Agenda item

To consider the report of Cabinet.

The Mayor asked Councillors whether there was any wish to suspend Council procedure Rule 17.4 to allow extended budget speeches for Group Leaders and proposers of the motion and any amendments. No request to suspend the rule was received.

 

Councillors were reminded that recommendations (1) to (3) of the report were ‘budget decisions’ within the terms of regulations and Procedure Rule 19.7 of the Constitution, which required a recorded vote to be taken. Consequently he would be asking for a recorded vote for those matters.

 

Before presenting the Cabinet report, Councillor Whitehead declared a non-prejudicial interest as a Patron of The Dukes theatre, which received grant funding from the Council. She then put forward Cabinet’s final budget proposals to allow the Council to complete its revenue budget setting for 2019/20. The proposals were as set out in the report, with the addition of an inflation increase to grants made to voluntary and arts sector organisations. The cost of this, approximately £10,000, would be met from reserves, and would have no impact on the General Fund Revenue Budget figure which Council was being asked to approve.

 

There were a number of questions from Councillors, which Councillor Whitehead, Councillor Warriner and the Interim Head of Finance/Section 151 Officer responded to. Councillor Warriner agreed to supply a written answer to Councillors to a question asked by Councillor Thynne about how funding for homelessness was being spent.

 

Councillor Whitehead, seconded by Councillor Blamire, proposed the recommendations as set out in the report:-

 

“(1)      That the General Fund Revenue Budget of £15.937m for 2019/20 be approved, resulting in a Council Tax Requirement of £9.396m, excluding parish precepts, and a Band D basic City Council tax rate of £226.95.

 

(2)       That the supporting General Fund Revenue Budget proposals be approved, as summarised at Appendices 1 and 2 of the report and that an inflation increase for 2019/20 be applied to Council grants to voluntary and arts sector organisations, the cost of this to be met from reserves.

 

(3)       That the Reserves Strategy be approved, as set out at Appendix 4 of the report.

 

(4)       That Council notes the Section 151 Officer’s advice regarding robustness of budget estimates, the adequacy of reserves and balances, specifically the advice that the minimum level of balances be increased to £2m (an increase of £0.5m), to provide for added uncertainty.

 

(5)       That the budget transfer (virements and carry forwards) limits be approved as set out in Appendix 5 of the report.”

 

An amendment from the Green Group was proposed by Councillor Hamilton-Cox and seconded by Councillor Barry:-

 

“Council to use an electricity supplier with a much lower carbon footprint than npower. Allow up to 10% of current electricity costs. Money to be taken from reserves and from an energy-saving initiative during 2019/20.”

 

Debate followed on this amendment, before a vote was taken and the amendment was clearly lost.

Councillor Hamilton-Cox then proposed another amendment, seconded by Councillor Barry:-

 

“Council asks that the study into rationalising the Council’s premises is given the highest priority to make savings in the 2020/21 budget.”

 

This amendment was debated before the Mayor called for a vote. The amendment was clearly lost.

 

A final Green Group amendment was proposed by Councillor Caroline Jackson, seconded by Councillor Barry:-

 

“Council to increase the local spend to 20%.”

 

This amendment was debated and put to the vote. With 20 Councillor voting ‘for’, 32 ‘against’ and no abstentions, the amendment was lost.

 

Councillor Edwards then proposed an amendment, by way of an addendum to the proposals:-

 

“That the new Public Health Project Co-ordinator be provided with a £6,600 seed fund to provide support for homeless people.”

 

Councillor Thynne seconded the amendment, which was clearly lost when put the vote.

 

After a lengthy debate on the budget proposals, the Mayor called for a recorded vote on proposition (1).

 

Votes were recorded as follows:

 

For:

Councillors Barry, Betts-Patel, Biddulph, Blamire, Brayshaw, Brookes, Brown, Bryning, Burns, Clifford, Clift, Denwood, Devey, Frea, Hall, Hamilton-Cox, Hanson, Hartley, Hughes, Caroline Jackson, Kay, Kershaw, Leyshon, Metcalfe, Parr, Pattison, Redfern, Reynolds, Rivet, Robinson, Sands, Thynne, Warriner, Whitaker, Whitehead and Wilkinson. (36)

Against:

Councillors Bateson, Charles, Edwards, Goodrich, Guilding, Helme, Joan Jackson, Mace, Thomas, Wild, Peter Williamson, Phillippa Williamson and Yates. (13)

Abstentions:

Councillors Ashworth, Knight and Novell. (3)

 

Votes for proposition (2) were recorded as follows:

 

For:

Councillors Betts-Patel, Biddulph, Blamire, Brayshaw, Brown, Bryning, Burns, Clifford, Clift, Denwood, Devey, Frea, Hall, Hanson, Hartley, Hughes, Kay, Kershaw, Leyshon, Metcalfe, Parr, Pattison, Redfern, Reynolds, Rivet, Robinson, Sands, Thynne, Warriner, Whitaker and Whitehead. (31)

Against:

Councillors Bateson, Charles, Edwards, Goodrich, Guilding, Helme, Joan Jackson, Mace, Thomas, Wild, Peter Williamson, Phillippa Williamson and Yates. (13)

Abstentions:

Councillors Ashworth, Barry, Brookes, Hamilton-Cox, Caroline Jackson, Knight, Novell and Wilkinson. (8)

 

Votes for proposition (3) were recorded as follows:

 

For:

Councillors Betts-Patel, Biddulph, Blamire, Brayshaw, Brown, Bryning, Burns, Clifford, Clift, Denwood, Devey, Frea, Hall, Hanson, Hartley, Hughes, Kay, Kershaw, Leyshon, Metcalfe, Parr, Pattison, Redfern, Reynolds, Rivet, Robinson, Sands, Warriner, Whitaker and Whitehead. (30)

Against:

Councillors Bateson, Charles, Edwards, Goodrich, Guilding, Hamilton-Cox, Helme, Joan Jackson, Mace, Thomas, Thynne, Wild, Peter Williamson, Phillippa Williamson and Yates. (15)

Abstentions:

Councillors Ashworth, Barry, Brookes, Caroline Jackson, Knight, Novell and Wilkinson. (7)

 

With propositions (1), (2) and (3) dealt with, and all carried, the Mayor reminded Councillors that there was no necessity for a recorded vote for propositions (4) and (5). A show of hands was taken on both together. Propositions (4) and (5) were clearly carried.

 

Resolved:

(1)       That the General Fund Revenue Budget of £15.937m for 2019/20 be approved, resulting in a Council Tax Requirement of £9.396m, excluding parish precepts, and a Band D basic City Council tax rate of £226.95.

 

(2)       That the supporting General Fund Revenue Budget proposals be approved, as summarised at Appendices 1 and 2 of the report and that an inflation increase for 2019/20 be applied to Council grants to voluntary and arts sector organisations, the cost of this to be met from reserves.

 

(3)       That the Reserves Strategy be approved, as set out at Appendix 4 of the report.

 

(4)       That Council notes the Section 151 Officer’s advice regarding robustness of budget estimates, the adequacy of reserves and balances, specifically the advice that the minimum level of balances be increased to £2m (an increase of £0.5m), to provide for added uncertainty.

 

(5)       That the budget transfer (virements and carry forwards) limits be approved as set out in Appendix 5 of the report.

 

(Council adjourned at 8.05pm and re-convened at 8.20pm)