Minutes:
The Leader of the Council, Councillor Lamb addressed the Council and made his budget speech, in doing so presented report FIN/434 of the Head of Finance, Revenues and Benefits, which set out the Budget and level of Council Tax for the year 2018/19. It was noted that the report detailed each of the Revenue, Capital and Housing Revenue Accounts that combine together to formulate ‘The Budget’. In proposing the level of Council Tax for the Financial Year 2018/19, each of those accounts identified had been considered. The combined proposal ensured that the Council had a balanced Budget. It was noted that the report had been considered by the Cabinet on 7 February 2018 and by the Overview and Scrutiny Commission at its meeting on 5 February 2018. Councillor Joyce then seconded the report.
The Full Council was reminded that regulations required all Councils at their annual budget meetings to adopt the practice of recorded votes - that is, recording in the minutes of the meeting how each member present voted on any decision relating to the Annual Budget and Council Tax. This applied not only to substantive budget motions to agree the budget and setting council taxes, including precepts, but also on any amendments proposed.
The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Duncan Crow addressed the meeting and made his budget speech. The Mayor then opened up the general debate on the proposed Budget report. The Full Council undertook a full and detailed debate on the Budget with Councillor Lunnon, Lanzer, Irvine, Burrett, Mullins, Dr Bloom, P. Smith, Thomas and Joyce all speaking in the general debate.
At the conclusion of the discussion, Councillors expressed their thanks and appreciation for the work carried out by Karen Hayes (Head of Finance, Revenues and Benefits), the Finance Division generally and the Budget Advisory Group (BAG).
Voting in Favour: Councillors: Ayling, Belben, Bloom, Boxall, B J Burgess, R G Burgess, Burrett, Cheshire, Crow, Eade, Fiveash, Guidera, Irvine, Jaggard, Jones, Joyce, Lamb, Lanzer, Lunnon, McCarthy, Mullins, Peck, Pendlington, Pickett, Portal Castro, Quinn, Rana, Sharma, Skudder, B A Smith, P C Smith, Stone, Sudan, Tarrant, Thomas and Vitler. (36)
Voting Against: Councillors: None (0)
Abstentions: Councillors: None (0)
The Mayor declared the recommendation was carried – votes in favour 36, and votes against 0 with 0 abstention.
RESOLVED
That the Full Council approves:
1) the proposed 2018/19 General Fund Budget including savings and growth as set out in section 6 and Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 of the report FIN/434,
2) the proposed 2018/19 Housing Revenue Account Budget as set out in section 10 and Appendix 3 of the report FIN/434,
3) the 2017/18 to 2020/21 Capital Programme and funding as set out in paragraph 11.4 of the report FIN/434,
4) that the Council’s share of Council Tax for 2018/19 be increased by 2.55% from £194.04 to £198.99 for a band D property as set out in paragraphs 5.5.1 and 13.3 of the report FIN/434,,
5) the Pay Policy Statement for 2018/19 as outlined in paragraph 16.3 and Appendix 6 of the report FIN/434.