Further to Minute No. 69 of the meeting held on 22 January 2015, the Council considered the report of the Head of Corporate Finance and ICT which provided the following details:
· the decisions on budget savings taken by the Council on 22 January 2015
· the recommendations from Cabinet regarding the two year financial plan and the 2015/16 Council Tax options
· summary of the draft budget recommended by the Cabinet
· summary of the budget changes included in the draft budget
· recommendations on the allocation of specific grants
· an update on the funding of schools agreed by the Schools’ Forum
The report requested the Council to consider those items before determining the: Budget for 2015/16 and the two year financial plan for 2015/16 and 2016/17, setting the Council Tax increase for Sefton Council and approving the overall Council Tax resolution.
This report presented a two year budget plan, which would enable a budget for 2015/16 to be approved and identified those policy changes required to deliver a sustainable and robust two year budget plan. Due to the mixture of efficiencies and significant policy changes, some of the options would not be realised within a 12 month period and would contribute to the 2016/17 budget as illustrated in the report. This would require the implementation of major change programmes and appropriate capacity would need to be dedicated to ensure deliverability. Given the scale of the budget reductions, any slippage or underachievement would have implications for the financial management of the Council and as such, robust management and monitoring arrangements would continue to be operated.
The report included the following appendices:
· Appendix 1: List of Budget Proposals
· Appendix 2: Individual School Budgets
· Appendix 3: Draft Council budgets 2015/16 and 2016/17.
The Council also considered an update note by the Head of Corporate Finance and ICT which provided final information on the level of resource required by levying bodies, plus agreed precepts from the Police and Crime Commissioner, the Fire and Rescue Authority and local Parish Councils, and set out the draft Council Tax resolution for 2015/16.
The Leader of the Council (Councillor P. Dowd) referred to the budget cuts of £114m which had previously been agreed for the last four years and the process that had been undertaken to identify further savings of £55m for the period 2015/16 to 2016/17 as fairly and as reasonably as possible and he then outlined the recommendations set out in the report.
It was moved by Councillor P. Dowd and seconded by Councillor Maher:
“That:
(1) approval be given to:
(i) the use of Section 106 money as set out in Paragraph 3.2 (a) of the report;
(ii) an increase in cremation and burial fees by 5% over inflation as set out in Paragraph 3.2 (b) of the report;
(iii) a further reduction in the CHAMPS budget as set out in Paragraph 3.2 (c) of the report;
(iv) the capitalisation of Highways, ICT and systems development currently funded by the revenue budget, as set out in Paragraph 3.2 (d) of the report;
(v) an adjustment to the Medium Term Financial Plan which only allows for incremental progression in 2015/16, as set out in Paragraph 3.2 (e) of the report;
(vi) the cessation of discretionary support to Parishes for the Council Tax Reduction Scheme from 2016/17, as set out in Paragraph 3.2 (f) of the report; and
(vii) the budget assumptions regarding the changes in management arrangements and the contracted transactional services, as set out in Paragraphs 2.2.(a), 2.2.(b) and 3.2 (g) of the report;
(2) approval be given to:
(i) the Budget for 2015/16 and the two year financial plan covering the years 2015/16 and 2016/17 and officers be authorised to undertake the necessary actions relating to the saving associated with no incremental progression in 2016/17 and more generally all other relevant implementation associated with the Council resolutions; and
(ii) the undertaking of an Autumn review of the Medium Term Financial Plan, the 2016/17 Budget and service reviews as outlined in Paragraph 5.2 of the report;
(3) approval be given to the fees and charges as proposed in the draft Council budget;
(4) approval be given to a Council Tax increase for Sefton Council of 1.99%, as set out in Paragraph 4 of the report;
(5) approval be given to the use of one-off resources of £1.239m in 2015/16, as set out in Paragraph 5 of the report;
(6) approval be given to the allocation of specific grants as detailed in Pararaph 7 of the report;
(7) the Schools’ Forum decisions on the Dedicated Schools Grant be noted, as detailed in Pararaph 7 of the report; and
(8) subject to the above, the overall Council Tax resolution as set out in the appendix to the update note by the Head of Corporate Finance and ICT be approved.”
An amendment was moved by Councillor Brodie - Browne, seconded by Councillor Robertson that the Motion be amended by:
“a) the replacement of the existing Residents Privileged Parking Permit scheme, with the introduction of a bi-annual permit, (with a fee of £60 i.e. equivalent to £30 per annum), with increased income of £120,000 per annum.
b) the reduction in the Special Responsibility Allowances (SRA), resulting in savings of £77,000 as follows: -
Leader of the Council SRA from 3X to 2X
Cabinet Members SRA from 2X to X
Overview and Scrutiny Committee Chairs & Audit and Governance Committee Chair SRA from 0.5X to 0.2X
Planning Committee Chair & Licensing and Regulatory Committee Chair from X to 0.5X
(where X = the Basic Allowance).
c) the removal of saving options as set out below: -
Option 44 (Botanic Gardens) + £45,000
Option 72 (part of The Atkinson reductions) + £180,000
Option 66 (10p increase in Pay & Display) +£ 150,000
Option 66 (Remove Southport Sunday Free Areas) + £30,000
Option 66 (New car parking charges at Botanic Gardens and Blucher Street) + £21,000
Option 66 (Removal of the refund at Dunes & Bootle leisure centres) + £100,000
Option 66 (The increase in cost of residents parking as this saving has been modified above) + £7,000
Option 66 (The removal of 30 minute free option at Southport & Bootle on street parking) + £100,000
d) that the Council approve the submission of a proposal to the Boundary Commission (England) in order to reduce the number of Members within Sefton, and that should the application be approved, it be implemented at the earliest opportunity.
e) that the total amount saved through the senior staffing review rise from £1.3m to £1.75m subject to a report by the Chief Executive to the Council meeting in May 2015 regarding the consequences and deliverability, and any shortfall be met from further savings identified in the Autumn Budget review and only if the review does not identify timely savings to be met from one-off resources.
The net impact of the proposed amendments will still ensure that the two year budget is balanced.”
Following debate and in accordance with Rule 95 of Chapter 4 in the Constitution, the voting on the amendment was recorded and the Members of the Council present at the time, voted as follows:
FOR THE AMENDMENT:
Councillors Ball, David Barton, Jo Barton, Maria Bennett, Brodie-Browne, Cuthbertson, Dawson, Dodd, Dutton, Lord Fearn, Maureen Fearn, Hands, Jones, Keith, Lewis, Papworth, Preece, Robertson, Shaw, Weavers and Welsh.
AGAINST THE AMENDMENT:
Councillors Atkinson, Veronica Bennett, Bradshaw, Brennan, Burns, Byrom, Carr, Crabtree, Cummins, Dams, M. Dowd, P. Dowd, Fairclough, Friel, Gatherer, Grace, Hardy, John Kelly, John Joseph Kelly, Kermode, Kerrigan, Killen, Lappin, Maher, Mahon, McGinnity, McKinley, Moncur, Murphy, O’Brien, Owens, Page, Roberts, Robinson, Roche, Thompson,Tweed, Veidman, Webster and the Mayor (Councillor Cluskey).
The Mayor declared that the amendment was lost by 40 votes to 21.
A further amendment was moved by Councillor Lewis, seconded by Councillor Hands that the Motion be amended by:
“a) the reduction in thecombined budget for Councillor IT hardware, consumables and broadband by £26,000; and
b) the increase in the cold weather provision for rough sleepers to go beyond the statutory requirement to open night shelters at a cost of £26,000. This would be split between the Southport centre and the one operated in Liverpool, which serves rough sleepers from the south of Sefton.”
In accordance with Rule 95 of Chapter 4 in the Constitution, the voting on the amendment was recorded and the Members of the Council present at the time, voted as follows:
FOR THE AMENDMENT:
Councillors Atkinson, Ball, David Barton, Jo Barton, Maria Bennett, Veronica Bennett, Bradshaw, Brennan, Brodie-Browne, Burns, Byrom, Carr, Crabtree, Cummins, Cuthbertson, Dams, Dawson, Dodd, M. Dowd, P. Dowd, Dutton, Fairclough, Lord Fearn, Maureen Fearn, Friel, Gatherer, Grace, Hands, Hardy, Jones, Keith, John Kelly, John Joseph Kelly, Kermode, Kerrigan, Killen, Lappin, Lewis, P. Maguire, Maher, Mahon, McGinnity, McKinley, Moncur, Murphy, O’Brien, Owens, Page, Papworth, Preece, Roberts, Robertson, Robinson, Roche, Shaw, Thompson,Tweed, Veidman, Weavers, Webster, Welsh and the Mayor (Councillor Cluskey).
AGAINST THE AMENDMENT:
None.
The Mayor declared that the amendment was carried unanimously by 62 votes to none.
A further amendment was moved by Councillor Robertson, seconded by Councillor Keith that the Motion be amended as follows:
“Should there be an underspend in the Authority’s revenue budget for 2014/15, that the Council approve that the first £250,000 be transferred to a reserve specifically earmarked for the purposes of establishing a Community Library Support Fund to which groups looking to operate a community library may bid.”
Following debate and in accordance with Rule 95 of Chapter 4 in the Constitution, the voting on the amendment was recorded and the Members of the Council present at the time, voted as follows:
FOR THE AMENDMENT:
Councillors Ball, David Barton, Jo Barton, Maria Bennett, Brodie-Browne, Cuthbertson, Dawson, Dodd, Dutton, Lord Fearn, Maureen Fearn, Hands, Jones, Keith, Lewis, Papworth, Preece, Robertson, Shaw, Weavers and Welsh.
AGAINST THE AMENDMENT:
Councillors Atkinson, Veronica Bennett, Bradshaw, Brennan, Burns, Byrom, Carr, Crabtree, Cummins, Dams, M. Dowd, P. Dowd, Fairclough, Friel, Gatherer, Grace, Hardy, John Kelly, John Joseph Kelly, Kermode, Kerrigan, Killen, Lappin, P. Maguire, Maher, Mahon, McGinnity, McKinley, Moncur, Murphy, O’Brien, Owens, Page, Roberts, Robinson, Roche, Thompson,Tweed, Veidman, Webster and the Mayor (Councillor Cluskey).
The Mayor declared that the amendment was lost by 41 votes to 21.
A further amendment was moved by Councillor P. Dowd, seconded by Councillor Brodie - Browne that the Motion be amended as follows:
“That the Council endeavours to establish a further round of community support initiative resources at the earliest opportunity.”
In accordance with Rule 95 of Chapter 4 in the Constitution, the voting on the amendment was recorded and the Members of the Council present at the time, voted as follows:
FOR THE AMENDMENT:
Councillors Atkinson, Ball, David Barton, Jo Barton, Maria Bennett, Veronica Bennett, Bradshaw, Brennan, Brodie-Browne, Burns, Byrom, Carr, Crabtree, Cummins, Cuthbertson, Dams, Dawson, Dodd, M. Dowd, P. Dowd, Dutton, Fairclough, Lord Fearn, Maureen Fearn, Friel, Gatherer, Grace, Hands, Hardy, Jones, Keith, John Kelly, John Joseph Kelly, Kermode, Kerrigan, Killen, Lappin, Lewis, P. Maguire, Maher, Mahon, McGinnity, McKinley, Moncur, Murphy, O’Brien, Owens, Page, Papworth, Preece, Roberts, Robertson, Robinson, Roche, Shaw, Thompson,Tweed, Veidman, Weavers, Webster, Welsh and the Mayor (Councillor Cluskey).
AGAINST THE AMENDMENT:
None.
The Mayor declared that the amendment was carried unanimously by 62 votes to none.
In accordance with Rule 95 of Chapter 4 in the Constitution, the voting on the Substantive Motion was recorded and the Members of the Council present at the time, voted as follows:
FOR THE SUBSTANTIVE MOTION:
Councillors Atkinson, Veronica Bennett, Bradshaw, Brennan, Burns, Byrom, Carr, Crabtree, Cummins, Dams, M. Dowd, P. Dowd, Fairclough, Friel, Gatherer, Grace, Hardy, John Kelly, John Joseph Kelly, Kermode, Kerrigan, Killen, Lappin, P. Maguire, Maher, Mahon, McGinnity, McKinley, Moncur, Murphy, O’Brien, Owens, Page, Roberts, Robinson, Roche, Thompson,Tweed, Veidman, Webster and the Mayor (Councillor Cluskey).
AGAINST THE SUBSTANTIVE MOTION:
Councillors Ball, David Barton, Jo Barton, Brodie-Browne, Cuthbertson, Dawson, Dodd, Dutton, Lord Fearn, Maureen Fearn, Hands, Jones, Keith, Lewis, Papworth, Preece, Robertson, Shaw, Weavers and Welsh.
The Mayor declared that the Substantive Motion was carried by 41 votes to 20 and it was
RESOLVED:
That:
(1) approval be given to:
(i) the use of Section 106 money as set out in Paragraph 3.2 (a) of the report;
(ii) an increase in cremation and burial fees by 5% over inflation as set out in Paragraph 3.2 (b) of the report;
(iii) a further reduction in the CHAMPS budget as set out in Paragraph 3.2 (c) of the report;
(iv) the capitalisation of Highways, ICT and systems development currently funded by the revenue budget as set out in Paragraph 3.2 (d) of the report;
(v) an adjustment to the Medium Term Financial Plan which only allows for incremental progression in 2015/16, as set out in Paragraph 3.2 (e) of the report;
(vi) the cessation of discretionary support to Parishes for the Council Tax Reduction Scheme from 2016/17, as set out in Paragraph 3.2 (f) of the report; and
(vii) the budget assumptions regarding the changes in management arrangements and the contracted transactional services as set out in Paragraphs 2.2.(a), 2.2.(b) and 3.2 (g) of the report;
(2) approval be given to:
(i) the Budget for 2015/16 and the two year financial plan covering the years 2015/16 and 2016/17 and officers be authorised to undertake the necessary actions relating to the saving associated with no incremental progression in 2016/17 and more generally all other relevant implementation associated with the Council resolutions; and
(ii) the undertaking of an Autumn review of the Medium Term Financial Plan, the 2016/17 Budget and service reviews as outlined in Paragraph 5.2 of the report;
(3) approval be given to the fees and charges as proposed in the draft Council budget;
(4) approval be given to a Council Tax increase for Sefton Council of 1.99%, as set out in Paragraph 4 of the report;
(5) approval be given to the use of one-off resources of £1.239m in 2015/16, as set out in Paragraph 5 of the report;
(6) approval be given to the allocation of specific grants as detailed in Pararaph 7 of the report;
(7) the Schools’ Forum decisions on the Dedicated Schools Grant be noted as detailed in Pararaph 7 of the report;
(8) the combined budget for Councillor IT hardware, consumables and broadband be reduced by £26,000 and the budget saving be utilised to provide an increase in the cold weather provision for rough sleepers to go beyond the statutory requirement to open night shelters at a cost of £26,000. This would be split between the Southport centre and the one operated in Liverpool, which serves rough sleepers from the south of Sefton;
(9) the Council endeavours to establish a further round of community support initiative resources at the earliest opportunity.
(10) it be noted that at its meeting on 22 January 2015, the Council calculated the following amounts for the year 2015/16 in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 1992 (as amended):
(a) |
78,319.00 |
Band D equivalent properties, for the whole area [item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended]; and |
(b) |
for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates as shown in the table below: |
Parish |
Council Tax Base |
|
|
(Band D Equivalent Properties) |
|
Aintree Village |
1,961.31 |
|
Formby |
8,907.71 |
|
Hightown |
837.33 |
|
Ince Blundell |
157.18 |
|
Little Altcar |
261.16 |
|
Lydiate |
1,996.25 |
|
Maghull |
6,371.68 |
|
Melling |
955.64 |
|
Sefton |
225.23 |
|
Thornton |
742.33 |
|
(11) the Council calculates that the Council Tax requirement for the Council's own purposes for 2015/16 (excluding Parish Precepts) is £103,193,114;
(12) the following amounts be calculated by the Council for the year 2015/2016 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:
(13) it be noted that for the year 2015/16 the Police and Crime Commissioner and Fire and Rescue Authority have stated the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:
|
|
|
Property Valuation Band |
|
|
|
||||
Proportion of |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
||
Band D |
6/9 |
7/9 |
8/9 |
9/9 |
11/9 |
13/9 |
15/9 |
18/9 |
||
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
||
Precepting Authority
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Authority |
47.65 |
55.59 |
63.53 |
71.47 |
87.35 |
103.23 |
119.12 |
142.94 |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner |
106.45 |
124.20 |
141.94 |
159.68 |
195.16 |
230.65 |
266.13 |
319.36 |
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
(14) the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in the table below as the amounts of Council Tax for 2015/16 for each part of its area and for each of the categories of dwellings:
|
|
|
Property Valuation Band |
|
|
|
||
Proportion of |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
Band D |
6/9 |
7/9 |
8/9 |
9/9 |
11/9 |
13/9 |
15/9 |
18/9 |
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
Parish |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aintree Village |
1,068.19 |
1,246.23 |
1,424.26 |
1,602.29 |
1,958.35 |
2,314.42 |
2,670.48 |
3,204.58 |
Formby |
1,036.70 |
1,209.49 |
1,382.27 |
1,555.05 |
1,900.61 |
2,246.18 |
2,591.75 |
3,110.10 |
Hightown |
1,036.12 |
1,208.81 |
1,381.50 |
1,554.18 |
1,899.55 |
2,244.92 |
2,590.30 |
3,108.36 |
Ince Blundell |
1,038.81 |
1,211.95 |
1,385.08 |
1,558.21 |
1,904.47 |
2,250.74 |
2,597.02 |
3,116.42 |
Little Altcar |
1,038.88 |
1,212.03 |
1,385.18 |
1,558.32 |
1,904.61 |
2,250.90 |
2,597.20 |
3,116.64 |
Lydiate |
1,076.31 |
1,255.70 |
1,435.08 |
1,614.46 |
1,973.22 |
2,331.99 |
2,690.77 |
3,228.92 |
Maghull |
1,091.73 |
1,273.70 |
1,455.65 |
1,637.60 |
2,001.50 |
2,365.42 |
2,729.33 |
3,275.20 |
Melling |
1,046.45 |
1,220.87 |
1,395.27 |
1,569.68 |
1,918.49 |
2,267.31 |
2,616.13 |
3,139.36 |
Sefton |
1,040.78 |
1,214.25 |
1,387.71 |
1,561.17 |
1,908.09 |
2,255.02 |
2,601.95 |
3,122.34 |
Thornton |
1,036.54 |
1,209.30 |
1,382.06 |
1,554.81 |
1,900.32 |
2,245.83 |
2,591.35 |
3,109.62 |
All Other Parts of the Council's Area |
1,032.50 |
1,204.59 |
1,376.67 |
1,548.75 |
1,892.91 |
2,237.08 |
2,581.25 |
3,097.50 |
(15) and the Council's basic amount of Council Tax for 2015/16 is not deemed to be excessive in accordance with the principles approved under Section 52ZB of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.