Agenda item

Report No: COU/SE/15/002

Cabinet Member: Cllr David Ray        Lead Officer: Rachael Mann

Members are reminded that in accordance with regulations introduced last year, there will be a recorded vote on this item.

(Councillor French left and Councillor Paul Hopfensperger arrived during the consideration of this item.)

The Council considered Report COU/SE/15/002 (previously circulated) which recommended that the level of Band D Council Tax for 2015/2016 be set at the same level as for 2014/2015, at £175.23 (this being the fifth successive year in which the council had delivered a Council Tax freeze).

The Council was required to consider the 2015/2016 budget for the authority and to set the level of Council Tax required to fund this budget. The proposed 2015/2016 net revenue budget was £12.757m

It was estimated that £8.832m would be spent on the Council’s capital programme during 2015/2016, to be funded from a combination of grants and contributions (£2.214m) earmarked revenue reserves (£3.209m) and usable capital receipts reserve (£3.409m).

Council was required, in considering the budget, to take note of the report by the Head of Resources and Performance (S151 Officer), at Attachment x to the report. The conclusion was that overall, the estimates are robust and the reserves are adequate.

Councillor Ray, Portfolio Holder for Performance and Resources, explained that the budget had been built around the council’s strategic priorities and there had been a public consultation during the summer. Although the policies of a new government were not known at the time of setting the budget, it was clear that local government would rely more on local funding rather than central government funding. In addition:

• the future of the New Homes Bonus, Council Tax freeze bonuses and Business Rates Retention was not known;
• the Council had gone further with shared services and made more efficiencies in the way business was conducted but warned that there would be less opportunities to close future budget gaps; 
• the Council would need to look at earlier intervention to prevent rather than cure;
• the Council needed to behave more commercially by maximising income from current initiatives and searching for other ways to generate income.

Councillor Ray thanked all of the Finance team and other council staff for their contribution in achieving his budget and producing this budget. Councillor Griffiths then thanked Councillor Ray for his tireless working and his achievements during his time on the Council.

In response to questions, Councillor Ray explained:

·         £3.7m of the New Homes Bonus had gone into the strategic priorities reserve and £3m of this had been allocated to housing (see Attachment E to Report COU/SE/15/002).

·         The overall budget for the Apex was covered in two separate lines in the Revenue Budget Summary: the income was shown under ‘Leisure – Commercial Activities’ and the expenditure under ‘The Apex’.

Some concern was raised on the continued Council Tax freeze and whether an increase should be considered in future years and there should be public consultation on this matter.  Some grants to other organisations had been cut when their need for funding was increasing as other services were being reduced.  Supporting charities and other organisations should be considered as part of our strategic priority ‘resilient families and communities that are healthy and active’. Councillor Ray explained that the decision to freeze council tax was made annually taking all factors into consideration.

On the motion of Councillor Ray and seconded by Councillor Griffiths, the motion was then put to the vote; the votes recorded were 31 votes for the motion, one vote against and five abstentions. The name of those Members voting for, against and abstaining being recorded as follows:-

For the motion:

Councillors Broughton, Chung, Clements, Clifton-Brown, Everitt, Farmer, Farthing, Gower, Griffiths, Beccy Hopfensperger, Houlder, Levack, Marks, McManus, Mildmay-White, Nettleton, Pugh, Ray, Rayner, Redhead, Richardson, Rushbrook, Rushen, Spicer, Springett, Stamp, Stevens, Thorndyke, Wade, Frank Warby and Patsy Warby.

Against the motion:

Councillors Brown.

Abstentions:

Councillors Beckwith, Byrne, Cockle, Paul Hopfensperger and Wakelam.