Agenda item

CM 52                                                                

Consideration was given to a report that updated Members on the revenue budget position for the year 2019/20.

During debate, reference was made to:-

(a)   the proposal to reduce the Council Tax Support Grant paid to Town and Parish Councils by 8.6% for 2019/20.  It was confirmed that this reduction was in line with the percentage reduction received from Central Government;

(b)   the proposed 2.99% increase in Council Tax.  Whilst accepting that there was little option other than to increase Council Tax by 2.99% for 2019/20, a Member felt it to be very disappointing that the Council had the highest Council Tax levels in Devon;

(c)    New Homes Bonus funding.  The Section 151 Officer confirmed that local authorities would not be informed until September 2019 of what Central Government was proposing to put in place of the New Homes Bonus fund;

(d)   the proposed Member Locality Fund.  The Leader informed that, in light of the abolition of the Communities Together Fund, it was being recommended that a Member Locality Fund be established.  It was intended that the Locality Fund would provide Members with a Fund of £500 to spend on projects and initiatives within their local Ward.

In accordance with statutory legislation, the Mayor then called for a recorded vote on part 1 only of the recommendation (i.e. that Council Tax be increased by 2.99% for 2019/20).  The vote was subsequently recorded as follows:-

For the motion (25):             Cllrs Baldwin, Ball, Cloke, Davies, Edmonds, Evans, Hockridge, Jory, Lamb, Leech, McInnes, Mott, Moyse, Musgrave, Oxborough, Parker, Pearce, Ridgers, Roberts, Sampson, Samuel, Sanders, Sellis, Watts and Yelland

Against the motion (1):        Cllr Cann OBE                     

Abstentions (0):                   

Absent (5):                             Cllrs Cheadle, Kimber, Moody, Sheldon and Stephens

and the vote on part 1 was therefore declared CARRIED.

With no further issues raised, the Mayor then called for a recorded vote on parts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the recommendation and the vote was recorded as follows:-

For the motion (26):             Cllrs Baldwin, Ball, Cann OBE, Cloke, Davies, Edmonds, Evans, Hockridge, Jory, Lamb, Leech, McInnes, Mott, Moyse, Musgrave, Oxborough, Parker, Pearce, Ridgers, Roberts, Sampson, Samuel, Sanders, Sellis, Watts and Yelland

Against the motion (0):                   

Abstentions (0):                  

Absent (5):                            Cllrs Cheadle, Kimber, Moody, Sheldon and Stephens

and the vote was therefore declared CARRIED.

It was consequently “RESOLVED that:-

(i)            Council Tax be increased by 2.99% for 2019/20 (Band D of £231.63 for 2019/20 – an increase of 13 pence per week or £6.72 per year). This equates to a Council Tax requirement of £4,673,499 (as shown in Appendix B of the presented agenda report));

(ii)           the financial pressures in Appendix A of the presented agenda report of £454,500 be approved;

(iii)          the contributions to Earmarked Reserves of £120,000 and the transfer of the one-off 2019/20 budget surplus of £43,635 into the Future Financial Stability Earmarked Reserve be approved to assist in meeting the predicted budget gap of £533,741 in 2020/21;

(iv)         the savings of £689,700 (as shown in Appendix A of the presented agenda report) be approved;

(v)          £375,000 of New Homes Bonus funding is used to fund the 2019/20 Revenue Budget (as set out in section 4.6 of the presented agenda report);

(vi)         the recommendations of the Financial Stability Review Group on Earmarked Reserves (as set out in sections 10.2 and 10.3 of the presented agenda report) be approved;

(vii)        authority be delegated to the Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council, to agree the final amount of New Homes Bonus funding for the Dartmoor National Park for 2019/20;

(viii)       a collection fund surplus of £84,000 be utilised in 2019/20;

(ix)         the Total Net Expenditure of the Council is £7,078,595 for 2019/20;

(x)          the Council Tax Support Grant paid to Town and Parish Councils be reduced by 8.6% for 2019/20 (as set out at Appendix A of the presented agenda report);

(xi)         the 2019/20 Fees and Charges set out in Appendix D of the presented agenda report (Planning) and Appendix E (Environmental Health) be approved;

(xii)        the recommendation of the Waste Working Group (to commence the Garden Waste subscription period from 1 April 2019 instead of the current October renewal date) be approved.  (NB. current subscriptions will be extended until 1 April 2020 without additional charge).  Whilst service growth is achieved, any shortfall in income from 2019/20 and 2020/21 should be funded from reserves (the Strategic Waste Earmarked Reserve) and paid back through increased income generated in future years (as set out in sections 4.21 to 4.26 of the presented agenda report);

(xiii)       the level of Reserves (as set out within the presented agenda report) and the assessment of their adequacy and the robustness of budget estimates be noted (Section 10 of the presented agenda report refers).  (NB. this is a requirement of Part 2 of the Local Government Act 2003.  It is also recommended to retain the minimum level of Unearmarked Reserves at £750,000).