Agenda item

Report of Councillor Mattock on behalf of the Cabinet.

Please note that the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 require named votes to be taken and recorded when setting the annual budget and council tax, this to include substantive motions and any amendments.

This matter was reported and proposed by Councillor Mattock on behalf of the Cabinet and seconded by Councillor Tutt.The Council considered the reports to Cabinet, as included in the draft budget book and also the Cabinet minutes and resolutions from the meeting held on 4 February 2015. The budget proposals were also reported to the Scrutiny Committee on 2 February 2015 where no comments or proposals for change were made.

The Council expressed its thanks and appreciation for the work undertaken by the Chief Finance Officer and his team in the preparation of the draft budget.

The following amendment was proposed by Councillor Elkin and seconded by Councillor West:

“We propose that a budget (Fund) is set up to enable bids from Eastbourne residents to support either the setting up of their own small business or expanding an existing one with the purpose of creating jobs in Eastbourne, with priority being given to existing empty properties.  The Fund to be ring fenced to Eastbourne post codes. We propose to fund that budget by reducing the General Reserves by £1m from £4m to £3m.  The Fund therefore being £1m.”

This amendment was lost by 13 votes to 10 with 1 abstention. The named voting record was as follows:

For: Councillors Ansell, Ede, Elkin, Howlett, Jenkins, Liddiard, Murdoch, Taylor, Warner and West.

Against: Councillors Bannister, Harris, Hearn, Mattock, Miah, Murray, Shuttleworth, Stanley, Tester, Thompson, Tutt, Ungar and Wallis.

Abstentions: The Mayor

Resolved: (By 21 votes to 0 with 3 abstentions) That approval be given to the following:

1.        The recommendations as detailed in the reports from the Chief Finance Officer and the Senior Head of Community to Cabinet on 4 February 2015:

(i)                      The General Fund net expenditure for 2015/16 of £15,245,200 and the growth and savings proposals.

(ii)                     No change to the council tax for Eastbourne Borough Council to a Band D charge of £224.19.

(iii)                    Housing Revenue Account (HRA) income and expenditure proposals, including revised HRA budget for 2014/15 and the budget for 2015/16, rents and service charges, arrangements for finalising Eastbourne Homes’ management fee and annual plan.

(iv)                   General Fund capital programme as set out in the report of the Chief Finance Officer.

(v)                    The Treasury Management Strategy and Prudential Indicators.

2.        That consequent upon a General Fund budget of £15,245,200 and other matters, the basic amount (Band D) of council tax for the Borough Council’s functions will be £224.19 calculated as follows:

The statutory resolutions relating to this matter are given at paragraphs 3 and 4 below.

3.        That it be noted that at its meeting on 10 December 2014 the Cabinet (in exercise of powers delegated to them by the Council) delegated the final determination of the Council Tax Base to the Chief Finance Officer. This has been set at an amount of 32,558.9 Band ‘D’ equivalent properties for the year 2015/16 (Item T in the formula in section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended).

4.        Calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2015/16 as £7,299,400.

5.        That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2015/16 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992, as amended:

6.        To note that East Sussex County Council, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Authority and Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex have issued precepts to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended, for each category of dwellings in the Council’s area as indicated in the table below.

7.        That the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in the tables below as the amounts of Council Tax for 2015/16 for each of the categories of dwellings.

Valuation Bands

EASTBOURNE BOROUGH COUNCIL

EAST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL

POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER OF SUSSEX

EAST SUSSEX FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY

AGGREGATE OF COUNCIL TAX REQUIREMENTS

8.        That it be determined that the Council’s basic amount of Council Tax for 2015/16 is not excessive in accordance with the principles approved under Section 52ZB of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended.

NOTE: As the billing authority, the Council has not been notified by a major precepting authority that its relevant basic amount of Council Tax for 2015/16 is excessive and that the billing authority is not required to hold a referendum in accordance with Section 52ZK Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended.

Named voting record for the resolutions at item 51 above:

For: Councillors Ansell, Bannister, Elkin, Harris, Hearn, Howlett, Jenkins, Liddiard, Mattock, Miah, Murdoch, Murray, Shuttleworth, Stanley, Tester, Thompson, Tutt, Ungar, Wallis, Warner and West.

Abstentions: The Mayor, Councillors Ede and Taylor.