Agenda and minutes

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Items
No. Item

82.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURE

The Chairman will draw attention to the emergency evacuation procedure as set out under Note 8.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman drew attention to the emergency evacuation procedure, as set out on the agenda.

83.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

At this point in the meeting declarations of interest are received from Members in any of the agenda items under consideration at the meeting. Members are asked to complete the green interest forms circulated to groups in their pre-meetings (which will be announced at the Council Meeting) to indicate:

(a) The agenda item number in which they have an interest to declare.

(b) The nature of their interest.

(c) Whether their interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest or an other interest,  (as defined in Part 2, A and B of the Code of Conduct and Rules for Registration of Interests)

Any Member who needs to clarify any matters relating to the declaration of interests is recommended to seek advice from the Council’s Monitoring Officeror a member of his staff before the meeting to expedite dealing with the item during the meeting.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Steve Hedges declared an ‘other’ interest in item 9 (Budget & Council Tax) as an employee of a care home.

84.

ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL OR FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

These are matters of information for Members of the Council. No decisions will be required arising from the announcements.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman made the customary housekeeping announcements regarding the webcast, mobile phones and meeting procedures.

 

He congratulated all those who had received honours in the Queen’s New Year’s list.

 

He further congratulated the Council on being ‘Highly Commended’ (finishing 2nd) at the recent ‘Employee Engagement Awards 2015’ in the Project of the Year Award and passed on congratulations to the teams who had been shortlisted for three awards this year at the LGC Awards;

 

·  Business Transformation – Workplaces

·  Team of the Year – Early Years ‘Dealers in Hope’

·  HWB Board of the Year

 

The Chairman reminded Members of the forthcoming events and encouraged them to attend (and in any case, respond regarding their intentions);

 

·  Civic Reception – 17th March

·  Parish Councillors’ Reception – 20th April

·  School Governors’ Reception – 6th May

85.

TO ANNOUNCE ANY URGENT BUSINESS AGREED BY THE CHAIRMAN

If there is any urgent business arising since the formal agenda was published, the Chairman will announce this and give reasons why he has agreed to consider it at this meeting. In making his decision, the Chairman will, where practicable, have consulted with the Leaders of the Political Groups. Any documentation on urgent business will be circulated at the meeting, if not made available previously.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business.

86.

MINUTES - 12TH NOVEMBER 2015 & 17TH DECEMBER 2015

Minutes of 12th November 2015 and 17th December 2015 to be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair(man)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

On a motion from Councillor Eleanor Jackson, seconded by Councillor Tim Warren, it was

 

RESOLVED that the minutes of the 12th November and 17th December be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

87.

QUESTIONS, STATEMENTS, PETITIONS AND DEPUTATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC

The Democratic Services Manager will announce any submissions received. The Council will be invited to decide what action it wishes to take, if any, on the matters raised in these submissions. As the questions received and the answers given will be circulated in written form there is no requirement for them to be read out at the meeting. The questions and answers will be published with the draft minutes.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

David Redgewell made a statement which, whilst supporting most of the transport proposals in the budget, called on the Council to protect revenue budgets for rural, evening and weekend services in support of the Buses Bill.  A copy of David’s submission is attached to the online record.  [This statement was made at the start of the Budget report (item 9).

Additional documents:

88.

Bath and North East Somerset Council Corporate Strategy 2016-20 pdf icon PDF 71 KB

This report presents the Bath and North East Somerset Council Corporate Strategy 2016-20 for adoption. The Corporate Strategy has been shaped by and will deliver the ‘Putting Residents First’ manifesto commitments. The priorities in this Strategy will provide context to and guide Council activity and budget planning over the next four years.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council considered a report presenting the Bath and North East Somerset Council Corporate Strategy 2016-20 for adoption.  The priorities of the Corporate Strategy are intended to provide context to and guide Council activity and budget planning over the next four years.

 

On a motion from Councillor Tim Warren, seconded by Councillor Patrick Anketell-Jones, it was

 

RESOLVED to adopt the Bath and North East Somerset Council Corporate Strategy 2016-20.

 

[Note; The above motion was passed with 49 Councillors voting in favour and 11 against.]

89.

Budget and Council Tax 2016/17 and Financial Outlook 2016/17 to 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 107 KB

This report presents the Cabinet's revenue and capital budgets for the 2016/17 financial year together with a proposal for a Council Tax level for 2016/17.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council considered a report presenting the Cabinet’s revenue and capital budgets for the 2016/17 financial year together with a proposal for a Council Tax level for 2016/17.

 

In addition to the report circulated with the agenda, all Councillors also received;

 

·  Appendix 7: Resolution for setting Council Tax for 2016/17

·  Updated recommendations and changes to budget report figures to reflect the provision in the Final Settlement for local government of Transitional Grant funding for the Council

·  Draft minutes of the Resources Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel meeting held on 8th February with the Panel’s comments on the budget proposals.

 

On a motion from Councillor Tim Warren, seconded by Councillor Dine Romero, it was RESOLVED that the Council suspends Council rule 42, Content and Length of Speeches, for the duration of this debate so as to enable variations to be permitted to the length of speeches by the Cabinet Member for Finance & Efficiency, the Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green Group Leaders and Independent & Village Voice Spokesperson and the Chair of the Resources Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel.

 

On a motion from Councillor Charles Gerrish, seconded by Councillor Tim Warren, it was

 

RESOLVED that

 

1.  That the Council approve:

 

a.  The General Fund net revenue budget for 2016/17 of £115.729m and the associated Council Tax increase of 1.25% plus a further 2% for Adult Social Care, as set out in Appendix 2.

 

b.  That no Special Expenses be charged other than Town and Parish Council precepts for 2016/17.

 

c.  The adequacy of reserves at Appendix 2 Table 10 with a risk-assessed level of £10.5m.

 

d.  The individual service cash limits for 2016/17 summarised at Appendix 2 Table 6 and detailed in Annex 1.

 

e.  The allocations of the Transitional grant of £936k in 2016/17 as follows:

(i)  Adjustments to Existing Budget Proposals

 

Ø  £25K - Widening of Gull Strategy trial and additional enforcement work.

Ø  £62K – Increase transition support for Freight Consolidation from 6 to 12 months.

 

(ii) New Provision

Ø  £50K – Support and advice for B&NES Council financial planning and a submission to government - to inform planned changes to local government finance nationally, including a new system of needs assessment and tariffs, which will be offsetting business rates retention proposals.

 

 (iii) Service Transition Support

Ø  £799K – Corporately held transition funding to assist in the delivery of savings targets and other pressures as required in year and as a contingency relating to income growth targets in 2016/17.

 

f.  That the specific arrangements for the governance and release of reserves, including invest to save proposals and transition funding, be delegated to the Council’s Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance & Efficiency and the Chief Executive.

 

2.  That the Council include in its Council Tax setting, the precepts set and approved by other bodies including the local precepts of Town Councils, Parish Councils and the Charter Trustees of the City of Bath, and those of the Fire and Police Authorities.

 

3.  That the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 89.

90.

Treasury Management Strategy Statement & Investment Strategy 2016/17 pdf icon PDF 85 KB

This report fulfils the Council’s legal obligation under the Local Government Act 2003 to have regard to both the CIPFA Code and the CLG Guidance in setting out its Treasury Strategy for borrowing, and preparing an Annual Investment Strategy, setting out the Council’s policies for managing its investments.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council considered a report presenting the Treasury Strategy for borrowing and an Annual Investment Strategy setting out the Council’s policies for managing its investments.

 

On a motion from Councillor Charles Gerrish, seconded by Councillor Paul May, it was

 

RESOLVED

 

1.  To approve the actions proposed within the Treasury Management Strategy Statement (Appendix 1 of the report); and

 

2.  To approve the Investment Strategy as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report.

 

[Note; The above motion was approved with 45 Councillors voting in favour, 11 against and 2 abstentions.]

91.

Nomination of Chairman Designate for 2016/17 pdf icon PDF 67 KB

The purpose of this report is to invite the Council to name a Councillor as Chair(man) of the Council (Designate) for the next Council Year beginning in May 2016. The Council, at its Annual Meeting on 12th May 2016, will still be required formally to elect a Councillor to be the Chair(man) of the Council for the forthcoming Council Year.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

This report allows Council to indicate which Councillor is likely to take over as Chairman from the Annual General meeting in May.  This allows advance planning of the Chairman’s diary but will still require a formal election to take place at the May meeting.

 

The Council noted that a Liberal Democrat Councillor would be nominated as Vice-Chairman at the March Council meeting.

 

On a motion from Councillor Tim Warren, seconded by Councillor Dine Romero, it was unanimously

 

RESOLVED that Councillor Alan Hale be designated as Council Chairman for the Council year 2016/17.