Agenda and minutes

Matters especially brought forward by the Mayor and the Leader.

(i)  The Mayor announced that it was Mrs Lucia Welch Foster’s 90^th Anniversary.  Mrs Foster moved from Liverpool to Southampton in 1903 where she became the first female Councillor, Mayor and Alderman;

(ii)  The Mayor announced that she would be attending the SS Mendi naval wreath laying ceremony on 20^th February, 2017 commemorating the sinking of the ship off the Isle of Wight in 1917; and

(iii)  Members stood in a minutes silence in memory of former Mayor Jack Candy.  Mr Candy serviced as Mayor of Southampton in 1986.  The Mayor paid tribute to his dedication and commitment to serving the City for many years as a Councillor. 

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;

(ii)  The Council received and noted a deputation from Nick Chaffey concerning how cuts can be averted and a campaign to restore government to meet the needs of Southampton people; and

(iii)  The Council received and noted a deputation from Springwell Catholic Primary School concerning funding for a classroom at Springhill Catholic Primary School.

(a) The Revised Medium Term Financial Strategy 2017/18 to 2020/21 Including the General Fun Revenue Budget

(b) The General Fund and Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme 2016/17 to 2021/22

The reports of the Cabinet Member for Finance were submitted seeking approval to the Revised Medium Term Financial Strategy 2017/18 to 2020/21, and the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme for 2016/17 - 2021/22 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 2017/18 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).

In addition, the Executive approved the following further amendment:

·  £30k for Portswood Primary School to go towards the costs of converting their Junior Library into a teaching area, including the purchase of furniture and IT equipment.

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.

Amendment moved by Councillor Moulton and seconded by Councillor Hannides:

“Add to the Education and Children’s Social Care Capital Programme for 2017/18 the following additions to be funded from Council Resources:

·  £350K for an additional classroom for Springhill Catholic Primary School to accommodate an additional bulge class.

·  £30K for the former Civil Service Sports Ground for benches, signage, bins and fencing.”

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE AMENDMENT WAS DECLARED LOST

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

RESOLVED that the Revised Medium Term Financial Strategy 2017/18 to 2020/21 including the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account Capital Programmes 2016/17 to 2021/22, as amended by the Executive Budget Resolution 2017/18 (Appendix 1 to these minutes) and the further amendment detailed above, 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 AMENDMENT: Councillors J Baillie, P Baillie, Claisse, Fitzhenry, Fuller, Hannides, B. Harris, L. Harris, Houghton, Inglis, Laurent, Moulton, O’Neill, Painton, Parnell, Pope, Vassiliou, White and Wilkinson.

NOTE – AGAINST THE AMENDMENT: Councillors Barnes-Andrews, Mrs Blatchford, Bogle, Burke, Chaloner, Coombs, Denness, Furnell, Hammond, Jordan, Kaur, Keogh, Letts, Lewzey, McEwing, Mintoff, Murphy, Noon, Paffey, Payne, Rayment, Savage, Shields, Taggart and Whitbread.

ABSTAINED – Councillors Morrell,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 71.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Housing and Adult Care seeking approval for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget proposals and long term business plan, attached.  

The report of the Cabinet Member for Housing and Adult Care was submitted seeking approval for the Housing Revenue Account budget proposals and long term business plan. 

RESOLVED:

(i)  To thank the Tenant Resources Group for their input to the capital and revenue budget setting process and to note their endorsement of the recommendations set out in this report and also the broad support for the proposals received at the Tenants’ Winter Conference;

(ii)  To approve that, from 1 April 2017, a standard decrease should be applied to all dwelling rents of 1.0%, as set out in paragraph 18 of this report, equivalent to an average decrease of £0.86 per week in the current average weekly dwelling rent figure of £86.20;

(iii)  To note the following weekly service charges from 1 April 2017 based on a full cost recovery approach:

•  Digital TV £0.42 (unchanged from 2016/17)

•  Concierge monitoring £1.20 (unchanged from 2016/17)

•  Tower Block Warden £4.97 (unchanged from 2016/17)

•  Cleaning service in walk-up blocks £0.63 (unchanged from 2016/17)

(iv)  To note the weekly service charges for supported accommodation from 1 April 2017:

•  Call Monitoring Charge  - £1.25 (unchanged from 2016/17)

•  Careline Silver - £3.00 (unchanged from 2016/17)

•  Careline Gold - £4.25 (unchanged from 2016/17)

(v)  To note that the charges to Council tenants for garages and parking spaces for 2017/18 will increase by 1% in line with CPI as at September 2016.

(vi)  To approve the Housing Revenue Account Revenue Estimates as set out in the attached Appendix 1.

(vii)  To approve the 30 year Business Plans for revenue and capital expenditure set out in Appendices 2 and 3 respectively.

(viii)  To note the HRA Business Plan - Planning Assumptions, as set out in Appendix 4.

(ix)  To note that rental income and service charge payments will continue to be paid by tenants over a 48 week period.

Report of the Council’s Chief Financial Officer detailing the context within which the Council's treasury management activity operates and setting out a proposed strategy for 2017/18 to 2020/21, attached.

The report of the Service Director Finance and Commercialisation was submitted detailing the context within which the Council’s treasury management activity operates and setting out a proposed strategy for 2017/18 to 2020/21. 

RESOLVED:

(i)  To approve the Council’s Treasury Management (TM) Strategy and Prudential Indicators for 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20, as detailed within the report;

(ii)  To approve the 2016 Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement as detailed in paragraphs 76 to 84 and to delegate authority to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to approve any changes necessary that aid good financial management whilst maintaining a prudent approach;

(iii)  To approve the Annual Investment Strategy as detailed in paragraphs 40 to 58; and

(iv)  To note that at the time of writing this report the recommendations in the Capital update report, submitted to Council on the 15 February 2017, had not been approved.  The indicators in the report were based on the assumption that they were approved; and

(v)  To continue to delegate authority to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) 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 will be reported as part of quarterly financial and performance monitoring and in revisions to the TM Strategy.