Minutes of the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee
10 February 2025
Present:
Councillor J.R. Sexton (Chair)
Councillor C. Bateson (Vice-Chair)
Councillors:
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M. Beecher J.R. Boughtflower J. Button S.M. Doran |
K.M. Grant K. Howkins M.J. Lee S.C. Mooney
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L. E. Nichols O. Rybinski
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18/25 |
Apologies and Substitutes
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Apologies were received from Councillors Geach, Gibson and Williams.
Cllr Dunn was substituting for Councillor Gibson and Councillor Rutherford was substituting for Councillor Williams.
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19/25 |
Minutes
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The minutes of the meeting held on 20 January 2025 were agreed as a correct record.
A member queried why information that had been requested at the previous meeting had not been provided. The Committee were advised that this information could be found within Appendix 3 attached to the Detailed Budget Report. The Committee were advised that information requested by members would be provided in a timely manner to ensure that any queries were resolved.
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20/25 |
Disclosures of Interest
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Councillors Attewell, Mooney and Sexton declared that they were also Surrey County Councillors.
Councillor Nichols declared that he sat on the Knowle Green Estates board of directors.
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21/25 |
Proposed Fees and Charges for 2025-26
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The Committee resolved to agree the Fees and Charges for 2025-26.
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22/25 |
Detailed Budget for 2025/26
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The Committee expressed concerns around the Local Government Reorganisation and the financial impact on the Council’s budgets. Members were advised that processes would be put in place to look at all costs before Surrey became a Unitary Authority/Authorities. Any subsequent changes that were needed with regard to the Council’s finances would be brought to this Committee for consideration and a decision from members.
Some information contained within the report was out of date so the Committee requested that it be amended before being presented to Council.
The Committee queried what work was being undertaken to address the level of debt for Knowle Green Estates taking into account the challenges that the Local Government Reorganisation may bring. The Chief Finance Officer advised that the risk section within the report would be expanded to reflect any identified risks.
The Committee resolved to recommend that Council consider and approve the following:
1. To approve a 2.9% increase on the Spelthorne Borough Council element of the Council Tax for 2025-26. Moreover:
a. The Revenue estimates as set out in Appendix 1 be approved.
b. £400,100 as et out in this report are to be appropriated from Earmarked Reserves other than sinking fund reserves in support of Spelthorne’s local Council Tax for 2025-26.
c. Net use of £5,037,300 of Earmarked Sinking Funds reserves.
d. To agree that the Council Tax Base for the year 2025-26 is 40,620 Band D equivalent dwellings calculated in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992, as amended, made under Section 35(5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.
2. Continuing the Council’s Local Council Tax Support Scheme with the current rules and regulations.
3. Continuing the complete disregard of war pension/armed forces pension from benefit calculations.
4. To note the Chief Finance Officer’s commentary in Section 4 of the report on the robustness of budget estimates and levels of reserves under Section 25 and 26 of the Local Government Act 2003.
5. The Council Tax Base for the whole Council area for 2025-26. (Item T in the formula in Section 31b(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the ‘act’)) should be 40,620 band D equivalent dwellings and calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purpose for 2025-26 is £228.86 Per Band D equivalent dwelling.
That the following sums be now calculated by the Council for the year 2025-26 in accordance with Section 31 to 36 of the Local Government Act 1992.
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A |
11,762,300 |
The Council’s estimated gross expenditure - being the aggregate of the amount which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A (2) of the Act considering all precepts issued to it by Parish Councils. |
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B |
-112,446,000 |
The Council’s estimated gross income - being the aggregate of the amount which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A (3) of the Act |
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C |
9,296,300 |
The Council’s estimated net expenditure or budget requirement - being the amount by which the aggregate at (A) above exceeds the aggregate at (B) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31A (4) of the Act, as its Council Tax requirement for the year |
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D |
228.86 |
The average band D Council Tax - being the amount at (C) above divided by the amount at 5c (above), calculated by the Council in accordance with Section31B (1) of the act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year (including Parish precepts) |
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E |
0 |
The sum of the parish precepts - being the aggregate amount of all special items (Parish precepts) referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act. |
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F |
228.86 |
Being the amount at (D) above less the result given by dividing the amount at (E) above by the amount at 5c (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 on those parts of its area to which no Parish precept relates. |
That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2025-26 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Localism Act 2011.
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A £ |
B £ |
C £ |
D £ |
E £ |
F £ |
G £ |
H £
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152.57 |
178.00 |
203.43 |
228.86 |
279.72 |
330.58 |
381.43 |
457.72 |
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23/25 |
Capital Strategy 2025/26 to 2026/27
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The Committee were advised that the Council has a statutory responsibility to refresh and approve a Capital Strategy each year before the start of the financial year.
Committee resolved to recommend that Council approve the Capital Strategy as set out in the report.
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24/25 |
Estimated 2025/26 to 2028/29 Capital Programme
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The Committee queried what allowances had been made for the final settlement figure from Wilmott Dixon in respect of the Eclipse Leisure Centre. Concerns were also raised in respect of Phase 2 of the Leisure Centre works. The Chief Finance Officer advised that they would write to all Committee members to clarify the situation.
Further clarification of the figures shown under 2.9 of the report (Commercial Income, related costs and net contribution to future costs) was sought by the Committee. The Chief Finance Officer advised that he would write to all Committee members with further details.
The Committee resolved to recommend that Council approves the proposed Capital Programme for 2025/26 to 2028/29.
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25/25 |
Car Park Management system award
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The Committee were advised that the existing Car Park Management System in Elmsleigh Car Park was no longer reliable and also no longer financially viable due to the costs of repairs.
The new proposed system would be fully ticketless as it would be based on camera recognition of the car registration at entry and exit points. It is planned that there would be 5 payment terminals that would be card payment only and 2 that would be card or cash payment. Customers would also have the option to pay via a parking app on their phones.
Concerns were expressed about accessibility to the payment terminals for disabled users. The Committee were advised that the proposed new system would enhance the accessibility and inclusivity of the car parking system for all users.
The Committee resolved to:
1. Approve the tender award as set out in this report; and
2. Delegate authority to the Group Head of Corporate Governance to enter into necessary legal documentation to formalise the appointment of the preferred contractor.
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26/25 |
Pay Policy 2025/26
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The Committee were advised that it was a statutory requirement that an Annual Pay Policy was published by 31 March of each year for the following financial year.
The Committee requested further information on the current Discretionary Redundancy Payments as outlined in Appendix 2 attached to the report. The Group Head of Commissioning and Transformation advised that they would provide full details in writing to all Committee members
The Committee resolved to recommend to Council that the Pay Policy Statement is approved.
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27/25 |
Corporate Plan Progress Report
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The Committee were advised that the Council would have to look at all current outstanding projects and prioritise them ahead of the planned Local Government Reorganisation.
The Committee suggested that the current Corporate Plan needed to be reviewed and updated.
The Committee resolved to:
1. Note the update on progress with the planned actions under each of the Corporate Plan priorities, which are summarised in Appendix A; and
2. Agree to a review of the planned actions under the Corporate Plan to take account of the factors outlined in this report, in particular the proposed reorganisation of Local Government in Surrey and for progress with any revised prioritisation of actions to be reported back to the next meeting of this Committee.
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28/25 |
Urgent Actions
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The Committee resolved to note the two urgent actions that had been taken since the last meeting.
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29/25 |
Forward Plan
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The Committee resolved to note the contents of the Forward Plan.