Agenda item

A         To consider the report of the Cabinet of 11 February 2015 (attached);

 

B         To note the decision of the Greater London Authority on its budget and precept for 2015/16, and the effect thereof on the Council’s budget;

 

C         To agree a budget for 2015/16; and then

 

D         To set the Council Tax for 2015/16.

 

NOTE: MEMBERS ARE ASKED TO BRING WITH THEM THE REPORT TO CABINET ON 11 FEBRUARY 2015 FOR REFERENCE AT THIS MEETING.

 

 7A      Amendment by the Independent Residents’ Group

 

            See attached paper.

 

7B       Amendment by the Residents’ Group

 

            See attached paper.

THE COUNCIL’S BUDGET, 2015/16 – after debate, Independent Residents’ Group amendment LOST by 4 votes to 36; Residents’ Group amendment LOST by 16 votes to 29; recommendations of Cabinet AGREED by 35 votes to 6.

 

Council Tax for 2015/16 set at £1,514.00 for a Band D property.

Council had before it a report of the Cabinet (incorporating the budget proposals for 2015/16).

 

            Amendment to budget proposals by the Independent Residents’ Group

 

            This Council agrees to increase council tax by 3%. The budget details as proposed by the Administration to remain the same with the difference raised added to the general reserve to deliver a robust budget, ameliorate cuts and keep our borough green, pleasant and secure.

The impact of this amendment on the recommendations to Council would be as follows:

 

 

REPORT OF THE CABINET

SUBJECT:   THE COUNCIL’S BUDGET 2015/16

 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

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

 

a)         The General Fund revenue budget for 2015/16, as set out in the revised Appendix E attached to this report.

 

b)         The delegated schools’ budget for 2015/16, as set out in Appendix E of the report to Cabinet.

 

c)         The Capital Programme for 2015/16, 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 83,110 (called T in the Act and Regulations) as its Council Tax base for the year 2015/16 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 £102,311,352be now calculated as the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2015/16.

 

5.         That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2015/16 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended:

 

(a)	£4 £453,914,048	being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act.
(b)	(£351,602,696)	being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.
(c)	£ £102,311,352	being the amount by which the aggregate at 5(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 5(b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act as its Council Tax requirement for the year. (Item R in the formula in Section 31B of the Act).
(d)	£ £1,231.04	being the amount at 5(c) above (Item R), all divided by Item T (1(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.

 

6.         That the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the amounts shown in the table below as the amounts of Council Tax for 2015/16 for each of the categories of dwellings.

 

 

7.         That it be noted for the year 2015/16 the major precepting authority (the GLA) has stated the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each of the categories of the dwellings shown below as proposed by the Mayor and as due to be considered by the London Assembly at its meeting on 23^rd February 2015.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valuation Bands Greater London Authority
	£    p
A	196.67
B	229.44
C	262.22
D	295.00
E	360.56
F	426.11
G	491.67
H	590.00

 

8.         That, having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at 6 and 7 above, the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the following amounts as the amounts of Council Tax for the year 2015/16 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:

 

Valuation Bands	£     p
	£     p
A	1,009  1,017.36
B	1,1  1,186.92
C	1,3  1,356.48
D	1,  1,526.04
E	1,8  1,865.15
F	2,1  2,204.27
G	2,  2,543.39
H	3  3,052.08

 

 

The effect of adopting this resolution would be to set the Council Tax for a Band D property at £1,526.04

 

9.            That Council having considered the principles approved under the Local Government Finance Act 1992 by the Secretary of State concludes that the Council’s basic relevant amount of Council Tax for 2015/16 is not excessive.

 

10.         That any Council Tax payer who is liable to pay an amount of Council Tax to the Authority in respect to the year ending on 31^st March 2016, who is served with a demand notice under Regulation 20(2) of the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992 as amended and who makes payment to the Authority of the full balance of the estimated amount shown on that demand by 1^st April 2015, may deduct a sum equivalent to 1.5% of and from the estimated amount and such reduced amount shall be accepted in full settlement of that estimated amount.

 

11.         That Council agrees that the Capital Programme be expanded for schemes during the year which are funded via additional external funding under the authority of the Lead Member Financial Management and the relevant service area Cabinet Members.

 

12.         That Council approves the Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Prudential Indicators, and the Minimum Revenue Provision Statement for 2015/16.

 

 

 

            Amendment to budget proposals by the Residents’ Group

 

           

Reduction in SRA allowances (savings from current level of allowance shown in bold):

 

Leader of the Council £40,000 – £5,048

 

Deputy Leader of the Council £23,000 - £8,420

 

Cabinet Members £20,000 – £8,780 X 7 – £61,460

 

Leader of the Principal Opposition £12,000 - £2,418

 

Leader of the Minority Opposition Groups  £3,000 – £1,000

 

Deletion of Overview and Scrutiny Board Chairman and convert to chair of sub-committee £ 6,768

 

Chairman of Licensing Committee £7,650 – £6,768

 

Savings  -£91,882

 

Communications savings of 30k brought forward from 2016/17 to 2015/16.

 

TOTAL SAVINGS £121,882

 

 

Saving to be allocated equally between:

 

StreetCare,

Children’s/Youth Services

Adult Services   

 

 

            Following debate, the Independent Residents’ Group amendment was LOST by 4 votes to 36 (see voting division 1) and the Residents’ Group amendment was LOST by 16 votes to 29 (see division 2). The recommendations of Cabinet were ADOPTED by 35 votes to 6 (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 2015/16, as set out in the revised Appendix E attached to this report.

 

b)        The delegated schools’ budget for 2015/16, as set out in Appendix E of the report to Cabinet.

 

c)         The Capital Programme for 2015/16, 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 83,110 (called T in the Act and Regulations) as its Council Tax base for the year 2015/16 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 £101,311,085be now calculated as the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2015/16.

 

5.         That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2015/16 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended:

 

(a)	£452,913,781	being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act.
(b)	(£351,602,696)	being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.
(c)	£101,311,085	being the amount by which the aggregate at 5(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 5(b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act as its Council Tax requirement for the year. (Item R in the formula in Section 31B of the Act).
(d)	£1,219.00	being the amount at 5(c) above (Item R), all divided by Item T (1(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.

 

6.         That the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the amounts shown in the table below as the amounts of Council Tax for 2015/16 for each of the categories of dwellings.

 

 

7.         That it be noted for the year 2015/16 the major precepting authority (the GLA) has stated the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each of the categories of the dwellings shown below as proposed by the Mayor and as due to be considered by the London Assembly at its meeting on 23^rd February 2015.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valuation Bands Greater London Authority
	£    p
A	196.67
B	229.44
C	262.22
D	295.00
E	360.56
F	426.11
G	491.67
H	590.00

 

8.         That, having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at 6 and 7 above, the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the following amounts as the amounts of Council Tax for the year 2015/16 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:

 

Valuation Bands	£     p
	£     p
A	1,009.33
B	1,177.56
C	1,345.78
D	1,514.00
E	1,850.44
F	2,186.89
G	2,523.33
H	3,028.00

 

The effect of adopting this resolution would be to set the Council Tax for a Band D property at £1,514.00

 

9.            That Council having considered the principles approved under the Local Government Finance Act 1992 by the Secretary of State concludes that the Council’s basic relevant amount of Council Tax for 2015/16 is not excessive.

 

10.         That any Council Tax payer who is liable to pay an amount of Council Tax to the Authority in respect to the year ending on 31^st March 2016, who is served with a demand notice under Regulation 20(2) of the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992 as amended and who makes payment to the Authority of the full balance of the estimated amount shown on that demand by 1^st April 2015, may deduct a sum equivalent to 1.5% of and from the estimated amount and such reduced amount shall be accepted in full settlement of that estimated amount.

 

11.         That Council agrees that the Capital Programme be expanded for schemes during the year which are funded via additional external funding under the authority of the Lead Member for Financial Managementand the relevant service area Cabinet Members.

 

12.         That Council approves the Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Prudential Indicators, and the Minimum Revenue Provision Statement for 2015/16.