Agenda item

(i)           Audit and Governance Committee

Meeting held on 22 November 2022

 

(ii)          Development Management & Licensing Committee

Meeting held on 8 November 2022

 

Meeting held on 13 December 2022

 

Meeting held on 24 January 2023

 

 

 

Recommendation to agree:

 

DM&L.39 Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy – Proposal to Delay Implementation of the Euro NCAP Safety Rating Standard

 

RECOMMENDED

 

That Council be RECOMMENDED to adopt the amended draft Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy (as presented to the Development Management & Licensing Committee Meeting).

 

 

(iii)        Hub Committee

Meeting held on 13 December 2022

 

Recommendation to agree:

 

HC.64/22 Draft Revenue and Capital Budget Proposals 2023/24

 

RECOMMENDED

 

vii) That Council be RECOMMENDED that West Devon Borough Council continue to be part of the Devon Business Rates Pool for 2023/24, subject to there being no announcements within the Finance Settlement (expected to be announced in mid-December), which in the opinion of the S151 Officer (in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Hub Committee Member for Resources), would change this recommendation.

 

Meeting held on 31 January 2023

 

Recommendation to agree:

 

HC.75/22 Draft Revenue And Capital Budget Proposals For 2023/24         

 

i)     to increase Council Tax for 2023/24 by £7.37 (a 2.99% increase)  (This would equate to a Band D council tax of £254.00 for 2023/24, an increase of 14 pence per week or £7.37 per year);

 

ii)    to approve the financial pressures (as shown in Appendix A of the presented agenda report) of £1,928,800;

 

iii)   to approve the net contributions to/(from) Earmarked Reserves of £(45,567) (as shown in Appendix A of the published agenda report), including the proposed use of £150,000 from the Business Rates Retention Earmarked Reserve (as set out in paragraph 3.17 of the presented agenda report);

 

iv)   to use £150,000 of New Homes Bonus funding in 2023/24 to fund the Revenue Base Budget (as set out in paragraph 3.22 of the presented agenda report) and to allocate £78,500 of New Homes Bonus funding to the Dartmoor National Park Authority (as set out in paragraph 3.23 of the presented agenda report), with the proviso that this Funding be used to ensure that the Visitor Centre at Princetown is kept open until at least 30 September 2023;

 

v)    to approve the savings of £1,110,500 (as set out at Appendix A of the presented agenda report);

 

vi)   to approve the Overview & Scrutiny Committee’s recommendation on the increase in the garden waste subscription charge from April 2023, (for the sum of £52.00 per annum) as set out in paragraph 5.3 and Appendix F of the presented agenda report;

 

vii) to approve the proposed Capital Programme Proposals for 2023/24 of £910,000 and the proposed financing of the Capital Programme (as set out in Appendix D of the published agenda report) (being £700,000 from the Better Care Fund funding from Devon County Council, £160,000 from New Homes Bonus funding and £50,000 revenue funding from the Vehicles and Plant Earmarked Reserve);

 

viii) that Unearmarked Reserves should continue to have a minimum level of £900,000 (as set in the Medium Term Financial Strategy in September 2022), but an operating level of a minimum of £1.25million; and

 

ix)   that, with effect from 31 March 2023, the Servaco dormant company (which the Council jointly owns with South Hams District Council), be closed down.

 

 

HC.77/22   Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2023-24 And Other Council Tax Discounts And Premiums

 

2.    to approve a local Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2023/24 that as follows:

-      Makes no changes to Band 1 of the current banded scheme;

-      Uplifts Bands 2, 3 and 4 by 20% (above current inflation) to take into account the Cost of Living crisis;

-      Replaces the current range of earnings disregards with a single £25.00 disregard; and

-      Makes changes to the Minimum Income Floor by adjusting the income calculation for self-employed claimants who receive carer’s allowance, personal independence payments or disability living allowance.

 

3.    that delegated authority be given to the Director of Strategic Finance, in consultation with the Lead Member for Benefits and the Head of Revenues and Benefits, to agree the uprating of working age regulations incorporated into the local Council Tax Reduction Scheme in line with those announced by the Department for Work and Pensions;

 

4.    that officers be instructed to take immediate steps to apply the £25.00 Council Tax Support Fund payment to the 2023/24 council tax bills of eligible council taxpayers, as announced by the Government on 19 December 2022, and bring forward proposals for a discretionary scheme in late spring 2023;

 

5.    to adopt the Council Tax discounts as follows (with effect from 1 April 2023):

 

(a)   The discount for unoccupied and substantially unfurnished properties is 100% for a maximum period of 1 month;

 

(b)   The discount for unoccupied and substantially unfurnished properties for 1 month to 2 years is zero;

 

(c)   The discount for properties which are vacant and require major repair work to render them habitable is 50% for maximum period of 12 months;

 

(d)   The discount for unoccupied furnished properties (second homes) is zero;

 

(e)   An empty homes premium of an additional 100% is levied on properties that have remained unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for at least two years, but less than five years;

 

(f)    An empty homes premium of an additional 200% is levied on properties that have remained unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for at least five years, but less than ten years;

 

(g)   An empty homes premium of an additional 300% is levied on properties that have remained unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for at least ten years or more; and

 

6.    That, in principle, the following additional council tax premiums be applied from 1 April 2024, or earlier if allowed, subject to the required legislation being in place:

 

-      100% premium for properties which have been unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for a period of between 1 and 2 years; and

-      100% premium for second homes.

 

 

 

(iv)        Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Meeting held on 15 November 2022

 

Meeting held on 17 January 2023

 

CM 65/22         

(a)   Audit and Governance Committee - 22 November 2022

It was moved by Cllr K Ball, seconded by Cllr M Davies and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 22 November 2022 be received and noted.

 

(b) Development Management & Licensing Committee – 8 November 2022, 13 December 2022 and 24 January 2023

It was moved by Cllr J Yelland, seconded by Cllr N Heyworth and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that the Minutes of the 8 November 2022, 13 December 2022 and 24 January 2023 meetings be received and noted, with the exception of Recommendation DM&L.39”.

           

In respect of the Recommendation:

           

DM&L.39 Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy – Proposal to Delay Implementation of the Euro NCAP Safety Rating Standard

It was moved by Cllr J Yelland, seconded by Cllr N Heyworth and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that the amended Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy as presented to the Development Management & Licensing Committee Meeting, be adopted.”

 

(c)   Hub Committee – 13 December 2022 and 31 January 2023

“It was moved by Cllr N Jory, seconded by Cllr C Edmonds and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that the Minutes of the 13 December 2022 and 31 January 2023 meetings be received and noted with the exception of Recommendation HC.64/22, HC.75/22 and HC.77/22 parts 2-6”.

 

In respect of the Recommendations:

 

HC.64/22 Draft Revenue and Capital Budget Proposals 2023/24

“It was moved by Cllr N Jory seconded by Cllr C Edmonds and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that the Council continue to be part of the Devon Business Rates Pool for 2023/24, subject to there being no announcements within the Finance Settlement, which in the opinion of the S151 Officer (in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Hub Committee Member for Resources), would change this recommendation.”

 

HC.75/22 Draft Revenue and Capital Budget Proposals for 2023/24

It was noted that the Recommendations contained therein were to be considered at standalone agenda item 9 ‘Draft 2023/24 Revenue and Capital Budget Proposals’ (Minute CM 66/22 below refers).

 

HC.77/22 Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2023-24 And Other Council Tax Discounts And Premiums

“It was moved by Cllr N Jory seconded by Cllr C Edmonds and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that:

 

2.  the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2023/24 be approved as follows:

 

-    no changes be made to Band 1 of the current banded scheme;

-    Bands 2, 3 and 4 be uplifted by 20% (above current inflation) to take into account the Cost of Living crisis;

-    the current range of earnings disregards be replaced with a single £25.00 disregard; and

-    change the Minimum Income Floor by adjusting the income calculation for self-employed claimants who receive carer’s allowance, personal independence payments or disability living allowance;

 

3.    delegated authority be given to the Director of Strategic Finance, in consultation with the Lead Member for Benefits and the Head of Revenues and Benefits, to agree the uprating of working age regulations incorporated into the local Council Tax Reduction Scheme in line with those announced by the Department for Work and Pensions;

 

4.    officers be instructed to take immediate steps to apply the £25.00 Council Tax Support Fund payment to the 2023/24 council tax bills of eligible council taxpayers, as announced by the Government on 19 December 2022, and bring forward proposals for a discretionary scheme in late spring 2023.”

 

It was noted that the Recommendations 5 and 6 were to be considered at standalone agenda item 10 ‘Council Tax Discounts and Premiums’ (Minute CM 67/22 below refers).

      

 (d) Overview & Scrutiny Committee – 15 November 2022 and 17 January 2023

     It was moved by Cllr M Ewings, seconded by Cllr P Kimber and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meetings held on 15 November 2022 and 17 January 2023 be received and noted.”