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Agenda item

Revenue Budget 2020/21 (C3812)

Meeting of Council, Tuesday, 3rd March, 2020 6.30 pm (Item 55.)

To consider and recommend to Council the 2020/21 Revenue Budget, which proposes a Council Tax requirement of £102.06m, requiring a Council Tax increase of 1.99% and a 2% adult social care Council Tax Precept. The Council Tax increase will raise £2.1m and the precept will raise a further £2.1m ring-fenced for adult social care.

Minutes:

(All Members had been granted a dispensation by the Monitoring Officer to speak and vote on this item).

The Council considered a report (Agenda Item 17) concerning the 2020/21 Revenue Budget, which proposed a Council Tax requirement of £102.06m, requiring a Council Tax increase of 1.99% and a 2% adult social care Council Tax Precept. The Council Tax increase would raise £2.1m and the precept would raise a further £2.1m ring-fenced for adult social care. The report also proposed the Fees and Charges for 2020/21 as set out in Appendix F and the Parish Expenses as set out in Appendix G and recommended the level of General Reserves as set out in Appendix E..

MOTION: Proposed by Councillor Lynne Doherty and seconded by Councillor Ross Mackinnon:

“That the Council:

(1) That Council approves the 2020/21 Council Tax requirement of £102.06 million, requiring a Council Tax increase of 1.99% with a 2% Council Tax Precept ring-fenced for adult social care.

(2) That the Fees and Charges are approved as set out in Appendix F and the appropriate statutory notices be placed where required.

(3) That the Parish Expenses of £29,580 are approved as set out in Appendix G.

(4) That it be noted that the following amounts for the year 2020/21 in accordance with regulations made under Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (by the Localism Act 2011):-

(a) 65,205.90 being the amount calculated by the Council, (Item T) in accordance with regulation 31B of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011), as its council tax base for the year (the number of properties paying council tax).

(b) Part of the Council’s area as per Appendix K being the amounts calculated by the Council, in accordance with regulation 6 of the Regulations, as the amounts of its council tax base for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates.

(5) Calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2020/21 (excluding Parish precepts) is £102,064,186.

(6) That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2020/21 in accordance with Sections 32 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, amended by the Localism Act 2011:-

(a) £338,583,864 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2), (a) to (f) of the Act taking into account all precepts issued to it by Parish councils.

(b) £232,095,364 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3), (a) to (d) of the Act.

(c) £106,488,500 being the amount by which the aggregate at 6(a) above, exceeds the aggregate at 6(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with the Section 31A(4) of the Act, as its Council Tax requirement for the year (Item R).

(d) £1633.11 being the amount at 6(c) above (Item R), all divided by 4(a) above (Item T), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the ‘basic amount of its Council Tax for the year (including Parish precepts)’.

(e) £4,424,314 being the aggregate amount of all special items (Parish precepts) referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act (as per Appendix K).

(f) £1565.26 being the amount at 6(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 6(e) above by the amount at 4(a) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(2) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which no special items relates.

(7) That it be noted that for the year 2020/21, Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley & The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service have issued precepts to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each category of dwellings in the Councils area as indicated in Appendix K.

(8) That the Council in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in the tables in Appendix K as the amounts of Council Tax for 2020/21 for each part of its area and for each of the categories of dwellings.”

Councillor Lynne Doherty stated that the budget was designed to ensure that West Berkshire remained a beautiful place to live and a great place to raise a family. She believed this to be a fair and progressive use of funding to balance the needs of all the District’s residents. It was designed to bring about improvements in the Council’s six strategic priority areas as set out in the Council Strategy so that everyone had a chance to fulfil their potential. It was also designed to make the District a place that was welcoming to businesses and enterprise. She thanked Members, Officers and partner organisations for their input into producing the budget.

Councillor Doherty noted that West Berkshire was one of the first self-funding authorities in the country despite an ongoing increase in demand on its services. While she did not welcome having to increase Council Tax by £1.15 per week for a Band D property she hoped that residents would recognise that the Council was spending it wisely and effectively.

AMENDMENT: Proposed by Councillor Jeff Brooks and seconded by Councillor Lee Dillon:

That the Council allocates an additional £672k funded from earmarked reserves as follows:

1. People Directorate

(a) P13 Education - Home to School Transport

Cost £100,000

(b) Educational Welfare Officer

Cost £35,000

(c) Piloting lunch clubs to tackle school holiday hunger

Cost £12,000

(d) Funding Musical Instruments

Cost £20,000

(e) Handyman Service

Cost £45,000

2. Place Directorate

A) Linking EPC and the business community

Cost £100,000

B) Hybrid Solar Farm

Cost £100,000

C) Thatcham Town Centre Master planning update

Cost £50,000

D) Free car Parking fund

Cost £50,000

(f) Economic Development Budget

Cost £20,000

G) Green Bins

Cost £100,000

3. Resource Directorate

(a) Community Conversations

Cost £40,000”

Councillor Brooks stated that he was dispirited by the budget which he felt was lacking in ambition. The reasons for the amendments were set out in the accompanying document.

Councillor Graham Bridgman commented that the Council already worked with Age UK who had a handyman service which was paid for by the Council. Councillor Dominic Boeck stated that the Council already spent £3m a year on home to school transport and he believed that it was appropriate for parents to pay a fair sum to get their children to school. Councillor Rick Jones commented that community conversations were already funded and over 20 had taken place that year in many locations across the District.

Councillor Lee Dillon in seconding the amendment noted the S151 Officers comments in respect of the amendments. He asked that even if the proposals were rejected that funding be found to support Thatcham Town Centre Master Plan.

Councillor Brooks urged the Administration not to rule out the proposals simply because they had not come up with the ideas.

Councillor Doherty commented that she would be happy to adopt any good ideas. However the amendments proposed w

ere not well thought out.

The Amendment was put to the vote and declared LOST.

In accordance with Procedure Rule 4.15.2 it was requisitioned that the voting on the Amendment be recorded. The names of those Members voting for, against and abstaining were read to the Council as follows:

FOR the Amendment:

Councillors Adrian Abbs, Phil Barnett, Jeff Brooks, Jeremy Cottam, Carolyne Culver, Lee Dillon, Billy Drummond, Owen Jeffery, Royce Longton, Alan Macro, David Marsh, Steve Masters, Geoff Mayes, Andy Moore, Erik Pattenden, Martha Vickers, Tony Vickers, Keith Woodhams (18)

AGAINST the Amendment:

Councillors: Steve Ardagh-Walter, Jeff Beck, Dennis Benneyworth, Dominic Boeck, Graham Bridgman, Jeff Cant, Hilary Cole, James Cole, Lynne Doherty, Clive Hooker, Gareth Hurley, Rick Jones, Alan Law, Tony Linden, Ross Mackinnon, Tom Marino, Graham Pask, Claire Rowles, Garth Simpson, Richard Somner, Jo Stewart, Andy Williamson, Howard Woollaston (23)

ABSTAINED:

None

AMENDMENT: Proposed by Councillor David Marsh and seconded by Councillor Carolyne Culver:

That the Council:

(1) Transfer £1.25m from the General Reserve to a new Climate Emergency Fund. This would leave £6.72m in the General Reserve (above the minimum recommended £6.5m).

(2) Bus Service, Hambridge Lane/Hambridge Road

£100,000 from the Climate Emergency Fund would be used to pay for an existing peak-time bus route from Thatcham to Newbury to divert along Hambridge Lane/Hambridge Road, and on to the bus and rail stations, initially as a one-year trial.

(3) Funding for Supported Bus Services 20/21

In addition to the above, £108,507 has been made available to the Council from the Government’s “better deal for bus users”, and we support using this to improve rural services, including route 5 (Downlands villages-Newbury) and route 47 (Lambourn-Swindon).”

Councillor David Marsh stated that he hoped the Council would be able to support these good and original ideas. The Climate Emergency declared last July was the most significant issue for the Council to overcome and it should be put at the heart of all decision making. Councillor Steve Masters stated that the proposals demonstrated real commitment to overcoming the Climate Emergency and would allow the Portfolio Holder to adopt a more proactive approach to meeting the Council’s commitments.

Councillor Mackinnon stated that he did not personally know enough about the Hambridge Road bus route to comment on it but that it could be looked into. In terms of taking £1.25m from the General Reserve to a new Climate Emergency Fund it should be noted that the Council had six priorities and it had to balance all of its priorities. He noted that £6.5m was the recommended minimum sum that should be left in the General Reserve and he felt that cutting it to £6.72m was too close to the minimum prudent level.

Councillor Lee Dillon commented that he would like to ask the Constitution Review Task Group to look into the issue of voting on amendments as individual items. While he supported some of the amendments proposed by the Green Party he could not support them all and would therefore have to abstain from voting on this amendment.

The Amended Motion was put to the vote and declared LOST.

FOR the Amendment:

Councillors Carolyne Culver, David Marsh, Steve Masters (3)

AGAINST the Amendment:

ABSTAINED:

Councillors Adrian Abbs, Phil Barnett, Jeff Brooks, Jeremy Cottam, Lee Dillon, Billy Drummond, Owen Jeffery, Royce Longton, Alan Macro, Geoff Mayes, Andy Moore, Erik Pattenden, Martha Vickers, Tony Vickers, Keith Woodhams (15)

Councillor Steve Ardagh-Walter stated that as Portfolio Holder with responsibility for the environment he would always want more money to spend on projects but he recognised the need to take a balanced view across all areas of the Council’s activity. The budget has to add up and the Administration had to act responsibly. He was always willing to discuss projects and ways of delivering them with colleagues when they were raised with him.

Councillor Steve Masters commented that he was concerned about the impact of cuts on staff, Having to do more with less would have an impact on them which would in turn have a knock on effect on residents.

Councillor Hilary Cole welcomed the proposed increased expenditure on homelessness which would be used to continue to build on the successes already achieved by the Council in this area.

Councillor Graham Bridgman welcomed the additional proposed funding for Adult Social Care which reflected the demographic issues being experienced. He would continue to lobby for a proper national debate on overcoming this issue.

Councillor Doherty noted the comments from Councillor Masters about staff. She noted that the relationships between Officers and Members at the Council were good. Investment was being put into the Workforce Strategy and that she personally regularly thanked staff for their efforts. She concluded by stating that this was a well thought through balanced budget and she urged members to support it

The Motion was put to the meeting and duly RESOLVED.

In accordance with Procedure Rule 4.15.2 it was requisitioned that the voting on the Motion be recorded. The names of those Members voting for, against and abstaining were read to the Council as follows:

FOR the Motion:

AGAINST the Motion:

ABSTAINED:

Councillors Carolyne Culver, David Marsh, Steve Masters (3)

Supporting documents: