Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Andy Drummond and Joanna Rayner.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 18 September 2018 (copy attached).

 

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 September 2018 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

At each Shadow Executive (Cabinet) meeting, up to 15 minutes shall be allocated for questions from and discussion with, non-Shadow Executive members. Members wishing to speak during this session should if possible, give notice in advance.  Who speaks and for how long will be at the complete discretion of the person presiding.

 

No non-Cabinet Members in attendance wished to speak under this item.

Members of the public who live or work in the area of the Shadow Council are invited to put one question or statement of not more than three minutes duration relating to items to be discussed in Part 1 of the agenda only. If a question is asked and answered within three minutes, the person who asked the question may ask a supplementary question that arises from the reply.

 

A person who wishes to speak must register at least 15 minutes before the time the meeting is scheduled to start.

 

There is an overall time limit of 15 minutes for public speaking, which may be extended at the Chairman’s discretion.

 

There were no members of the public in attendance.

Report No: EXC/SA/18/012

Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Members: Stephen Edwards and Ian Houlder

Chairmen of the Committees: FHDC Cllr Louis Busuttil and SEBC Cllr Sarah Broughton                  

Lead Officer: Christine Brain

 

The Shadow Executive (Cabinet) received and noted the above report, which informed Members of the following substantive item discussed by FHDC’s and SEBC’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committees during an informal joint meeting held on 27 September 2018:

 

(1)     Approach to Delivering a Sustainable West Suffolk Budget 2019/2020 and Medium Term Plan.

 

Councillor Sarah Broughton, Chairman of SEBC’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Shadow Executive (Cabinet).

Report No: EXC/SA/18/013

Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Member: Robin Millar

Lead Officers: Davina Howes and Lucy Pettitt

RESOLVED

That:

 

(1)     the allocation of Community Chest funding for 2019/2020, as previously approved in 2017/2018 as part of two-year funding agreements, be noted, (Report No: CAB/FH/17/065 refers) namely:

(a)     Epic Dads	£15,000
(b)     Anglia Care	£3,434
(c)     Restoration Trust	£3,611

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2)     The allocation of Community Chest funding for 2019/20, be approved, as amended to correct the typographical error in Report No: EXC/SA/18/013, whereby the allocation to Citizens Advice Suffolk West should have read £40,000 and not £45,000, as printed, namely:

 

(a)     Alumah CIO – Freedom programme	£4,000
(b)     HomeStart Mid & West Suffolk	£15,612.65
(c)     The Voluntary Network – Connect & Support	£7,966.66
(d)     Sharing Parenting	£27,160
(e)     Citizens Advice Newmarket	£35,000
(f)      Citizens Advice Suffolk West	£40,000
(g)     Our Special Friends	£7,740
(h)     Arts for Us	£5,000
(i)     Young People of the Year (YOPEY)	£4,000
(j)      The Racing Centre – Newmarket	£5,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3)     subject to the budget setting process for    2020/2021, and subject to the satisfactory submission of evidence-based reports detailing the benefits and success of each individual project in 2019/2020, the allocation of Community Chest funding for 2019/2020 and 2020/2021, be approved, namely:

	2019/20	2020/21
(a)     Fresh Start – New Beginnings	£11,600	£11,600
(b)     Relate Norfolk and Suffolk	£2,000	£2,000
(c)     The Voluntary Network – Community Transport	£18,331	£17,961

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(4)     No Community Chest funding for 2019/2020 be awarded to:

 

(a)     Aspect Living – Meals on Wheels

(b)     Suffolk Accident Rescue Service (SARS)

(c)     Families and More

(d)     HomeStart In Suffolk

(e)     Mentis Tree CIC

(f)      Citizens Advice Suffolk West (Money Smart)

(g)     Newmarket Day Centre

(h)     Lakenheath FC

(i)      Friends of Newmarket Library.

(Councillor Robin Millar declared a local non pecuniary interest for being associated with the EPIC Dads organisation, and being known to the applicant of Our Special Friends in a personal capacity.  He remained in the meeting during the consideration of this item but did not vote.)

 

The Shadow Executive (Cabinet) considered the above report which sought approval for the allocation of Forest Heath District Council’s (FHDC) Community Chest grant funding to various organisations for the 2019/2020 year.

 

Applications for FHDC Community Chest funding for 2019/2020 closed on 28 September 2018.  A total of 22 applications had been received from a wide variety of organisations as outlined in the report.  The total budget for Community Chest for 2019/2020 was £205,455.31, which included £20,205.31 carried over as unallocated funds from 2018/2019.  £22,045.00 was allocated from this year’s budget as second year funding agreed in 2017.  Applicants could apply for a maximum of two years.

 

Councillor Robin Millar, one of the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Members with the responsibility for Families and Communities, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Shadow Executive, including that in his capacity as FHDC Portfolio Holder for Families and Communities, he had considered each of the 22 applications for Community Chest funding in detail, as summarised in the report.  Subsequently, he had recommended for funding those that he considered satisfactorily meet the eligibility and selection criteria, with some being recommended for two-years’ funding subject to the satisfactory submission of evidence-based reports detailing the benefits and success of each individual project in 2019/2020.

 

Councillor Millar conveyed his thanks to the Families and Communities Officers who had worked closely with and encouraged organisations to apply for funding to help enable their respective projects to come to fruition.

 

Nine applications had been considered not to be eligible for funding on this occasion, the reasons for which were provided in paragraph 1.6 of the report. Councillor Millar acknowledged the value of the work of these  organisations and stated that officers provided feedback and supported unsuccessful applicants in trying to obtain alternative sources of funding.

 

A typographical error was identified in the recommendations contained in the report, whereby it stated that £45,000 would be granted to Citizens Advice Suffolk West, when it should have stated £40,000, as contained in the body of the report. 

 

The Shadow Executive (Cabinet) supported the recommendations and were voted upon and carried with the above typographical amendment accordingly.

 

 

RESOLVED:

 

That:

 

(1)     the allocation of Community Chest funding for 2019/2020, as previously approved in 2017/2018 as part of two-year funding agreements, be noted, (Report No: CAB/FH/17/065 refers) namely:

(a)     Epic Dads	£15,000
(b)     Anglia Care	£3,434
(c)     Restoration Trust	£3,611

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2)     The allocation of Community Chest funding for 2019/20, be approved, as amended to correct the typographical error in Report No: EXC/SA/18/013, whereby the allocation to Citizens Advice Suffolk West should have read £40,000 and not £45,000, as printed, namely:

 

(a)     Alumah CIO – Freedom programme	£4,000
(b)     HomeStart Mid & West Suffolk	£15,612.65
(c)     The Voluntary Network –  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27a

Report No: EXC/SA/18/014

Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Member: Robert Everitt

Lead Officers: Davina Howes and Lucy Pettitt

 

RESOLVED:

That:

 

(1)     the allocation of Community Chest funding for 2019/2020, as previously approved in 2017/2018 as part of two-year funding agreements, be noted, (Report No: CAB/SE/17/071 refers) namely:

 

(a)     Our Special Friends:	£6,000
(b)     Suffolk West Citizens Advice	£182,000
(c)     Relate Norfolk and Suffolk	£5,000
(d)     St Nicholas’ Hospice Care – Bury St Edmunds	£6,533
(e)     St Nicholas’ Hospice Care – Haverhill	£8,909
(f)      HomeStart Mid and West Suffolk	£10,000
(g)     REACH Community Projects	£10,000
(h)     Suffolk Cinema Network	£3,500

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2)     the allocation of Community Chest funding for 2019/2020, as detailed in Report No: GWP/SE/18/002, be approved, namely:

 

(a)     HomeStart Mid and West Suffolk	£9,889.85
(b)     Mentis Tree CIC	£10,775
(c)     Bury St Edmunds Concert Youth Band	£3,290
(d)     Millennium Farm Trust – Artful Farm	£6,800
(e)     Honington and Sapiston Village Hall	£3,240
(f)      Stradishall Village Review Group	£13,926

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3)     subject to the budget setting process for 2020/2021, and subject to the satisfactory submission of evidence-based reports detailing the benefits and success of each individual project in 2019/2020, the allocation of Community Chest funding for 2019/2020 and 2020/2021, be approved, namely:

	2019/20	2020/21
(a)     Gatehouse	£10,000	£10,000
(b)     Suffolk Accident and Rescue Services (SARS)	£5,000	£5,000
(c)     Bury Drop in	£12,288	£12,288
(d)     REACH Community Projects (separate project to that detailed in (1)(g) above)	£9,360	£9,360
(e)     The Voluntary Network – Community Transport	£14,337	£15,800
(f)      Haverhill Community Trust	£24,371	£25,168

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(4)     No Community Chest funding for 2019/2020 be awarded to:

 

(a)     Leading Lives;               

(b)     The Voluntary Network – Connect and Support;  

(c)     Aspect Living- Meals on Wheels;            

(d)     EPIC Dad;

(e)     Families and More – Growing Against Violence;

(f)      Fresh Start – New Beginnings;

(g)     Survivors in Transition;

(h)     Lions Club, Bury St Edmunds; and

(i)      Multicultural Women’s Group, Bury St Edmunds Limited.                

 

(5)     The Portfolio Holder for Families and Communities, in consultation with the Grant Working Party, be asked to exercise his existing delegated powers for making individual portfolio holder decisions, to make a decision(s) on utilising any unallocated 2019/2020 Community Chest funding to projects, as appropriate and justifiable and to a maximum of £21,403.35 as set out in paragraph 1.7.9.

 

(Councillor Robin Millar declared a local non pecuniary interest for being associated with the EPIC Dads organisation, and being known to the applicant of Our Special Friends in a personal capacity.  He remained in the meeting during the consideration of this item but did not vote.)

 

The Shadow Executive (Cabinet) considered the above report which sought approval for the allocation of St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s (SEBC) Community Chest grant funding to various organisations for the 2019/2020 year.

 

Applications for SEBC Community Chest funding for 2019/2020 closed on 28 September 2018.  A total of 21 applications had been received from a wide variety of organisations as detailed in Appendix 1 to Report No: GWP/SE/18/002.  The Community Chest budget for 2019/2020 was £281,483,with £95,139.20 also available for allocation through carried over unspent funds from previous years.  £231,942.00 of the 2019/2020 budget was committed in 2017 for second year funding, as listed in the first recommendation and noted by the Shadow Executive. The remaining budget available for 2019/2020 was therefore £144,680.20.  Applicants could apply for a maximum of two years.

 

On 5 November 2018, SEBC’s Grant Working Party had considered each application in turn, which was required to be evaluated in accordance with the eligibility and selection criteria set out in Appendix 2 to Report No: GWP/SE/18/002.  The Working Party’s recommendations were now presented to the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) for approval.

 

Councillor Robert Everitt, one of the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Members with the responsibility for Families and Communities, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Shadow Executive, including that in his capacity as SEBC Portfolio Holder for Families and Communities, he had attended the meeting of the Grant Working Party and commended their thorough approach to considering each application in turn.  The Working Party had recommended for funding those that were considered to satisfactorily meet the eligibility and selection criteria, with some being recommended for two-years’ funding subject to the satisfactory submission of evidence-based reports detailing the benefits and success of each individual project in 2019/2020.

 

Councillor Everitt conveyed his thanks to the Families and Communities Officers who had worked closely with and encouraged organisations to apply for funding to help enable their respective projects to come to fruition.  He also explained that subject to approval, a total of £21,403.35 would remain available in the St Edmundsbury Community Chest Fund for 2019/2020.  In previous years, this balance, if left unspent could be carried forward to the next financial year; however, as FHDC and SEBC would no longer exist following the creation of West Suffolk Council from 1 April 2019, this would not be possible this year.  The Working Party had therefore considered it appropriate for St Edmundsbury’s Portfolio Holder for Families and Communities to exercise his individual decision making powers, in consultation with the Grant Working Party, to utilise the remainder by allocating suitable funding to other projects that may come forward or to increase the amount of funding already granted to those organisations listed above if it was considered  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27b

Report No: EXC/SA/18/015

Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Members: Robert Everitt and Robin Millar

Lead Officers: Davina Howes and Lucy Pettitt

RESOLVED:

That:

 

(1)     the transitional arrangements for managing Locality Budgets in 2019/20 and applications for Community Chest for 2020/21, be approved in accordance with the proposals below, that:

 

(a)     a full review of the Community Chest grant scheme be undertaken in summer 2019, for 2020/21 and allocation of grant funding for the financial year 2021/22;

 

(b)     the overall Locality Budget funding allocation to remain as the current value of £180,000 for 2019/20, with the fund being divided between 64 Members instead of the present 72; and

 

(c)     the Locality Budget guidance regarding the consideration of certain applications located in rural parishes be amended to align the arrangements across the existing Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury district/borough.

The Shadow Executive (Cabinet) considered the above report, which sought approval for proposed transitional arrangements for managing Locality Budgets for 2019/2020 and Community Chest applications for 2020/2021.

 

The creation of West Suffolk Council from 1 April 2019 meant that transitional arrangements needed to be agreed.  Decisions relating to the future of Locality Budgets, Community Chest and grant funding would be the responsibility of the new council.  The transitional arrangements were intended  to provide some level of certainty for recipients of funding and for councillors until such a time as the new Council considered and agreed its approach to the aforementioned.

 

Councillor Robin Millar, one of the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Members with the responsibility for Families and Communities, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Shadow Executive, including that the following transitional arrangements had been proposed:

 

·         a full review of the Community Chest grant scheme would be undertaken in summer 2019;

 

·         the overall Locality Budget funding pot would remain at the current value of £180,000.  The fund would therefore be divided between 64 Members instead of the present 72, resulting in £2,812.50 per councillor per year; and

 

·         a minor amendment would be made to the Locality Budget guidance regarding the consideration of certain applications located in rural parishes would also be made to align the arrangements across Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury district/borough.

 

The Shadow Executive (Cabinet) agreed the proposed transitional arrangements were a sensible and pragmatic approach.

 

 

RESOLVED:

 

That:

 

(1)     the transitional arrangements for managing Locality Budgets in 2019/20 and applications for Community Chest for 2020/21, be approved in accordance with the proposals below, that:

 

(a)     a full review of the Community Chest grant scheme be undertaken in summer 2019, for 2020/21 and allocation of grant funding for the financial year 2021/22;

 

(b)     the overall Locality Budget funding allocation to remain as the current value of £180,000 for 2019/20, with the fund being divided between 64 Members instead of the present 72; and

 

(c)     the Locality Budget guidance regarding the consideration of certain applications located in rural parishes be amended to align the arrangements across the existing Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury district/borough.

Report No: EXC/SA/18/016

Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Members: David Bowman and Peter Stevens

Chairmen of the Committees: FHDC Cllr Simon Cole and SEBC Cllr Diane Hind

Lead Officers: Mark Walsh and Mark Christie

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the recommendations, as set out in Section 4 of the Garden Waste Collection Service Joint Task and Finish Group Report, Report Nos OAS/SE/18/031 and OAS/FH/18/032, be approved.

Namely:

 

1	Increase the current subscription charge from £40 to £43 for 2019-2020. This included: ·         The subscription charge to be reviewed annually; ·         To be agreed with Portfolio Holders as part of budget setting and the Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee or the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to review the fee annually; and ·         The GWCS budget is to be financially self-supporting.
2	The Group felt that there were not enough advantages to support the motion from Councillor David Nettleton to SEBC Council on 19 December 2017 and there would be a number of marketing and operational issues incurred.  The Group also did not favour supporting a discounted charging scheme.
3       4         5	To depart from the singular bin collection day approach for the GWCS to unlock collection capacity.   Move towards a rolling subscription model by April 2020, to be linked to the Digital Strategy, Customer Access Strategy and marketing approaches. ·         Approach to be fully automated. ·         Cost to be within the budget of the GWCS. As part of the next subscription process: ·         Find out key reasons why households are not signing up; ·         Run a marketing campaign aimed at rounds where take-up is low but garden space is large; ·         Further promote bin sharing; ·         Investigate an incentivisation scheme to encourage sign up direct debit (part of a corporate approach); and ·         To understand the remaining potential in the households not currently subscribing to the GWCS.
6	To retain the current service branding.
7	Run a marketing campaign trial to change non subscriber behaviours. ·         Identify bin collection rounds with the highest amount of garden waste in the residual waste bins.
8	To undertake collection round modelling to reflect future changes prior to the move to the WSOH.
9	To continue to promote take-up and migration to direct debit.
10	Review at a later date the “ban” option after all marketing options had been carried out, with a caveat on what goes in the black bin.
11	Through colleagues in the Customer Services team, seek to create a new section on the website for residents who are new to the area.
12	Work with ARP and encourage them to refer customers to the council’s GWCS.
13	To scope work with ARP and any other partners to introduce a new homes pack for house moves.

 

 

The Shadow Executive (Cabinet) considered the above report, which sought approval for recommendations of the Forest Heath District Council (FHDC) and St Edmundsbury Borough Council (SEBC) Overview and Scrutiny Committees’ appointed Garden Waste Collection Service Joint Task and Finish Group.

 

On 6 and 7 June 2018, both SEBC and FHDC Overview and Scrutiny Committees resolved to establish a joint task and finish group to carry out a joint review of the Garden Waste Collection Service and to make recommendations for the service moving forward from April 2019.

 

The Joint Task and Finish Group met on five occasions and undertook a thorough review of specific areas, as summarised in paragraphs 1.4 and 1.5 of the report, which culminated in a raft of recommendations, as reproduced in paragraph 1.6.

 

Councillor David Bowman, one of the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Members with the responsibility for Operations, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Shadow Executive, including expressing his thanks to officers, the Joint Task and Finish Group for the comprehensive review and to the Overview and Scrutiny Committees’ consideration of the Group’s recommendations before presenting them to the Shadow Executive.

 

Councillor Peter Stevens, the other Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Member with the responsibility for Operations, added that he would urge Members to support the proposed increase in subscription charge from £40 to £43 for 2019/2020, which would be reviewed annually and would compare favourably with other Suffolk authorities’ subscription charges. 

 

The Chairmen of the FHDC and SEBC Overview and Scrutiny Committees also spoke in support of the review and commended the diligence of the Joint Task and Finish Group.  It was highlighted that the review had identified that the Garden Waste Collection Service had been successful since the introduction of the scheme in April 2016.

 

A discussion was then held on the promotion and sale of compostable material.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the recommendations, as set out in Section 4 of the Garden Waste Collection Service Joint Task and Finish Group Report, Report Nos OAS/SE/18/031 and OAS/FH/18/032, be approved.

Namely:

 

1	Increase the current subscription charge from £40 to £43 for 2019-2020. This included: ·         The subscription charge to be reviewed annually; ·         To be agreed with Portfolio Holders as part of budget setting and the Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee  the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to review the fee annually; and ·         The GWCS budget is to be financially self-supporting.
2	The Group felt that there were not enough advantages to support the motion from Councillor David Nettleton to SEBC Council on 19 December 2017 and there would be a number of marketing and operational issues incurred.  The Group also did not favour supporting a discounted charging scheme.
3     4           5	To depart from the singular bin collection day approach for the GWCS to unlock collection capacity.   Move towards a rolling subscription model by April 2020, to be linked to the Digital Strategy, Customer Access Strategy and marketing approaches. ·         Approach to be fully automated. ·         Cost to be within the budget of the GWCS. As part of the next  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.

Report No: EXC/SA/18/017

Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Members: Susan Glossop and Lance Stanbury

Chairmen of the Committees: FHDC Cllr Simon Cole and SEBC Cllr Diane Hind

Lead Officers: Julie Baird and Andrea Mayley

RESOLVED:

 

That the Christmas Fayre Review Reports:  (OAS/SE/18/032) and (OAS/FH/18/031), including the revised Three-Year Action Plan, attached as Appendix F to Report No: EXC/SA/18/017, be approved, subject to:

 

“An Annual Report on the Christmas Fayre being presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and specifically in 2019, to report back on discussions with the Destination Management Organisation and the BID (Our Bury St Edmunds) on willingness; desire of businesses to have/provide additional Christmas stalls throughout the town, over a longer period to create “Christmas in Bury”.

The Shadow Executive (Cabinet) considered the above report, which sought approval for recommendations of the Forest Heath District Council (FHDC) and St Edmundsbury Borough Council (SEBC) Overview and Scrutiny Committees’ appointed Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre Joint Task and Finish Group.

 

On 18 and 19 April 2018, both SEBC and FHDC Overview and Scrutiny Committees resolved to establish a joint task and finish group to carry out a joint review of the Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre and to make recommendations regarding the future of the Fayre.

 

The Joint Task and Finish Group met on several occasions and undertook a thorough review of specific areas, as summarised in paragraph 1.4 of the report, which culminated in the preparation of a proposed three year action plan incorporating the raft of recommendations emanating from the Group.

 

Upon presenting the Group’s recommendations to the FHDC and SEBC Overview and Scrutiny Committees on 7 and 8 November 2018, the SEBC Portfolio Holder for Planning and Growth had suggested an additional recommendation, including the reasons for it, relating to ‘Safety and Security’, as set out in paragraph 1.7 of the report.  An additional minor amendment had also been suggested by the Portfolio Holder.  Both of these suggestions were accepted by the Committees for incorporation into the proposed three-year action plan (Appendix F). Incorporating these amendments, the revised action plan (Appendix F) was attached to this Shadow Executive (Cabinet) report for approval. 

 

Councillor Diane Hind, Chairman of SEBC’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Shadow Executive (Cabinet), including providing a summary of the work of the Joint Task and Finish Group, for which she had been appointed Chairman.  She was immensely pleased with the outcome of the review and acknowledged the significant contribution of each Member of the Group, which had comprised Members from both SEBC and FHDC.

 

When the final report of the Joint Task and Finish Group was presented to the SEBC Overview and Scrutiny Committee, this had ignited a lively debate with some Committee Members considering the report lacked forward thinking and ambition; however the majority of Members had broadly supported the content.  The debate had resulted in the following additional recommendation being presented to the Shadow Executive (Cabinet), which had been accepted by FHDC’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

 

“An Annual Report on the Christmas Fayre being presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and specifically in 2019, to report back on discussions with the Destination Management Organisation and the BID (Our Bury St Edmunds) on willingness; desire of businesses to have/provide additional Christmas stalls throughout the town, over a longer period to create “Christmas in Bury”.

 

Councillor Susan Glossop, one of the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Members for Planning and Growth, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Shadow Executive, including expressing her thanks to the Joint Task and Finish Group for their work in completing a thorough and comprehensive review.  Councillor Glossop had welcomed the scope of the review and agreed that all areas covered  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

Report No: EXC/SA/18/018

Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Members: Stephen Edwards and Ian Houlder

Lead Officer: Greg Stevenson

 

RECOMMENDED TO SHADOW COUNCIL (18 December 2018)

That:

 

(1)     the tax base for 2019/2020, for the whole of  West Suffolk is 55,056.11 equivalent Band D dwellings, and for each of the predecessor areas is: Forest Heath 18,313.11 and St Edmundsbury 36,743.00, as detailed in paragraph 1.4.3 of Report No: EXC/SA/18/018; and

 

(2)     the tax base for 2019/2020 for the different parts of its area, as defined by parish or special expense area boundaries, are as shown in Appendices 3 and 4 to Report No: EXC/SA/18/018.

The Shadow Executive (Cabinet) considered the above report which sought approval for the formal calculation for the council tax base for the financial year 2019/2020.

 

The council tax base was the total taxable value at a point in time of all the domestic properties in the council’s area. It is a yearly calculation and represented the estimated number of chargeable dwellings after allowing for exemptions and discounts, projected changes in the property base and after applying an estimated collection rate.

 

The total taxable value referred to above was arrived at by each dwelling being placed in one of eight valuation bands (A – H) by the Valuation Office, with a statutorily set fraction then being applied in order to convert it to a ‘band D equivalent’ figure.  These band D equivalent numbers were then aggregated at a district wide level and were also sub totalled for parishes.  This calculation had to be done by the council responsible for sending the bills out and collecting the council tax ('the billing authority’).  In two tier areas, district councils fulfilled this function.

 

The council tax base was used in the calculation of council tax.  Each authority divided the total council tax income it needed to meet its budget requirement by the tax base of its area to arrive at its band D council tax. The same fractions referred to in the previous paragraph were then used to work out the council tax for properties in each of the other bands.

 

Orders had been laid allowing West Suffolk to harmonise the council tax of Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury over a period not exceeding seven years. Because of this, it was necessary to calculate tax base figures for both areas currently covered by Forest Heath District Council and St Edmundsbury Borough Council (the “predecessor areas”).

 

Councillor Ian Houlder, one of the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Members with the responsibility for Resources and Performance, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Shadow Executive, including that the band D properties figures as at 1 October 2018 was 18,749.2 for Forest Heath and 37,354.8 for St Edmundsbury which was 55,056.11 for the whole West Suffolk district.  This was an increase of 348.67 for Forest Heath and 252.05 for St Edmundsbury on the previous year, and was therefore 600.71 for the whole West Suffolk district.

 

The calculations applied to reach these figures were detailed in the report. 

 

In line with the delegated authority to administer the Council’s financial affairs as outlined in the Constitution, the arrangements for the scheduling of the precept payments for 2019/2020, would be determined by the Assistant Director (Resources and Performance) (Chief Financial Officer).

 

It was expected that the payments schedule for all parish and town councils in West Suffolk would be full payment of the precepts by 30 April 2019. These would be in accordance with Appendices 3 and 4 attached to the report.

 

 

RECOMMENDED TO SHADOW COUNCIL (18 December 2018):

 

That:

 

(1)     the tax base for 2019/2020, for the whole of  West  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

To consider the most recently published version of the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Decisions Plan.

 

Report No: EXC/SA/18/019

Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Members: John Griffiths and James Waters        

Lead Officer: Ian Gallin

The Shadow Executive (Cabinet) considered this report which was the Shadow Executive (Cabinet) Decisions Plan covering the period 1 November 2018 to 6 May 2019.

 

Members took the opportunity to review the intended forthcoming decisions of the Shadow Executive (Cabinet). However, no further information or amendments were requested on this occasion.