Agenda item

To receive and consider the recommendations of the Council’s Executive, committees and sub-committees, including:

Executive meeting held on 27^th January 2022:

·         Minute 61 – Budget & Capital Programme 2022/23.

·         Minute 62 – Council Tax setting 2022/23.

·         Minute 63 – Calendar of Meetings for 2022/23.

Executive meeting held on 16^th December 2021:

·         Minute 52 - Treasury Management Mid-Year Report 2021/22.

The Council received recommendations arising from the Executive meetings held on 16 December 2021 and 27 January 2022, relating to:

(i)            Treasury Management Mid-Year Report 2021/22 (Minute ref. 52);

(ii)          Budget and Capital Programme 2022/23 (Minute ref. 61);

(iii)         Council Tax setting 2022/23 (Minute ref. 62); and,

(iv)         Calendar of Meetings for 2022/23 (Minute ref. 63).

The Mayor advised that debate would be guided by the procedure note circulated in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.8.4.

Minute 61, Budget and Capital Programme 2022/23

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Brunt, moved the recommendations and in doing so commended the work of the officers and Members who contributed to it, including the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Budget Scrutiny Panel.

The Deputy Leader & Executive Member for Finance and Governance, Councillor Schofield, seconded the original recommendations, and reserved the right to speak.

Councillor Chandler proposed, and Councillor Essex seconded, an amendment to recommendations 2, 4 and 5. The amendments sought growth in the revenue budget to deliver:

·         The Council’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy;

·         Enhanced Community Development support;

·         Accelerate the roll-out of recycling services to all properties;

·         Initiatives on empty homes and fuel poverty;

·         Enhanced green spaces and town centre management;

·         Increased budget allowance for vacant posts across the Council.

Members’ discussion of the amendment included the following considerations:

·         Funding from the Corporate Plan Delivery Fund (CPDF) was not considered to be financially sustainable after 3 years. In addition, the purpose of the CPDF was to fund current projects rather than growth.

·         The ambitions of the amendment were to deliver improved support and services for businesses and residents in the context of rising fuel prices and inflation, climate change, and a reduction in community development support.

·         The use of the Council’s reserves would not be financially sustainable, as a significant proportion was already allotted for delivering affordable housing and as a contingency for responding to crises such as the COVID pandemic.

·         Funding salary budget growth would therefore eventually lead to cuts in other services, in view of a significant reduction in income streams such as parking income.

The Mayor called upon the Head of Paid Service to conduct a recorded vote in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.21.3. On the amendment to the recommendations of Minute 61 (Budget and Capital Programme 2022/23) as within the addendum voting was recorded as follows:

For: Councillors Chandler, Essex, McKenna and Sinden.

Against: Councillors Absalom, Adamson, Archer, Ashford, Baker, Biggs, Blacker, Bramhall, Brunt, Buttironi, Cooper, Feeney, Harp, Harper, Harrison, Hudson, Humphreys, Kelly, A. King, J. King, Lewanski, Lynch, Michalowski, Moses, Neame, Parnall, Schofield, Stevens, Tary, Turner, Walsh, and Whinney.

Abstain: Councillors Bray, Elbourne, Kulka, and Philpott.

The Mayor declared the amendment lost. Accordingly, the original recommendations, as moved, were discussed, and remarks thereon included:

·         The budget was considered to be financially credible, however whilst the Council had been prudent in maintaining strong reserves to date, the budget recommendations would eat away at those reserves to the extent of 1.8m and the budget gap was expected to increase in the coming years.

·         Some Members considered that the budget recommendations were not ambitious enough and called for growth in services to deliver the Council’s vision for 2025. In response, Executive Members gave assurances that the Council’s existing commitments were on track.

·         The budget would result in a marginal increase in Council Tax to the extent of £5 for the average Band D property. It was felt this was an acceptable increase for residents in the context of increased fuel costs and rising inflation, whilst delivering value for money.

The Mayor called upon the Head of Paid Service to conduct a recorded vote in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.21.3. For the original recommendations set out at Minute 61 (Budget and Capital Programme 2022/23) voting was recorded as follows:

For: Councillors Absalom, Adamson, Archer, Ashford, Baker, Biggs, Blacker, Bramhall, Brunt, Buttironi, Cooper, Elbourne, Feeney, Harp, Harper, Harrison, Hudson, Humphreys, Kelly, A. King, J. King, Kulka, Lewanski, Lynch, Michalowski, Moses, Neame, Parnall, Philpott, Schofield, Stevens, Tary, Turner, Walsh, and Whinney.

Against: Councillors Chandler, Essex, McKenna and Sinden.

Abstain: Councillor Bray.

The Mayor declared the original recommendations carried.

Minute 62 (Council Tax Setting 2022/23)

The Mayor called upon the Head of Paid Service to conduct a recorded vote in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.21.3. Voting was recorded as follows:

Voting was recorded in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.21.3 as follows:

For: Councillors Absalom, Adamson, Archer, Ashford, Baker, Biggs, Blacker, Bramhall, Brunt, Buttironi, Chandler, Cooper, Essex, Feeney, Harp, Harper, Harrison, Hudson, Humphreys, Kelly, A. King, J. King, Lewanski, Lynch, McKenna, Michalowski, Moses, Neame, Parnall, Schofield, Sinden, Stevens, Tary, Turner, Walsh, and Whinney.

Against: None

Abstain: Councillor Bray.

RESOLVED that the recommendations of the Executive, from its meetings on 16 December 2021, and 27 January 2022, be adopted as follows:

1.    Minute 52 (Treasury Management Mid-Year Report 2021/22); and,

2.    Minute 63 (Calendar of Meetings 2022/23).