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.  Advice on the declaration of interests in respect of the Budget had been circulated to all Members by the Monitoring Officer, together with a form on which to record their interests. 

The following prejudicial interests were declared in relation to relevant aspects of the Revenue and Capital Budget proposals:

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.

There were no civic announcements.

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, 24 February 2010.

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.

Malcolm Dewhirst spoke in relation to the proposal to withdraw maintenance support from bowling greens and croquet facilities at Scarcroft Green and the Retreat (savings proposal LS09).  He expressed disappointment that the matter had not been discussed at previous meetings at which he had spoken and expressed the hope that it would be debated, and the proposal withdrawn, at this meeting.  He pointed out that the proposal would make only a very small saving in the context of the budget as a whole and asked why Scarcroft had been singled out, as there were no proposals to withdraw maintenance from other bowling clubs in York.

Ken Beavan spoke in relation to the More for York programme, as it related to the budget proposals.  He praised the purpose of the programme in addressing high levels of administration costs within the Council and expressed the view that additional budget cuts should be made to the Council’s employment costs, particularly in back offices and higher management.  He urged all Members to support the More for York programme.

To receive any petitions to be 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 the recommendations made by the Executive, at their meeting on 16 February 2010, in respect of changes to the 2009/10 Capital Programme, following consideration of the third monitor report on the programme.  These are set out in the attached Part B minute and will be moved by the Executive Leader.

Cllr Waller moved, and Cllr Runciman seconded, the recommendations made by the Executive at their meeting on 16 February 2010 in relation to the Capital Programme Monitor 3 (Minute 162 refers), as follows:

“(i)       That the net adjustments of (£4.423m) in 2009/10, £5.324m in 2010/11 and (£0.011m) in 2012/13, as set out in a scheme by scheme basis in the report and contained in Annex A, be approved.

(i)         That approval be given for additional funding of £25k from the Council’s reserves for the Silver Street toilets.

(iii)       That the contingency fund for £128k and £40k form the Property Key Components budget in respect of the Peaseholme Improvements work.”

On being put to the vote, the above recommendations were declared CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED: That the recommendations contained in Minute 162 of the Executive meeting held on 16 February 2010 be approved.

To consider the recommendations made by the Executive, at their meeting on 16 February 2010, in relation to the Revenue Budget proposals for 20010/11 and the Capital Programme Budget for 2010/11 – 2014/15.  These are set out in the attached report and will be moved by the Executive Leader. 

Note:

The original reports to Executive, on which their recommendations were based, were circulated to all Members on 8 February 2010.  The reports can be accessed by clicking on the link below.

http://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=102&MId=4324&Ver=4

A - Revenue Budget

Cllr Waller moved, and Cllr Runciman seconded, the recommendations of the Executive in respect of the Revenue Budget proposals for the 2010/11 Financial Year, as set out in the report at page 3 of the Council papers:

“The Executive recommends that Council approve the budget proposals outlined in the report of the Director of Resources and set out in detail within the financial strategy, in particular:

i)                    The net revenue expenditure for 2010/11 of £117.880m, as set out in Annex 1, amended by £0.098m.

ii)                  The housing revenue account proposals outlined in Annex 8.

iii)                The dedicated schools grant proposals outlined in the report.

iv)                The revenue growth proposals of £13.786m on-going for 2010/11, plus one-off growth of £1.008m, as outlined in Annex 3, subject to the following amendments:

a)     Reduce growth proposals by £0.045m, as follows:

·        £0.045m (from £0.123m to £0.078m) for price increases in LCCS

b)     Reject growth proposals totalling £0.255m, as follows:

·        CORPG41 in the sum of £0.255m for increased corporate contingency

c)     Include new growth proposals totalling £0.030m, as follows:

·        Reduction in the cost of Respark visitor badges from £1.10 to £0.90 at a cost of £0.030m;

Resulting in revised figures of £13.516m for on-going growth in 2010/11, plus one-off growth of £1.008m.

v)                  The revenue savings proposals of £10.352m for 2010/11 outlined in Annex 4, subject to the following amendments:

a)     Reject savings proposals totalling £0.154m, as follows:

·        CEXES 16 – delete 1 fte Democracy Officer in the sum of - £0.027m

·        CEXES 17/18 – review of responsibility allowances in the sum of - £0.010m

·        CSTRS 12 Park & Ride additional income in the sum of - £0.050m

·        LS04 Arts and Culture – cease funding the community arts service in the sum of £0.067m

b)     Amend savings proposals totalling £0.042m, as follows:

·        CS11 Arts Consultants – reduce the saving from £0.100m to £0.058m in 2010/11 to defer implementation until September 2010, with the remaining £0.042m of the 2010/11 saving to be funded by the use of reserves.

c)     Include new savings proposals totalling £0.024m, as follows:

·        Reduction in printing costs and subscriptions in the Chief Executive’s department in the sum of - £0.009m

·        Reduction in the corporate contingency provision in the sum of - £0.015m from £0.600m to £0.585m

Resulting in a revised figure of £10.180m.

vi)                In terms of the Council’s reserves, the use in 2010/11 of £0.500m from the Venture Fund and £42k from general reserves for the Arts consultants.

vii)              Use of prior year collection fund surplus of £0.288m.

viii)            That release of growth of £500k for 16/17 year olds be subject to a further report to the Executive setting out the full implications (paragraph 28).

ix)                That the £2m transfer from general balances to the capital reserve fund not be made (paragraph 52).

x)                  The increase in council dwelling rents by an average of 1.83%, in line with government guidance on rent re-structuring, as set out in Annex 9.

xi)                Note the medium term financial strategy projections that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 88.

To consider the Council Tax Resolution for 2010/11, as set out in the attached report.

Councillor Waller moved, and Councillor Runciman seconded, the Council Tax Resolution for 2010/11, as set out in the report at page 21 of the Council papers.

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

RESOLVED: That the revised Council Tax Resolution for 2010/11, as set out in the report at page 21 of the Council papers and amended in consequence of the second and third Labour Group amendments, be approved, as follows:

(i)            COUNCIL TAX BASE

That it be noted that the Director of Resources, under his delegated authority, calculated the following amounts for the year 2010/11 in accordance with regulations made under Section 33(5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

                        (a)            Whole of the Council’s Area

66,442.57 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.

(ii)            DISTRICT/PARISH COUNCIL TAX RATES

That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2010/11 in accordance with Sections 32 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

                        (a)            District/Parish Gross Expenditure

£363,241,710.00 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

£245,322,000.00 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

£117,919,710.00 being the amount by which the aggregate at (ii)(a) above exceeds the aggregate at (ii)(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

£44,858,512.00 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)

£1,099.6143 being the amount at (ii)(c) above less the amount  ...  view the full minutes text for item 89.

To consider the recommendations made by the Executive, at their meeting on 16 February 2010, in relation to the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Prudential Indicators for 2010/11 to 2014/15.  These are set out in the attached report and will be moved by the Executive Leader. 

Note:

The original report to Executive, on which their recommendations were based, was circulated to all Members on 8 February 2010 and can be accessed by clicking on the link below.

http://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=102&MId=4324&Ver=4

Cllr Waller moved, and Cllr Runciman seconded, the recommendations of the Executive in respect of the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Prudential Indicators for 2010/11 to 2014/15, as set out in the report at page 31 of the Council papers:

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 2010/11 to 2014/15 be approved and adopted, as set out below (references to ‘the report’ relate to the report to the Executive meeting on 16 February 2010):

(i) That Council approve:

a)     the proposed Treasury Management Strategy for 2009/10;

b)     the Prudential Indicators for 2009/10 to 2013/14 (Annex C to the Director of Resources’ report);

c)      the revised CIPFA Treasury Management Code of Practice 2009 (‘the Code’) and revised Treasury Management Policy Statement (Annexes A and B);

d)     the Specified and Non-specified Investments Schedule (Annex F);

e)     The Scheme of Delegation and the Role of the Section 151 Officer (Annex G).

(ii)That the Financial Regulations be amended to give delegated authority to the Director of Resources to have full discretion to choose the length of the repayment period for all prudential borrowing, as set out in paragraph 35 of the report.

(iii)That the Treasury Management reporting arrangements set out in paragraph 16, table 1, as described by the Code, and the terms of reference in the Constitution, be amended to include the requirement that the Audit & Governance Committee scrutinise the Treasury Management Strategy and Monitoring reports.