Agenda item

(Note: Councillor S P Roe left the Council Chamber for the consideration of this item of business)

 

A report by the Executive Director – Resources had been circulated together with a separate document entitled ‘Council Budget 2022/23) which described the Executive’s Budget and council tax proposals.

 

RESOLVED

 

(1)  That there be one debate;

 

(2)  That Councillor M J Hill OBE, Leader of the Council, in introducing and moving the budget and in responding to issues raised during the debate be allowed to speak without limit of time;

 

(3)  That the proposer of the amendment be allowed to speak without limit of time;

 

(4)  That Councillors seconding the motions each be allowed to speak for six minutes;

 

(5)  That other speakers be allowed to speak for three minutes;

 

(6)  That no further substantial amendments be moved.

 

 

It was moved and seconded that:

 

The Council:

 

1. has due regard to the responses to the consultation and engagement on the Council's budget proposals as contained in the appended Budget Book (Appendix D - Budget Consultation and Engagement Feedback);
2. has due regard to the Section 151 Officer's Statement on the Robustness of the Budget and the Adequacy of Reserves as set out in the appended Budget Book (Section 10 - Section 151 Officer's Statement on the Robustness of the Budget and Adequacy of Reserves);
3. has due regard to the Impact Analysis relating to increasing the Council Tax by 4.99% in 2022/23 set out in the appended 'Budget Book' (Appendix C – Impact Analysis relating to increasing the Council Tax by 4.99% in 2022/23);
4. approves:

4.1   the service revenue budgets for 2022/23 contained in the appended Budget Book, (Table 2 - Net Service Revenue Budget 2022/23);

4.2   the capital programme and its funding contained in the appended Budget Book (Section 7 - Capital Programme) and (Appendix O - Capital Programme);

4.3   the County Council element of the council tax for a Band D property at £1,432.17 for 2022/23 contained in the appended Budget Book (Appendix B - County Precept 2022/23);

as together being the Council's Budget.

5. approves the Council's Medium Term Financial Strategy contained in the appended Budget Book (Appendix E – Medium Term Financial Strategy);
6. approves the Council's Capital Strategy 2022/23 contained in the appended Budget Book (Appendix N – Capital Strategy 2022/23);
7. approves the prudential targets for capital finance and notes the prudential indicators contained in the appended Budget Book (Appendix M - Prudential Indicators);

8.      approves that the minimum revenue provision (MRP) be based on the asset life method, charged on an annuity basis for major infrastructure projects and in equal instalments for all other assets, over the estimated life of the assets acquired through borrowing as set out in the appended Budget Book (Section 9 - Minimum Revenue Provision).

 

An amendment was moved and seconded by the Shadow Executive as follows:

 

This Council resolves to:  

 

1.    Limit the council tax rise increase for the year 2022/23 to a total of 4% (3% Adult Social Care and 1% for general services).  

2.    Transfer £6.45 million from the Financial Volatility Reserve in order to fund the following:  

·       £3.2 million to make up the Highways budget shortfall (as a result of limiting the council tax increase to 4%).  

·       £1.2 million investment in the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) to provide increased resources necessary to meet the rising demand for services as a result of the pandemic.                                                                                     

·       £2.05 million investment to support Green MasterPlan projects to reduce carbon emissions, specifically:  

·       £1.5 million to develop cycling and walking schemes across the county.  

·       £300,000 to deliver solar canopies for car parks incorporating panels that generate electricity to power vehicle charging points below.  

·       £250,000 to install solar panels on LCC owned buildings.  

 

Executive Director of Resources/s.151 Officer Commentary

The Executive Director of Resources has confirmed these proposals are viable and broadly compliant with the existing Financial Strategy of the Council.

Reducing the amount of revenue collected from council tax will mean this funding will not be available for future years.  Maintaining the level of service spend proposed in this amendment by using reserves is unlikely to be sustainable in the longer term.

 

The proposals make use of a drawdown of the Financial Volatility reserve.  Reiterating my comments from Section 10 of the budget book, the stated intention of the reserve is to manage future funding volatility and given that issue is yet to be resolved, it is my strong professional opinion that the reserve should be maintained towards its historical level of around £50m and steps should be taken to replenish it to that level at the earliest opportunity.

 

In accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a recorded vote was held for the amendment and upon being put to the vote, the amendment was lost.

 

Details of the recorded vote taken:

 

Those voting for the amendment:

 

A J Baxter, M D Boles, S Bunney, K J Clarke, R J Cleaver, R A Gibson, Mrs J E Killey, J L King,           K E Lee, Mrs M J Overton MBE, T V Young.

 

Those voting FOR – 11

 

Those voting against the amendment:

 

M G Allan, P Ashleigh-Morris, T R Ashton, A M Austin, S A J Blackburn, Mrs W Bowkett,              Mrs P A Bradwell OBE, Mrs J Brockway, M Brookes, R D Butroid, I D Carrington, L A Cawrey,  M Clarke, N F Clarke, K H Cooke, C J Davie, R G Davies, T J G Dyer, I G Fleetwood, W H Gray,   M A Griggs, A G Hagues, A M Hall, M J Hill OBE, R J Kendrick, A M Key, C S Macey,                                  C E H Marfleet, C Matthews, A P Maughan, D McNally, N H Pepper, C L Perraton-Williams,    Mrs S Rawlins, N Sear, P A Skinner, T J N Smith, E J Sneath, H Spratt, A N Stokes, E W Strengiel, M E Thompson, M A Whittington, Mrs S Woolley, L Wootten, R Wootten, R A Wright.

 

Those voting AGAINST: 47

 

Those ABSTAINING: 0

 

In accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a recorded vote on the motion was taken.  Upon being put to the vote, the motion was carried:

 

Details of the recorded vote taken:

 

Those voting for the motion:

 

M G Allan, P Ashleigh-Morris, T R Ashton, A M Austin, S A J Blackburn,            Mrs W Bowkett, Mrs P A Bradwell OBE, Mrs J Brockway, M Brookes,                     R D Butroid, I D Carrington, L A Cawrey, M Clarke, N F Clarke, K H Cooke,       C J Davie, R G Davies, T J G Dyer, I G Fleetwood, W H Gray, M A Griggs,         A G Hagues, A M Hall, M J Hill OBE, R J Kendrick, A M Key, C S Macey,             C E H Marfleet, C Matthews, A P Maughan, D McNally, N H Pepper,                       C L Perraton-Williams, Mrs S Rawlins, N Sear, P A Skinner, T J N Smith,             E J Sneath, H Spratt, A N Stokes, E W Strengiel, M E Thompson,                             M A Whittington, Mrs S Woolley, L Wootten, R Wootten, R A Wright.

 

Those voting FOR – 47

 

Those voting against the motion:

 

A J Baxter, M D Boles, S Bunney, K J Clarke, R J Cleaver, R A Gibson,             Mrs J E Killey, J L King, K E Lee, Mrs M J Overton MBE, T V Young.

 

Those voting AGAINST – 11

 

Those ABSTAINING – 0

 

RESOLVED

 

That the Council:

 

1. has due regard to the responses to the consultation and engagement on the Council's budget proposals as contained in the appended Budget Book (Appendix D - Budget Consultation and Engagement Feedback);
2. has due regard to the Section 151 Officer's Statement on the Robustness of the Budget and the Adequacy of Reserves as set out in the appended Budget Book (Section 10 - Section 151 Officer's Statement on the Robustness of the Budget and Adequacy of Reserves);
3. has due regard to the Impact Analysis relating to increasing the Council Tax by 4.99% in 2022/23 set out in the appended 'Budget Book' (Appendix C – Impact Analysis relating to increasing the Council Tax by 4.99% in 2022/23);
4. approves:

4.1   the service revenue budgets for 2022/23 contained in the appended Budget Book, (Table 2 - Net Service Revenue Budget 2022/23);

4.2   the capital programme and its funding contained in the appended Budget Book (Section 7 - Capital Programme) and (Appendix O - Capital Programme);

4.3   the County Council element of the council tax for a Band D property at £1,432.17 for 2022/23 contained in the appended Budget Book (Appendix B - County Precept 2022/23);

as together being the Council's Budget.

5. approves the Council's Medium Term Financial Strategy contained in the appended Budget Book (Appendix E – Medium Term Financial Strategy);
6. approves the Council's Capital Strategy 2022/23 contained in the appended Budget Book (Appendix N – Capital Strategy 2022/23);
7. approves the prudential targets for capital finance and notes the prudential indicators contained in the appended Budget Book (Appendix M - Prudential Indicators);

8.      approves that the minimum revenue provision (MRP) be based on the asset life method, charged on an annuity basis for major infrastructure projects and in equal instalments for all other assets, over the estimated life of the assets acquired through borrowing as set out in the appended Budget Book (Section 9 - Minimum Revenue Provision).