Agenda and minutes

At this point in the meeting, Members are asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary interest or other registerable interest they might have in respect of business on this agenda, if they have not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests.

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.

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.

No interests were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Ordinary Council meeting held on 15 December 2022.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the Council meeting held on 15 December 2022 be approved, and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

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

The Lord Mayor announced that he and the Lady Mayoress would be attending a vigil at York Minster on Friday, the 24^th of February, to mark the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

At this point in the meeting, any member of the public who has registered to address the Council must address business on the agenda in so far as it may relate to the setting of the budget for the coming financial year.  The deadline for registering is 5:00pm on Tuesday, 21 February 2023.

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 public meeting will be webcast including any registered public speakers who have given their permission.  The remote public meeting can be viewed live and on demand at

www.york.gov.uk/webcasts.

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

It was reported that 7 members of the public had registered to speak at the meeting under Public Participation.  The Lord Mayor confirmed that, on the advice of the Monitoring Officer, public participation would be allowed on the additional item relating to Devolution (Agenda Item 5) as well as on the business associated with setting the council’s budget for the coming financial year. 

Flick Williams raised concerns about the amount spent on anti-terror measures and the proportion of funding for changing places toilets allocated to Haxby as opposed to the city centre.

Diane Roworth also queried the amount paid for barriers in the city centre, in the context of difficult budget decisions and the impact of service cuts on children, older adults and disabled people.

Peter Richardson queried the effects of the social care precept on the council tax bill and highlighted the increased burden on York Hospital services caused by expanding development in the city.

Gwen Swinburn raised concerns about the consultation on Devolution and various aspects of the budget proposals, and called for further information to be published on savings.

Emily Knight spoke in favour of the budget proposals, and in particular the investment in communities and council action to save bus services.

Prof. Charlie Jeffery, on behalf of the University of York, spoke in favour of the Devolution deal, stating that it offered opportunities for the economy and individuals and provided a platform for collective action.

Jason Rose, a resident of Acomb, raised concerns about the consultation on Devolution and urged Members to ensure that York, including areas outside the city centre, received its fair share of funding.

To consider the recommendations made by Executive at their meeting on 14 February 2023 in respect of the outcome of consultation on York and North Yorkshire Devolution.  These are set out in the attached report and will be moved by the Executive Leader. 

Note: The above report contains a link to the report and annexes on which the recommendations were based.  This is reproduced below.

https://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieIssueDetails.aspx?IId=69045&PlanId=0&Opt=3#AI64548

Cllr Aspden moved, and Cllr D’Agorne seconded, the following recommendations made by the Executive at their meeting on 14 February 2023, as contained in the report at page 25 of the Council papers:

“Recommended: (i)      That Council approve the submission of a Consultation Summary Report to the Government.

Reason:              To inform the Secretary of State of the consultation outcome, allowing him to consider the next stages of the statutory process facilitating the creation of a York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.

(ii)      That Council approve Amendments to the Scheme and proposals for the operating model of the Combined Authority outlined in paragraph 92 of the report, for submission to Government.

Reason:              To utilise the information received during the consultation to improve the proposed governance arrangements.

                             (iii)     That Council delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to undertake any action necessary to submit the Consultation Summary Report and Scheme to Government, in line with recommendations (i) and (ii) above.

Reason:              To facilitate the submission of the required documents to Government within the required timescales.

                             (iv)    That Council approve Amendments to the Terms of Reference for the York and North Yorkshire Joint Devolution Committee outlined in paragraphs 103-107 of the report and attached at Annex 2.

Reason:              To ensure appropriate, robust and transparent decision-making.

(v)     That Council delegate authority to the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to undertake any action necessary to provide consent to the Order facilitating the creation of the Combined Authority in line with the scheme submitted to Government, as outlined in paragraph 115 of the report.

Reason:              To allow the progress of the statutory process facilitating the creation of the Combined Authority.”

After debate, a named vote was taken on the recommendations, with the following result:

The recommendations were therefore declared CARRIED, and it was

Resolved:  That the above recommendations be approved.

To consider the recommendations made by Executive, at their meeting on 9 February 2023, regarding the third monitor report on the 2022/23 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 85 of the Executive meeting held on 9 February 2023:

“Recommended:That Council approve the adjustments resulting in a decrease in the 2022/23 budget of £27.164m, 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 9 February 2023, in relation to:

i)     The Financial Strategy 2023/24 to 2027/28

ii)    The Capital Budget 2023/24 to 2027/28

iii)  The Capital Financing and Investment Strategy

iv)  The Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Prudential Indicators 2023/24 to 2027/28.

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=13295&Ver=4

Cllr Aspden moved, and Cllr D’Agorne seconded, the following recommendations made by Executive at its meeting on 9 February 2023 in relation to:

i)     The Financial Strategy 2023/24 to 2027/28

ii)    The Capital Budget 2023/24 to 2027/28

iii)  The Capital Financing and Investment Strategy

iv)  The Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Prudential Indicators 2023/24 to 2027/28.

as set out in paragraphs 43 to 46 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 £141.624m;

                               b.    A council tax requirement of £107.783m;

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

                               d.    The 2023/24 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 2023/24 budget set out in Annex 7;

                               h.    The dedicated schools grant proposals outlined from paragraph 186, including option 1 for allocating 3 & 4 year old early years funding to providers;

                                 i.    The use of £1m from reserves to fund one off investment, as outlined in paragraph 87.

(ii)         Note that the effect of approving the income and expenditure proposals included in the recommendations would result in a 4.99% increase in the City of York Council element of the council tax, 2% of which would relate to the social care precept.

(iii)        Approve the 100% increase in council tax on second homes with effect from 1^st April 2024 subject to the Levelling Up bill receive Royal Assent by 31^st March 2023, as set out in paragraphs 119 to 121.

Reason: To ensure a legally balanced budget is set

Capital Budget 2023/24 to 2027/28

Executive recommends that Council:

(i)           Agree to the revised capital programme of £481.980m that reflects a net overall increase of £51.158m (as set out in table 2 and in Annex A). Key elements of this include:

a)   New schemes funded by prudential borrowing totalling £1.229m as set out in tables 3;

b)   Extension of prudential borrowing funded Rolling Programme schemes totalling £22.286m as set out in table 4;

c)   Extension of externally funded Rolling Programme schemes totalling £8.998m as set out in table 6;

d)   An increase in HRA funded schemes totalling £18.645m funded from a combination HRA balances/Right to Buy receipts as set out in table 7.

(ii)         Note that the total increase in Council borrowing as a result of new schemes being recommended for approval is £23.515m, 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 £481.980m covering financial years 2023/24 to 2027/28 as set out in table 11 and Annex B

Reason: In accordance with the statutory requirement to set a capital budget for the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

To consider the Council Tax Resolution for 2023/24, as set out in the attached report.

Finally, and in light of the setting of the budget for 2023/24 under minute 50 above, Councillor Aspden moved, and Councillor D’Agorne seconded, the Council Tax resolution for 2023/24, as set out in the report and schedules at pages 47-51 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 13 December 2022 the Chief Finance Officer, under her delegated authority, calculated the council tax base for the year 2023/24:

(a)     for the whole Council area as 68,633.10 [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 the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2023/24 (excluding Parish precepts) be calculated as £107,782,790.

(iii)        That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2023/24 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:

(a)     £549,488,952    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)     £440,748,027    being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.

(c)      £108,740,925    being the amount by which the aggregate at 16(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 16(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)     £1,584.38 being the amount at 16(c) above [Item R], all divided by Item T (14(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)     £958,135  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)       £1,570.42 being the amount at 16(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 16(e) above by Item T (14(a) above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(2) of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.