Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Guildhall, Bath

Contact: Jo Morrison  01225 394358

Items
No. Item

57.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURE

The Chairman will draw attention to the emergency evacuation procedure as set out under Note 7.

Minutes:

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

58.

MINUTES - 10TH NOVEMBER 2011 pdf icon PDF 54 KB

To be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Minutes:

On a motion from Councillor Paul Crossley, seconded by Councillor Francine Haeberling, it was

 

RESOLVED that the minutes of 10th November be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

59.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillor Chris Watt.

60.

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 personal and prejudicial or personal.

Any Member who needs to clarify any matters relating to the declaration of interests is recommended to seek advice from the Solicitor to the Council and Monitoring Officer before the meeting to expedite dealing with the item during the meeting.

 

Minutes:

The Council’s Monitoring Officer gave specific advice regarding declaration of interests in relation to the budget report.

 

Councillor Eleanor Jackson declared a personal, non-prejudicial interest in agenda item 8 as Secretary of Radstock in Bloom, and a member of the Victoria Hall Committee.

 

Councillor Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst MBE declared a personal, non-prejudicial interest in agenda item 8 as the Council’s representative on Sirona Care and Health in a non-executive Directors role.

61.

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.

Minutes:

The Chairman;

 

1.  Expressed condolences on behalf of the Council for the recent death of former Councillor Chris Cray and asked the Council to stand in silence as a mark of respect;

 

2.  Congratulated Councillor Manda Rigby on being named as Bath Chronicle Woman of the Year, and Councillor June Player as being named Bath Chronicle Politician of the Year;

 

3.  Indicated that he proposed to waive Council Rule 37 so as not to permit Councillors seconding motions or amendments being able to reserve their right to speak until later in the debate, but to require all seconders, if they wished to speak, to do so when they seconded the motion or amendment. The Council indicated its agreement; and

 

4.  Informed Council that he proposed to announce a 10 minute comfort break at an appropriate point if the meeting continued beyond 8.00pm

62.

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.

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business.

63.

QUESTIONS, STATEMENTS, PETITIONS AND DEPUTATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC

The Democratic Services Manager will announce any submissions received under the arrangements set out in note 5 above. 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.

Minutes:

Nick Brailey made a statement (a copy of which is held on the Council’s minute book and available online) expressing concern about the state of the B&NES area, and in particular Bath city centre. He invited Members to walk the city centre with him to see and discuss the issues.  The statement was referred for consideration to the Cabinet Members for Neighbourhoods, Transport and Sustainable Development.

 

Alex Schlesinger made a statement (a copy of which is held on the Council’s minute book and available online) in support of the proposed funding for regeneration of London road, asking for it to be recognised as a community in its own right and a key factor in the perception of Bath’s role as a heritage venue.  The statement was referred to the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development.

 

David Dunlop made a statement also in support of the regeneration of the London road area.  He referred to the Core Strategy and its reference to the London road area as an area of deprivation.  He welcomed the Placemaking plan as playing a key role in addressing this and hoped that future Administrations would continue to support regeneration of the area.  The statement was referred to the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development.

 

David Redgewell made a statement (a copy of which is held on the Council’s minute book and available online) regarding rail and bus transport issues.  He stressed the importance of protecting Bath’s interests in the work being done by the West of England partnership.  He specifically requested that bus tender contracts should require all vehicles to be disabled accessible.  Councillor Paul Crossley commended David on his persistence and commitment to campaigning on transport issues and deferred his question to Councillor Roger Symonds who asked if David had any evidence to support his assertion that WEP interests didn’t go beyond Bath. David responded that the mapping in the Evening post had demonstrated this.  In response to a question from Eleanor Jackson enquiring how his comments related to bus services to Midsomer Norton and Radstock, and the perceived value of the Radstock/Frome railway, David referred to a feasibility study which was welcomed and might raise some options.  The statement was referred for consideration to the Cabinet Member for Transport.

 

Mike Clarkson made a statement in support of a petition which he submitted, signed by nearly 900 residents against the closure of the Mobile library service. (A copy of the statement is held on the Council’s minute book and available online.) The statement and petition was referred for consideration to the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods.

 

The Chairman thanked all the speakers for their statements and asked Councillors to take their comments into account when considering the budget papers.

Additional documents:

64.

MEDIUM TERM SERVICE & RESOURCE PLANNING 2012/13 - 2014/15, & BUDGET AND COUNCIL TAX 2012/13 pdf icon PDF 57 KB

This report presents the Cabinet’s draft medium term financial plan, and revenue and capital budgets for the 2012/13 financial year, together with a proposal for a Council Tax level for 2012/13.

 

This item has yet to be considered by the Cabinet on 8th February and any changes to the report or proposed budget will be sent as a supplementary despatch.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council considered a report setting out the Cabinet’s draft medium term financial plan, and revenue and capital budgets for the 2012/13 financial year, together with a proposal for a Council Tax level for 2012/13 (Report 8).

 

In addition to the reports circulated with the agenda, all Councillors received a copy of the draft minute of the Resources Policy Development and Scrutiny (PDS) Panel meeting held on 6th February with the Panel`s comments on the Budget proposals.  Councillors also received Appendix 5 – Formal Council Tax Setting resolutions (incorporating precepts from Parishes, Fire and Police).

 

On a motion from Councillor Paul Crossley, seconded by Councillor Francine Haeberling, it was RESOLVED that the Council suspends Council Rule 42, Content and Length of Speeches, for the duration of this debate to enable variations to be permitted to the length of the speeches by the Cabinet Member for Community Resources, the Conservative, Labour and Independent Groups and the Chair of the Resources Policy Development & Scrutiny Panel.

 

On a motion from Councillor David Bellotti, seconded by Councillor Paul Crossley, it was

 

RESOLVED

 

1.  To approve:

 

a.  The General Fund net revenue budget for 2012/13 of £120.156m with no increase in Council Tax.

 

b.  That no Special Expenses be charged other than Town and Parish Council precepts for 2012/13.

 

c.  The adequacy of reserves at Appendix 1, Table 9 of the report, with a risk-assessed level of £10.5m.

 

d.  The individual service cash limits for 2012/13 summarised at Appendix 1, Table 5 and detailed in Annex 1 of the report, subject to the removal of the proposal to discontinue the mobile library service and the adjustment of the cash limit by an additional £50,000 to be allocated from the £381,000 to be transferred to Revenue Budget contingency to provide for emerging priorities in the year ahead, to enable the continuation of the mobile library service

 

e.  That the specific arrangements for the governance and release of reserves, including invest to save proposals, be delegated to the Council’s Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Community Resources and the Chief Executive.

 

2.  To include 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 in its Council Tax setting.

 

3.  To acknowledge the Section 151 officer's report on the robustness of the proposed budget and the adequacy of the Council's reserves (Appendix 1, Annex 2 of the report) and approves the conditions upon which the recommendations are made as set out throughout Appendix 1 of the report.

 

4.  That, in relation to the capital budget, the Council:

 

a.  approves a capital programme of £37.471m for 2012/13 and notes items for provisional approval in 2012/13 and the programme for 2013/14 to 2016/17 as shown at Appendix 1, Annex 3 of the report including the planned sources of funding;

 

b.  approves the Minimum Revenue Provision Policy as shown at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64.

65.

2012/13 LTP TRANSPORT IMPROVEMENT SCHEMES - CAPITAL PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 36 KB

This report supplements the Council Budget Report, to agree the 2012/13 LTP Transport Improvement Schemes as set out in the Capital Programme.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council considered a report, supplementary to the budget report, seeking approval for consultation on the Local Transport Plan Transport Improvement Schemes.

 

On a motion from Councillor Roger Symonds, seconded by Councillor Paul Crossley, it was

 

RESOLVED

 

1.  To agree that the 2012/12 LTP Transport Improvement Capital Programme in Appendix 1 to the report be approved for consultation; and

 

2.  That the Group Manager, Transport and Planning Policy, be given delegated authority to alter the programme, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport, following consultation, and as may prove necessary during 2012/13 within the overall approved capital budget allocation.

66.

TREASURY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY STATEMENT AND ANNUAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY 2012/13 pdf icon PDF 53 KB

The Council has adopted the CIPFA Treasury Management in Public services Code of Practice, which requires the Council to approve a Treasury Management Strategy before the start of each financial year and for this to be subject to scrutiny.  A revised version of the Code was published in November 2011 in light of the additional financial freedoms available to local authorities in the Localism Act 2011.  The Council will therefore be asked to formally adopt the revised Code.  The Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) issued revised guidance on local authority investments in March 2010 that requires the Council to approve an investment strategy before the start of each financial year.

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.  It will be scrutinised by the Corporate Audit Committee at the 7th February 2012 meeting, and reported to Cabinet on 8th February 2012.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council considered a report which 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 approving the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and the Investment Strategy.

 

The report had also been scrutinised by the Corporate Audit Committee (7th February 2012) and the Cabinet (8th February 2012).

 

On a motion from Councillor David Bellotti, seconded by Councillor Andy Furse, it was

 

RESOLVED to agree that

 

1.  The actions proposed within the Treasury Management Strategy Statement (Appendix 1 of the report) be approved;

 

2.  The Investment Strategy, as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report, be approved;

 

3.  The changes to the authorised lending lists, detailed in Appendix 2 and highlighted in Appendix 3 to the report, be approved;

 

4.  CIPFA’s revised Code of Practice on Treasury Management, as detailed in paragraph 5.5 of the report, be adopted; and

 

5.  The revised Treasury Management Policy Statement, as detailed in Appendix 4 to the report, be approved.

67.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF CHAIR(MAN) DESIGNATE FOR 2012/13 pdf icon PDF 40 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 2012.  The Council, at its Annual Meeting on 13th May 2012, will still be required formally to elect a Councillor to be the Chair(man) of the Council for the forthcoming Council Year.

Minutes:

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

 

On a motion from Councillor John Bull, seconded by Councillor Paul Crossley, it was

 

RESOLVED that Councillor Rob Appleyard be named as Chair(man) Designate for the 2012/13 Council year and Councillor Neil Butters be named as Vice-Chair(man) Designate for the 2012/13 Council year.

68.

QUESTIONS, STATEMENTS, PETITIONS AND DEPUTATIONS FROM COUNCILLORS

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.

Minutes:

There were none.