Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Neame.

Councillors Ashford, Biggs, Bramhall, Brunt and Humphreys attended the meeting remotely so could not vote.

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 16 December 2021.

The Minutes from the last meeting on 16 December 2021 were approved.

To receive any declarations of interest.

There were none.

The Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Finance and Governance.

Executive Member for Finance and Governance, Councillor Schofield, introduced the Budget 2022/23 & Capital Programme 2022 to 2027 report. This presented the final proposals for 2022/23 onwards resulting in a net revenue budget requirement of £19.980 million (which was £2.585 million higher than the budget for 2021/22) along with a recommended council tax increase of £5 for an average Band D property.

Service budget growth of £785k was recommended, mainly due to a £1.1m reduction in income from car parking and £115k reduction in benefit subsidy, partly offset through parking and efficiencies in Service Budgets of £430k. Central budgets are also set to rise by £1.8m to fund staff pay increases, pension contributions and borrowing costs for the delivery of the approved Capital Programme.

The proposals had been subject to a thorough review by Members of the Budget Scrutiny Panel and the Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

In response to questions from Visiting Members it was confirmed that:

·       Pay negotiations were ongoing. The rising costs of living affected all residents. Executive Members were raising this issue with the government and MPs.

·       The budget allowed for an additional crew to carry out the extra recycling work that was expected. This recycling revenue may be greater than the costs of the additional crew, but this was an estimate as it depended on the payments the Council finally received for recycling.

·       The environmental sustainability budget allowed for additional work and costs involved in carrying out the Strategy.

·       The collection fund payments were paid to the County Council and Police Authority based on an agreed schedule during the year; the final position is then confirmed at a later stage.

The Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Harrison, explained that the Budget Scrutiny Panel and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had examined the proposed budget in depth at December meetings. Overview and Scrutiny Committee had also looked at the final proposed budget changes at its meeting on 20 January. It was noted that the budget gap had been met. The Committee was pleased that the Executive had been able to continue to fund the taxi voucher scheme. The Committee had asked for a note about the likely impact on inflation and the Council’s utility costs before Council met to approve the budget on 10 February. Councillor Harrison thanked the Executive and Officers for their work on this year’s budget plans. He stressed the importance of the financial sustainability plan for next year’s budget.

The Leader noted the responses to the public consultation from the residents and local groups. He thanked Executive Members and Officers for their work to close the budget gap which had been helped by receiving government funding. This government support had now ended so difficult decisions remained next year. He was pleased to see that the level of funding for the Banstead Commons Conservators had been maintained and was due to meet with them to work through their financial sustainability plans.

RESOLVED:

That Executive RECOMMEND to Council:

1)    The latest Medium-Term Financial Plan forecast  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.

The Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Finance and Governance.

The Executive Member for Finance and Governance, Councillor Schofield, introduced the Council Tax Setting 2022/23 report to the Executive. This will be debated by Full Council on 10 February. The reasons for this Council’s recommended increase of £5 (2.11%) were set out in the Budget report. The Reigate and Banstead element of Council Tax was just under 12% of the combined Band D Council Tax (including precepts) which will increase by £93.97 or 4.2% in total from April.

RECOMMENDED to Council:

1) That it be noted that on 2 December 2021 the Council calculated:

 a) the Council Tax base 2022/23 for the whole Council as 62,274

[Item T in the formula in Section 31B(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”)] and,

 b) for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates:

·       Horley Town Council                            10,766

·       Salfords & Sidlow Parish Council                    1,434

The ‘tax base’ is the number of Band D equivalent dwellings in a local authority area.

Detailed calculations of the Council Tax were set out in Annexes 1, 2 & 3.

2) Calculated that the Council Tax requirements for the Council’s own purposes for 2022/23 (excluding Parish precepts) is £15,099,124.

3) That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2022/23 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:

a)    £70,550,416 – being the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 32(2) of the Act taking into account all precepts issued to it by Parish Councils

b)    £56,316,870 – being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 32(3) of the Act.

c)    £13,978,546 – being the amount which the aggregate at 3(a) above      exceeds the aggregate at 3(b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 32(4) of the Act as its Council Tax requirement for the year (item R in the formula in Section 32(4) of the Act).

d)    £224.47 – 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 33(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year (including Parish Precepts).

e)    £507,416 - being the aggregate amount of all special items (Parish precepts) referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act (as per the attached Appendix).

f)     £242.46 - being the amount at 3(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 3(e) above by 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 Parish precept relates.

g)    Horley Town Council                      £285.63

Salfords & Sidlow Parish Council   £272.18

Being the amounts given by adding to the amount at 3(f) above the amounts of the special items relating to dwellings in those parts of the Council’s area mentioned above divided in each  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

The Leader of the Council.

The Executive was asked to consider the draft Calendar of Meetings for the 2022/23 Municipal Year (Annex) for approval by Council on 10 February.

The Leader introduced the report which sets out a timetable to ensure the efficient and effective conduct of Council business for the forthcoming Municipal Year. This draws upon the pattern of previous years and included the additional Bank Holiday in June. The Calendar balanced the need for regular Planning Committees while fitting in Executive and Council meetings.

The draft Calendar had gone to Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 20 January 2022 who made no observations.

Executive Members also made no further observations.

RESOLVED that Executive RECOMMEND to Council that:

1.     The draft Calendar of Meetings for the 2022/23 Municipal Year (Annex 1) be approved.

To receive any statements from the Leader of the Council, Members of the Executive or the Head of Paid Service.

There were none.

To consider any item(s) which, in the opinion of the Chairman, should be considered as a matter of urgency – Local Government Act 1972, Section 100B(4)(b).

(Note:  Urgent business must be submitted in writing but may be supplemented by an oral report).

There was none.

RECOMMENDED that members of the Press and public be excluded from the meeting under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that:

(i)             an item of business involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act; and

(ii)            the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

There was none.