Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive the apologies of any Member who is unable to attend this meeting.

There were no apologies for absence.

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.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel in respect of Members’ Allowances for the financial year 2010/11.

(Report attached)

RESOLVED that

1)         the requirement for an annual inflation increase, as a minimum, be re-affirmed with the 1% increase to remain in the Members’ Allowances budget reserves for 2010/11 but that Members not take up the increase for 2010/11;

2)         the Council be asked to note the IRP’s belief that additional supplementary increases should be made to gradually bring the Borough Council into line with other authorities;

3)         no such additional increase be recommended for 2010/11, in view of the current uncertain  financial climate affecting local authorities;

4)         because of a current ambiguity, definitions of “Approved Duties” for mileage/subsistence claims purposes be clarified to specify that SRA is intended to cover the additional costs associated with relevant “Special Responsibility”; and that claims will only be accepted for duties approved in advance by the Council.

(The Committee agreed that the 1% minimum increase, added to the Members’ Allowances budget as a result of a previous ‘Standing’ Council resolution, be added to the budget reserves and that Members not accept the increase for the 2010/11 financial year.)

The annual report from the Independent Remuneration Panel detailing the recommendations arising from their review of the Scheme of Members’ Allowances was considered by the Committee.

Members welcomed the report and generally accepted the recommendations. The matter upon which there was discussion was the reaffirmation of the requirement for an annual inflation increase and whether this should be passed on to Members. All were agreed that there should not be an increase in the amount of allowances accepted by Members but the means for achieving this end was a matter of some debate. It was proposed that the increase be built into the budget reserve to ensure that the Council’s Scheme would not fall further behind that of neighbouring and comparable authorities in future years.

The Committee agreed that the 1% minimum increase, added to the Members’ Allowances budget as a result of a previous ‘Standing’ Council resolution, be added to the budget reserves and that Members not accept the increase for the 2010/11 financial year.

RESOLVED that

1)         the requirement for an annual inflation increase, as a minimum, be re-affirmed with the 1% increase remaining in the Members’ Allowances budget reserves for 2010/11;

2)         the Council be asked to note the IRP’s belief that additional supplementary increases should be made to gradually bring the Borough Council into line with other authorities;

3)         no such additional increase be recommended for 2010/11, in view of the current uncertain  financial climate affecting local authorities;

4)         because of a current ambiguity, definitions of “Approved Duties” for mileage/subsistence claims purposes be clarified to specify that SRA is intended to cover the additional costs associated with relevant “Special Responsibility”; and that claims will only be accepted for duties approved in advance by the Council.

To consider a report on the setting of the Council Tax, so as to enable the Committee to recommend to Council the level of Council Tax for 2010/11.

(Report attached)

RECOMMENDED that

1)         the 2010/11 General Fund Revenue estimates as set out in Part A of the report be approved;

2)         it be noted that at its meeting on the 27th of January 2010 Council 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)                 27,470.42

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 – 363.54

            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;

3)         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)         £50,672,330  (excluding bids)

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.

(2010/11 Gross General Fund Expenditure)

b)                 £38,449,561

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.

(2010/11 Gross General Fund Income)

c)         £12, 222,769

being the amount by which the aggregate at 3 (a) above exceeds the aggregate at 3 (b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 32 (4) of the Act as its budget requirement for the year;

(2010/11 Net General Fund Expenditure)

d)         £6,468,126

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, Revenue Support Grant or additional 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 Section 97 (3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (Council Tax Surplus) 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 (Community Charges) directions under Section 98 (4) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 made on 7 February 1994 (Community Charge Surplus).

(RSG + NDR - Deficit on Collection Fund)

e)         £209.49

being the amount at 4 (c) above less the amount at 4 (d) above, all divided by the amount at 3 (a) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 33 (1) of the Act, as the basic amount of Council Tax for the year;

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

f)          £8,300

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

(Feckenham Parish Precept)

g)                 £209.18  ...  view the full decision text for item 256.

The Committee received a report setting out the estimated outturn for 2009/10, the General Fund revenue estimates for 2010/11 and the level of Council Tax that was being proposed to fund the Council’s spending during the coming year.

It was stated that efforts had been made to keep Council Tax to as low a level as possible whilst trying to maintain and enhance services and take on board other initiatives that Members had proposed. It was stressed that adequate reserves would be maintained to allow worthwhile initiatives from bodies such as the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s Task and Finish Groups to be funded, when appropriate.

RECOMMENDED that

1)         the 2010/11 General Fund Revenue estimates as set out in Part A of the report be approved;

2)         it be noted that at its meeting on the 27th of January 2010 Council 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)                                                                                                                          27,470.42

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 – 363.54

            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;

3)         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)         £50,672,330  (excluding bids)

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.

(2010/11 Gross General Fund Expenditure)

b)                                                                                                                          £38,449,561

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.

(2010/11 Gross General Fund Income)

c)         £12, 222,769

being the amount by which the aggregate at 3 (a) above exceeds the aggregate at 3 (b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 32 (4) of the Act as its budget requirement for the year;

(2010/11 Net General Fund Expenditure)

d)         £6,468,126

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, Revenue Support Grant or additional 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 Section 97 (3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (Council Tax Surplus) 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 (Community Charges) directions under Section 98 (4) of the Local Government  ...  view the full minutes text for item 256.