Issue - decisions
Budget and Council Tax 2021/22
24/02/2021 - Budget and Council Tax 2021/22
Council RESOLVED to:
(1) Agree an overall 4.99% increase in the Council’s element of Council Tax for 2020/21, with 3% as a precept for Adult Social Care and a 1.99% general increase.
(2) Agree the General Fund revenue budget for 2021/22, as summarised in Appendix A of the report.
(3) Agree the cost pressures and technical adjustments detailed in Appendix B of the report.
(4) Agree the budget savings proposals detailed in Appendix C of the report.
(5) Note the report from the Budget Scrutiny Panel in Appendix D of the report.
(6) Agree the HRA budget for 2021/22, as set out in section seven of this report.
(7) Agree the Dedicated Schools’ Grant as set out in section eight of this report.
(8) Agree the Capital Programme as set out in Appendix E of the report.
(9) Agree the Capital Strategy, the Investment Strategy, the Treasury Management Strategy and the Minimum Revenue Provision Statement as set out in Appendices G, H, I and J of the report.
(10) Agree the schedule of reserves, as set out in Appendix K of the report.
(11) Agree the schedule of fees and charges as set out in Appendix L of the report.
(12) Note the results of the budget consultation as set out in section six and detailed in Appendix M of the report.
(13) Note the advice of the Director of Legal, HR, Audit and Investigations as set out in Appendix N of the report.
(14) Agree the Pay Policy Statement for 2021/22 as set out in Appendix O of the report (including the additional wording set out in paragraph 9.2 of the report) and the payments to which it refers.
Council Tax recommendations
These recommendations only include a provisional Council Tax level for the GLA as its final budget was not agreed when this report was despatched. This means that the statutory calculation of the total amount of Council Tax under Section 30(2) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 cannot be carried out until the final GLA precept has been received.
(15) In relation to the Council Tax for 2021/22 we resolve:
That the following amounts be now calculated as the Council’s element by the Council for the year 2021/22 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended:
(a) £1,036,468,015 being the aggregate of the amount that the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act.
(b) £900,778,354 being the aggregate of the amounts that the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.
(c) £135,689,697 being the amount by which the aggregate at (a) above exceeds the aggregate at (b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act, as its Council Tax requirement for the year.
(d) £1,378.26 being the amount at (c) above, divided by the amount for the tax base of 98,450, agreed by the General Purposes Committee on the 7 December 2020, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year.
(e) Valuation Bands
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
918.84 |
1,071.98 |
1,225.12 |
1,378.26 |
1,684.54 |
1,990.82 |
2,297.10 |
2,756.52 |
being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at (d) above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation band D, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different valuation bands.
(16) That it be noted that for the year 2021/22 the proposed GLA precept issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, in respect of the GLA, for each of the categories of dwellings are as shown below. The GLA intends to agree its precept on 25 February 2021.
Valuation Bands |
|||||||
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
242.44 |
282.85 |
323.25 |
363.66 |
444.47 |
525.29 |
606.10 |
727.32 |
(18) That the Council appoints Councillors to serve on the Council Tax setting committee and appoints a chair and vice-chair of the Council Tax setting committee (please refer to Agenda Item 5 above).
(19) That the special Council Tax setting committee meet as soon as possible after 25 February 2021 to allow Council Tax notices to be issued in line with the normal statutory timetable.
(20) That it be noted that the Director of Finance has determined that the Council element of the basic amount of Council Tax for 2021/22 is not excessive in accordance with the principles approved under Section 52ZB of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.
(a) That the Director of Finance be and is hereby authorised to give due notice of the said Council Tax in the manner provided by Section 38(2) of the 1992 Act.
(b) That the Director of Finance be and is hereby authorised when necessary to apply for a summons against any Council Tax payer or non-domestic ratepayer on whom an account for the said tax or rate and any arrears has been duly served and who has failed to pay the amounts due to take all subsequent necessary action to recover them promptly.
(c) That the Director of Finance be and is hereby authorised to collect revenues and distribute monies from the Collection Fund and is authorised to borrow or to lend money in accordance with the regulations to the maximum benefit of each fund.
In accordance with Standing Order 43, as the above decisions related to the setting of the budget and Council Tax they were subject to a recorded vote.
Prior to the above recommendations being approved, two alternative budget proposals moved as amendments to the budget report by firstly the Conservative Group and secondly Councillor Anton Georgiou, were put to the vote and declared LOST.
The voting recorded on the first amendment moved by the Conservative Group was as follows:
For the Amendment (3): Councillors Colwill, Kansagra and Maurice
Against the Amendment (54): Councillors Abdi, Afzal, Agha, Ahmed, Akram, M.Butt, S.Butt, Chan, Chappell, Chohan, S Choudhary, Choudry, Crane, Daly, Dar, Denselow, Dixon, Donnelly-Jackson, Ethapemi, Farah, Gbajumo, Georgiou, Gill, Hassan, Hector, Hirani, Hylton, Johnson, Kabir, Kelcher, Kennelly, Knight, Lloyd, Lo, Long, Mahmood, Mashari, McLennan, Miller, Mitchell-Murray, Murray, Naheerathan, Nerva, M.Patel, Perrin, Sangani, Shah, Shahzad, Ketan Sheth, Krupa Sheth, Southwood, Stephens, Tatler and Thakkar
Abstentions to the Amendment (2): Councillors Ezeajughi (Mayor) and Colacicco (Deputy Mayor)
Having been moved by Councillor Georgiou without notice, Council agreed to accept the second amendment for consideration at the meeting noting that the amendment only related to the Council’s revenue proposals. In considering the amendment, Council also noted the advice from the Director of Finance that whilst the proposed amendments would provide a legally balanced budget for 2021-22 they would also carry significant ongoing financial risk. The voting recorded on the second amendment was as follows:
For the Amendment (1): Councillor Georgiou.
Against the Amendment (54): Councillors Abdi, Afzal, Agha, Ahmed, Akram, M.Butt, S.Butt, Chan, Chappell, Chohan, S Choudhary, Choudry, Colwill, Crane, Daly, Dar, Denselow, Dixon, Donnelly-Jackson, Ethapemi, Farah, Gbajumo, Gill, Hassan, Hirani, Hylton, Johnson, Kabir, Kansagra, Kelcher, Kennelly, Knight, Lo, Long, Mahmood, Mashari, Maurice, McLennan, Miller, Mitchell-Murray, Murray, Naheerathan, Nerva, M.Patel, Perrin, Sangani, Shah, Shahzad, Ketan Sheth, Krupa Sheth, Southwood, Stephens, Tatler and Thakkar
Abstentions to the Amendment (2): Councillors Ezeajughi (Mayor) and Colacicco (Deputy Mayor)
The substantive recommendations, as detailed above, were then put to the vote and declared CARRIED. The voting recorded was as follows:
For (51): Councillors Abdi, Afzal, Agha, Ahmed, Akram, M.Butt, S.Butt, Chan, Chappell, Chohan, S Choudhary, Choudry, Crane, Daly, Dar, Denselow, Dixon, Donnelly-Jackson, Ethapemi, Farah, Gbajumo, Hassan, Hector, Hirani, Hylton, Johnson, Kabir, Kelcher, Kennelly, Knight, Lo, Long, Mahmood, Mashari, McLennan, Miller, Mitchell-Murray, Murray, Naheerathan, Nerva, M.Patel, Perrin, Sangani, Shah, Shahzad, Ketan Sheth, Krupa Sheth, Southwood, Stephens, Tatler and Thakkar
Against (4): Councillors Colwill, Georgiou, Kansagra and Maurice
Abstain (3): Councillors Ezeajughi (Mayor), Colacicco (Deputy Mayor) and Gill.