Agenda and minutes

The Mayor will open the meeting and welcome all present.

The Mayor’s Celebrant, Ms June Saville, will lead the Council in a moment’s reflection.

The Mayor opened the meeting and welcomed all present, including representatives of the Redditch Budget Jury.

To receive any apologies for absence on behalf of Council members.

There were no apologies for absence.

To invite Councillors to declare any interests they may have in items on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider any exceptional Announcements under Procedure Rule 10:

a)         Mayor’s Announcements

b)         Chief Executive’s Announcements

c)         Leader’s Announcements

(Oral report)

a)         Mayor

As this was not an ordinary meeting of the Council, the Mayor did not make her customary announcements. However, she did express her sadness at the coach crash over the preceding weekend involving staff and pupils from an Alvechurch school. The Mayor reported that she was sending condolences to the Civic Head of Bromsgrove District Council on behalf of the Council.

b)         Chief Executive

The Chief Executive informed the meeting that consideration of the recommendations from the Executive Committee in respect of the Independent Remuneration Panel had been omitted from the current agenda in error. The Mayor had therefore agreed, in accordance with the powers vested in her by virtue of Section 100(B)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, to consider these recommendations as Urgent Business immediately preceding the consideration of the other recommendations from the forthcoming meeting of the Executive Committee.

To consider a referral from the Executive Committee on 31st January which relates to financial decisions relevant to tonight’s business.

• Housing Revenue Account  - Initial Estimate 2012-13

(Decision and report attached)

The Council considered a referral from the Executive Committee meeting on 31st January 2012 in respect of the Initial Estimates for the Housing Revenue Account.

RESOLVED that

1)         the draft 2012/13 Estimates for the Housing Revenue Account, attached to the report at Appendix 1, be approved;

2)         the actual average rent increase for 2012/13 be 7%; and

3)         £2 million be transferred to a reserve as a Revenue Contribution to Capital to fund the future Capital Programme.

To adjourn the meeting to permit a meeting of the Executive Committee to be held to consider the setting of the Council Tax for 2012/13 and any associated financial items.

RESOLVED that

the meeting of the Council be adjourned to permit a meeting of the Executive Committee to be held to consider the setting of the Council Tax 2012/13 and other associated financial matters.

(At this point - 7.04 p.m. - the meeting adjourned and reconvened at 7.28 p.m.)

[MEETING OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE]

The Council received and considered the recommendations of the Executive Committee in respect of the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Worcestershire District Councils. Members agreed both with the sentiments expressed at the meeting of the Executive Committee and with the recommendations made by that body.

RESOLVED that

1)         in view of the continuing exceptional economic circumstances, the Basic Allowance remains unchanged from the Independent Remuneration Panel’s recommendations from 2011/12 for 2012/13 at £3350 per Councillor;

2)         the Special Responsibility Allowances similarly remain unchanged for 2012/13, as set out at Appendix 1 to the report;

3)         travel allowances for 2012/13 continue to be paid in accordance with the HMRC mileage allowance (currently 45p per mile) and an additional 5p per mile be paid for each qualifying passenger;

4)         subsistence allowances for 2012/13 remain unchanged;

5)         the Dependent Carer’s Allowance remains unchanged; and

6)         for Parish Councils in the Borough, if travel and subsistence is paid, it be paid in accordance with the rates paid by the Borough Council and in accordance with the relevant  Regulations.

On the resumption of the meeting, to receive and consider recommendations from the Executive Committee and to pass the appropriate resolutions in respect of the Medium Term Financial Plan 2012/13 – 2014/15.

(Executive Committee Report refers)

The Council considered the recommendations of the Executive Committee in respect of the Initial Estimates for the coming three years, together with a proposed Statement of Pay Policy document.

The Leader commented that the proposals being put forward were focussed upon investment. She stated that in recent years investment had been made in a number areas, including IT replacement, the maintenance of public buildings, the replacement of Dial A Ride vehicles and economic development. Furthermore, the new Abbey Stadium facility had also been completed.

The Leader of the Opposition Group presented an alternative budget proposal to the Council. The proposals were reported to be aimed at helping the community and improving the lives of  both young and old. The additional expenditure proposed was for free swimming for the under 16s and over 60s and for the reintroduction of concessionary bus travel prior to 9.30am. This additional expenditure was to be funded by a number of savings including the withdrawal of capital bids for both the proposed Morton Stanley Park footpath works and the Crossgates Depot security works together with the withdrawal of Redditch Matters, the Pay and Display Car Parks and spending on consultants.

In response to these alternative proposals, the Council Leader noted that these had neither been considered by the Budget Jury nor the Overview and Scrutiny process and so would not be entertained by the controlling Group. The alternative budget proposals put forward by the Leader of the Opposition were the subject of the following named vote in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.5:

Members voting FOR the motion:

Councillors Rebecca Blake, Greg Chance, Andy Fry, Bill Hartnett, Robin King, Wanda King, Alan Mason, Phil Mould, Mark Shurmer, Luke Stephens and Debbie Taylor.

(11 votes)

Members voting AGAINST the motion:

Councillors Peter Anderson, Michael Braley, Andrew Brazier, Juliet Brunner, David Bush, Michael Chalk, Simon Chalk, Anita Clayton, Brandon Clayton, Carole Gandy, Adam Griffin, Roger Hill, Gay Hopkins, William Norton, Jinny Pearce, Brenda Quinney and Derek Taylor.

(17 votes)

Members abstaining from voting:

Councillor Malcolm Hall.

Accordingly, the Motion fell, and it was consequently

RESOLVED that

1)         the high bids as identified in Appendix A to the report be approved:

2012/13          £116,000

2013/14          £101,000

2014/15          £101,000;

2)         the high capital bids as detailed in Appendix B to the report be approved:

2012/13          £1,217,000

2013/14          £1,586,000

2014/15          £1,687,000;

3)         the use of balances totalling £259,000 be approved;

4)         Pay Policy Statement at Appendix D to the report be approved;

5)         the retention by Redditch Cricket, Hockey and Rugby Club of the sum representing the refund on VAT on the grant funded works undertaken at their grounds in 2005/06 be approved and, in return, the Club agree to relieve the Council of its commitment to provide a sinking fund for the refurbishment/replacement of the all weather pitch which will in future be the exclusive responsibility of the Club; and

6)         the Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services be requested to prepare an agreement that brings Resolution 5),  ...  view the full minutes text for item 99.

On the resumption of the meeting, to receive and consider recommendations from the Executive Committee and to pass the appropriate resolutions fixing the Council Tax for the year ending 31st March 2013.

(Executive Committee Report refers)

Members were in agreement with the recommendation that the Council Tax be retained at the existing level for a further year and accordingly, it was

RESOLVED that

1)         it be noted that at its meeting on the 16th of January 2012 the Council calculated the following amounts for the year 2012/13 in accordance with regulations made under Section 33 (5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

a)                                                                                                  27,611.67

being the amount calculated by the Council, in accordance with regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992, as its Council Tax Base for the year;

b)         Feckenham Parish – 363.60

being the amount calculated by the Council, in accordance with regulation 6 of the regulations, as the amount 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)         the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2012/13 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

a)         £ 71,045,020

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 the precept issued by Feckenham Parish Council.

(2012/13 Gross General Fund Expenditure)

b)                                                                                                    £65,260,831

being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.

(2012/13 Gross General Fund Income)

c)         £5,784,189

being the amount by which the aggregate at 2(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 2(b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31A (4) of the Act as its Council Tax requirement for the year.

(2012/13 Council Tax Requirement)

d)         £209.48

being the amount at 2 (c) above divided by the amount at 1 (a) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B (1) of the Act, as the basic amount of Council Tax for the year (including parish precept).

(The average amount Band D properties pay for Redditch Borough Council services)

e)         £8,300

being the aggregate amount of all special items(Parish precepts) referred to in Section 34 (1) of the Act;

(Feckenham Parish Precept)

f)          £209.18

being the amount at 2(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 2(e) above by the amount at 1(a) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section34 (2) of the Act, as the basic amount of Council Tax for dwellings in those parts of the area to which no special item relates.

(The amount Band D properties pay (except within the Parish of Feckenham) for Borough Council Services)

g)         £232.01

being the amount given by adding to the amount at 2(f) above, the amount of the special item relating to the Parish of Feckenham, divided by the amount in 1(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34 (3) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings  ...  view the full minutes text for item 100.

To consider any additional items exceptionally agreed by the Mayor as Urgent Business in accordance with the powers vested in her by virtue of Section 100(B)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

(This power should be exercised only in cases where there are genuinely special circumstances which require consideration of an item which has not previously been published on the Order of Business for the meeting and/or on the Leader’s Forward Plan.)

There were no separate items of urgent business for consideration at this meeting, other than the consideration of the recommendations in respect of the Independent Remuneration Panels for Worcestershire District Councils which had been considered previously under Minute Item 98.