Agenda item

Report of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 17 February 2016 - Medium Term Financial Strategy 2016/17 Onwards

Minutes:

Before calling upon Councillor Mrs Wilson to move the recommendations of the Policy and Resources Committee relating to the Medium Term Financial Strategy 2016/17 onwards, the Mayor reminded Members that, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 16.4, each Group Leader could speak for up to ten minutes when moving his/her Group’s budget proposals.

 

It was moved by Councillor Mrs Wilson, seconded by Councillor Mrs Blackmore, that the recommendations of the Policy and Resources Committee relating to the Medium Term Financial Strategy 2016/17 onwards be approved subject to the amendments to the table in recommendation 16 and to Appendices B and D circulated separately.

 

Amendment moved by Councillor McKay, seconded by Councillor Harper:

 

That the increase in the Council Tax should be limited to 1.99% in 2016/17, and that contingency funds be used to make up the deficit.

 

As a consequence of the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a named vote was taken on the amendment as follows:

 

FOR (3)

 

Councillors Harper, McKay and Sargeant

 

AGAINST (38)

 

Councillors Mrs Blackmore, Boughton, Brice, Burton, Butler, Chittenden, Clark, Cox, Cuming, Daley, English, Fort, Garland, Mrs Gooch, Greer,

Mrs Grigg, Harwood, Hemsley, Mrs Hinder, Mrs Joy, McLoughlin, Moriarty, B Mortimer, Munford, Naghi, Paine, Mrs Parvin, Paterson, Perry, Mrs Ring, Mrs Robertson, Ross, Vizzard, Webster, Webb, Willis, Mrs Wilson and

J A Wilson

 

ABSTAINED (0)

 

AMENDMENT LOST

 

The original motion was then put to the vote.

 

As a consequence of the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a named vote was taken on the original motion as follows:

 

FOR (38)

 

Councillors Mrs Blackmore, Boughton, Brice, Burton, Butler, Chittenden, Clark, Cox, Cuming, Daley, English, Fort, Garland, Mrs Gooch, Greer,

Mrs Grigg, Harwood, Hemsley, Mrs Hinder, Mrs Joy, McLoughlin, Moriarty, B Mortimer, Munford, Naghi, Paine, Mrs Parvin, Paterson, Perry, Mrs Ring, Mrs Robertson, Ross, Vizzard, Webster, Webb, Willis, Mrs Wilson and

J A Wilson

 

AGAINST (0)

 

ABSTENTIONS (3)

 

Councillors Harper, McKay and Sargeant

 

ORIGINAL MOTION CARRIED

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.  That the revised revenue estimates for 2015/16 as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee (circulated separately) be agreed.

2.  That the minimum level of General Fund Balances be set at £2m for 2016/17.

3.  That the proposed Council Tax of £240.66 at Band D for 2016/17 be agreed.

4.  That the revenue estimates for 2016/17 incorporating the growth and savings items, as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee, be agreed.

5.  That the Statement of Earmarked Reserves and General Fund Balances, as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee, be agreed.

6.  That the Capital Programme, as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee, be agreed.

7.  That the funding of the Capital Programme, as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee, be agreed.

8.  That the Medium Term Financial Strategy statements for revenue and capital, as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee, be agreed.

9.  That the Strategic Revenue Projection, as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee, be endorsed as the basis for future financial planning.

10.  That it be noted that the Council’s Council Tax Base for the year 2016/17 has been calculated as 58525.4 in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992.

11.  That it be noted that in accordance with Government guidance the yield from business rates has been calculated as £60,146,945.

12.  That it be noted that the individual Parish Area Tax Bases set out in amended Appendix B to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee (circulated separately) are calculated in accordance with Regulation 6 of the Regulations and are the amounts of the Council Tax Base for the year for dwellings in those parts of the Council’s area to which a special item relates.

13.  That the distribution of Local Council Tax Support funding to Parish Councils, as set out in Appendix C to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee, be approved.

14.  That the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2016/17 (excluding Parish precepts) is £14,084,722.

15.  That the following amounts now be calculated by the Council for the year 2016/17 in accordance with Sections 31A, 31B and 34-36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Localism Act 2011:

(a)

£83,623,728

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 all precepts issued to it by Parish Councils.

(b)

£68,041,790

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

(c)

£15,581,938

being the amount by which the aggregate at 15(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 15(b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act as its Council Tax requirement for the year. (Item R in the formula in Section 31A(4) of the Act).

(d)

£266.24

being the amount at 15(c) above (Item R), all divided by the figure stated at 10 above (Item T in the formula in Section 31A(4) of the Act), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year (including Parish precepts).

(e)

£1,497,216

being the aggregate amount of all special items (Parish precepts) referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act (as per amended Appendix B to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee).

(f)

£240.66

being the amount at 15(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 15(e) above by the Tax Base given in 10 above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(2) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which no Parish precept relates.

 

16.  That it be noted that for the year 2016/17 Kent County Council, the Kent Police & Crime Commissioner and the Kent & Medway Fire & Rescue Authority have stated the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:

 

Valuation Bands

Kent County Council Precept

Kent County Council Adult Social Care

Kent Police & Crime Commissioner Precept

Kent & Medway Fire & Rescue Authority Precept

 

£.p

£.p

£.p

£.p

A

741.18

14.52

101.43

48.00

B

864.71

16.94

118.34

56.00

C

988.24

19.36

135.24

64.00

D

1,111.77

21.78

152.15

72.00

E

1,358.83

26.62

185.96

88.00

F

1,605.89

31.46

219.77

104.00

G

1,852.95

36.30

253.58

120.00

H

2,223.54

43.56

304.30

144.00

 

17.  That, having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at 15 (d), and 16 above, the Council, in accordance with Section 30 (2) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets out in amended Appendix D to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee (circulated separately), the amounts of Council Tax for the year 2016/17 for each of the categories of dwellings shown.

 

Please follow this link to the amendments to the table in recommendation 16 and Appendices B and D:

 

https://services.maidstone.gov.uk/meetings/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=151&MId=2455&Ver=4

 

Note:  Councillors English and Garland entered the meeting during consideration of this item (7.25 p.m.).

 

Supporting documents: