Agenda and minutes

The Chair will announce any urgent items which due to special circumstances are to be dealt with under Late Items.

There were no urgent items.

Members and officers are reminded to make any declarations of disclosable pecuniary, personal and/or prejudicial interests they may have in respect of matters on the agenda for this meeting.

Mr Bennett explained that members were not required to declare any interests in relation to the Budget as members of the council or district residents. He added that it is a criminal offence for any member to vote on the Council Tax if they themselves are in arrears. He confirmed officers had checked and no members were in such arrears.

Apologies for absence will be notified at this point.

The Chair will make any specific announcements.

 Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Apel, Cllr Bell, Cllr Brown, Cllr Fowler, Cllr McAra and Cllr Lishman.

Cllr Hamilton explained that she had decided to amend the running order to begin with item 5 - the Capital Strategy before moving to the budget spending plans and council tax resolutions.

The Council is requested to consider the report which can be found on pages 87 – 115 of the Cabinet agenda for 7 February 2023 and make the following resolution:

That the Council’s draft Capital Strategy for 2023-24 to 2027-28 be approved.

Cllr Wilding moved the recommendation which was seconded by Cllr Lintill. Cllr Wilding then introduced the report.

Cllr Oakley commented on the council’s debt free status, its significant reserves and ability to fund its asset replacement programme.

Cllr Plowman requested information on the link to the Local Plan. Mrs Belenger outlined the community link to the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and the schemes listed in the capital programme which are to be funded from this source .

In a vote the following resolution was agreed:

RESOLVED

That the Council’s draft Capital Strategy for 2023-24 to 2027-28 be approved.

The Council is requested to consider the report which can be found on pages 9 – 85 of the Cabinet agenda for 7 February 2023 and the revised Appendix 4 supplement pack and make the following resolutions:

a)    That a net budget requirement of £15,845,400 for 2023-24 be approved.

b)    That Council Tax be increased by £5.26 from £175.81 to £181.07 for a Band D equivalent in 2023-24.

c)    Should the final settlement differ from the draft settlement, an equivalent sum be either transferred to or transferred from reserves.

d)    The capital programme, including the asset renewal programme (appendices 1c and 1d of the agenda report) be approved.

e)    The capital prudential indicators and the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Policy (appendix 4 of the agenda report) be approved.

f)     That the Government’s Council Tax Support Fund Scheme for 2023-24 be allocated as set out in paragraph 6.7 of this report, using the £170,515 grant received in the 2023-24 financial settlement. Any residual balance from this grant to be used to fund a discretionary scheme, with delegated authority to the Director of Housing & Communities in consultation with the Cabinet member for Corporate Services, Revenue and Benefits to agree the criteria of the discretionary scheme.

An amendment Motion from Cllr Moss is also included. Having complied with the Motions Procedure as set out in the council’s Constitution the motion attached will be proposed by Cllr Moss and if duly seconded it will then be discussed at this meeting.

Cllr Wilding proposed the recommendations which were seconded by Cllr Lintill. Cllr Wilding then introduced the item. Mr Ward then clarified that the final settlement had been agreed on 6 February 2023. He confirmed the 2.99% Council Tax threshold at a value of £5.26 equating to a £296,000 per annum revenue. He then drew members attention to the revised Appendix 4 circulated at the Cabinet meeting, revised (PART II) Appendix 5, a supplement containing revised pages 25, 33 and 35 and the Supplement containing the minor amendments to Cllr Moss’s Motion. He then explained that the Staff Pay Award negotiations for 2023 were underway. Early indications are that it will exceed the total in the budget. Mr Ward advised members that this should be dealt with in year as it had in 2022.

Cllr Lintill then spoke as Leader. She spoke in favour of the proposed budget outlining how it would support the council’s five main Corporate Priorities.

Cllr Moss was then invited to speak as Leader of the Opposition. He clarified that Cllr Evans would be presenting the Amendment Motion. He noted that the Future Services Framework discussions had been in Part II prior to the Budget. He commented that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommendations to Cabinet in November 2022 had not been carried forward. He requested a review of the Budget following the elections.

Cllr Moss then proposed his Motion Amendment as amended. This was seconded by Cllr Evans. Cllr Evans then introduced the Motion Amendment. He explained that Cllr Brown would have introduced the Motion but was unable to attend the meeting. He explained that the Motion Amendment sought to create a vibrant night time economy for younger people.

Cllr Sutton responded. He spoke in favour of recognising the needs of younger people and local events. He drew members attention to the role of the council’s Events Officer.

Cllr Bangert then spoke in favour of the Motion.

Mr Bennett requested that the Motion Amendment be read out. Cllr Evans then read the Motion Amendment.

Cllr Moss then summed up his Motion Amendment as amended.

Mrs Shepherd carried out a recorded vote on Cllr Moss’s Motion Amendment as amended. The results were as follows:

Cllr Apel – Absent

Cllr Bangert – For

Cllr Barrett – For

Cllr Barrie – For

Cllr Bell – Absent

Cllr Bowden – For

Cllr Brisbane – For

Cllr Briscoe – For

Cllr Brown – Absent

Cllr Dignum – For

Cllr Duncton – For

Cllr Elliott – For

Cllr Evans – For

Cllr Fowler – Absent

Cllr Graves – For

Cllr Hamilton – For

Cllr Hobbs - For

Cllr Donna Johnson – For

Cllr Tim Johnson – For

Cllr Lintill – For

Cllr Lishman – Absent

Cllr McAra – Absent

Cllr Moss – For

Cllr Oakley – For

Cllr O’Kelly – For

Cllr Palmer – For

Cllr Page - Absent

Cllr Plant – For

Cllr Plowman – For

Cllr Potter – For

Cllr Purnell – For

Cllr Rodgers – For

Cllr Sharp –  ...  view the full minutes text for item 212.

The Council is requested to consider the report and appendix and make the following resolution:

That having considered the Cabinet’s budget proposals from their meeting of 7 February 2023 Council is asked to approve the Council Tax Resolutions as set out in Appendix A.

Cllr Wilding proposed the recommendation which were seconded by Cllr Lintill. Cllr Wilding then introduced the item. He drew attention to the handout circulated by officers following the agreement of Cllr Moss’s Motion amendment (attached to the minutes). Mr Ward explained the changes to the figures that arose as a result of the amendment.

Mrs Shepherd carried out a recorded vote. The results were as follows:

Cllr Apel – Absent

Cllr Bangert – For

Cllr Barrett – For

Cllr Barrie – Abstain

Cllr Bell – Absent

Cllr Bowden – For

Cllr Brisbane – For

Cllr Briscoe – For

Cllr Brown – Absent

Cllr Dignum – For

Cllr Duncton – For

Cllr Elliott – For

Cllr Evans – For

Cllr Fowler – Absent

Cllr Graves – For

Cllr Hamilton – For

Cllr Hobbs - For

Cllr Donna Johnson – For

Cllr Tim Johnson – For

Cllr Lintill – For

Cllr Lishman – Absent

Cllr McAra – Absent

Cllr Moss – For

Cllr Oakley – For

Cllr O’Kelly – For

Cllr Palmer – For

Cllr Page - Absent

Cllr Plant – For

Cllr Plowman – For

Cllr Potter – For

Cllr Purnell – For

Cllr Rodgers – For

Cllr Sharp – For

Cllr Sutton – For

Cllr Taylor – For

Cllr Wilding - For

For = 28

Against = 0

Abstain = 1

Absent = 7

RESOLVED

That having considered the Cabinet’s budget proposals from their meeting of 7 March 2023 Council approve the Council Tax Resolutions as set out in Appendix A.

The Council is requested to consider the report and its appendix which can be found on pages 7 to 28 of the 7 March 2023 Cabinet agenda and make the resolutions provided by the Independent Renumeration Panel.

Cllr Wilding proposed the recommendations which were seconded by Cllr Lintill. Cllr Wilding then introduced the report. Cllr Lintill also welcomed Mr Bevis and Mr Thompson from the Independent Renumeration Panel.

Cllr Oakley asked Mr Bevis and Mr Thompson to clarify the reason for the additional £100 per member of a political group for opposition party leaders with groups of more than two members. Mr Bevis and Mr Thompson explained that consideration had been given to the role of the opposition Leader and how the increase could help the role be carried out most effectively. Cllr Plant questioned why it did not apply to the Leader of the majority party. Cllr Lintill confirmed it was for the opposition group leaders.

Cllr Oakley asked why additional allowance had not been granted to members of the Planning Committee. Mr Thompson explained that there had not been support for the addition raised by Cllr Oakley.

Cllr Plowman commented that members did not have to take their allowances. Cllr Donna Johnson responded and explained that many members required them.

In a vote the following recommendation to Council was agreed:

RESOLVED

That the Council approves the recommendations of the Independent Renumeration Panel.

The Chair thanked Mr Bevis and Mr Thompson and the rest of the Panel for their work.

To consider any late items as follows:

a)    Items added to the agenda papers and made available for public inspection.

b)    Items which the Chair has agreed should be taken as matters of urgency by reason of special circumstances to be reported at the meeting.

There were no late items.

The Council is asked to consider in respect of Appendix 5 to Agenda Item 4 whether the public, including the press, should be excluded from the meeting on the grounds of exemption under Parts I to 7 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as indicated against the item and because, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption of that information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. The reports dealt with under this part of the agenda are attached for members of the Council and senior officers only (salmon paper).

There was no requirement to exclude the press or the public.