Agenda item

To consider the report of Cabinet

The Mayor informed Councillors that recommendations (1) to (4) 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 calling for a recorded vote for those decisions.

 

Councillor Warriner then presented Cabinet’s final budget proposals in relation to the Housing Revenue Account, to allow the Council to complete its budget setting for 2019/20 and update its financial strategy to 2023.

 

Members asked questions and Councillor Warriner responded, before proposing the recommendations in the report:

 

(1)       That Cabinet’s recommendation to approve the council housing rent levels for 2019/20, as set in accordance with statutory requirements, be noted.

 

(2)       That the Housing Revenue Account budgets and future years’ projections be approved, as set out in Appendix A of the report.

 

(3)       That the revenue growth proposals as set out at Appendix B of the report be approved.

 

(4)       That the minimum level of HRA unallocated balances be retained at £0.5M from 01 April 2019, and that the full Statement on Reserves and Balances as set out at Appendix C of the report be approved.

 

(5)       That the Council Housing Capital Programme be approved, as set out in Appendix D of the report.

 

(6)       That Council notes the Section 151 Officer’s advice regarding robustness of budget estimates, the adequacy of reserves and balances and the affordability of borrowing.

 

Councillor Reynolds seconded the proposition.

 

An amendment, in the form of an additional point (7), was proposed by Councillor Hamilton-Cox, seconded by Councillor Barry:-

 

“Council congratulates the housing department on their retro-fitting of properties on the Vale Estate. Council asks that a report on this work be brought back to Cabinet and Budget and Performance committees with a view to rolling out further similar projects elsewhere in the district.”

 

This was accepted as a friendly amendment by Councillor Warriner and his seconder.

 

There was debate on the proposition, complete with friendly amendment, before the Mayor called for a recorded vote on (1).

 

The votes were recorded as follows for (1):-

 

For:

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

Against:

Councillors Charles, Guilding, Helme, Joan Jackson, Mace, Peter Williamson, Phillippa Williamson and Yates. (8)

No abstentions.

 

Recorded vote on (2) was as follows:-

 

For:

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

Against:

Councillors Charles, Guilding, Helme, Joan Jackson, Mace, Peter Williamson, Phillippa Williamson and Yates. (8)

No abstentions.

 

The votes for (3) were recorded as follows:-

 

For:

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

Against:

Councillors Charles, Guilding, Helme, Joan Jackson, Mace, Peter Williamson, Phillippa Williamson and Yates. (8)

No abstentions.

 

Recorded vote for (4) was as follows:-

 

For:

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

Against:

Councillors Charles, Guilding, Helme, Joan Jackson, Mace, Peter Williamson, Phillippa Williamson and Yates. (8)

No abstentions.

 

With all four recorded votes clearly carried, the Mayor called for a show of hands for proposals (5) to (7), which were also clearly carried.

 

(Councillor Hanson, having previously declared an interest,

did not vote on any part of this item.)

 

Resolved:

 

(1)       That Cabinet’s recommendation to approve the council housing rent levels for 2019/20, as set in accordance with statutory requirements, be noted.

 

(2)       That the Housing Revenue Account budgets and future years’ projections be approved, as set out in Appendix A of the report.

 

(3)       That the revenue growth proposals as set out at Appendix B of the report be approved.

 

(4)       That the minimum level of HRA unallocated balances be retained at £0.5M from 01 April 2019, and that the full Statement on Reserves and Balances as set out at Appendix C of the report be approved.

 

(5)       That the Council Housing Capital Programme be approved, as set out in Appendix D of the report.

 

(6)       That Council notes the Section 151 Officer’s advice regarding robustness of budget estimates, the adequacy of reserves and balances and the affordability of borrowing.

 

(7)       Council congratulates the housing department on their retro-fitting of properties on the Vale Estate. Council asks that a report on this work be brought back to Cabinet and Budget and Performance committees with a view to rolling out further similar projects elsewhere in the district.