59/22
The Council was
presented with a report that outlined the recommendations of the
Executive in respect of a series of draft revenue and capital
budget proposals for 2023/24 (Minute E.69/22 refers)
In debate, the
following points were raised:
a)
A number of Members expressed their support for the
Council’s approach to the Budget setting process and the
collaborative cross-party working that had resulted in the draft
Budget proposals that had been presented to this
meeting. By way of an example, Members
particularly welcomed the fact that the two recommendations that
had been generated by the Budget Advisory Committee (relating to
Council owned public conveniences and an additional Tree Officer)
had been taken forward;
b)
There was widespread disappointment stated amongst
Members that an increase in Council Tax was necessary. In addition, there were calls for Central
Government to provide increased grant funding to local authorities
and for a fairer system of taxation to be employed;
c)
It was highlighted that the proposed increase
recommended within the published agenda report represented only the
District Council’s share of the forthcoming year’s
Council Tax billing and that increases could also be expected from
Devon County Council, the Police and Fire Authorities and local
Town and Parish Councils.
In line with
statutory requirements, a recorded vote was then undertaken on part
(i) of the substantive
motion. The voting was recorded as
follows:
For the
motion (21):- Cllrs Austen,
Bastone, Brown, Chown, Foss, Hawkins, Hodgson, Holway, Hopwood, Jones, Long, McKay, Pearce,
Pennington, Pringle, Reeve, Rose, Rowe, Smerdon, Spencer and Taylor.
Against the
motion (6):- Cllrs Abbott, Baldry, Brazil, O’Callaghan,
Pannell and Thomas.
Abstentions (0):
Absent
(4):
Cllrs Birch, Jackson, Kemp and Sweett
and the
vote on part (i) of the motion was therefore declared CARRIED.
In line with
statutory requirements, a recorded vote was then undertaken on
parts (ii) to (xi) of the motion. The
voting was recorded as follows:
For the
motion (27): Cllrs
Abbott, Austen, Baldry, Bastone,
Brazil, Brown, Chown, Foss, Hawkins,
Hodgson, Holway, Hopwood, Jones, Long,
McKay, O’Callaghan, Pannell, Pearce, Pennington, Pringle,
Reeve, Rose, Rowe, Smerdon, Spencer,
Taylor and Thomas
Against
the motion (0):
Abstentions (0):
Absent
(4):
Cllrs Birch, Jackson, Kemp and Sweett
and the
vote on parts (ii) to (xi) of the
substantive motion was therefore declared CARRIED.
It was then:
RESOLVED
i)
That Council
Tax for 2023/24 be increased by £5 (Band D of £185.42
for 2023/24 – an increase equivalent to less than 10 pence
per week or £5 per year – equating to a 2.77%
increase). This equates to a Council Tax Requirement of
£7,407,344;
ii) That the financial
pressures (as shown in Appendix A of the presented agenda report
and amounting to £4,107,700) be approved;
iii)
That the net contributions from Earmarked Reserves of
(£412,000) as shown in Appendix D of the presented agenda
report, including the proposed use of £500,000 of New Homes
Bonus funding to fund the 2023/24 ...
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