Agenda, decisions and minutes

To sign as a true record the minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 29 January 2014 (attached).

of Meetings on 29 January 2014 – approved.

The minutes of the extraordinary and main Council meetings held on 29 January 2014 were before the Council for approval.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 29 January 2014 be signed as a correct record.

Members are invited to disclose any pecuniary interest in any of the items on the agenda at this point of the meeting. 

Members may still disclose any pecuniary interest in an item at any time prior to the consideration of the matter.

Note – please also refer to note (2) attached.

all Members present disclosed pecuniary interests in item 7, The Council’s Budget 2014/15 and item 8, Members’ Allowances Scheme 2014/15.

Each Member disclosed a pecuniary interest as a Council Tax payer or member of a household for which Council Tax was paid (agenda items 7 and 8/minutes 88 and 89).   

To consider any procedural motion in relation to the conduct of business for this meeting.

that the debates on items 7 (The Council’s Budget, 2014/15) and 8 (Members’ Allowances Scheme 2014/15) be combined and that 30 minutes each be allowed for the speeches of the proposers of the two reports and the amendments to them; AGREED without division.

The following procedural motion was agreed without division:

1.    That agenda items 7 and 8 be debated together; and

2.    That Council Procedure Rule 13.4 be suspended so as to allow 30 minutes each for the speeches of the proposers of the two reports and the amendments to them.

A         To consider the report of the Cabinet of 12 February 2014 (attached);

B         To note the decision of the Greater London Authority on its budget and precept for 2014/15, and the effect thereof on the Council’s budget;

C         To agree the General Fund budget, delegated schools budget and the Capital Programme for 2014/15; and then

D         To set the Council Tax for 2014/15.         

NOTE: MEMBERS ARE ASKED TO RETAIN THE REPORT TO CABINET ON 12 FEBRUARY FOR REFERENCE AT THIS MEETING.

7A       Amendment by the Residents’ Group

            See attached paper.

7B       Amendment by the Labour Group

            See attached paper.

after debate, Residents’ Group amendment LOST by 15 votes to 27; Labour Group amendment LOST by 6 votes to 29; recommendations of Cabinet AGREED by 38 votes to 4.

Council Tax for 2014/15 set at £1,494.18 for a Band D property

Council had before it a report of the Cabinet (incorporating the budget proposals for 2013/14).

            Amendment to budget proposals by the Residents’ Group

            That the adjustments set out in the accompanying table 7A* be made in the budget.

            [*See Appendix 1 to these minutes]

            Amendment to budget proposals by the Labour Group

            Members Special Responsibility Allowances

Reduction to allowances for Cabinet and Overview & Scrutiny positions by reviewing structure and streamlining the number of positions through the reduction in the number of Cabinet posts, Overview  &  Scrutiny Committees and other Committees.

Saving - £150,000.00 on the budget for 2013/14.

The saving to remain in the contingency reserve.

            Following debate, the Residents’ Group amendment was LOST by 16 votes to 27 (see voting division 1) and the Labour Group amendment was LOST by 6 votes to 29 (see division 2). The recommendations of Cabinet were ADOPTED by 39 votes to 4 (see division 3) and it was RESOLVED:

1.         That the following as submitted in the report to Cabinet be approved:

a)         The General Fund revenue budget for 2014/15, as set out in the revised Appendix E attached to this report.

b)        The delegated schools’ budget for 2014/15, as set out in Appendix E of the report to Cabinet.

c)         The Capital Programme for 2014/15, as set out in Annexes 2, 3 and 4 of Appendix I of the report to Cabinet.

2.         That, in accepting recommendation 1, Council is mindful of the advice of the Chief Finance Officer as set out in Appendix H of the report to Cabinet.

3.         That it be noted that under delegated powers the Chief Finance Officer has calculated the amount of 80,183 (called T in the Act and Regulations) as its Council Tax base for the year 2014/15 in accordance with regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 (as amended) made under Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended.

4.         That the amount of £95,833,118be now calculated as the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2014/15.

5.         That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2014/15 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended:

To consider the report of the Group Director - Resources (attached).

after debate, Residents’ Group amendment LOST by 15 votes to 27; Labour Group amendment LOST by 5 votes to 37; recommendations in report of Group Director - Resources AGREED by 39 votes to 2.

Council received the report of the Chief Executive.

Amendment by the Residents’ Group

            That the following adjustments be made to the Members’ Allowances Scheme:

            Amendment by the Labour Group

            That the following adjustments be made to the Members’ Allowances Scheme:

            Add a new column in Schedule 1 to the right of the existing column headed 'amount per member' headed 'Independent Review Panel recommended rate'.

Insert the relevant rate from the current recommended range of rates published by London Councils'.

            Following debate, the Residents’ Group amendment was LOST by 16 votes to 27 (see division 4) and the Labour Group amendment was LOST by 5 votes to 38 (see division 5). The recommendations in the report were ADOPTED by 40 votes to 2 (see division 6) and it was RESOLVED:

1.            That the Members’ Allowances scheme (as set out in appendix 2 to these minutes) becomes effective from 1^st April 2014 and the existing scheme be revoked with effect from the same date.

2.            That the total number of SRAs will be reduced to 27 which is in line with the Governments recommendations for the proportion of SRA’s.

The record of voting divisions is attached as Appendix 3.