Agenda and minutes

At this point, Members are asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, any prejudicial interests or any disclosable pecuniary interests they might have in the business on the agenda.

It was noted that the Monitoring Officer had confirmed that government guidance stated Members did not have a disclosable pecuniary interest in the business of setting the council tax and that the Council’s code of conduct also stated that Members did not have a prejudicial interest in that business.

Cllr Looker declared a personal interest in the Labour Group amendment to the budget proposals insofar as it related to the Theatre Royal, as a member of the Theatre Royal.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Ordinary Council meeting held on 16 December 2021.

Resolved:  That the minutes of Council meeting held on 16 December 2021 be approved, and signed by the Chair as a correct record, subject to the addition of Cllrs Rowley and Melly to the list of attendees.

To consider any announcements made by the Lord Mayor in respect of Civic business.

The Lord Mayor announced the death on 17 December 2021 of Hon Alderman David Wilde, who had served the city as both Lord Mayor and Sherriff, and as a councillor for many years.  Members observed a minute’s silence in his memory.

The Lord Mayor then invited Cllr Aspden to nominate the Lord Mayor Elect for the 2022/23 Municipal Year.  Cllr Aspden nominated Cllr David Carr as the Lord Mayor Elect.  Cllr Carr confirmed that he would be honoured to accept this office, and nominated Susie Mercer as his Sheriff.

Finally, the Lord Mayor drew attention to a number of forthcoming Lord Mayor’s Charity events, including the postponed Charity Ball on 29 April and a curry night at the Parveen restaurant on 7 March.

At this point in the meeting, any member of the public who has registered to address the Council, or to ask a Member of the Council a question, on a matter directly relevant to the setting of the Council’s budget for the coming financial year, may do so.

Please note that the deadlines for registering to speak at our meetings have changed to two working days before the meeting, in order to facilitate the management of public participation at our meetings. The deadline for registering is 5:00pm on Tuesday, 15 February 2022.

To register to speak please visit www.york.gov.uk/AttendCouncilMeetings to fill in an online registration form. If you have any questions about the registration form or the meeting please contact Democratic Services. Contact details can be found at the foot of this agenda.

Webcasting of Public Meetings

Please note that, subject to available resources, this meeting will be webcast, including any registered public speakers who have given their permission.  The meeting can be viewed live and on demand at

www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

During coronavirus, we've made some changes to how we're running council meetings.  See our coronavirus updates at www.york.gov.uk/COVIDDemocracy for more information on meetings and decisions.

It was reported that 6 members of the public had registered to speak at the meeting under the Public Participation item in relation to business associated with setting the council’s budget for the coming financial year. 

Debby Cobbett urged Members to consider the Council’s commitment to zero carbon when setting the budget and to engage with workers and local people on moving towards a green economy.

Flick Williams welcomed the allocation of funding for an Access Officer but warned against employing someone ‘on the cheap’, given the shortage of suitable candidates and the urgent need to make York an accessible city.

Gwen Swinburn expressed disappointment at the lack of consultation on the budget and asked Members to commit to receive a pay rise no higher than that of staff in the forthcoming year.

Sarah Garbacz, on behalf of Explore York, spoke in support of the proposed £7m capital investment in libraries, which would allow Explore to realise its vision and better support local residents.

Ruth Pearson stated that she was the mother of Cllr Pearson and a member of Haxby Town Council but was speaking on her own behalf.  She then spoke in support of funding allocated to the new Haxby library and the station development in Haxby.

Andrew Mortimer spoke as a carer for his adult stepson.  He expressed approval that, despite financial pressures, the budget proposals included support for the most vulnerable people across the city.

To consider a report of the Director of Governance & Monitoring Officer and the Chief Finance Officer inviting Council to opt into the national Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA) process for the procurement of the Council’s External Auditor, in accordance with the recommendation of Audit & Governance Committee.

Members received a report from the Director of Governance & Monitoring Officer and the Chief Finance Officer inviting Council to opt into the national Public Sector Audit Appointments process for the procurement of the Council’s External Auditor, as recommended by Audit & Governance Committee.

Cllr Fisher moved, and Cllr Webb seconded, the following recommendation, as set out in the report:

“Full Council is invited to accept the Public Sector Audit Appointments’ invitation to opt into the sector-led option for the appointment of external auditors to principal local government and police bodies for five financial years from 1 April 2023.

Reason:     The Local Audit (Appointing Person) Regulations 2015 (‘the Regulations’) require that a decision to opt in must be made by a meeting of the Council (meeting as a whole). The Council then needs to formally respond to PSAA’s invitation in the form specified by PSAA.”

A named vote was then taken, and all Members voted in favour.  The recommendation was therefore declared CARRIED, and it was

Resolved:  That the above recommendation be approved.

To consider the recommendations made by Executive, at their meeting on 7 February 2022, regarding the third monitor report on the 2021/22 Capital Programme.  These are set out in the attached Part B minute and will be moved by the Executive Leader.

Cllr Aspden moved, and Cllr D’Agorne seconded, the following recommendation contained in Minute 93 of the Executive meeting held on 7 February 2022:

“Recommended: That Council approve the adjustments resulting in a decrease of £15.678m in the 2021/22 budget, as detailed in the report and contained in Annex A.

Reason:     To enable the effective management and monitoring of the council’s capital programme.”

A named vote was then taken, with the following result:

The recommendation was therefore declared CARRIED and it was

Resolved:  That the above recommendation be approved.

To consider the recommendations made by the Executive, at their meeting on 7 February 2022, in relation to:

i)     The Financial Strategy 2022/23 to 2026/27

ii)    The Capital Budget 2022/23 to 2026/27

iii)  The Capital Financing and Investment Strategy

iv)  The Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Prudential Indicators 2022/23 to 2026/27.

These recommendations are set out in the attached report and will be moved by the Executive Leader.

Note:

The original budget reports to Executive, on which their recommendations are based, will be circulated to all Members with this agenda and can be found on the council’s website, here:

https://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=733&MId=12800&Ver=4

Cllr Aspden moved, and Cllr D’Agorne seconded, the following recommendations made by Executive at its meeting on 7 February 2022 in relation to:

·        the Financial Strategy 2022/23 to 2026/27

·        the Capital Budget 202223 to 2026/27

·        the Capital Financing and Investment Strategy

·        the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Prudential Indicators 2022/23 to 2026/27,

as set out in paragraphs 45 to 48 of the report at Item 7 on the Council agenda:

“Revenue Budget

Executive recommends that Council:

              i.          Approve the budget proposals outlined in the Financial Strategy report and in particular;

                               a.    The net revenue expenditure requirement of £135.384m

                               b.    A council tax requirement of £102.043m

                               c.    The revenue growth proposals as outlined in the body of the report

                               d.    The 2022/23 revenue savings proposals as outlined in annex 2

                               e.    The fees and charges proposals as outlined in annex 3

                                 f.    The consultation feedback as set out in annex 4

                               g.    The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) savings proposals set out in annex 6 and the HRA 2022/23 budget set out in annex 7

                               h.    The dedicated schools grant proposals outlined from paragraph 194

                                 i.    The use of £650k New Homes Bonus to fund one off investment, as outlined in paragraph 118

             ii.         That Council note that the effect of approving the income and expenditure proposals included in the recommendations would result in a 2.99% increase in the City of York Council element of the council tax, 1% of which would relate to the social care precept.

Reason: To ensure a legally balanced budget is set

Capital Budget 2022/23 to 2026/27

Executive recommends that Council:

             i.        Agree to the revised capital programme of £459.625m that reflects a net overall increase of £70.176m (as set out in table 2 and in Annex A). Key elements of this include:

a)   New schemes funded by prudential borrowing totalling £1.9m as set out in tables 3;

b)   New schemes funded by a combination of both prudential borrowing and external funds of £16.300m as set out in table 4

c)   Extension of prudential borrowing funded Rolling Programme schemes totalling £31.411m as set out in table 5 and summarised in table 5;

d)   Extension of externally funded Rolling Programme schemes totalling £10.475m as set out in table 8;

e)   An increase in HRA funded schemes totalling £10.090m funded from a combination HRA balances/Right to Buy receipts as set out in table 9.

            ii.        Note the total increase in Council borrowing as a result of new schemes being recommended for approval is £37.611m the details of which are considered within this report and the financial strategy report.

          iii.        Approve the full restated programme as summarised in Annex B totalling £459.625m covering financial years 2022/23 to 2026/27 as set out in table 13 and Annex B.

Reason: In accordance with the statutory requirement to set a capital budget for the forthcoming financial year.

Capital and Investment Strategy

Executive recommends that Council approve the Capital and Investment Strategy at Annex A.

Reason: To meet the statutory obligation to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.

To consider the Council Tax Resolution for 2022/23, as set out in the attached report.

Finally, and in light of the setting of the budget for 2022/23 under minute 59 above, Councillor Aspden moved, and Councillor D’Agorne seconded, the Council Tax resolution for 2022/23, as set out in the report and schedules at pages 55-66 of the Council agenda.

After debate, the required named vote was taken on the Council Tax Resolution, with the following result:

The motion was accordingly declared CARRIED, and it was

Resolved: 

(i)           That it be noted that on 25 November 2021 the Chief Finance Officer, under her delegated authority, calculated the council tax base for the year 2022/23:

(a)     for the whole Council area as 68,220.40 [Item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”)]; and

(b)     for those dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates as in column 1 in the attached Schedule A.

(ii)    That it be calculated that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2022/23 (excluding Parish precepts) is £102,042,710.

(iii)    That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2022/23 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:

(a)                  £462,424,017.45      being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act taking into account all precepts issued to it by Parish Councils.

(b)                  £359,515,055 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.

(c)                  £102,908,962.45      being the amount by which the aggregate at 14(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 14(b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act as its Council Tax requirement for the year. [Item R in the formula in Section 31B of the Act].

(d)                  £1,508.48       being the amount at 14(c) above [Item R], all divided by Item T (12(a) above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year (including Parish precepts).

(e)                  £866,252.45   being the aggregate amount of all special items (Parish precepts) referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act (as per the attached Schedule A).

(f)                   £1,495.78       being the amount at 14(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 14(e) above by Item T (12(a) above), calculated by the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60.