Issue - meetings

Report details the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for the period 2019/20 to 2022/23 and provides the budget position for 2019/20 and later years for the General Fund and the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

(4) The Revised Medium Term Financial Strategy and Budget 2019/20 to 2022/23

(5) The General Fund and Housing Revenue Account Capital Strategy and Programme 2019/20 to 2022/23

The reports of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Customer Experience were submitted seeking approval to the Revised Medium Term Financial Strategy and Budget 2019/20 to 2022/23, revised Appendix 4 as attached as Appendix 1 to these minutes, and the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account Capital Strategy and Programme for 2018/19 to 2022/23, as amended and attached as Appendix 2 to these minutes, 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 2019/20 to comprise the Executive’s budget proposals were moved by Councillor Chaloner and seconded by Councillor Hammond (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, 14.5, 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 Fitzhenry and seconded by Councillor Hannides, attached as Appendix 3 to these minutes. 

UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE AMENDMENT WAS DECLARED LOST

ABSTAINED – Councillor T Thomas

NOTE – FOR THE AMENDMENT: Councillors P Baillie, Bell, Claisse, Fitzhenry, Fuller, Galton, Guthrie, Hannides, B. Harris, L. Harris, Harwood, Houghton, Laurent, Parnell, Streets, Vassiliou, White and Wilkinson.

NOTE – AGAINST THE AMENDMENT: Councillors Barnes-Andrews, Mrs Blatchford, Bogle, Chaloner, Coombs, Fielker, Furnell, Hammond, Jordan, Kataria, Kaur, Keogh, Leggett, Mintoff, Mitchell, Murphy, Noon, Paffey, Payne, Rayment, Savage, Shields, Taggart and Whitbread.

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

RESOLVED that the Revised Medium Term Financial Strategy and Budget 2019/20 to 2022/23 including the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme 2019/20 to 2022/23, as amended by the Executive Budget Resolution 2019/20, attached as Appendix 4 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.

ABSTAINED – Councillors P Baillie, Bell, Claisse, Fitzhenry, Fuller, Galton, Guthrie, Hannides, B. Harris, L. Harris, Harwood, Houghton, Laurent, Parnell, Streets, T Thomas, Vassiliou, White and Wilkinson.

NOTE – FOR THE SUBSTANTIVE MOTION: Councillors Barnes-Andrews, Mrs Blatchford, Bogle, Chaloner, Coombs, Fielker, Furnell, Hammond, Jordan, Kataria, Kaur, Keogh, Leggett, Mintoff, Mitchell, Murphy, Noon, Paffey, Payne, Rayment, Savage, Shields, Taggart and Whitbread.

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Customer Experience, detailing the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for the period 2019/20 to 2022/23 and providing the budget position for 2019/20 and later years for the General Fund and the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

DECISION MADE: (CAB 18/19 23238)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Customer Experience, Cabinet agreed the following:

i)  To note the position on the forecast adverse outturn position for 2019/20 as set out in paragraphs 31 to 38.

ii)  To note the revised Medium Term Financial Strategy 2019/20 to 2022/23 as detailed in Appendix 2.

iii)  To note the aims and objectives of the Medium Term Financial Strategy which will be presented to council for approval on 20 February 2019.

iv)  To note that formal budget consultation began on 24th October 2018 and ended on 16th January 2019. The outcome of the consultation in outlined in paragraphs 151 to 155.

v)  To approve in principle the proposal for the closure of Glen Lee Residential Care Home, subject to formal staff consultation and a further report to Cabinet to make a final decision.

vi)  To approve the Adult Social Care Charging Policy as amended following consultation as detailed in Members Room Document 5.

vii)  To note that the Executive’s budget proposals will impact on staffing and that consultation will be undertaken in line with legislation and the Council’s agreed processes before proposals are implemented. The savings proposals set out in Appendix 1 propose the deletion of 87.31 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) posts, of which 18.33 FTE are vacant, leaving 68.98 FTE at risk of redundancy or TUPE transfer.

viii)  To note that the Executive’s budget proposals are based on the assumptions detailed within the MTFS and that this includes a council tax increase of 2.99%, allowable under general powers to increase council tax without a referendum.

ix)  To note that the report identifies additional general fund pressures totalling £17.71M in 2019/2020 as detailed in paragraphs 42 and 55.

x)  To note that further proposals will need to be considered to address the 2020/21 and future years budget gap.

xi)  To note and recommend to Council to approve a change in the Council Tax – Empty Property Premium as noted in paragraphs 72 to 75.

xii)  To note and recommend to Council where appropriate, the MTFS and General Fund Revenue Budget changes as set out in council recommendations i) to xxi).

xiii)  To note that, from 1st April 2019, a standard decrease be applied to all dwelling rents of 1.0%, as set out in paragraph 117 of this report, equivalent to an average decrease of £0.84 per week in the current average weekly dwelling rent figure of £84.39. This will be the final year of the required decreases.

xiv)  To note an increase in weekly service charges as detailed in paragraph 118 from 1^st April 2019 (including supported accommodation). 

xv)  To note savings totalling of £3.15m in 2019/20 as detailed in paragraph 120.

xvi)  To note and recommend the Housing Revenue Estimates as set out in the report.

xvii)  To note the 30 year Business Plans for revenue and capital expenditure set out in Appendices 7 and 8 respectively, that based on current assumptions  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41