Agenda item

Motion by Councillor R B Parker

It was moved, and seconded that:

This Council agrees to write to the incoming government to make clear what we believe should be its priorities in the area of local government in the forthcoming Parliament.  Those priorities are set out below:

·         A commitment to sustainable and improved funding for local government to enable local councils to deliver local services to meet the needs of local people.

·         A new fairer funding formulae to be established to bring about a more equitable distribution between cities, towns and counties;

·         More powers should be devolved from central to local government to enable local councils to have more flexibilities to raise more of their income locally; that should involve more devolution of central government funding to local councils and the removal of the cap on Council tax increases;

·         A fundamental review should be undertaken of the efficacy, efficiency and fairness of the current Business Rates model as a means of taxing businesses to fund local government;

·         The importance and urgency of sorting out the long term funding of Adult Social Care;

·         Until such a review has taken place the limit on the level of Adult Social Care precept should be removed and the short term future of the better care fund should be clarified;

·         There is a need for greater central government commitment, prioritisation and funding of preventative services.  That is because, for example, public health and adult social care services are as important as hospital services in tackling both short term and long term health needs.  In much the same way, youth services and children's services (where spending could reduce crime) need to be recognised as being vital, but in different ways, as policing.  In both these areas local councils are the responsible local agencies.

During debate an amendment was proposed and seconded to include the following to the above wording:

That the IDB (Internal Drainage Boards) precept be taken out of the council tax cap for those local authorities where relevant.

Upon being put to the vote, this amendment was carried (unanimous).

This then became the substantive motion and on being put to the vote was carried (unanimous).

RESOLVED

This Council agrees to write to the incoming government to make clear what we believe should be its priorities in the area of local government in the forthcoming Parliament.  Those priorities are set out below:

·         A commitment to sustainable and improved funding for local government to enable local councils to deliver local services to meet the needs of local people.

·         A new fairer funding formulae to be established to bring about a more equitable distribution between cities, towns and counties;

·         More powers should be devolved from central to local government to enable local councils to have more flexibilities to raise more of their income locally; that should involve more devolution of central government funding to local councils and the removal of the cap on Council tax increases;

·         A fundamental review should be undertaken of the efficacy, efficiency and fairness of the current Business Rates model as a means of taxing businesses to fund local government;

·         The importance and urgency of sorting out the long term funding of Adult Social Care;

·         Until such a review has taken place the limit on the level of Adult Social Care precept should be removed and the short term future of the better care fund should be clarified;

·         There is a need for greater central government commitment, prioritisation and funding of preventative services.  That is because, for example, public health and adult social care services are as important as hospital services in tackling both short term and long term health needs.  In much the same way, youth services and children's services (where spending could reduce crime) need to be recognised as being vital, but in different ways, as policing.  In both these areas local councils are the responsible local agencies.

·         That the IDB (Internal Drainage Boards) precept be taken out of the council tax cap for those local authorities where relevant.