Agenda and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

The Lord Mayor invited all Members with any personal or prejudicial interests in the business on the agenda to declare their interests at this point in the meeting.  The following personal interests were declared in relation to relevant aspects of the Revenue and Capital Budget proposals:

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

The Lord Mayor announced the imminent retirement of Mavis Todd, Member Services Officer, who had been with the Council for 43 years.  Members joined to express their thanks and appreciation to Mavis for her work over the years.

The Lord Mayor then announced that Colin Langley, Interim Head of Civic, Democratic and Legal Services, would be leaving the Council on 6 March when his six month tenure came to an end.  Members expressed their thanks for his advice and assistance during this time.

At this point in the meeting, any member of the public who has registered to address the Council, or ask any question of any Member of Council, on any matter directly relevant to the business on this agenda (namely the setting of the budget), may do so.  Anyone who wishes to register or requires further information is requestedto contact the Democracy Officer on the contact details listed at the foot of this agenda. The deadline for registering is 5:00 pm on Wednesday, 20 February 2008.

The Lord Mayor reported that there had been two registrations under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme to speak at the meeting with regard to business associated with the setting of the Budget, as follows: 

a)         Ken Beavan spoke on the Revenue Budget savings proposals in general terms, suggesting that savings should be made by reducing posts in the management structure and reducing expenditure on consultancy fees.

b)         Eileen White, representing the Friends of York City Archives, spoke in objection to the savings proposal to close the Archives for one day per week, on the basis that it would adversely affect the accessibility of the Archives and the chances of attracting applicants of the right calibre to the post of City Archivist.

The Lord Mayor had also agreed to hear representations from two UNISON representatives in respect of the effects upon staff of certain aspects of the Revenue Budget savings proposals, as follows:

a)            Andrea Dudding spoke in objection to the proposal to close the City Archives for one day per week, on the basis that it would involve a significant cut in staffing levels and reduced access to the Archives, which would have implications at a national level.

b)         Liz Young spoke in objection to the savings proposals for the Home Care service, on the basis that staff had already undergone a major restructure 15 months earlier and had received no definitive information on potential job losses or changes to working patterns that might result from these new proposals.

To receive any petitions presented by Members in relation to business associated with setting the Council’s budget for the coming financial year, in accordance with Standing Order No.7.

The Lord Mayor reported that there were no petitions to be presented by Members at the meeting in relation to business associated with the setting of the Council’s Budget.

To consider excluding the press and public from the meeting during any discussion on Annex A to the report under agenda item 6b (Capital Programme Budgets), on the grounds that it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information), which is classed as exempt under Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A to Section 100A of The Local Government Act 1972 (as revised by The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006).

RESOLVED: That the press and public be excluded from the meeting should any discussion arise on the contents of Annex A to the Executive report relating to agenda item 6(b) (Capital Programme Budget - Minute 75 refers) on the grounds that it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of particular persons (including the authority holding that information), which is classed as exempt under paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

Cllr Steve Galloway sought Council’s agreement to alter Recommendation (ii) of the Executive in relation to the Revenue Budget (Minute 163), to read as follows:

“(ii)      That, consequential upon the above amendments, Council approve the proposals set out in the report, namely:

a)                 The net revenue expenditure requirement for 2008/09 as set out in Table 1 (paragraph 17);

b)                 The housing revenue account proposals outlined in Annex 12;

c)                  The dedicated schools grant proposals outlined from paragraph 80 onwards;

d)                 The revenue growth proposals for 2008/09 outlined in Annex 3, totalling £8.013m;

e)                 The revenue savings proposals for 2008/09 outlined in Annexes 1 and 4, totalling £6.198m;

f)                    The use in 2008/09 of £1.823m of revenue reserves, as outlined in paragraph 49;

g)                 The adoption of a risk based calculation to inform the Director of Resources’ opinion on the appropriate minimum level of general reserves, as described in paragraph 51;

h)                  The fees and charges proposals in Annex 8.”

Council having agreed to the above alteration Cllr Steve Galloway moved, and Cllr Jamieson-Ball seconded, the recommendations of the Executive, as altered, in relation to the Council’s budget for 2008/09, including the Revenue Budget, Fees and Charges, Housing Revenue Account and Capital Programme Budget proposals.

Cllr Scott then moved, and Cllr Potter seconded, the following amendment to the Executive recommendations, as altered, on behalf of the Labour Group:

“Contingency Fund

(1)         At the end of recommendation (i) (b) (page 2 of Council Summons), add the words ‘subject to the deletion of the sum of £44k for special responsibility allowances for Members in line with inflation’.

Council Tax

(2)                           In recommendation (i) (a) replace the figure ‘4.75%’ with ‘4.50%’.

(3)                           In recommendation (iii) (page 3 Council Summons) on line 4 replace the figure ‘4.75%’ with ‘4.50%’

Net Revenue Expenditure

In Recommendation (ii)(a) replace the figure ‘£112.294m’ with ‘£112.132m’

(4)            Recommendation (i)c)

Replace the figure in brackets for item CorpNew2 (2^nd bullet point ) with the words ‘(further £40k)’

Replace the figure in brackets for item HSIG1 (4^th bullet point) with the words ‘(further £50k)’

Delete CSYG2 – end of prudential borrowing, highways & street ops (294k) (bullet point 7 on page 3 of Council Summons)

(5)            Growth

At the end of paragraph (ii) d) (page 3 of Council Summons), add the words ‘subject to the deletion of the following item:

• CSYG2 –CSYG2 - end of prudential Borrowing, Highways and Street Ops. +£294K

and the inclusion of the following items from Annex 9 of the Executive revenue budget papers (Annex 7 of new report to Council):

·        CSIG12 – ‘Smarter Choices’ travel promotion (£50k)

as well as the above proposed increases to growth in relation to items HSIG1 and CorpNew2 referred to in Recommendation (i)c) above and subject also to the following additional items:

·        Funds for fireworks display (£50k)

·        additional contact hours for Home Care in relation to city wide enabling and intermediate care teams (£50k)

·        additional funding to York Credit Union (£25k)

·        increases to the proposed recycling pilot scheme (£20k)

·        keeping  ...  view the full minutes text for item 75.

To consider the recommendations made by the Executive at its meeting on 12 February 2008 in relation to the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Prudential Indicators for 2008/09 to 2011/12, together with the report considered at that meeting.*

*Please Note:

The reports on the items that were considered at Executive on 12 February have been circulated as a separate bundle to all those  Members who have not already received a copy of the Executive agenda.  Copies may be obtained from Democratic Services on request.  The reports can also be viewed on the Council’s web site by clicking on the link below:

http://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.asp?CId=102&MId=2606&Ver=4

Cllr Steve Galloway moved, and Cllr Jamieson-Ball seconded, the recommendations of the Executive in respect of the Integrated Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Prudential Indicators for 2008/09 to 2011/12.

On being put to the vote, the motion was declared CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED: That the recommendations of the Executive in respect of the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Prudential Indicators for 2008/09 to 2010/00 be approved, as follows:

a)     The Prudential Indicators for 2008/09 to 2010/11, as set out in Annex A to the Executive report;

b)     The proposed Treasury Management Strategy for 2008/09 to 2010/11, as detailed in paragraphs 12 to 40 of the report;

c)      The revised Treasury Management Policy and Treasury Management Practices, as contained in Annexes D and E.

The Lord Mayor announced that, due to technical difficulties with the setting of the Police and Fire Authority precepts, it would not be possible to proceed with item 7 on the Agenda, the Council Tax Resolution 2008/09, at this stage.

Cllr Steve Galloway then moved, and Cllr Jamieson-Ball seconded, that the meeting be adjourned and re-convened at 1:30 pm on Tuesday, 26 February 2008, to consider the Council Tax Resolution.

Council having agreed the above motion, it was

RESOLVED: That the meeting be adjourned, and reconvened at 1:30 pm on Tuesday, 26 February, in order to consider the Council Tax Resolution.

Further to considering the Council’s budget for 2008/09 under Item 6 above, to consider the Council Tax Resolution for 2008/09, as set out in the attached report.

Note: On 25 February, the original report on the above item was replaced by a revised report, taking account of the final Police and Fire Authority precepts, for consideration at the re-convened meeting on 26 February 2008.

Councillor Steve Galloway moved, and Councillor Jamieson-Ball seconded, the Council Tax Resolution for 2008/2009, as set out in the revised report that had been included in the agenda published on the Council’s website and circulated around the Council Chamber.

On being put to the vote, the motion was declared CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED: That the Council Tax Resolution for 2008/2009, as set out in the revised report, be approved, as follows:

                        1.            COUNCIL TAX BASE

That it be noted that the Director of Resources, under his delegated authority, calculated the following amounts for the year 2008/09 in accordance with regulations made under Section 33(5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

            (a)            Whole of the Council’s Area

66,007.99 being the amount calculated in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 and the Local Government Act 2003, as its Council Tax Base for the year.

            (b)            Parts of the Council’s Area

the amounts mentioned in Column 1 of Schedule A to this Resolution, being the amounts calculated in accordance with Regulation 6 of the Regulations and the Local Government Act 2003, as the amounts of its Council Tax Base for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which one or more special items relate.

2.            DISTRICT/PARISH COUNCIL TAX RATES

That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2008/09 in accordance with Sections 32 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

            (a)            District/Parish Gross Expenditure

£340,939,922.00 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 32(2)(a) to (e) of the Act.

            (b)            Income

£229,907,510.00 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 32(3)(a) to (c) of the Act.

            (c)            District/Parish Net Expenditure

£111,032,412.00 being the amount by which the aggregate at 11(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 11(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 32(4) of the Act, as its budget requirement for the year.

            (d)            Government Grants and Collection Fund Surpluses

£42,565,992 being the aggregate of the sums which the Council estimates will be payable for the year into its General Fund in respect of redistributed non-domestic rates and revenue support grant, increased by the amount of the sums which the Council estimates will be transferred in the year from its Collection Fund to its General Fund in accordance with Regulation 4(7) of the Local Government Changes for England (Collection Fund Surpluses and Deficits) Regulations 1995 and increased by the amount of any sum which the Council estimates will be transferred from its Collection Fund to its General Fund pursuant to the Collection Fund (Local Government Changes for England)(Community Charges) Directions under Section 98(4) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 made on 22 November, 1995.

            (e) Basic Amount of Tax (including average parish precepts)

£1,037.2444 being the amount at 11(c) above less the amount at 11(d) above, all divided by  ...  view the full minutes text for item 77.