Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Parnell.

Matters especially brought forward by the Mayor and the Leader.

(i)  Southampton Solent University

The Mayor welcomed Graham Bond, Lecturer in multimedia journalism at Southampton Solent University together with a number of students from the University, to the meeting.

(ii)  Organisation Restructure

The Mayor made reference to the Chief Executive’s organisational restructure and the resulting departure of many familiar faces who had given the Council their unstinting commitment, loyalty and hard work. As this was the last Council meeting before Andy Lowe, Chief Financial Officer and Andrew Mortimore, Director of Public Health, left the Council, the Mayor wished them all the best for the future and thanked them for all their hard work and service to the Council.

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

(i)  The Council received and noted a deputation from Denise Wyatt concerning the budget and the effect on Millbrook, Redbridge and Maybush; and

(ii)  The Council received and noted a deputation from Declan Clune concerning the results of TUSC budget consultation.

(a) The Medium Term Strategy (MTFS) 2015/16 to 2019/20

(b) The General Fund Capital Programme 2015/16 to 2019/20

(c) General Fund Revenue Budget 2016/17 to 2019/20

The reports of the Cabinet Member for Finance were submitted seeking approval to the updated Medium Term Financial Strategy 2015/16 to 2019/20, the revised General Fund Capital Programme for 2015/16 - 2019/20 together with the latest estimated overall financial position on the General Fund Revenue Budget for 2016/17 - 2019/20 and outlining the main issues that needed to be addressed in considering the Cabinet’s budget and Council Tax proposals. The recommendations therein as amended by Executive Budget Resolution 2016/17 to comprise the Executive’s budget proposals were moved by Councillor Chaloner and seconded by Councillor Letts (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

Right of Reply (Executive only) – 10 minutes

With the consent of the Mayor, Honorary Alderman Vinson addressed the meeting.

Councillor Pope moved a motion seconded by Councillor Morrell in relation to Council Procedural Rules 21.5 and 22.

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS DECLARED LOST

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

RESOLVED that the Medium Term Strategy (MTFS) 2015/16 to 2019/20, the General Fund Capital Programme 2015/16 to 2019/20 and the General Fund Revenue Budget 2016/17 to 2019/20, as amended by Executive Budget Resolution 2016/17 (Appendix 1 to these minutes) be adopted.

NOTE: All members of the Council declared a pecuniary interest in the above matter, as payers and setters of Council Tax, and remained in the meeting during the consideration of the matter.

NOTE – FOR THE MOTION IN RESPECT OF THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET PROPOSALS AS AMENDED BY EXECUTIVE BUDGET RESOLUTION 2016/17: Councillors Barnes-Andrews, Bogle, Burke, Chaloner, Chamberlain, Coombs, Denness, Furnell, Hammond, Jeffery, Jordan, Kaur, Keogh, Letts, Lewzey, Lloyd, McEwing, Mintoff, Noon, Payne, Rayment, Shields, Spicer, Tucker and Whitbread

NOTE – AGAINST THE MOTION ON THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE BUDGET 2016/17 TO 2019/20 AS AMENDED BY EXECUTIVE BUDGET RESOLUTION 2016/17: Councillors Claisse, Daunt, Fitzhenry, Fuller, Galton, Hannides, B. Harris, L. Harris, Hecks, Houghton, Inglis, Moulton, Norris, O’Neill, Painton, Vassiliou, White, Wilkinson

NOTE – ABSTAINING ON THE MOTION ON THE MEDIUM TERM STRATEGY (MTFS) 2015/16 TO 2019/20, THE GENERAL FUND CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2015/16 TO 2019/20 AS AMENDED BY EXECUTIVE BUDGET RESOLUTION 2016/17: Councillors Claisse, Daunt, Fitzhenry, Fuller, Galton, Hannides, B. Harris, L. Harris, Hecks, Houghton, Inglis, Moulton, Norris, O’Neill, Painton,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 74.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Housing and Sustainability seeking approval for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget proposals and long term business plan to be recommended to the budget setting meeting on 10 February 2016 including:
- the proposed 2016/17 HRA revenue estimates, together with proposed rent  and service charge levels;
- the updated HRA capital programme for the period to 2020/21 and
- the 30 year long term HRA business plan covering both capital and revenue projections, attached.

The report of the Cabinet Member for Housing and Sustainability was submitted seeking approval for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget proposals and long term business plan including: the proposed 2016/17 HRA revenue estimates, together with proposed rent and service charge levels; the updated HRA capital programme for the period to 2020/21 and the 30 year long term HRA business plan covering both capital and revenue projections. In moving the report, with the consent of the Mayor, Councillor Payne, seconded by Councillor Furnell, amended the report recommendations as follows:

Amend recommendation (iii) add at the beginning ‘Other than in the circumstances set out in recommendation (iv) below’

Add new recommendation (iv):

(iv)  To delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing & Sustainability, and following discussions with tenants’ representatives, to implement from 1 April 2016 a rent increase of up to 0.9% (September 2015 Consumer Price Index +1.0%) for dwellings where a Government exemption is applied to the requirement in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill 2015/16 for a 1.0% reduction in the level of Social Rent with a view to additional sums raised being reinvested in the properties affected.

Amended recommendations (iii) and (iv) to read:

(iii)  Other than in the circumstances set out in recommendation iv) below, to approve that, from 1 April 2016, a standard decrease should be applied to all dwelling rents of 1.0%, as set out in paragraph 16 of this report, equivalent to an average decrease of £0.87 per week in the current average weekly dwelling rent figure of £86.81.

(iv)  To delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing & Sustainability, and following discussions with tenants’ representatives, to implement from 1 April 2016 a rent increase of up to 0.9% (September 2015 Consumer Price Index +1.0%) for dwellings where a Government exemption is applied to the requirement in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill 2015/16 for a 1.0% reduction in the level of Social Rent with a view to additional sums raised being reinvested in the properties affected.

Remaining recommendations renumbered (v) to (xiii)

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE AMENDMENT WAS DECLARED CARRIED.

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION AS AMENDED WAS DECLARED CARRIED.

RESOLVED

(i)  that the Tenant Resources 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 it be noted that the consultation feedback had been taken into consideration by Cabinet and had informed their final budget proposals;

(iii)  that other than in the circumstances set out in recommendation iv) below, approval be granted that from 1 April 2016, a standard decrease should be applied to all dwelling rents of 1.0%, as set out in paragraph 16 of the report, equivalent to an average decrease of £0.87 per week in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 75.

Report of the Chief Financial Officer regarding the Council’s current and proposed treasury management strategy for the coming year, attached.

The report of the Chief Financial Officer was submitted regarding the Council’s current and proposed treasury management strategy for 2016/17 to 2018/19.

RESOLVED

(i)  that the Council’s Treasury Management (TM) Strategy and Prudential Indicators for 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19, as detailed within the report be approved;

(ii)  that the 2016 Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement as detailed in paragraphs 77 to 83 of the report be approved and that delegated authority be granted to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to approve any changes necessary that aid good financial management whilst maintaining a prudent approach;

(iii)  that the Annual Investment Strategy as detailed in paragraphs 38 to 57 of the report be approved;

(iv)  that it be noted that the indicators in the report have been based on the recommendations in the Capital update report being approved; and

(v)  that delegated authority continue to be granted to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to approve any changes to the Prudential Indicators or borrowing limits that will aid good treasury management. Any amendments would be reported as part of quarterly financial and performance monitoring and in revisions to the TM Strategy.

Report of the Chief Financial Officer seeking approval for the Council to enter into the Municipal Bonds Agency’s Framework Agreement, attached.

The report of the Chief Financial Officer was submitted seeking approval for the Council to enter into the Municipal Bonds Agency’s Framework Agreement.

RESOLVED

(i)  that the Council’s entry into the UK Municipal Bonds Agency  Framework Agreement and its accompanying schedules including the joint and several guarantee be approved;

(ii)  that delegated authority be granted to the Chief Financial Officer as Section 151 Officer and the Monitoring Officer to enter into the Framework Agreement and accompanying schedules, as appropriate, on behalf of the Council;

(iii)  that it be noted that signing the Framework Agreement does not make the Council subject to the joint and several guarantee or provisions of the Framework Agreement until such time it borrows from the Agency;

(iv)  that the Section 151 Officer, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, be granted delegated authority to agree amendments to the Framework Agreement as appropriate;

(v)  that the document ‘Introduction to the UK Municipal Bonds Agency – A Guide for Local Authorities’ in Appendix 1 to the report be noted.

Report of the Service Director, Legal and Governance regarding revisions to various elements of the Constitution as part of the Council’s significant Transformation agenda in order to enable early decision making which will permit quicker project implementation and realisation of financial savings, attached.

The report of the Service Director, Legal and Governance was submitted regarding revisions to various elements of the Constitution as part of the Council’s significant Transformation agenda in order to enable early decision making which will permit quicker project implementation and realisation of financial savings.

RESOLVED that the revisions to the Constitution as set out in the report be approved.

Report of Service Director, Legal and Governance regarding the recent senior management restructure undertaken by the Chief Executive under delegated powers, attached.

The report of Service Director, Legal and Governance was submitted regarding the recent senior management restructure undertaken by the Chief Executive under delegated powers.

RESOLVED

(i)  that the Interim Chief Operating Officer (Customer Experience) be appointed as the Returning Officer for local elections and Electoral Registration Officer and the Acting Returning Officer for UK Parliamentary Elections and European Elections; and

(ii)  that it be noted that the Service Director, Legal and Governance is the Monitoring Officer and the Interim Service Director, Finance and Commercialisation is the Section 151 Officer with effect from 13^th February 2016.

To move that in accordance with the Council’s Constitution, specifically the Access to Information procedure Rules contained within the Constitution, the press and public be excluded from the meeting in respect of any consideration of the confidential report number 11.

This report is exempt from publication by virtue of the Council’s Access to Information Procedure Rules as contained in the Constitution particularly as it contains:-

·  Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) (paragraph 3)

·  Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings (paragraph 5)

·  Information which is subject to any obligation of confidentiality (paragraph 7A)

If the content of this report were to be treated as a public document it would reveal information that is both commercially sensitive and detrimental to the business affairs of the Council.

RESOLVED that in accordance with the Council’s Constitution, specifically the Access to Information procedure Rules contained within the Constitution, the press and public be excluded from the meeting in respect of minute 81 below based on categories 3, 5 and 7A of paragraph 10.4 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules.

The information contained therein is exempt from publication by virtue of the Council’s Access to Information Procedure Rules as contained in the Constitution particularly as it contains:-

·  Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) (paragraph 3)

·  Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings (paragraph 5)

·  Information which is subject to any obligation of confidentiality (paragraph 7A)

If the content of this report were to be treated as a public document it would reveal information that is both commercially sensitive and detrimental to the business affairs of the Council.

Report of the Transformation Implementation Director providing an update on the latest Transformation position, attached.

The confidential report of the Transformation Implementation Director was submitted providing an update on the latest Transformation position.

RESOLVED that the oral update and the urgent decision taken by the Service Director, Legal and Governance be noted.