Minutes:
The Leader of the Council moved and presented the report FIN/549of the Head of Corporate Finance, which set out the Budget and level of Council Tax for the year 2022/23. In doing, so he took the opportunity to thank officer in the Finance Team for their hard work and in particular Karen Hayes, Head of Corporate Finance for the budget report and for all her support and hard work over the years as this would be her last budget at the Council. Councillor P Smith 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 Councillor 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 tax, including precepts, but also on any amendments proposed.
It was noted that the report detailed each of the Revenue, Capital and Housing Revenue Accounts that combined together to formulate ‘the Budget’. In proposing the level of Council Tax for the Financial Year 2022/23, 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 2 February 2022 and by the Overview and Scrutiny Commission at its meeting on 31 January 2022.
The Council was reminded that the global Coronavirus pandemic had had a significant impact on the Council’s finance and Crawley’s economy had been hit harder than any other areas across the Country. The Budget did draw upon reserves this year and it was recognised there were several aspects within the local government finance reforms that could affect the council; business rates, new homes bonus, the Levelling Up paper and any potential restructuring around local government could result in substantial change. However, there were also opportunities for exciting times and substantial change within the town. Councillor Lamb referenced that whilst the Budget did propose an increase in Council Tax, it was lower, in real terms than the rate of inflation compared to the other Precept Authorities.
The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Duncan Crow, addressed the meeting and made his budget speech. He commented that whilst there many aspects relating to the capital programme that were welcome there were concerns regarding the fees and charges, especially within the town centre and Tilgate Park car parks and in doing so made an undertaking that if he was delivering the Budget next year he would not raise the parking fees for those sets of car parks.
The Deputy Mayor then opened up the general debate on the proposed Budget report to the Council and Councillors Irvine, Mwagale, C Mullins, Lanzer, S Mullins, McCarthy, Jones, Morris, Brenda Burgess, Lunnon, Burrett, Khan, and P Smith all spoke during debate. Councillor Lamb, using his right to reply stated that he would make the same commitment that Councillor Crow made over freezing the car parking fees for the Town Centre and Tilgate Park Car Parks in the 2023-2024 Budget.
All Councillors during the debate expressed their thanks and appreciation for the work carried out by Karen Hayes (Head of Corporate Finance) and the Finance Division generally.
Following the conclusion of the debate, the Deputy Mayor invited the Democracy and Data Manager to commence the recorded voting process on the 2022/23 Budget and Council Tax.
A recorded vote was then called on Recommendation 1 – 2022/2023 Budget and Council Tax.
For: Councillors Ayling, Buck, Flack, Irvine, Jhans, Nawaz, Jones, Khan, Lamb, Lunnon, Malik, C Mullins, S Mullins, Raja, B Smith, P Smith (16)
Against: None (0)
Abstentions: Councillors Ali, A Belben, T Belben, Bounds, B J Burgess, B G Burgess, Burrett, Crow, Eade, Lanzer, McCarthy, Millar-Smith, Morris, Mwagale, Pendlington, Piggott (16).
RESOLVED
That the Full Council be recommended to approve the following items regarding the 2022/23 Budget:
a) to approve the proposed 2022/23 General Fund Budget including savings rolled forward from the current financial year as set out in paragraph 6.4 of report FIN/549, this includes a transfer from reserves to cover the additional costs of Covid-19 of £451,730,
b) to approve the proposed 2022/23 Housing Revenue Account Budget as set out above and Appendix 3(ii) of the report FIN/549 which includes the growth items as set out in Table 9,
c) to agree to ringfence £1,055,000 of capital reserves for investment in the Towns Fund as a result of using an advance of 5% Government funding of the £21.1m in year. The requirement is to use this sum in the current financial year and set aside an equal sum of our own resources,
d) to agree to increase the capital budget for Tilgate Park lake erosion by £150,000 funded from the capital programme reserve, this will be repaid over a three year period by the park,
e) to approve the 2021/22 and future years Capital Programme and funding as set out in paragraph 11.6 of the report FIN/549,
f) to agree that the Council’s share of Council Tax for 2022/23 be increased by 2.31% (£4.95) from £213.84 to £218.79 for a band D property as set out in paragraph 13.1 of report FIN/549,
g) to approve the Pay Policy Statement for 2022/2023 as outlined in paragraph 16.3 and Appendix 6 of report FIN/549 noting that the pay award has yet to be agreed in the current financial year.
h) to agree to increase the capital budget for Temporary Accommodation by £6,000,000, funded from grant funding of £1,000,000 and borrowing of £5,000,000 and to note the changes to table 11 paragraph 11.6 as detailed in report FIN/560 which superseded the same table and paragraph in report FIN/549.