To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 29 January 2024 as a correct record.

The minutes of the meetings held on 29 January 2024 were put forward to the next available meeting as amendments were required

Members will be asked to make any declarations of interest in relation to items on this agenda, in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

Councillor Laing moved a motion to suspend article 4.2 of the rules of debate in relation to agenda item 6, Revenue and Capital Budget and Proposed Council Tax Levels for 2024/25. Councillor Rennie seconded and the motion was agreed by Council.

For (48)

Councillors Allen, Aspinall, Mrs Beer, Blight, Briars-Delve, Mrs Bridgeman, Carlyle, Coker, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Finn, Gilmour, Goslin, Harrison, Haydon, Hendy, Hulme, Krizanac, Laing, Mrs. Loveridge, Lowry, Lugger, Dr Mahony, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Murphy, Nicholson, Noble, Patel, Penberthy, Penrose, Poyser, Raynsford, Reilly, Rennie, Ricketts, Salmon, Sproston, Stephens, Stevens, Tippetts, Tofan, Tuffin, Tuohy, Wakeham and Ms. Watkin.

Abstain (0)

Against (0)

Absent/Did Not Vote (2)

Councillors Cresswell and Shayer.

(a)        To receive announcements from the Lord Mayor, Chief Executive, Service Director for Finance or Head of Legal Services;

Councillor Shayer (Lord Mayor) made the following announcement:

a)     Thanked the people of Keyham for their patience and assistance during the recent incident concerning an unexploded bomb found in the area and the subsequent evacuation of citizens until its disposal.

The report was introduced by Councillor Hendy and seconded by Councillor Coker (Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport).

Following contributions from Councillors Patel, Evans OBE, Nicholson and Krizanac, the Council agreed to:

1.     That, having considered the contents of the report, including the responses from the public consultation, set out in Appendix 1 to the report, an application for a toll revision based on £3.00 cash and £1.50 TAG, be made 55 days hence to the Secretary of State in accordance with the applicable legislation. Where the application is successful but prior to the toll revision being implemented the Government provide funding to the Tamar Bridge which can be used to offset expenditure, then the proposed toll increase will either not be implemented or will be decreased in line with that funding. 
 

2.     Approves the 2024/25 revenue budget and capital programme and the draft 2024-25 Business plan, as set out in the appendices to the TBTF Joint Committee Report of 12 January 2024; and 

3.     Note the longer-term forecast to 2027/28. 

For (33)

Councillors Allen, Aspinall, Blight, Briars-Delve, Coker, Cresswell, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Gilmour, Goslin, Haydon, Hendy, Krizanac, Laing, Lowry, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Murphy, Noble, Penberthy, Penrose, Poyser, Raynsford, Reilly, Rennie, Sproston, Stephens, Stevens, Tippetts, Tuffin and Tuohy.

Against (12)

Councillors Mrs. Beer, Carlyle, Finn, Harrison, Hulme, Mrs. Loveridge, Dr. Mahony, Nicholson, Patel, Ricketts, Tofan and Ms. Watkin.

Abstain (4)

Councillors Mrs. Bridgeman, Lugger, Salmon and Wakeham.

Absent/ did not vote (1)

Councillor Shayer.

The item was introduced by Councillor Evans OBE (Leader of the Council) and seconded by Councillor Lowry (Cabinet Member for Finance).

Following contributions from Councillors Lugger, Bridgeman, Nicholson, Laing, Briars-Delve, Haydon, Cresswell, Hendy, Raynsford, Dingle, Stevens, Tippetts, Moore, Stephens, Aspinall, Dann, Mrs. Beer, Dr Mahony, Finn, Reilly, Krizanac, Noble, Hulme, Gilmour, Penberthy, Coker, Wakeham and Lowry the Council agreed: 

1.     To note that, following the request for a Capitalisation Direction, referred to as Exceptional Financial Support and receipt of an “In Principle” letter from DLUHC, the budget as proposed can be approved; 
 

2.     To approve the proposed net revenue budget requirement for 2024/25 of £241.622m; 
 

3.     To approve Council Tax levels for 2024/25, including an Adult Social Care Precept as detailed at Appendix 1;  
 

4.     To note the specific savings proposals as set out in Appendix 4; 
 

5.     To note the Capital Budget of £398.200m for 2023/24 to 2027/28. as detailed in section 3 of the report; 
 

6.     To note that the precept to the Council issued by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each category of dwellings in the Council’s area, has been confirmed; 
 

7.     To note that the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority precepts have been confirmed for 2024/25; 
 

8.     To note the Section 151 Officer’s statement on the Budget as set out in this report;  
 

9.     To approve the annual Treasury Management Strategy and Capital Financing Strategy 2024/25 (incorporating the authorised limits, operational boundaries and prudential indicators) as detailed in Appendix 11 and 12;  
 

10.  To approve a net adjustment of £0.4m to the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP), as an amendment to the Capital Financing Strategy, and as set out in this report within the Treasury Management Strategy and detailed under the Annual Minimum Revenue Provision Statement section; 
 

11.  To approve the use of flexible capital receipts to fund revenue costs for transformation project, as set out in paragraph 4.8; 
 

12.  To delegate responsibility for any technical accounting changes which may arise after the Budget to the Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance. 

For (33)

Councillors Allen, Aspinall, Blight, Briars-Delve, Coker, Cresswell, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Gilmour, Goslin, Haydon, Hendy, Krizanac, Laing, Lowry, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Murphy, Noble, Penberthy, Penrose, Poyser, Raynsford, Reilly, Rennie, Sproston, Stephens, Stevens, Tippetts, Tuffin and Tuohy.

Against (1)

Councillor Hulme.

Abstain (15)

Councillors Mrs. Beer, Mrs. Bridgeman, Carlyle, Finn, Harrison, Mrs. Loveridge, Lugger, Dr. Mahony, Nicholson, Patel, Ricketts, Salmon, Tofan, Wakeham and Ms. Watkin.

Absent/ did not vote (1)

Councillor Shayer.