Agenda item

48/23   

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 2024/25 (Minute E.58/23 refers).

In the ensuing debate, the following points were raised:

(a)   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;

(b)   With regard to the grant funding being awarded to Sustainable South Hams, it was noted that representations from the organisation were scheduled to attend the next Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting to be held on 14 March 2024.  As a result, all interested Members were encouraged to attend this meeting.

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 (18):-      Cllrs Abbott, Allen, Birch, Bonham, Brazil, Dewynter, Dommett, Hancock, Hodgson, Jackson, Long, McKay, O’Callaghan, Oram, Presswell, Rake, Steele and Thomas

Against the motion (3):- Cllrs Dennis, Hopwood and Penfold

 Abstentions (4):             Cllrs Carson, Hawkins, Nix and Taylor

Absent (6):                        Cllrs Cooper, Edie, Lawford, Munoz, Pannell and Yardy

 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 (viii) of the motion.  The voting was recorded as follows:

For the motion (21):        Cllrs Abbott, Allen, Birch, Bonham, Brazil, Dewynter, Dommett, Hancock, Hawkins, Hodgson, Hopwood, Jackson, Long, McKay, O’Callaghan, Oram, Presswell, Rake, Steele, Taylor and Thomas

Against the motion (1):   Cllr Carson

Abstentions (3):               Cllrs Dennis, Nix and Penfold

Absent (6):                         Cllrs Cooper, Edie, Lawford, Munoz, Pannell and Yardy

and the vote on parts (ii) to (viii) of the substantive motion was therefore declared CARRIED.

It was then:

RESOLVED

i)     That Council Tax for 2024/25 be increased by 2.99% (increasing a Band D Council Tax for 2024/25 from £185.42 to £190.96 – an increase of £5.54 per year (or under 11 pence per week)).  (NB. this equates to a Council Tax requirement of £7,739,406);

ii)    That the financial pressures of £2,846,000 (as shown in Appendix A of the presented agenda report) be approved;

iii)   That the savings/additional income of £(1,460,000) (as shown in Appendix A of the presented agenda report) be approved;

iv)   That the net contributions to/(from) Earmarked Reserves of £(489,573) (as set out in in Appendix D of the presented agenda report) be approved, including the proposed use of £704,173 of New Homes Bonus funding to fund the 2024/25 Revenue Budget (paragraph 3.20 of the Executive report of 25 January 2025 refers and shown at Appendix I of the presented report) and £300,000 from the Business Rates Retention Earmarked Reserve as set out in paragraph 3.3 of the published agenda report;

v)    That the Council set its total net expenditure for 2024/25 at £13,134,894 (as shown in Appendix B of the presented agenda report);

vi)   That the proposed Capital Programme Proposals for 2024/25 of £3,682,427 and the proposed financing of the Capital Programme (as set out in Appendix E of the presented agenda report) be approved;

vii)  That the Reserves strategy (as shown at Appendix H of the presented agenda report) be approved, setting out that Unearmarked Reserves should continue to have a minimum level of £1.5million (as set out in the Medium Term Financial Strategy in September 2023), but an operating level of a minimum of £2million; and

viii)That, in accordance with Part 2 of the Local Government Act 2003. the level of Reserves (as set out within the published agenda report) and the assessment of their adequacy and the robustness of budget estimates, be noted.