Issue - meetings

Report of the Chief Finance Officer (to follow).

Cabinet submitted a report presenting final budget proposals in order that the City Council could complete its revenue budget setting for 2020/21.

Councillor Whitehead, Cabinet portfolio holder for Finance, presented the budget.  Members asked a number of questions, which Councillor Whitehead responded to.

Councillor Whitehead, seconded by Councillor Hamilton-Cox, proposed:

“That the recommendations, as set out in the report, be approved.”

There was a lengthy debate on the proposals after which the Mayor called for a recorded vote, in accordance with regulations and Council Procedure Rule 19.7. The vote was recorded as follows:

For the proposals:

Councillors Bannon, Biddulph, Black, Brookes, Bryning, Dant, Dowding, Frea, Greenwell, Hamilton-Cox, Hanson, Hartley, Jackson (Caroline), King, Lewis, O-Dwyer-Henry, Parr, Penny, Redfern, Reynolds, Robinson, Sinclair, Stubbins, Thornberry, Whearty, Whitaker, Whitehead, Wood and Young  (29)

Against the proposals:

Councillors Anderson, Anderton, Austen-Baker, Boyd-Power, Budden, Cleet, Dennison, Duggan, Evans, Firth, Gardiner, Goodwin, Guilding, Heath, Jackson (Joan), Jenkins, Knight (Geoff), Knight (Sarah), Matthews, Scothern, Thomas, Whitworth, Wild and Yates (24)

Resolved:

(1)          Thatthe GeneralFund RevenueBudget of£17.903M for2020/21 beapproved, resulting in a Council Tax Requirement of £9.672M, excluding parish precepts, and a Band D basic City Council tax rate of £231.95.

(2)          Thatthe supportingGeneral FundRevenue Budgetproposals beapproved, as summarised at Appendices A and B of the report.

(3)          That the Reserves Strategy be approved, as set out at Appendix D of the report.

(4)          ThatCouncil notesthe Section151 Officer’sadvice regardingrobustness of budget estimates, the adequacy of reserves and balances, specifically the advice thattheminimumlevelofbalancesbeincreasedto£2.5M(anincreaseof £0.5m), toprovideforaddeduncertainty.

(5)          Thatthe budgettransfer (virementsand carryforwards) limitsbe approved as set out in Appendix E of the report.