

78.39   The Mayor confirmed that the amendment had been carried by 33 votes to 19 with no abstentions.

 

78.40   The Mayor confirmed that the Green Group’s amendment No’s 2 relating to the General Fund and No.3 relating to the Capital Resources and Capital Programme had been carried.

 

78.41   The Mayor noted that various amendments had been carried and in order for the revised council tax resolutions to be prepared and circulated to Members, he proposed to adjourn the meeting for a short period.

 

78.42   The Mayor then adjourned the meeting at 10.40pm.

 

78.43   The Mayor reconvened the meeting at 10.50pm and asked for the electronic voting system to be activated.  The Mayor then put the proposed General Fund Revenue Budget based on a 4.99% council tax increase as amended to the vote as detailed below.

 

		For	Against	Abstain			For	Against	Abstain
1	Allen	ü				Marsh	ü
2	Atkinson	ü				Meadows	ü
3	Barford	ü				Mears		X
4	Barnett		X			Miller		X
5	Bell		X			Mitchell	ü
6	Bennett	Not present				Moonan	ü
7	Bewick	ü				Morgan	ü
8	Brown		X			Morris	ü
9	Cattell	ü				Nemeth		X
10	Chapman	ü				Norman A		X
11	Cobb		X			Norman K		X
12	Daniel	ü				O’Quinn	ü
13	Deane		X			Page		X
14	Druitt	Not present				Peltzer Dunn		X
15	Gibson		X			Penn	ü
16	Gilbey	ü				Phillips		X
17	Greenbaum		X			Robins	ü
18	Hamilton	ü				Russell-Moyle	ü
19	Hill	ü				Simson		X
20	Horan	ü				Sykes		X
21	Hyde		X			Taylor		X
22	Inkpin-Leissner	ü				Theobald C		X
23	Janio		X			Theobald G		X
24	Knight		X			Wares		X
25	Lewry		X			Wealls		X
26	Littman		X			West		X
27	Mac Cafferty		X			Yates	ü
						Total	23	29	0

 

78.44   The Mayor confirmed that the motion had been lost by 23 votes to 29 with no abstentions. 

 

78.45   The Mayor stated that in view of the failure to set a General Fund Revenue Budget & Council Tax 2017/18, he proposed to adjourn the meeting for a period of 30 minutes, in order to enable the respective Leaders and their Groups to discuss matters and seek a way forward.

 

78.46   The Mayor then adjourned meeting at 10.55pm.

 

78.47   The Mayor reconvened the meeting at 11.35pm and stated that he had been made aware of a revised amendment and would call on Councillors G. Theobald and Wealls to move and second the amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group.

 

78.48   The Mayor then noted that in order to proceed he needed to move that the Council Procedure Rules be suspended further in accordance with Council Procedural Rule 1.7 to enable the new amendment and the substantive budget to be moved and voted on.

 

78.49   The motion was carried.

 

78.50   The Mayor then invited Councillor G. Theobald to move the amendment and revised substantive budget.

 

78.51   Councillor G. Theobald formally moved the revised amendment which had been circulated. 

 

78.52   Councillor Wealls formally seconded the proposed amendment and revised substantive budget.

 

78.53   The Mayor then asked for the voting system to be activated and put the revised amendment to the vote as detailed below.

 

		For	Against	Abstain			For	Against	Abstain
1	Allen	ü				Marsh	ü
2	Atkinson	ü				Meadows	ü
3	Barford	ü				Mears	ü
4	Barnett	ü				Miller	ü
5	Bell	ü				Mitchell	ü
6	Bennett	Not present				Moonan	ü
7	Bewick	ü				Morgan	ü
8	Brown	ü				Morris	ü
9	Cattell	ü				Nemeth	ü
10	Chapman	ü				Norman A	ü
11	Cobb	ü				Norman K	ü
12	Daniel	ü				O’Quinn	ü
13	Deane	ü				Page	ü
14	Druitt	Not present				Peltzer Dunn	ü
15	Gibson	ü				Penn	ü
16	Gilbey	ü				Phillips	ü
17	Greenbaum	ü				Robins	ü
18	Hamilton	ü				Russell-Moyle	ü
19	Hill	ü				Simson	ü
20	Horan	ü				Sykes	ü
21	Hyde	ü				Taylor	ü
22	Inkpin-Leissner	ü				Theobald C	ü
23	Janio	ü				Theobald G	ü
24	Knight	ü				Wares	ü
25	Lewry	ü				Wealls	ü
26	Littman	ü				West	ü
27	Mac Cafferty	ü				Yates	ü
						Total	52	0	0

 

78.54   The Mayor noted that the amendment had been carried unanimously and therefore put the General Fund Revenue Budget based on a 4.99% council tax increase as amended; together with the supplementary financial information to the vote.

 

		For	Against	Abstain			For	Against	Abstain
1	Allen	ü				Marsh	ü
2	Atkinson	ü				Meadows	ü
3	Barford	ü				Mears	ü
4	Barnett	ü				Miller	ü
5	Bell	ü				Mitchell	ü
6	Bennett	Not present				Moonan	ü
7	Bewick	ü				Morgan	ü
8	Brown	ü				Morris	ü
9	Cattell	ü				Nemeth	ü
10	Chapman	ü				Norman A	ü
11	Cobb	ü				Norman K	ü
12	Daniel	ü				O’Quinn	ü
13	Deane		X			Page		X
14	Druitt	Not present				Peltzer Dunn	ü
15	Gibson		X			Penn	ü
16	Gilbey	ü				Phillips		X
17	Greenbaum		X			Robins	ü
18	Hamilton	ü				Russell-Moyle	ü
19	Hill	ü				Simson	ü
20	Horan	ü				Sykes		X
21	Hyde	ü				Taylor	ü
22	Inkpin-Leissner	ü				Theobald C	ü
23	Janio	ü				Theobald G	ü
24	Knight		X			Wares	ü
25	Lewry	ü				Wealls	ü
26	Littman		X			West		X
27	Mac Cafferty		X			Yates	ü
						Total	42	10	0

 

78.55   The Mayor confirmed that the motion had been carried by 42 votes to 10 with no abstentions.

 

78.56   RESOLVED:

 

(1)       That the General Fund Revenue Budget and Council Tax increase in the Brighton & Hove element of the council tax as amended be agreed, comprising:

 

a)        A general Council Tax increase of 1.99%;

 

b)        An Adult Social Care precept increase of 3.00%;

 

c)         The Council’s net General Fund budget requirement for 2017/18 of £203.589m;

 

d)        The 2017/18 budget allocations to services as set out in Appendix 1 incorporating 2017/18 savings proposals contained in the 4-Year Integrated Service & Financial Plans;

 

e)        The reserves allocations as set out in paragraph 3.26 and table 2;

 

f)          The Prudential Indicators as set out in Appendix 8 to this report.

 

g)        That disabled bay application fees and individual bays be frozen at current rates.

 

(2)       That Council note the Equalities Impact Assessments to cover all budget options and their cumulative effect are set out in Appendices 9 and 10.

 

(3)       That Council approves the authorised borrowing limit for the year commencing 1 April 2017 of£419m.

 

(4)       That Council approves the annual Minimum Revenue Provision statement as set out in Appendix 7.

 

(5)       That Council notes the 4-Year Integrated Service & Financial Plans and associated Budget Strategies including savings proposals for later years up to and including 2019/20 at appendix 6.

 

(6)       That Council approves the strategy for funding the investment in change and flexible use of capital receipts set out in paragraphs 3.63 to 3.66.

 

(7)       That Council note that supplementary information needed to set the overall council tax will be provided for the budget setting Council as listed in paragraph 4.3.

 

78.57   Formal Council Tax Resolution

 

1.    It be noted that on 19 January 2017 the Council calculated the Council Tax Base 2017/18:

 

(a)   for the whole Council area as 87,388.8 (Item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”)); and

 

(b)   for dwellings in those parts of its area to which special items relate: -

Rottingdean Parish – 1,545.2

Hanover Crescent Enclosure – 41.6

Marine Square Enclosure – 72.5

Royal Crescent Enclosure – 29.0        

 

2.    Calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2017/18 (excluding Parish precepts) is£127,746,000.

 

3.    That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2017/18 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:

 

(a) £699,136,220    being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act taking into account all precepts issued to it by Parish Councils;

 

(b)  £571,345,641    being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act;

 

(c)    £127,790,579    being  the amount by which the aggregate at 3(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 3(b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act as its Council Tax requirement for the year. (Item R in the formula in Section 31B of the Act);

 

(d)   £1,462.32           being the amount at 3(c) above (Item R), all divided by Item T (1(a)  above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year (including Parish precepts);

 

(e)   £71,232              being the aggregate amount of all special items referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act;

 

(f)     £1,461.50           being the amount at 3(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 3(e) above by the Item T (1(a) above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(2) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which no special items relates;

 

(g)    

£1,490.35    Rottingdean Parish

£1,646.55    Hanover Crescent

£1,611.50    Marine Square

£1,740.12    Royal Crescent

being the amounts given by adding to the amount at 3(f) above the amounts of the special item or items relating to dwellings in those parts of the Council's area mentioned above divided in each case by the relevant amount at 1(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(3) of the Act, as the basic amounts of its council tax for the year for the dwellings in those parts of its area to which one or more special items relate.

 

Valuation Band:	A*	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
Parts of the Council's area	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Rottingdean Parish	827.97	993.57	1,159.16	1,324.76	1,490.35	1,821.54	2,152.73	2,483.92	2,980.70
Hanover Crescent	914.75	1,097.70	1,280.65	1,463.60	1,646.55	2,012.45	2,378.35	2,744.25	3,293.10
Marine Square	895.28	1,074.33	1,253.39	1,432.44	1,611.50	1,969.61	2,327.72	2,685.83	3,223.00
Royal Crescent	966.73	1,160.08	1,353.43	1,546.77	1,740.12	2,126.81	2,513.51	2,900.20	3,480.24
All other parts of the council’s area	811.94	974.33	1,136.72	1,299.11	1,461.50	1,786.28	2,111.06	2,435.83	2,923.00

* Entitled to disabled relief

                                                                              

4. To note that the Police & Crime Commissioner and the Fire Authority have issued precepts to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each category of dwellings in the Council’s area as indicated in the table below.

 

Valuation Band:	A*	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner	85.51	102.61	119.71	136.81	153.91	188.11	222.31	256.52	307.82

* Entitled to disabled relief

 

Valuation Band:	A*	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
East Sussex Fire Authority	49.11	58.93	68.76	78.58	88.40	108.04	127.69	147.33	176.80

* Entitled to disabled relief

 

5. That the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in the tables below as the amounts of Council Tax for 2017/18 for each part of its area and for each of the categories of dwellings.

 

Valuation Band:	A*	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
Parts of the Council's area	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Rottingdean Parish	962.59	1,155.11	1,347.63	1,540.15	1,732.66	2,117.69	2,502.73	2,887.77	3,465.32
Hanover Crescent	1,049.37	1,259.24	1,469.12	1,678.99	1,888.86	2,308.60	2,728.35	3,148.10	3,777.72
Marine Square	1,029.90	1,235.87	1,441.86	1,647.83	1,853.81	2,265.76	2,677.72	3,089.68	3,707.62
Royal Crescent	1,101.35	1,321.62	1,541.90	1,762.16	1,982.43	2,422.96	2,863.51	3,304.05	3,964.86
All other parts of the councils area	946.56	1,135.87	1,325.19	1,514.50	1,703.81	2,082.43	2,461.06	2,839.68	3,407.62

* Entitled to disabled relief

 

6.  In accordance with Section 52ZB of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 the Council determines its relevant basic amount of council tax for the financial year 2017/18 is not excessive.