Agenda item

To receive a written report from the Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects and Equalities, and to question the Executive Member thereon, in accordance with Standing Orders B9 and B10.  This report also includes proposals in relation to a Budget amendment, on which a named vote will be taken.

[The Lord Mayor having varied the order of business, this item was brought forward and dealt with immediately after Petitions.]

A written report was received from Cllr Lomas, the Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects & Equalities.

Cllr Crawshaw then moved, and Cllr Webb seconded, a motion to suspend Procedure Rule B10 in order to extend the time limit available for this item and enable the Executive Member to move the proposed budget amendment contained in her report and Council to debate and vote on that proposal.

On being put to the vote, the motion to suspend the Procedure Rules was declared CARRIED.

Cllr Lomas then moved, and Cllr Douglas seconded, the proposal, as follows:

“That Council approve the proposed budget amendment at Annex A to the report.

Reason: In order to alter the council’s existing approved budget to reflect the priorities of the council’s new administration.”

Cllr Ayre then moved, and Cllr Healey seconded, an amendment to the proposal, as follows:

“Before ‘proposed’ insert revisions to the’, and after ‘report’ remove the full stop and insert ‘, as contained in the Liberal Democrats’ budget amendment attached to the Agenda Supplement.”

A named vote was taken on the amendment, with the following result:

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

The original proposal was therefore declared CARRIED and it was

Resolved:  That the budget amendment contained in the Executive Member report and its annex and moved by Cllr Lomas be approved.¹

Members were then invited to question the Executive Member on her report.  Questions were received from the floor from the following Members in relation to the subjects listed, and replied to as indicated:

Budget Amendment

From Cllr Waudby: Why has no Equalities Impact Assessment been presented with your amendment?

Response: We will no longer be using EIAs to consider these issues but will be moving to a human rights and equalities analysis model to look at the positive as well as negative impacts of decisions, and at mitigations against the negative effects.

From Cllr Fisher: During the last Council cycle, a lot of work was done on footpaths in Stockton on the Forest, providing disabled access to the village hall and funding a path through the woods as a safe space for exercise.  How many of these schemes outside your ward did you visit before taking an axe to ward funding?

Response: It hasn’t been axed but re-prioritised, and I would be happy to accept an invitation to your ward to visit these schemes.  You will continue to get ward funding.

From Cllr Orrell: The final ward accounts in March showed that ward funding had been allocated for VAS signs at the access to Vanguard on North Lane.  When will the signs be installed?

Response: It’s a matter for Cllr Kilbane as the Executive Member for Transport.  I can reassure you that any schemes already paid for from last year’s allocation will be delivered if there is potential to do so.

Major Projects

From Cllr Fenton: Can you confirm the accuracy of Cllr Kilbane’s reported comments that the parking lost at Castle Car Park won’t be replaced or, if this is not correct, the location of the replacement parking?

Response: I cannot help you on what Cllr Kilbane did or didn’t say.  As you know the Castle Mills project is currently in difficulties but we will do all we can to get all major projects up and running.  No decisions have been made at present on the Castle Mills scheme regarding car parking.

From Cllr Waudby: Why has no Equalities Impact Assessment been presented with your amendment?

Response: