To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 27 January 2025  as a correct record.

The minutes of the meetings held 27 January 2025 were agreed as an accurate record.

There were no declarations of interest.

A general dispensation was in place in reference to item five - Proposed Revenue and Capital Budget 2025/26.

At this point, the Lord Mayor introduced a procedural motion to suspend Appendix 1. 5.1, rules of debate, of the constitution, to remove the limit on the length of speeches of the Leader and Leader of the Largest Opposition group in relation to Item five- Proposed Revenue and Capital Budget 2025/26. This was seconded by Councillor Murphy (Deputy Lord Mayor). The motion was agreed.

For (48)

Councillors Allen, Allison, Aspinall, Bannerman, Blight, Mrs Bridgeman, Coker, Cresswell, Cuddihee, Dingle, Evans OBE, Finn, Freeman, Gilmour, Goslin, Haydon, Hendy, Holloway, Krizanac, Laing, Lawson, Loveridge, Lugger, McCarty, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Morton, Murphy, S. Nicholson, Noble, Penberthy, Penrose, Poyser, Raynsford, Reilly, Ricketts, Simpson, M. Smith, R. Smith, Sproston, Steel, Stephens, Taylor, Tippetts, Tofan, Ms Watkin and Wood.

Against (0)

Abstain (2)

Councillors Mrs Beer and P. Nicholson.

Absent/ Did Not Vote (3)

Councillors Dann, Lowry and Tuohy.

(Councillor Dann entered the meeting at this point)

To receive urgent announcements from the Lord Mayor, Chief Executive, Section 151 or Monitoring Officer if appropriate.

The Lord Mayor made the following urgent announcements:

a)     The day of the meeting marked the third anniversary of the start of the War in the Ukraine. Plymouth had responded quickly during the onset by launching the Homes for Ukraine scheme which welcomed over 200 Ukrainians during 2022 and 70 more in subsequent years. In addition, residents had opened up their homes to refugees and organisations across the City had offered support and access to vital services.

The item was introduced by Councillor Evans OBE (Leader of the Council) and seconded by Councillor Allen (Chair of Audit and Governance Committee).

Contributions to debate were received from Councillors Lugger, P. Nicholson, Mrs Beer, Mrs Bridgeman, Laing, Penrose, Stephens, Reilly, Raynsford, Finn, Cresswell, Wood, Poyser, Dann, McCarty, Bannerman, Noble, Coker, Dingle, Aspinall, Penberthy, Haydon, Krizanac and Loveridge.

Councillor Hendy introduced a procedural motion to suspend time limits on the Leader’s summation under appendix 1, 6.1 of the constitution. This was seconded by Councillor Raynsford. The motion was agreed.

For (43)

Councillors Allen, Allison, Aspinall, Bannerman, Blight, Coker, Cresswell, Cuddihee, Dann, Dingle, Evans OBE, Freeman, Gilmour, Goslin, Haydon, Hendy, Holloway, Krizanac, Laing, Lawson, Lowry, Lugger, McCarty, McLay, McNamara, Moore, Murphy, Noble, Penberthy, Penrose, Poyser, Reilly, Simpson, M. Smith, R. Smith, Sproston, Steel, Stephens, Taylor, Tippetts, Tofan, Ms Watkin and Wood.

Abstain (1)

Councillor S. Nicholson.

Against (4)

Councillors Mrs Beer, Mrs Bridgeman, Loveridge and P. Nicholson.

Absent/ Did Not Vote (5)

Councillors Finn, Morton, Raynsford, Ricketts and Tuohy.

Following summation, the Council agreed:

1.     To note that the proposed budget had been based on the Letter of Assurance received during February 2024 from MHCLG (DLUHC as was), in reference to the accounting treatment of the Council’s pension arrears in 2019/20;

2.     To approve the proposed net revenue budget requirement for 2025/26 of £253.418m including the sum of £0.410m from the Working Balance to cover the cost of the referendum for a directly elected Mayor resulting from the receipt of a petition to that effect;

3.     To approve Council Tax levels for 2025/26 as detailed at Appendix 1;

4.     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, had been confirmed;

5.     To note that the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority precept had been confirmed for 2025/26;

6.     To note the Financial Risks as set out in Appendix 7;

7.     To note the section from the Council’s Section 151 Officer (Chief Finance Officer) on the robustness of the budget estimates and the adequacy of the level of reserves;

8.     To note the Capital budget of £395.864m for 2024/25 to 2028/29;

9.     To approve the Capital Financing Strategy 2025/26 as detailed in Appendix 10;

10.  To approve the Treasury Management Strategy 2025/26 (incorporating the Non-Treasury Management Strategy and the Minimum Revenue Provision Statement) as detailed in Appendix 11;

11.  To approve adjustments to the Minimum Revenue Provision as set out in the Minimum Revenue Provision Statement within Appendix 11;

12.  To approve the use of flexible capital receipts as set out in Appendix 8 to a maximum of £2.088;

13.  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;

14.  To approve the Medium Term Financial  ...  view the full minutes text for item 69.