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 Council in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act as it’s council Tax requirement for the year. (Item R in the formula in section 31B of the Act).

d.    £1,470.38 being the amount at 9.5(c) above (Item R), all divided by Item T (9.4 above), calculated by the council, in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year. 

5.    To note the Section 151 Officer’s statement on the Budget Robustness Statement as set out in section 2 of this report;

6.    To approve the 2018/19 Flexible use of capital receipts strategy.

7.    To approve the annual Treasury Management Strategy and Annual Investment Strategy 2018/19 (incorporating the authorised limits, operational boundaries and prudential indicators) as submitted (Appendix 7);

8.    To note the Revenue and Capital Monitoring Report Quarter Three 2017/18 (Appendix 8);

9.    To note the response to the recommendations made by the Budget Scrutiny Select Committee (Appendix 9);

10.  To delegate responsibility for any technical accounting changes which may arise after the budget to the Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance and IT.   

For the motion (28) –

Councillors 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.

Against the motion (26)

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,

Absent / did not vote (3)

Lord Mayor and Councillors Darcy and Stevens