Agenda item

Cabinet, at its meeting on 4 February 2016, considered a report on the council’s revenue budget to 2016/17 and capital programme to 2020/21.

Cabinet resolved to agree that the Cabinet member for finance, in conjunction with the head of finance, may make minor adjustments to the report and prudential indicators should they prove necessary prior to submission to Council. Any adjustments will be reported to Council.

The report of the head of finance, which Cabinet considered on 4 February 2016, was circulated to all councillors. Please bring this report to the meeting. A hard copy is available on request.

The Scrutiny Committee will consider this report at its meeting on 9 February 2016. Any views or recommendations will be reported to Council.

RECOMMENDATION: to

1.    set the revenue budget for 2016/17 as set out in appendix A.1 to the head of finance's report to Cabinet on 4 February 2016;

2.    agree that the capital schemes listed in paragraph 39 of the head of finance’s report remain in the capital programme

3.    approve the capital programme for 2016/17 to 2020/21 as set out in appendix D.1, together with the capital growth bids set out in appendix D.2 to the head of finance’s report;

4.    set the council’s prudential limits as listed in appendix E to the head of finance's report;

5.    approve the medium term financial plan to 2020/21 as set out in appendix F to the head of finance's report;

6.    allocate £1,000,000 to fund the Communities Capital Grant Scheme; and

7.    authorise the head of finance, in consultation with the Cabinet member for finance, to issue an efficiency statement to government in order to secure a four year settlement, if this is considered to be beneficial to the council.

The chairman referred to regulations that require councils to record the names of those councillors voting in favour, against or abstaining from any vote on the budget, including amendments, and the council tax. In accordance with the regulations she would call for a named vote on each of these matters at this meeting.

The chairman reminded councillors that they were not entitled to vote on any issue affecting the level or administration of the council tax or other decisions which might affect the making of any such calculation such as the budget, if they were over two months in arrears with their council tax payments. Where such circumstances applied, councillors were under a statutory obligation to disclose the restriction placed on them and refrain from voting at the relevant meeting. No councillor made any such declaration.

Council noted the report of the chief finance officer,appendix G to the budget report, on the robustness of the budget estimates and the adequacy of the reserves.

Mrs Murphy, Cabinet member for finance, presented the Cabinet’s proposals for the revenue budget 2016/17 and capital programme to 2020/21. On behalf of the council she thanked officers for their part in continuing to control costs and in preparing the draft budget.

Mrs Murphy moved and Mr Hall seconded a motion to approve Cabinet’s recommendations as follows:

That Council:

1.    sets the revenue budget for 2016/17 as set out in appendix A.1 to the head of finance's report to Cabinet on 4 February 2016;

2.    agrees that the capital schemes listed in paragraph 39 of the head of finance’s report remain in the capital programme

3.    approves the capital programme for 2016/17 to 2020/21 as set out in appendix D.1, together with the capital growth bids set out in appendix D.2 to the head of finance’s report;

4.    sets the council’s prudential limits as listed in appendix E to the head of finance's report;

5.    approves the medium term financial plan to 2020/21 as set out in appendix F to the head of finance's report;

6.    allocates £1,000,000 to fund the Communities Capital Grant Scheme; and

7.    authorises the head of finance, in consultation with the Cabinet member for finance, to issue an efficiency statement to government in order to secure a four year settlement, if this is considered to be beneficial to the council.

Mr Turner moved and Mrs Davies seconded an amendment to the above budget to remove the growth bid of £30,000 to fund a political assistant post. Those councillors who spoke in support of the amendment were of the view that public funds should not be used to fund political assistant posts, that the funds could be used in other areas for example to support a reduction in the garden waste charge.

Those councillors who spoke against the amendment stated that the post would provide policy advice and research to the Cabinet to bring forward imaginative policy ideas which would benefit the community. Although titled a political assistant the role would act as a policy assistant.

The chairman called for a recorded vote on the amendment which was

lost with the votes recorded as follows:

Councillors supporting the Cabinet’s budget revenue and capital budget proposals supported the view that the council continued to manage its financial matters sensibly while maintaining services and continuing its capital programme with no increase in this council’s element of the council tax in 2016/17.

The chairman called for a recorded vote on the motion which was carried with the votes recorded as follows:

RESOLVED: to

1.         set the revenue budget for 2016/17 as set out in appendix A.1 to the head of finance's report to Cabinet on 4 February 2016;

2.         agree that the capital schemes listed in paragraph 39 of the head of finance’s report remain in the capital programme

3.         approve the capital programme for 2016/17 to 2020/21 as set out in appendix D.1, together with the capital growth bids set out in appendix D.2 to the head of finance’s report;

4.         set the council’s prudential limits as listed in appendix E to the head of finance's report;

5.         approve the medium term financial plan to 2020/21 as set out in appendix F to the head of finance's report;

6.         allocate £1,000,000 to fund the Communities Capital Grant Scheme; and

7.         authorise the head of finance, in consultation with the Cabinet member for finance, to issue an efficiency statement to government in order to secure a four year settlement, if this is considered to be beneficial to the council.