At the start of the debate Councillor Evans (Leader) proposed, Councillor Bowyer seconded and Council agreed that in accordance with Part B, Council Procedure Rule 14.6 of the Constitution, Rule of Debate 4.2 (in Appendix one) (which limits speeches to five minutes) is suspended for this item in relation to the speeches by the Leader and the Leader of the Opposition.

For the motion (52) –

Cllr Aspinall, Cllr Haydon, Cllr Coker,  Cllr Dann, Cllr Evans, Cllr Hendy, Cllr Lowry, Cllr McDonald, Cllr Morris, Cllr Murphy, Cllr Parker-Delaz-Ajete, Cllr Penberthy, Cllr Rennie , Cllr Singh, Cllr Pete Smith, Cllr Stevens, Cllr J Taylor, Cllr K Taylor, Cllr Tuffin, Cllr Tuohy, Cllr Ball, Cllr Mrs Beer, Cllr Bowyer, Cllr Mrs Bowyer, Cllr Darcy, Cllr Deacon, Cllr Downie, Cllr Drean, Cllr Fletcher, Cllr Foster, Cllr Mrs Johnson, Cllr James, Cllr Jordan, Cllr Kelly, Cllr Goslin, Cllr Michael Leaves, Cllr Mrs Leaves, Cllr Dr Mahony, Cllr Mrs Pengelly, Cllr Corvid, Cllr Wigens, Cllr Mrs Bridgeman, Cllr Buchan, Cllr Derrick, Cllr Neil, Cllr Mavin, Cllr Carson, Cllr Winter, Cllr Mrs Loveridge, Cllr Cook, Cllr Rebecca Smith, Cllr Laing

Absent / did not vote (0)

Councillor Evans (Leader) proposed and Councillor Lowry seconded an amended report and recommendations to item six, the Revenue and Capital Budget and Proposed Council Tax Levels for 2019/20.

The amendment proposed to:

Change Recommendation 1 from:

3.     To approve the proposed net revenue budget requirement for 2019/20 of £186.930m

To:

1.     To approve the proposed net revenue budget requirement for 2019/20 of £185.482m, as a consequence of additional savings of £1.448m arising from debt rescheduling.

To change Recommendation 2 from:

2.     To consider council tax levels for 2019/20

To:

2.     To approve an increase to the council tax levels for Plymouth City Council in 2019/20 by two point nine nine percent (2.99%), and agree the Council Tax Resolution as set out in the amended Appendix 2 attached.

Following a debate, Councillor Bowyer proposed an amendment to agenda item six:

1.     To approve the proposed net revenue budget requirement for 2019/20 of £185,482m as a consequence of additional savings of £1,448m arising from debt rescheduling and to convene a meeting of the Independent Review Panel to Review the members special responsibility allowances with a view to reduce the allowances.

Following a brief adjournment Councillor Darcy seconded the amendment and Councillor Evans (Leader) moved to go to the vote          on the amendment, seconded by Councillor Rennie.

For the move to vote on the amendment (29)

Cllr Aspinall, Cllr Haydon, Cllr Coker, Cllr Dann, Cllr Evans, Cllr Hendy, Cllr Lowry, Cllr McDonald , Cllr Morris, Cllr Murphy, Cllr Parker-Delaz-Ajete, Cllr Penberthy, Cllr Rennie, ) Cllr Singh, ) Cllr Pete Smith, Cllr Stevens, Cllr J Taylor, Cllr K Taylor, Cllr Tuffin, Cllr Tuohy, Cllr Wheeler, Cllr Goslin, Cllr Corvid, Cllr Buchan, Cllr Derrick, Cllr Neil, Cllr Winter, Cllr Laing

Against (24)

Cllr Ball, Cllr Mrs Beer, Cllr Bowyer, Cllr Mrs Bowyer, Cllr Darcy, Cllr Deacon, Cllr Downie, Cllr Drean, Cllr Fletcher, Cllr  ...  view the full minutes text for item 81

The City Council will be asked to consider recommendations in the report of the Interim Strategic Director for Transformation and Change regarding the Revenue and Capital Budget and Proposed Council Tax levels for 2018/19.

At the start of the debate Councillor Bowyer proposed, Councillor Evans seconded and Council agreed that in accordance with Part B, Council Procedure Rule 14.6 of the Constitution, Rule of Debate 4.2 (in Appendix one) (which limits speeches to five minutes) is suspended for this item in relation to the speeches by the Leader and the Leader of the Opposition.

For the motion (55) –

Lord Mayor, Councillors Mrs Aspinall, Bowie, Coker, Dann, P Davey, S Davey, Evans, Hendy, Lowry, Mavin, McDonald, Morris Murphy, Parker-Delaz-Ajete, Penberthy, Rennie, Singh, Smith, Sparling, Jon Taylor, Kate Taylor, Tuffin, Tuohy, Vincent, Wheeler, Winter, Ball, Mrs Beer, Bowyer, Mrs Bowyer, Mrs Bridgeman, Carson, Cook, Churchill, Deacon, Downie, Drean, Fletcher, Foster, Fry,  Jordan, Kelly, Martin Leaves, Mike Leaves, Sam Leaves, Loveridge, Dr Mahony, Nicholson, Mrs Pengelly, Ricketts, Riley, Storer, Wigens and James.

Absent / did not vote (2)

Councillors Darcy and Stevens.

Councillor Bowyer (Leader) proposed and Councillor James (Vice Chair Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Panel) seconded an amended report and recommendations on the Revenue and Capital Budget and Proposed Council Tax Levels for 2018/19.

Following a debate on the budget Council agreed -

1.    To approve the proposed net revenue budget requirement for 2018/19 of £185.556m;

2.    To approve the total capital budget of £674.640m to 2021/22 (Appendix 5);

3.    To -

a.     Approve an increase to the Council Tax by one point four seven percent (1.47%)

b.    Approve an increase to the Council Tax Adult Social Care precept of three percent (3.00%)

c.     Approve the drawdown of surplus £0.512 from the Council Tax Collection Fund

d.    Note that the Office Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall and The Isles of Scilly has issued precepts to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each category of dwellings in the Council’s area, reflecting a twelve pounds or six point eight one per cent (£12.00 or 6.81%) increase for 2018/19.

e.    Note that the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority precepts have been confirmed reflecting a two point nine nine per cent (2.99%) increase for 2018/19.

f.      Use the Council Tax base for 2018/19 as 71,932 [Item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”)]; calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Councils own purposes for 2018/19 is £105,767,374.

4.    To agree that the following amounts are calculated for the year 2018/19 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:

a.     £516,219,564 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A (3) of the Act (Gross Expenditure and Transfers to Reserves).

b.    £410,452,190 being the aggregate of the amounts which the council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A (3) of the Act (Gross Expenditure and Transfers to Reserves).

c.     £105,767,374  being the amount by which the aggregate at 9.5(a) above exceeds the aggregate amount at 9.5(b) above, calculated by the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61

The Leader welcomed Councillor Mrs Aspinall, Chair of the Budget Scrutiny Select Committee to the meeting.  Councillor Mrs Aspinall thanked Councillor Darcy and Officers for engaging with scrutiny over the last year and reported that the committee would be pleased that most of the recommendations had been agreed by the Cabinet.  It was highlighted that the first time for many years that the committee had not made recommendations specific to social care and as discussed at length at the last council meeting, the crisis within the Health and Social Care sector cannot be solved in isolation.

With regard to the recommendation rejected by Cabinet in relation to the use of bailiffs for the collection of Council Tax, would ask that you consider carefully how bailiffs were used and the temptation to turn quickly to bailiff action would risk pushing people into problem debt.

The use of Section 106 funding to support the revenue budget was subject of debate amongst members of the committee but we came to a cross party agreement.  Some members of the committee were concerned that the use of this money would result in additional borrowing costs and if being used to support discretionary services, which in the long term were unsustainable, this should be reconsidered.

Councillor Mrs Aspinall highlighted that the information provided to the committee was consistent and provided an indication of the challenges that were faced across the departments and looked forward from April to be able to scrutinise the Business Plans of individual Service Directors.  This would enable Councillors to have a clear view of the services and would help us to provide recommendations to future administrations as a critical friend.

The Leader thanked the Chair and the Committee involved in the scrutiny of the budget.

The Leader introduced the Delivering a Balanced Budget 2018/19 report and asked Andrew Hardingham, Interim Joint Strategic Director for Transformation and Change to provide a response to the Budget Scrutiny Select Committee over the misunderstanding of the proposal to use Section 106 money and the perception that this was being used to support the revenue budget.  Andrew Hardingham gave a comprehensive response which included that the local authority does not have any power in other words it is ‘ultra vires’ to borrow to fund revenue services.  Those services were essentially funded through council tax, revenue support grant, other grants and the raising of fees and charges of services provided by the local authority.   This council was not proposing to borrow to fund the services we provide to citizens within the city.

The Leader noted that proposals for use of the Neighbourhood Initiative Fund in 2018/19 would be brought forward later in the year, following a full evaluation of the current Winter Works pilot initiative which made use of the fund during 2017/18.

Following questions and a debate, it was agreed that –

1.         Cabinet recommends the 2018/19 Budget to Council.

2.         Cabinet recommends the 2018/19 Flexible Use of Capital Receipts Strategy to Council.

3.         Cabinet recommends the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 78