Agenda item

The Finance and Resources Committee, at its meeting held on 14 February 2019, considered a report dealing with budget consultation, impact analysis, the Housing Revenue Account budget and council house rents 2019/20, capital programme 2019/20 to 2021/22, General Fund revenue budget 2019/20, prudential indicators 2019/20 to 2021/22, treasury management strategy 2019/20 to 2021/22, investments strategy 2019/20 to 2021/22, and the medium term General Fund financial strategy to 2021/22.

                              

The precept figures for Nottinghamshire County Council had not been finalised at the time of printing the agenda. These were considered and resolved at a meeting held on 28 February 2019 and the final figures resulting from the meeting were distributed to members.               

 

The motion was moved by Councillor R I Jackson and seconded by Councillor P D Simpson and it was stated that Council Tax had been frozen for the fourth year in succession and although the New Homes Bonus was lower than 2018/19 the Council was self-sufficient whilst retaining a sound financial base.

 

The following amendment was moved by Councillor M Radulovic MBE and seconded by Councillor D A Elliott:

 

“Additional recommendation 3 to be inserted:

 

‘This Council tonight commits itself to the provision of an accelerated new-build Council house programme and the Interim Deputy Chief Executive be authorised to arrange the financing of the accelerated programme and subsequent revenue implications.’

 

At recommendation 1, third bullet point be amended to read:

 

‘The Capital Submissions and Priorities be approved, subject to the additional commitment of £1.2m from the 2019/20 Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme. This will enable the provision of new build housing to address homelessness and provide short-stay facilities especially for those ex-service personnel, for those in need of emergency shelter, young or old, or people in our community suffering from homelessness due to their mental health.’

 

At recommendation 1, seventh bullet point be amended to read:

 

‘An amount of £500,720 be withdrawn from the General Fund reserve in 2019/20. The additional withdrawal of £150,000 to fund the following new initiatives:

 

·     The reinstatement a Domestic Violence Support Officer.

·     To establish community forums in each area of Broxtowe to respond to local area needs in a much quicker and more effective way. Also to support a programme of education and direct action to mitigate against the involvement of people involved in drug abuse, anti-social behaviour and knife crime.

·     To ensure that all our major town centres have payment facilities and support/help from Broxtowe staff to mitigate against the negative effect of Universal Credit.’”

 

It was proposed by Councillor R I Jackson and seconded by Councillor M J Crow that the meeting be adjourned for a period of ten minutes. On being put to the meeting the proposal was carried.

 

Following the adjournment members considered the amendment and the following points were amongst those made:

 

·     The Council would need to lead on house building in order to combat the effects of manty years of austerity.

·     If the current leading group should retain its position following the elections in May, it would look into methods by which new build housing could be accelerated. Task and finish groups could consider quick proposals on the matter.

·     A working group would be more suitable to consider the proposed new initiatives, in a similar fashion to methods used by the Mental Health Working Group.

·     The amendment would move to resolve the failings of the leading group. Rent arrears were at their peak and the amendment was for the people of Broxtowe.

·     People needed something more effective than Community Action Team meetings. People who needed to use cash to make payments were being excluded as the lack of facilities would not allow for this.

·     In order to tackle knife crime, it would necessitate full engagement from all parties.

·     The increased use of food banks was not acceptable in 2019.

·     Projects were in need of support to help young people know what to do should they encounter somebody with a knife.

·     Homelessness in Broxtowe was rising, but the leading group could not see the cost benefit of taking action.

·     Housing should be a priority in such a rich country.

·     Broxtowe is a good place to live and this should be celebrated.

 

In accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a recorded vote was required. The voting was as follows:

 

For	Against	Abstention
D Bagshaw	E H Atherton
S A Bagshaw	L A Ball BEM
B C Carr	J S Briggs
S J Carr	T P Brindley
T A Cullen	M Brown
R H Darby	D A Burnett BEM
D A Elliott	M J Crow
L A Lally	E Cubley
P Lally	J A Doddy
R D MacRae	S Easom
G Marshall	L Fletcher
J K Martsters	J C Goold
J W McGrath	J W Handley
J C Patrick	M Handley
M Radulovic MBE	A Harper
K E Rigby	G Harvey
R S Robinson	R I Jackson
	E Kerry
	S Kerry
	W J Longdon
	J M Owen
	P J Owen
	M E Plackett
	P D Simpson
	A W G A Stockwell

 

The amendment, on being put to the meeting, was lost.

 

Councillor K E Rigby left the meeting at this point.

 

Members debated the original motion and discussion included the following points:

 

·        The health and wellbeing of residents would be improved as a result of measures taken in the budget.

·        Council Tax had been frozen for the last four years which had resulted in cuts to Council funding.

·        The leading group would build as many houses as possible during the next term.

·        The leading group had run the Council very well. There was a need to be commercial and bring in income.

 

 

In accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a recorded vote was required. The voting was as follows:

 

For	Against	Abstention
E H Atherton		D Bagshaw
L A Ball BEM		S A Bagshaw
J S Briggs		B C Carr
T P Brindley		S J Carr
M Brown		T A Cullen
D A Burnett BEM		R H Darby
M J Crow		D A Elliott
E Cubley		L A Lally
J A Doddy		P Lally
S Easom		R D MacRae
L Fletcher		G Marshall
J C Goold		J K Marsters
J W Handley		J W McGrath
M Handley		J C Patrick
A Harper		M Radulovic MBE
G Harvey		R S Robinson
R I Jackson
E Kerry
S Kerry
W J Longdon
J M Owen
P J Owen
M E Plackett
P D Simpson
A W G A Stockwell

 

The motion, on being put to the meeting, was carried.

 

                RESOLVED that:

 

1.          The recommendations arising from the Finance and Resources Committee meeting of 14 February 2019 as set out below be approved and adopted.

 

·        The Housing Revenue Account Budget as submitted by approved.

·        The General Fund Revenue Budgets as submitted be approved.

·        The Capital Submissions and Priorities within them be approved.

·        The Interim Deputy Chief Executive be authorised to arrange the financing of the capital programme as necessary.

·        An amount of £25,000 be provided for General  Contingency in 2019/20.

·        The Council Tax Requirement for 2019/20 including special expenses (but excluding local precepting requirements) be £5,475,252.

·        An amount of £350,720 be withdrawn from the General Fund reserve in 2019/20.

·        An amount of £264,325 be withdrawn from non-earmarked reserves in 2019/20.

·        The Capital Strategy be approved.

·        The Minimum Revenue Provision policy as set out be approved.

·        The Treasury Management Statement be approved.

·        The General Fund Medium Term Financial Strategy be approved.

 

2.          It be noted that, at its meeting on 8 January 2019, The Finance and Resources Committee approved the following amounts for the year 2019/20 in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012:

 

(a)  33674.71 being the amount calculated by the Council, in accordance with regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012, as its council tax base for the year.

 

(b)  Part of the Council's area

Parish of Awsworth                                                 615.03

Parish of Brinsley                                                    698.95

Parish of Cossall                                                     208.48

Parish of Eastwood                                               2,791.97

Parish of Greasley                                                3,663.94

Parish of Kimberley                                              1,804.75

Parish of Nuthall                                                   2,268.75

Parish of Stapleford                                              4,051.19

Parish of Trowell                                                      821.17

Beeston Special Expense Area                          16,569.21

               

being the amounts calculated by the Council, in accordance with regulation 6 of the Regulations as the amounts of its council tax base for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which one or more special items relate.

 

The amount calculated for dwellings in those parts of its area to which no special item relates is 181.27.

            

3.     The following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2019/20 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (the Act) as amended:

 

(a)  £54,371,430        being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A (2) of the Act.

 

(b)  £48,044,857       being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A (3) of the Act.

 

(c)   £6,326,573         being the amount by which the aggregate at 3(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 3(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31A (4) of the Act, as its council tax requirement for the year.

 

(d)       £187.87         being the amount at 3(c) above divided by the amount at 2(a) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its council tax for the year.

 

(e)     £876,321         being the aggregate amount of all special items (including parish precepts and special expenses) referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act.

 

(f)        £161.85         being the amount at 3(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 3(e) above by the amount at 2(a) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(2) of the Act, as the basic amount of its council tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which no special item relates.

 

 

 

(g)    Part of the Council's Area

        Parish of Awsworth                                          £291.92

        Parish of Brinsley                                             £255.17

        Parish of Cossall                                               £217.16

        Parish of Eastwood                                           £198.81

        Parish of Greasley                                            £217.41

        Parish of Kimberley                                          £228.00

        Parish of Nuthall                                               £215.13

        Parish of Stapleford                                          £180.22

        Parish of Trowell                                               £250.91

        Beeston Special Expense Area                        £163.36

 

being the amounts given by adding to the amount at 3(f) above the amounts of the special item or items relating to dwellings in those parts of the Council's area mentioned above divided in each case by the amount at 2(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(3) of the Act, as the basic amounts of its council tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which one or more special items relate.