Agenda item

To consider the recommendation from Cabinet.

 

Cabinet, at its meeting on 5 February 2019, had considered a report presenting the Medium Term Financial Strategy for Cheshire East Council for the years 2019/20 to 2021/22. The report set out how the Council would approach the financial challenges over the medium term and forecast a balanced budget for 2019/20. Cabinet had recommended to Council the items at Appendix A to the report.

 

The recommendation from Cabinet was proposed and seconded.

 

Following the proposing and seconding of the recommendation, an amendment was proposed and seconded.

 

(At this point the meeting was adjourned for lunch).

 

Following debate, the provision of advice from the Section 151 Officer and the Acting Director of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer, and following a short adjournment to consider the validity of the proposed amendment, the amendment was deemed invalid.

 

Following this, two further amendments were proposed and seconded:-

 

AMENDMENT 1

 

The following amendment was proposed and seconded:-

 

Section a:-

Scrap the rubble charges for local residents at Household Waste Recycling Centres. The details of any scheme would be worked out at scrutiny. For budget purposes it has been calculated that to give every resident one free bag of rubble per month would cost £65,000.

Increase the number of wardens and monitor and publish prosecutions for dog fouling and fly tipping. - For budget purposes it has been calculated that 2 new officers would cost £80,000. Ensure air quality action plans are drawn up and implemented. - Appointing a staff member to pursue implementation would cost £40,000. It should be noted that spend on improvement schemes (incl cycling schemes) would be capital.

Ask scrutiny to look into a scheme to give new entrepreneurial businesses up to 2 years exemption from business rate and allocate £90,000 to the scheme Improve recycling rates £50,000

 

Funded by:-

Reduce the exemption on empty properties from 6 weeks to 4 weeks £195,000 Reduce energy consumption across the Council £5,000 Promote town mayors and reduce the support for the Cheshire East Mayor including abolishing the allowances saving £85,000 – rising to £95,000 if the mayoralty is abolished.

Reduce the Communications Team budget by £40,000 to concentrate on health & education campaigns supporting council services and reduce the work done on issuing press releases that attempt to promote the image of the Council.

(see Budget Consultation item 54)

 

It was noted that legislation required the recording in the minutes of how each Member voted on matters relating to the Budget. Accordingly, a recorded vote was carried out in respect of this amendment, with the following results:-

 

For

Councillors D Bailey, J Bratherton, S Brookfield, B Burkhill, S Corcoran, I Faseyi, D Flude, A Harewood, S Hogben, J Jackson, L Jeuda, N Mannion, J Nicholas, J Rhodes, B Roberts and A Stott.

 

Against

Councillors C Andrew, A Arnold, G Baggott, Rachel Bailey, Rhoda Bailey, G Barton, P Bates, M Beanland, D Bebbington, E Brooks, D Brown, C Browne, P Butterill, J Clowes, H Davenport, S Davies, M Deakin, T Dean, L Durham, S Edgar, JP Findlow, H Gaddum, S Gardiner, C Green, P Groves, G Hayes, O Hunter, A Kolker, D Mahon,  R Menlove, G Merry, A Moran, B Moran, M Parsons, J Saunders, M Sewart, D Stockton, B Walmsley, G Walton, L Wardlaw, J Weatherill, G Williams and J Wray.

 

Not Voting

R Fletcher, D Hough, M Simon and L Smetham.

 

The amendment was declared lost with 16 votes for, 45 against and 4 not voting.

 

AMENDMENT 2

 

The following amendment was proposed and seconded:-

 

Reverse recently proposed car parking charge increases – Specifically removal of 10p uplift would reduce income by c.£208,000. Foregoing Thomas Street Car Park income £3,000-£10,000.

Funded by:-

Reduce the exemption on empty properties from 6 weeks to 4 weeks £195,000. Reduce the Communications Team budget by £23,000.

 

As legislation required the recording in the minutes of how each Member voted on matters relating to the Budget, a recorded vote was carried out in respect of this amendment, with the following results:-

 

For

Councillors D Bailey, J Bratherton, S Brookfield, C Browne, B Burkhill, P Butterill, S Corcoran, D Flude, A Harewood, S Hogben, J Jackson, L Jeuda, D Mahon, N Mannion, A Moran, J Nicholas, M Parsons, J Rhodes, B Roberts and A Stott.

 

Against

Councillors C Andrew, A Arnold, G Baggott, Rachel Bailey, Rhoda Bailey, G Barton, P Bates, M Beanland, D Bebbington, E Brooks, D Brown, J Clowes, H Davenport, S Davies, T Dean, L Durham, S Edgar, JP Findlow, R Fletcher, H Gaddum, S Gardiner, P Groves, G Hayes, D Hough, O Hunter, A Kolker, A Martin, R Menlove, G Merry, B Moran, J Saunders, M Sewart, M Simon, D Stockton,  G Walton, L Wardlaw, J Weatherill, G Williams and J Wray.

 

Not Voting

M Deakin, B Dooley, L Smetham and B Walmsley.

 

The amendment was declared lost with 20 votes for, 39 against and 4 not voting.

 

SUBSTANTIVE MOTION

 

The vote on the substantive budget proposals was taken.

 

As legislation required the recording in the minutes of how each Member voted on any decision relating to the Budget, a recorded vote was carried out in respect of this item, with the following results:-

 

For

Councillor C Andrew, A Arnold, G Baggott, Rachel Bailey, Rhoda Bailey, G Barton, P Bates, M Beanland, D Bebbington, E Brooks, D Brown, P Butterill, J Clowes, H Davenport, S Davies, M Deakin, T Dean, B Dooley, Liz Durham, S Edgar, JP Findlow, H Gaddum, S Gardiner, P Groves, G Hayes, O Hunter, A Kolker, D Mahon, A Martin, R Menlove, G Merry, B Moran, M Parsons, J  Saunders, M Sewart, M Simon, D Stockton, B Walmsley, G Walton, L Wardlaw, J Weatherill, G Williams and J Wray. 

 

Against

Councillor D Bailey, J Bratherton, S Brookfield, C Browne, S Corcoran, R Fletcher, D Flude, A Harewood, S Hogben, J Jackson, L Jeuda, N Mannion, J Nicholas, J Rhodes, B Roberts and A Stott.

 

Not Voting

Councillors B Burkhill and L Smetham.

 

The motion was declared carried with 44 votes for, 16 against and 2 not voting.

 

RESOLVED

 

That Council approves:-

 

The Revenue estimates for the 2019/20 budget and the medium term Capital Programme estimates 2019-22, as detailed in the Medium Term Financial Strategy Report (MTFS) 2019-22 (Appendix C).

 

2 Band D Council Tax of £1,446.27 representing an increase of 2.99%. This is below the referendum limit and arises from the provisional finance settlement (Appendix C, Section 2).

 

3 The 2019/20 non ring-fenced Specific Grants, and that any amendments to particular grants will be reported to Council if further information is received from Government Departments or other funding bodies (Appendix C, Annex 8).

 

4 The 2019/20 Capital Grants, and that any amendments to particular grants will be reported to Council if further information is received from Government Departments or other funding bodies (Appendix C, Annex 9).

 

5 The relevant Portfolio Holder to agree the use of additional Specific Grants received in conjunction with the Finance Portfolio Holder as further updates to the 2019/20 funding position are received.

 

6 The recommended Prudential Indicators for Capital Financing (Appendix C, Annex 11).

 

7 The Portfolio Holder for Children and Families to agree any necessary amendment to the 2019/20 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) of £138m and the associated policy proposals, in the light of further information received from DfE, pupil number changes, further academy transfers and the actual balance brought forward from 2018/19 (Appendix C, Annex 8).

 

8 The recommended Capital Strategy (Appendix C, Annex 11).

 

9 The recommended Treasury Management Strategy (Appendix C, Annex 12).

 

10 The recommended Investment Strategy (Appendix C, Annex 13).

 

11 The recommended Reserves Strategy (Appendix C, Annex 14).

 

12 The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Communication to agree to the Authority being the Entrusted Entity for the Urban Development Fund as referred to in the Investment Strategy (Appendix C, Annex 13) subject to the necessary due diligence being undertaken.

 

13 The Authority to submit an application for European Regional Development Fund financing to support the sub regional Urban Development Fund as referred to in the Investment Strategy (Appendix C, Annex 13) and for authority to be delegated to the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Communication to approve the signing of a funding agreement in relation to the ERDF funding subject to the necessary due diligence being undertaken.

 

That Council recognises that Cabinet has noted: -

 

14 The Budget Engagement exercise undertaken by the Council, as set out in the attached (Appendix C, Annex 2).

 

15 The results of the Budget Consultation (Appendix B).

 

16 The comments of the Council’s Acting Section 151 Officer, contained within the MTFS Report, regarding the robustness of estimates and level of reserves held by the Council based on these budget proposals (Appendix C, Comment from the Acting Section 151 Officer).

 

17 The Council’s Finance Procedure Rules will always apply should any changes in spending requirements be identified (Appendix C).