Agenda item

To consider the Revenue Budget 2019/20.

Consideration was given to the Revenue and Capital Budget and Council Tax for 2019/20.

 

It was moved by Councillor Sue Graham and seconded by Councillor Mark Townsend

 

“That the Council approves the proposals contained in items 5 (f) to 5 (l) on the agenda and adopts the relevant minutes of the Executive.  These relate to the approval of the Council’s revenue and capital budgets and setting the rate of Council Tax for 2019/20”.

 

Amendments were submitted by the Conservative Group and by the Green party member.

 

Adjournment of meeting

 

The Mayor adjourned the meeting at 7.50pm

 

The meeting reconvened at 8.00 pm

                                                                                                                                                                                        

An amendment was moved by Councillor Newhouse and seconded by Councillor Ferrier

 

“To raise Council tax by 1.99%, instead of the planned 2.99% rise for 2019/20 at a revenue cost of £68,000;

 

To replace recycling blue boxes with 1 wheeled bin for those properties identified as suitable for additional wheeled bins at a capital cost of £120,000;

 

To reduce street sweeping after wheeled bin collections as a result of the above proposal to give a revenue saving of £35,000;

 

The rest to be funded from £80,000 utilisation of unspent WOF money as at end of 2019/20 and £73,000 net funding from reserves”

 

In accordance with Council procedure rule 16.7 a recorded vote was taken on the amendments

 

The amendment was declared to be lost.

 

An amendment was moved by Councillor Fewings and seconded by Councillor Birtwistle

 

“To undertake upgrade works to Evans Street, David Street and Berry Street, Healey Wood, Burnley at a capital cost of £80,000 to be funded from utilisation of £80,000 unspent WOF money as at end of 2019/20.

 

To freeze Council Tax instead of the planned 2.99% rise for 2019/20 at a revenue cost of £202,000 and to commission training for Council Officers on energy efficiency standards and planning for cycling provision at a revenue cost of £20,000, requiring a total of £222,000 net funding from reserves.”

 

 

In accordance with Council procedure rule 16.7 a recorded vote was taken on the amendments

 

The amendment was declared to be lost.

 

In accordance with Council procedure rule 16.7 a recorded vote was taken on the motion;

 

Accordingly the motion was declared to be carried and it was RESOLVED:

 

 

(1)             That the approach that has been adopted in developing budget proposals that reflect the Council’s Strategic Objectives for 2019/20 be endorsed;

 

(2)             That approval be given to the proposals contained in the revenue budget 2019/20 report, including the amended  populated Appendix 1;

 

(3)             That the setting of a Council Tax Requirement of £6,962,402 for the financial year 2019/20 be approved;

 

(4)             That the setting of a Net Budget Requirement of £15,814,610 for 2019/20 be approved;

 

(5)             That the statutory report issued by the Head of Finance and Property under the Local Government Act, 2003 be received ;

 

(6)             That the Chief Operating Officer/Heads of Service be authorised to progress action plans to deliver the 2019/20 budget;

 

(7)             That approval be given to a Council Tax (Band D) figure of £300.22 for this Council for the year commencing 1st April 2019 and the statutory resolution to set the full Council Tax for the year be adopted. This is equivalent to a 2.99% Council tax increase;

 

(8)             That the additional Council Tax premium from 2019/20 onwards      be increased for properties that have been empty for over 2 years, from 50% to 100%. This will mean paying 200% Council Tax for these properties.

 

(9)             That  the latest Medium-Term Financial Strategy be approved;

 

(10)          That the Reserves Strategy, as appended to the Medium-Term Financial Strategy be approved;

 

(11)          That it be noted that a refreshed document will be provided when required as an aid to monitoring the continued delivery of an annually balanced budget.

 

(12)          That the 2019/20 Capital Budget, totalling £18,223,656 as set out in Appendix 1 as amended be approved;

 

(13)       That the 2019-24 Capital Investment Programme as also set out in Appendix 1 as amended be noted;

 

(14)        That the estimated position on capital resources as set out in Appendix 2 be noted.

 

(15)        That subject to (1) above that the release of capital scheme budgets be approved  including slippage from 2018/19, subject to compliance with the Financial Procedure Rules and that there will be full compliance with Standing Orders for Contracts; 

 

(16)        That approval be given to the Capital Strategy 2019-24, as set out in Appendix 3;and

 

(17)        That authority be delegated, as amended, to the Head of Green Spaces and Amenities and the Chief Operating Officer to accept £183,111 of external funding from the Football Foundation (previously £175,000) for the redevelopment of the Worsthorne Recreation Ground.

           

(18)        That the treasury management strategy statement for 2019/20 as set  out in Appendix 1 to the report be approved;

 

(19)      That the prudential and treasury indicators for 2019/20 to 2021/22 per Appendix 2 including the authorised limit for external debt of £44.480m in 2019/20 be approved;

 

(20)      That the list of Counterparties for Deposits outlined within Appendix 3 be approved;

 

(21)      That the increase in maximum deposits to be held with HSBC UK Bank plc to £25m be approved;

 

(22)      That the Council’s MRP Statement for 2019/20 as set out in Appendix 4  be approved;.

 

	(23)          That it be noted that on 25thJanuary 2019 the Council calculated the Council              Tax base 2019/20   (a)  for the whole Council area as 23,191 band D equivalent properties (Item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 [the “Act”] as amended by the Localism Act 2011)   (b)  for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates as in the attached Appendix B.   (24)       That the Council Tax requirement calculated for the Council’s own    purposes for 2019/20 (excluding parish precepts) is £6,962,402.
	(25)       That the following amounts be calculated by the Council for the financial year 2019/20 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act   (a)        £54,635,534   being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council  estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) (a) of the Act taking into account all precepts issued to it by Parish Councils;   (b)        £47,519,523    being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council     estimates for the items set out in Section 31A (3) of the Act;                    (c)      £7,116,011       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 31A (4) of the Act as its Council Tax requirement for the year. (Item R in the formula in Section 31B of the Act);                    (d)            £306.84     being the amount at (3)(c) above (Item R), all divided by Item T (1(a) above), calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year (including Parish Precepts);                    (e)           £153,609  being the aggregate of all special items (Parish precepts) referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act (as per the attached Appendix B);                            (f)             £300.22     being the amount at (3)(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at (3)(e) above by Item T (the amount at 1(a) 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 special item (Parish precept) relates.
	(26)    To note that the County Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire and the Fire Authority have issued precepts to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each category of dwellings in the Council’s area as indicated in the table below.
	(27)          That the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in the tables below and in Appendix A as the amounts of Council Tax for 2019/20 for each part of its area and for each of the categories of dwellings.   VALUATION BANDS   Burnley Borough Council A B C D E F G H £200.15 £233.50 £266.86 £300.22 £366.94 £433.65 £500.37 £600.44 Lancashire County Council A B C D E F G H £897.73 £1047.35 £1196.97 £1346.59 £1645.83 £1945.07 £2244.32 £2693.18 Police & Crime Commissioner for Lancashire A B C D E F G H £134.30 £156.68 £179.07 £201.45 £246.22 £290.98 £335.75 £402.90 Lancashire Combined Fire Authority A B C D E F G H £46.32 £54.04 £61.76 £69.48 £84.92 £100.36 £115.80 £138.96 Aggregate of Council Tax Requirements A B C D E F G H £1278.50 £1491.57 £1704.66 £1917.74 £2343.91 £2770.06 £3196.24 £3835.48
	(28)      That it be determined that the Council’s basic amount of Council Tax for   2019/20 is not excessive in accordance with principles approved under Section 52ZB Local Government Finance Act 1992.

(29)       That the Members Allowance Scheme 2019-2022 be approved as follows:

 

(a)  Basic Allowance  -The level of basic allowance paid to all members be linked to the National Joint Council (Administrative, Professional,  Technical and Clerical) pay structure for the next three years up to 31^st March 2022. The level of basic allowance from 1^st April 2019 will be £3570.

 

(b)  Special Responsibility Allowances -That there be no change to the definition of roles that attract special responsibility allowances but that the multipliers be adjusted to that shown in brackets below

·                     The Leader  (basic allowance x 3.50)

·                     The Deputy Leader (basic allowance x 1.00)

·                     Executive portfolios (basic allowance x 1.25)

·                     Chair of Scrutiny Committees (basic allowance x 1.25)

·                     Chair of Development Control Committee (basic allowance x 0.80)

·                     Chair of Licensing Committee (basic allowance x 0.50)

·                     Chair of Audit and Standards Committee (basic allowance x 0.50)

·                     Vice Chair of Development Control Committee (basic allowance x 0.40)

·                     Opposition Group Leaders (shared basic allowance x 1.00)

The following table shows the levels of basic and special responsibility allowances for 2019/20 based on the agreed 2% increase in NJC pay structure.  The Members Allowance Scheme for 2020/21 and 2021/22 will be subject the percentage increases in NJC staff pay structure. 

	2019/20	Totals
Basic x 45	3,570.00	160,650.00
Leader x 1	12,495.00	12,495.00
Deputy Leader x1	3,570.00	3,570.00
Executive Members x 5	4,462.50	22,312.50
Scrutiny Chair x 1	4,462.50	4,462.50
Scrutiny Vice Chair x 1	1,428.00	1,428.00
Audit & Standards Chair x 1	1,785.00	1,785.00
Development Control Chair x 1	2,856.00	2,856.00
Development Control Vice Chair x1	1,428.00	1,428.00
Licensing Chair x 1	1,785.00	1,785.00
Opposition Group Leaders x 4	892.50	3,570.00
Independent Persons (Standards)x2	500.00	1,000
Total		217,342

 

(c)  Dependent Carers and Childcare Allowances - That the dependent carers’ allowance and childcare allowance be paid at the current rate of the adult minimum wage and be paid under the following criteria.

 

Limitations   

             Costs necessarily incurred for:

    A child or children under the age of 16

    An elderly relative requiring full-time care

    A relative with a physical disability requiring full-time care

    A relative with learning disabilities requiring full-time care

            Safeguards

The person for whom care has been arranged must live in the same                      household as the member

The care in respect of which the allowance is claimed must not be

provided by a person living in the member’s household, or by another

parent of a child in the household;

Disabled dependents are excluded where the member is already in receipt of a carer’s allowance;

The member must notify the Council of the identity of the carer in respect of whose costs the allowance is claimed and the cared for;

Child(ren) or dependent must be registered with the Council in advance of any claim being made .

 

(d)  Travel and subsistence allowance –

 

The following travel and subsistence allowances shall be paid for attendance at approved events.

      Car allowance - This be the same rate as that paid to officers

     determined locally.  

      Motor cycle allowance - This be the same rates as that set by HMRC  

     Other travel allowances

That the payment of travelling allowances by taxi cab be provided for Disabled and Vulnerable Members not to exceed; a) in cases of urgency or where no public transport was reasonably available, the amount of the actual fare and any reasonable gratuity paid; and b) in any other case the amount of travel by appropriate public transport.

      Subsistence allowance be the same as that paid to officers, as at 2019  

      this is

Meal	Maximum Allowance	Criteria
Breakfast	£7.44	before 8.00am
Lunch	£10.27	between 12 noon – 2pm
Tea	£4.04	after 6.30pm
Evening Meal	£12.70	after 8.30pm

 

            If a member is away from their home on official Council business for a

          Continuous period of 24 hours or more, and as a result is required by

          the Council to stay in accommodation overnight, they will be reimbursed  

          with the actual costs incurred.

    

(e)  Co-optees Allowance - That no additional co-optees allowances be paid

 

(f)   Annual Adjustment of Allowances - That there be an annual adjustment of allowances in line with the percentage increase in employee’s pay under the National Joint Council (Administrative, Professional, Technical and Clerical) Pay Award

 

(g)  Backdating - That there be no backdating of allowances.

 

(h)  Repayment/suspension of allowances - That there be

          repayment of allowances should a councillor be suspended, cease to be

           a councillor due to a relevant conviction or non-attendance, or resigns.

 

(i)    Pensions - That no member allowances be classified as pensionable under the Regulations.

 

(j)    Foregoing allowances – Any person may forego all or part of any allowances to which they are entitled.  To do this they must give notice in writing to the proper officer of the Council.