Agenda item

To consider the recommendation from Cabinet.

Cabinet, at its meeting on 7 February 2017, had considered the Council's Corporate Plan and Medium Term Financial Strategy 2017-20.

 

Cabinet had recommended that Council approve the items at Appendix A of the Cabinet report, as follows:-

 

1.       The updated Corporate Plan 2017/20 as provided at Appendix B.

 

2.               The Revenue estimates for the 2017/18 budget and the medium term Capital Programme estimates 2017/20, as detailed in the Medium Term Financial Strategy Report (MTFS) 2017/20 (Appendix D).

 

3.               Band D Council Tax of £1,324.92 representing an increase of 4.99%. This is below the referendum limit and arises from the provisional finance settlement allowing up to a 3% additional charge to fund Adult Social Care pressures (Appendix D, Section 2).

 

4.       The 2017/18 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 D, Annex 8).

 

5.       The 2017/18 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 D, Annex 9).

 

6.       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 2017/18 funding position are received.

 

7.       The recommended Prudential Indicators for Capital Financing (Appendix D, Annex 11).

 

8.       The Children and Families Portfolio Holder to agree any necessary amendment to the 2017/18 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) of £143m 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 2016/17 (Appendix D, Annex 8).

 

9.       The recommended Reserves Strategy (Appendix D, Annex 13).

 

          That Council recognises that Cabinet has noted:

 

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

 

11.     The results of the Budget Consultation (Appendix C).

 

12.     The comments of the Council’s Chief Operating Officer (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 D, Comment from the Chief Operating Officer).

 

13.     The risk assessment detailed in the MTFS Report (Appendix D, Annex 5).

 

14.     That the estimates and profiling contained within the proposed Capital Programme 2017/18 to 2019/20 reflect the scale of ambition and future investment plans of the Council. The programme may vary to take advantage of external funding opportunities, maximise private sector investment, prudential borrowing considerations, operational capacity and to ensure optimal delivery of the overall programme (Appendix D, Annex 12).

 

15.     That projects will be robustly governed through the Executive Monitoring Board. The Council’s Finance Procedure Rules will always apply should any changes in spending requirements be identified (Appendix D, Annex 12).

 

In moving the Cabinet recommendations, the Finance and Assets Portfolio Holder, Cllr P Groves, proposed the following additional matter, which was circulated around the Chamber:-

 

“In terms of the review of the Household Waste Recycling Centre Provision, described on page 174 in the agenda pack, it is proposed that the closure of the Arclid site is paused.

 

It is further proposed that:

 

a.     The savings impact, shown as £150,000.00 on page 174, remains intact.

 

b.     Operating costs [£50k] for the Arclid site are now to be included till September 2017, as an adjustment in the financial/economic element of the business case;

 

c.     Charging for rubble/construction waste is now to be brought forward and introduced in early 2018, rather than the 2018-19 financial year, as the compensatory factor, at £50K.

 

d.     During the paused period, Cheshire East works in partnership with Sandbach Town Council, and also local members, to establish and evaluate viable and workable alternatives to the closure of the Arclid site, along with an appropriate strategy”.

 

 

Following the proposing and seconding of the above recommendation of Cabinet and the additional motion a number of amendments were proposed and seconded:-

 

AMENDMENT 1

That this Council should write to the five local MPs expressing its support for the LGA call to give local government full flexibility over council tax setting.

 

The amendment was proposed and seconded and put to the vote. The amendment was declared lost.

 

AMENDMENT 2

 

That a review should be carried out into ways to reduce Delayed Transfers of Care from hospitals (DTOC) which should include the option of setting up a wholly owned company to provide services on a commercial basis.

 

The amendment was proposed and seconded.

 

Legislation required the recording in the minutes of how each Member voted on this matter, which related to the Budget. Accordingly, a recorded vote was carried out in respect of this amendment, with the following results:-

 

For

Cllr D Bailey, Cllr S Brookfield, Cllr S Carter, Cllr S Corcoran, Cllr D Flude,
Cllr T Fox, Cllr M Grant, Cllr A Harewood, Cllr S Hogben, Cllr J Jackson,
Cllr L Jeuda, Cllr N Mannion, Cllr J Rhodes, Cllr B Roberts, Cllr A Stott.

 

Against

Cllr C Andrew, Cllr A Arnold, Cllr G Baggott, Cllr Rachel Bailey, Cllr Rhoda Bailey, Cllr P Bates, Cllr G Baxendale, Cllr M Beanland, Cllr D Bebbington, Cllr E Brooks, Cllr D Brown, Cllr J Clowes, Cllr H Davenport, Cllr M Deakin, Cllr B Dooley, Cllr L Durham, Cllr S Edgar, Cllr JP Findlow, Cllr S Gardiner,  Cllr L Gilbert, Cllr P Groves, Cllr G Hayes, Cllr A Kolker, Cllr J Macrae, Cllr A Martin, Cllr R Menlove, Cllr G Merry, Cllr B Moran, Cllr H Murray, Cllr J Saunders, Cllr M Sewart, Cllr M Simon, L Smetham, Cllr D Stockton, Cllr G Wait, Cllr G Walton, Cllr L Wardlaw, M Warren, Cllr J Weatherill, Cllr H Wells-Bradshaw,  Cllr G Williams, Cllr J Wray.

 

Not Voting

Cllr C Browne, Cllr B Burkhill, Cllr R Fletcher, Cllr D Hough, Cllr O Hunter, Cllr D Mahon, Cllr A Moran, Cllr J Nicholas, Cllr B Walmsley.

 

The amendment was declared lost with 15 for, 43 against  and 9 not voting.

 

AMENDMENT 3

 

Pilot programmes address residents’ concerns about verge parking and the damage and nuisance it creates, with at least one in Crewe and one in Macclesfield, should be implemented to test the value and practicality in converting verges into parking bays or treating with grasscrete. The total cost of these pilots should be £50,000 and this will be funded out of a review of car parking charges to make them fairer across the borough. This will also provide a saving on the repair of verges currently costing highways money.

 

Following the proposing and seconding of the above amendment, the Highways and InfrastructurePortfolio Holder, Cllr D Brown, undertook to establish a pilot scheme for Council owned verges only and to take up to £50,000 from the Infrastructure and Highways line in the budget, as set out at page 311 of the agenda and, on this basis, the proposer and seconder agreed to withdraw the amendment.

 

AMENDMENT 4

 

That during 2017/18 the Council consult on a compulsory residential landlord licensing scheme for all privately let residential accommodation situated within Cheshire East, including all houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). The administration of the scheme will be cost neutral, with its set-up and running costs to be covered by income from licence and inspection fees within the forthcoming three year budget cycle.

 

Following the proposing and seconding of the above amendment, the Finance and Assets Portfolio Holder, Cllr P Groves, undertook to submit a report to a future Cabinet meeting, to enable further consideration of this matter and the Leader of the Council undertook to provide a verbal update at the next meeting of Cabinet. On this basis, the proposer and seconder agreed to withdraw the amendment .

 

The vote on the substantive budget proposals, including the recommendations of Cabinet and the additional motion was taken.

 

Legislation required the recording in the minutes of how each Member voted on any decision relating to the Budget or Council Tax. Accordingly, a recorded vote was carried out in respect of this item, with the following results:-

 

For

Cllr C Andrew, Cllr A Arnold, Cllr G Baggott, Cllr Rachel Bailey, Cllr Rhoda Bailey, Cllr P Bates, Cllr G Baxendale, Cllr M Beanland, Cllr D Bebbington, Cllr E Brooks, Cllr D Brown, B Burkhill, Cllr J Clowes, Cllr H Davenport, Cllr M Deakin, Cllr B Dooley, Cllr L Durham, Cllr S Edgar, Cllr JP Findlow, Cllr S Gardiner, Cllr L Gilbert, Cllr P Groves, Cllr J Hammond, Cllr G Hayes, Cllr A Kolker, Cllr J Macrae, Cllr D Mahon, Cllr A Martin, Cllr R Menlove, Cllr G Merry, Cllr A Moran, Cllr B Moran, Cllr H Murray, Cllr J Saunders, Cllr M Sewart, Cllr M Simon, Cllr L Smetham, Cllr D Stockton, Cllr G Wait, Cllr B Walmsley, Cllr G Walton, Cllr L Wardlaw, Cllr M Warren, Cllr J Weatherill, Cllr H Wells-Bradshaw, Cllr G Williams, Cllr J Wray

 

Against

Cllr D Bailey, Cllr S Brookfield, Cllr S Carter, Cllr S Corcoran, Cllr R Fletcher, Cllr D Flude, Cllr T Fox, Cllr M Grant, Cllr A Harewood, Cllr S Hogben, Cllr D Hough, Cllr J Jackson, Cllr L Jeuda, Cllr N Mannion, Cllr J Rhodes, Cllr B Roberts, Cllr A Stott.

 

Not Voting

Cllr O Hunter, Cllr J Nicholas.

 

The motion was carried by 47 votes for, 17 against with 2 not voting.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the items at Appendix A of the report be approved, as follows:-

 

1.              The updated Corporate Plan 2017/20 as provided at Appendix B.

 

2.              The Revenue estimates for the 2017/18 budget and the medium term Capital Programme estimates 2017/20, as detailed in the Medium Term Financial Strategy Report (MTFS) 2017/20 (Appendix D).

 

3.              Band D Council Tax of £1,324.92 representing an increase of 4.99%. This is below the referendum limit and arises from the provisional finance settlement allowing up to a 3% additional charge to fund Adult Social Care pressures (Appendix D, Section 2).

 

4.              The 2017/18 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 D, Annex 8).

 

5.              The 2017/18 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 D, Annex 9).

 

6        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 2017/18 funding position are received.

 

7        The recommended Prudential Indicators for Capital Financing (Appendix D, Annex 11).

 

8        The Children and Families Portfolio Holder to agree any necessary amendment to the 2017/18 Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) of £143m 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 2016/17 (Appendix D, Annex 8).

 

9        The recommended Reserves Strategy (Appendix D, Annex 13).

 

10.     That, in terms of  the review of the Household Waste Recycling Centre Provision, described on page 174 in the agenda pack, that the closure of the Arclid site be paused and :-

 

a.     The savings impact, shown as £150,000.00 on page 42, remains intact.

 

b.     Operating costs [£50k] for the Arclid site are now to be included till September 2017, as an adjustment in the financial/economic element of the business case;

 

c.     Charging for rubble/construction waste is now to be brought forward and introduced in early 2018, rather than the 2018-19 financial year, as the compensatory factor, at £50K.

 

d.     During the paused period, Cheshire East works in partnership with Sandbach Town Council, and also local members, to establish and evaluate viable and workable alternatives to the closure of the Arclid site, along with an appropriate strategy”.

 

That Council recognises that Cabinet has noted:- 

(a)            the summary results of the Budget Consultation, attached at Appendix C and the Budget Engagement exercise undertaken by the Council, as set out in the attached (Appendix D, Annex 2);

 

(b)            the comments of the Council’s Chief Operating Officer (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 D, Comment from the Chief Operating Officer);

 

(c)            the risk assessment detailed in the MTFS Report (Appendix D, Annex 5);

 

(d)            that the estimates and profiling contained within the proposed Capital Programme 2017/18 to 2019/20 reflect the scale of ambition and future investment plans of the Council. The programme may vary to take advantage of external funding opportunities, maximise private sector investment, prudential borrowing considerations, operational capacity and to ensure optimal delivery of the overall programme (Appendix D, Annex 12); and

 

(e)            that projects will be robustly governed through the Executive Monitoring Board. The Council’s Finance Procedure Rules will always apply should any changes in spending requirements be identified (Appendix D, Annex 12).