Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Laming, Thorpe, and White.

To receive any requests for Deputations, Presentation of Petitions or Public Questions.

(i)  The Council received and noted a deputation from Ann MacGillivray, concerning the budget;

(ii)  The Council received the following Public Questions from Mr Geering which were responded to by Councillor Rayment, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport:

Question 1.

When did the Council make the decision to withdraw the local pass from disabled persons?

Answer

A decision was taken at Full Council in February 2013 that no new passes would be issued after 1 April 2013.  It was also agreed that existing passes in use would continue to be valid until they expired.

Question 2.

How many disabled people have been affected by this decision and what is the impact on them?

Answer

There were 1,200 local disabled passes in use in April 2013.  This figure has now reduced to around 800 as passes expire and all of the remaining passes in use will expire during 2014. It is estimated that around 2/3 of the local bus pass holders will qualify for an English National Concessionary pass.

The English National concessionary scheme entitles disabled people of all ages who meet the following criteria to travel free of charge:

You will need to be over 5 years of age, have a long term disability (in excess of 12 months) and meet one of the following eligibility criteria:

·  be blind or partially sighted

·  be profoundly or severely deaf

·  be without speech

·  have a disability, or injury, which has a substantial and long-term effect on your ability to walk

·  have no arms or have long-term loss of the use of both arms

·  have a learning disability, that is, a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which started before adulthood and includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning

·  would be refused a licence to drive a motor vehicle, should an application be made under Part III of the Road Traffic Act 1988, under section 92 of the Act (physical fitness) otherwise than on the grounds of persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol

The Council currently enhances the national scheme, which runs from 09:30 to 23:00, by providing free travel from 09:00 until 00:30.  In addition to this we also provide companion passes for those who are unable to travel alone.

Question 3.

What savings have been made by the withdrawal of the local bus pass?

Answer

The Council budgeted for a saving of £30,000 in 2013/14, £70,000 in 2014/15 and £100,000 in 2015/16.  

(A) GENERAL FUND CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2013/14 TO 2016/17

(B) GENERAL FUND REVENUE BUDGET 2014/15 TO 2016/17

The reports of the Cabinet Member for Resources were submitted seeking approval to the updated Capital Programme for 2013/14 - 2016/17 together with the latest estimated overall financial position on the General Fund Revenue Budget for 2014/15 - 2016/17 and outlining the main issues that needed to be addressed in considering the Cabinet’s budget proposals. The recommendations therein as amended by Executive Budget Resolution 2014/15 to comprise the Executive’s budget proposals were moved by Councillor Barnes-Andrews and seconded by Councillor Hammond (copies of reports circulated with agenda and appended to signed minutes and a copy of the amended Executive Budget resolution as circulated at the meeting attached as Appendix 1 to these minutes).

The Council agreed to suspend Council Procedure Rules 14.2, 14.4, 14.5, 14.6, 14.7, 14.8, 14.9 and 16.2:-

(i) to enable the above items to be considered together;

(ii) to enable any amendments to be proposed, seconded and considered at the same time;

(iii) to enable any amendment to be re-introduced later into the meeting; and

(iv) to revise the time allowed for speakers as follows:-

Movers of motions - 20 minutes

Seconders - 10 minutes

Other Speakers - 4 minutes

An altered amendment setting out the Liberal Democrat Group’s budget proposals (Liberal Democrat Budget Resolution 2014/15) was moved by Councillor Vinson and seconded by Councillor Turner (copy attached as Appendix 2 to these minutes).

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE LIBERAL DEMOCRAT GROUP’S PROPOSALS WERE DECLARED LOST.

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE EXECUTIVE’S BUDGET PROPOSALS AS AMENDED WERE DECLARED CARRIED.

RESOLVED that the General Fund Capital Programme 2013/14 to 2016/17 and the General Fund Revenue Budget 2014/15 to 2016/17, as amended by Executive Budget Resolution 2014/15 (Appendix 1 to these minutes) be adopted.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Housing and Sustainability seeking approval for the Housing Revenue Account budget proposals and long term business plan to be recommended to the budget setting Council meeting on 12 February 2014, attached.

The report of the Cabinet Member for Housing and Sustainability was submitted setting out the Housing Revenue Account budget proposals and long term business plan (copy of report circulated with agenda and appended to signed minutes).

RESOLVED:

(i)  That the Tenant Resource Group be thanked for their input to the capital and revenue budget setting process and their endorsement of the recommendations set out in the report and also the broad support for the proposals received at the Tenants’ Winter Conference be noted;

(ii)  that the following be approved to calculate the dwelling rent increase from 1 April 2014:

·  That the standard increase applied to all dwelling rents should be 3.7% (RPI plus 0.5% as set out in paragraph 9), equivalent to an average increase of £2.91 per week; and

·  That dwelling specific rent restructuring adjustments should be made to give an additional increase in average rent levels of 3.25% (£2.55 per week), subject to the total increase from both elements not exceeding £10.00 per week for any individual property (as set out in paragraph 16 of the report);

(iii)  that, based on the calculation set out in resolution (ii) above, that with effect from the 1 April 2014, the current average weekly dwelling rent figure of £78.53 be increased by 6.95%, which would equate to an average increase of £5.46 per week;

(iv)  that it be noted that the actual total increase in individual rents would vary by property as explained in paragraph 17 of the report;

(v)  that the following weekly service charges from 1 April 2014 based on a full cost recovery approach be noted:

·  Digital TV £0.42 (unchanged from 2013/14)

·  Concierge £1.20 (unchanged from 2013/14)

·  Tower Block Warden charge £4.97 (unchanged from 2013/14)

(vi)  that the proposed service charges for supported accommodation, as set out in paragraph 33 of the report, should be used as the basis for consultation with tenants;

(vii)  that it be noted that a new cleaning charge for walk up blocks of £0.91 per week, approved in the February 2013 budget report, will be introduced from 1 April 2014;

(viii)  that it be noted that the charges for garages and parking spaces for 2014/15 would be increased by 3.2% in line with the increase in RPI used in the calculation of the increase in average rents;

(ix)  that the Housing Revenue Account Revenue Estimates as set out in Appendix 1 to the report be approved;

(x)  that the principle that the HRA Business Plan should  have minimum ‘borrowing headroom’ of £6M, at the time of its annual approval by Council, as detailed in paragraph 8 of the report be approved;

(xi)  that the revised Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme set out in Appendix 2 to the report be approved and that the key variances and issues in Appendix 3 to the report be noted;

(xii)  that the 30 year Business Plans for revenue and capital expenditure set out in Appendices 4 and 5 of the report respectively be approved;

(xiii)  that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 86.

Report of the Chief Financial Officer regarding the Council’s proposed treasury management strategy for the coming year in relation to the Council’s cash flow, investment and borrowing, and the management of the numerous risks related to this activity, attached.

The report of the Chief Financial Officer was submitted regarding the Council’s proposed treasury management strategy for the coming year in relation to the Council’s cash flow, investment and borrowing, and the management of the numerous risks related to this activity (copy of report circulated with agenda and appended to signed minutes).

RESOLVED:

(i)  that the Council’s Treasury Management (TM) Strategy and Prudential Indicators for 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2016/17, as detailed within the report be approved;

(ii)  that the 2014 Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement as detailed in paragraphs74 to 83 of the report be approved;

(iii)  that the Annual Investment Strategy as detailed in paragraphs 36 to 50 of the report be approved;

(iv)  that it be noted that at the time of writing the report the recommendations in the Capital Programme Update report, submitted to Council on the 12 February 2014, had not yet been approved.  The indicators in the report are based on the assumption that they would be approved, but should the recommendations change, the Prudential Indicators may have to be recalculated; and

(v)  that delegated authority continue to be granted to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources to approve any changes to the Prudential Indicators or borrowing limits that will aid good treasury management.  For example, agreeing an increase in the percentage for variable rate borrowing to take advantage of the depressed market for short term rates.  Any amendments would be reported as part of quarterly financial and performance monitoring and in revisions to the TM Strategy.