Agenda item

(NOTE 4: Cllr Leech has given notice of his intention to propose an amendment to recommendation 4 as follows):

 

            “That a decision to cut the funding of the following groups should be deferred for twelve months:

 

-          Okehampton Community Transport Group;

-          Tavistock Ring and Ride Group;

-          West Devon Community and Voluntary Service;

-          Citizens Advice;

-          Young Devon; and

-          Devon Youth Games.

 

This would allow these charities to have the opportunity to find future funding from elsewhere and, if they want to, add their names to the new WDBC Lottery Scheme that may well help to fill any shortfalls in their budgets by the loss of funding from WDBC.”

 

CM 57          

A report was considered that updated Members on the revenue and capital budget position for the year 2018/19.

 

The Leader introduced the report and emphasised the significant financial challenges that were facing the Council and stressed the need for the Council to cut its expenditure whilst increasing its income.

 

Following the Leader’s introduction, the Mayor invited questions from the meeting and reference was made to:-

 

-         the projected income of £180,000 from the reasonable setting of car parking tariffs.  In reiterating the view expressed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee that the additional income projection was ambitious, a Member questioned whether usage levels had been taken into account.  In response, it was noted that this matter would be addressed by the Car Parking Strategy Group at its meeting on 6 March 2018;

-         the proposal to reduce the size of the Hub Committee.  In light of the Hub Committee recommendation being to defer this matter to the Political Structures Working Group, it was not felt appropriate to pre-empt the outcome of this review by recommending any savings at this time;

-         the findings of the Financial Stability Member Working Group.  It was intended that these findings would be presented to the next Hub Committee meeting on 14 March 2018;

-         the proposed closure of the Okehampton office.  In the event of this proposal being approved by the Council, it was confirmed that alternative provision would be put in place, with the Council’s Locality Service being utilised for this purpose.  

 

In the ensuing debate on this agenda item, reference was made to:-

 

(a)    part 1 of the recommendation.  Such were the severe financial pressures facing the Council, that Members felt that they had little option other than to support the proposal to increase Council Tax by 2.99% (i.e. the maximum increase without triggering a referendum) for 2018/19;

 

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 2018/19).  The vote was subsequently recorded as follows:-

 

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

Against the motion (0):                             

Abstentions (0):                                        

 

Absent (5):                          Cllrs Cheadle, Evans, Sellis, Sheldon and Stephens

 

and the vote on part 1 was therefore declared CARRIED.

 

(b)    an amendment to part 4 of the recommendation.  As was outlined on the published summons, Cllr Leech had given notice of this intention to PROPOSE the following amendment at this meeting:

 

“That a decision to cut the funding of the following groups should be deferred for twelve months:

 

-             Okehampton Community Transport Group;

-             Tavistock Ring and Ride Group;

-             West Devon Community and Voluntary Service;

-             Citizens Advice;

-             Young Devon; and

-             South West Rotary Youth Games.

 

This would allow these charities to have the opportunity to find future funding from elsewhere and, if they want to, add their names to the new WDBC Lottery Scheme that may well help to fill any shortfalls in their budgets by the loss of funding from WDBC.”

 

To enable for it to be debated, the amendment was subsequently SECONDED by Cllr C R Musgrave.  A lengthy debate proceeded to take place during which it became apparent that the Chamber was divided in its support and opposition to the amendment.

 

In support of the amendment, the following points were raised:-

 

(i)      Some Members reminded those present that the Council had a social conscience that included helping the less advantaged;

 

(ii)     Some Members cited examples that they considered illustrated a lack of both consultation and advanced warning of the proposed cuts to a number of those partnerships listed;

 

(iii)   A Member made reference to the additional grant funding that had been received by the Council since the Task and Finish Group had completed its review.  As a consequence, the Member was of the view that this would enable for any decisions to reduce these partnership grants to be deferred for twelve months.  However, in so doing, the Member did also emphasise that these partners should be made aware at the earliest opportunity that their future funding from the Council was under serious threat;

 

(iv)   It was felt that a deferral would enable for these partnerships to be encouraged to sign up to the Lottery Scheme.  Furthermore, the success of the Scheme (and its impact on these partnerships) could then be reviewed in twelve months’ time;

 

 

(v)    A number of Members highlighted that some of these partnerships (e.g. Citizens Advice) in fact deflected work away from the Council.  As a result, these Members stated that the proposed reduction would indirectly result in a cost increase to the authority;

 

(vi)   Given that the Council had a projected £327,154 budget surplus in 2018/19, the £10,670 cost of supporting the amendment was not considered to be a significant sum;

 

(vii)The reputational damage of making these cuts at this time was considered to be extensive;

 

(viii)        A Member advised that, such was his strength of feeling in support of the amendment, he felt compromised in his capacity as a Hub Committee Member.  As a consequence, the Member confirmed that he would be supporting the amendment and consequently proceeded to tender his resignation from both the Hub Committee and the Joint Local Plan Joint Steering Group;

 

(ix)   There was felt to be a lack of rationale in the Task and Finish Group’s concluding report to justify each of the proposed cuts.

 

In opposition to the amendment, reference was made to:-

 

(i)      the work undertaken to reach this point in the Budget setting process.  It was noted that a great deal of time and effort had been put in to both the Task and Finish Group review and Member meetings and workshops to compile this report and it was felt to be unfortunate that amendments were now being sought so late in the process.  The Chairman of the Task and Finish Group confirmed that one of the key factors in the recommendations generated by the Review was to ensure that the Council was able to set a balanced budget;

 

(ii)    the need to take difficult decisions now.  Some Members emphasised the need to take a more medium term view and highlighted the forecasted £945,177 budget gap that was facing the Council by 2020/21.  As a result, there was a need for all Members to begin to take difficult decisions rather than taking the easy option of deferral for twelve months;

 

(iii)   the Village Halls and Community Projects provision in the Capital Programme.  Some Members cited the allocation of £36,000 in the Capital Programme and felt that the merits of this being used as an alternative funding source for partnerships should be investigated;

 

(iv)  the use of public monies.  In simple terms, a Member commented that the proposed amendment effectively constituted the giving of Council Tax monies to charities.  As a consequence, the Member reiterated that he could not justify the use of public monies to support those charities listed at the expense of service cuts.  Furthermore, the Member highlighted that there were numerous other charitable organisations that did not receive funding from the Council and questioned whether this was fair.

 

The Mayor then called for a recorded vote on the amendment to part 4 of the recommendation, which was recorded as follows:-

 

For the amendment (13):         Cllrs Baldwin, Cann OBE, Edmonds, Hockridge, Lamb, Leech, McInnes, Moody, Musgrave, Parker, Pearce, Ridgers and Sampson

Against the amendment (13): Cllr Ball, Cloke, Davies, Jory, Kimber, Mott, Moyse, Oxborough, Roberts, Samuel, Sanders, Watts and Yelland        

Abstentions (0):                                        

Absent (5):                                Cllrs Cheadle, Evans, Sellis, Sheldon and Stephens

and the vote was (by virtue of the Mayor’s Casting Vote) declared CARRIED.

 

With no further debate forthcoming, the Mayor then called for a recorded vote on part 4 of the recommendation, which was declared as follows:-

 

For the motion (20):            Cllrs Baldwin, Ball, Cann OBE, Davies, Edmonds, Hockridge, Kimber, Lamb, Leech, McInnes, Moody, Musgrave, Oxborough, Parker, Pearce, Ridgers, Sampson, Samuel, Sanders and Watts

Against the motion (3):      Cllr Cloke, Mott and Moyse             

Abstentions (3):                 Cllr Jory, Roberts and Yelland

Absent (5):                          Cllrs Cheadle, Evans, Sellis, Sheldon and Stephens

and the vote was therefore declared CARRIED.

 

(c)    an amendment to part 5 of the recommendation.  In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16(10), an amendment had been received from Cllr Baldwin that he duly PROPOSED that read as follows:-

 

‘That the Council produce more concise agenda papers, with links to detailed appendices to reduce the quantity of paper used.

 

In order to compensate for the reduced saving by not moving to totally paperless agendas, free Members lunches are no longer provided.’

 

Cllr Pearce subsequently SECONDED the amendment and, in the ensuing debate, the following points were raised:-

 

(i)      Members were reminded that they could still print off paper copies of Committee agenda papers, however this would be at their own personal cost;

 

(ii)     A number of other Councils had been paperless for a period of time and the transition had been seemingly smooth;

 

(iii)     There was widespread sympathy expressed for the point that some Committee reports should be far more concise;

 

(iv)   Some concerns were expressed over both the reliability and functionality of the Council provided IPads;

 

(v)    Specific assurances were given whereby the Modern.Gov application enabled users to make notes and annotations on Committee agendas;

 

(vi)   Members were reminded that the proposed saving included provision for the Chairman and Vice Chairman of a Committee to still receive a paper copy of their meeting agendas.

 

The Mayor then called for a recorded vote on the amendment to part 5 of the recommendation, which was recorded as follows:-

 

For the amendment (10):       Cllrs Baldwin, Cann OBE, Cloke, Lamb, Leech,                      Moyse, Oxborough, Pearce, Ridgers and                           Yelland

 

Against the amendment (15):       Cllr Ball, Davies, Edmonds, Jory,                                                                      Kimber, McInnes, Moody, Mott,                                                                        Musgrave, Parker, Roberts, Sampson,                                                                    Samuel, Sanders and Watts

 

Abstentions (0):         

 

Absent (6):                             Cllrs Cheadle, Evans, Hockridge, Sellis,                                                                 Sheldon and Stephens

          

and the vote on this amendment was therefore declared LOST.

 

With no further debate forthcoming, the Mayor then called for a recorded vote on part 5 of the recommendation, which was declared as follows:-

 

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

Against the motion (0):                 

Abstentions (0):                                        

Absent (6):                          Cllrs Cheadle, Evans, Hockridge, Sellis, Sheldon and Stephens

and the vote was therefore declared CARRIED.

 

With no further issues raised, the Mayor then called for a recorded vote on parts 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the recommendation and the vote was recorded as follows:-

 

For the motion (24):           Cllrs Baldwin, Ball, Cann OBE, Cloke, Davies, Edmonds, Jory, Kimber, Lamb, Leech, McInnes, Moody, Mott, Moyse, Musgrave, Parker, Pearce, Ridgers, Roberts, Sampson, Samuel, Sanders, Watts and Yelland

Against the motion (0):                                        

Abstentions (0):                                        

Absent (7):                          Cllrs Cheadle, Evans, Hockridge, Oxborough, Sellis, Sheldon and Stephens

and the vote was therefore declared CARRIED.

 

It was consequently ”RESOLVED that:

 

(i)              Council Tax be increased by 2.99% for 2018/19 (Band D of £224.91 for 2018/19 – an increase of 13 pence per week or £6.52 per year). This equates to a Council Tax requirement of £4,524,706 (as shown in Appendix B of the presented agenda report));

 

(ii)            the financial pressures in Appendix A of the presented agenda report £674,500 be approved;

 

(iii)           the contributions to Earmarked Reserves of £60,000 be approved;

 

(iv)           the reductions in Partnership Funding levels of £15,330 as set out in Appendix F of the presented agenda report be approved and £10,000 also be approved for crowdfunding;

 

(v)            the proposed savings and income of £783,930 as shown in Appendix A of the presented agenda report be approved (NB. This includes £180,000 of projected income from the reasonable setting of car parking tariffs (as per paragraphs 6.9 to 6.13 of the presented agenda report));

 

(vi)           £560,000 of New Homes Bonus funding is used to fund the 2018/19 Revenue Budget (as shown in Appendix A and Appendix C of the presented agenda report);

 

(vii)         delegated authority be granted 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 Sustainable Community Fund for 2018/19;

 

(viii)        a collection fund surplus of £96,000 be utilised in 2018/19;

 

(ix)           the 2018/19 budget surplus of £316,484 be transferred into a Future Financial Stability Earmarked Reserve to assist with future financial sustainability (as detailed in paragraph 1.9 of the presented agenda report);

 

(x)            the Total Net Expenditure of the Council is £7,313,795 for 2018/19;

 

(xi)           the Council Tax Support Grant paid to Town and Parish Councils be reduced by 8.6% for 2018/19 (as indicated at Appendix A of the presented agenda report).  This equates to a payment of £64,744 for 2018/19;

 

(xii)         the Environmental Health Fees and Charges (as set out in Appendix H of the presented agenda report) be approved.  NOTE. The Fees and Charges for car parking are part of recommendation (v);

 

(xiii)        the 2018/19 Capital Programme projects as per Appendix C of the presented agenda report be approved;

 

(xiv)        the financing of the Capital Programme is as per Appendix C of the presented agenda report;

 

(xv)         the level of reserves as set out within this report and the assessment of their adequacy and the robustness of budget estimates be noted.  (NB. This is a requirement of Part 2 of the Local Government Act 2003).