The Council considered the recommendation of Cabinet on the detailed Revenue Budget for 2021-22 and the proposed Council Tax for 2021-22. The Mayor referred councillors to the Budget Book (green cover) reflecting the decisions and recommendations made by Cabinet on 24 February 2021, including the precepts being levied by Surrey County Council and the Surrey Police.

It was moved, seconded and 

Resolved to agree that in accordance with Standing Order 20.4, the respective Budget speeches of the Group Leaders may each exceed 10 minutes in length if necessary.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor J.R Boughtflower made a statement on the Budget and the Council Tax and moved the recommendations on the detailed Budget for 2021-22 as set out in the report circulated in the Budget Book. The Leader of the Liberal Democrats Group, Councillor S. Dunn, Leader of the United Spelthorne Group, Councillor I.T. Harvey and Leader of the Green Group, Councillor J. Doerfel then made statements.

A copy of Councillors Boughtflower, Dunn, Harvey and Doerfel’s speeches are attached to these minutes as Appendices A - D respectively.

During the debate on this item, it was moved, seconded and

Resolved to suspend Standing Order 5, Duration of Meeting, to allow the meeting to continue until the completion of this item of business.

At the conclusion of the debate on the Revenue Budget, the Mayor explained it was a legal requirement to record in the minutes of the proceedings the names of the persons who cast a vote for the decision or who abstained from voting.

Councillor Gething left the meeting before the vote was called.

The voting was as follows:

FOR (19)

Attewell, Barnard, Barratt C, Barratt R, Boughtflower, Brar, Buttar, Chandler, Harman, Harvey H, Harvey I, Islam, Leighton, Madams, McIlroy, Mitchell, Noble, Rybinski and Sider.

AGAINST (3)

Doerfel, Lagden and Sexton.

ABSTAIN (13)

Bateson, Beardsmore, Doran J, Doran S, Dunn R, Dunn S, Fidler, Grant, Nichols, Saliagopoulos, Smith-Ainsley, Spoor and Vinson.

Resolved to:

1.    Approve a 0.00% increase on Band D for the Spelthorne Borough Council element of the Council Tax for 2021/22. Moreover:

a)    The revenue estimates as set out in Appendix 1 be approved.

b)    No Money, as set out in this report is appropriated from General Reserves in support of Spelthorne’s local Council tax for 2021/22.

c)    To agree that the Council Tax base for the year 2021/22 is 39,016 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.    Continue the Council’s Local Council Tax Support Scheme with the current rules and regulations.

3.    Continue the complete disregard of war pension / armed forces pension income from benefit calculations.

4.    Approve the growth and savings items as set out in the report’s appendices.

5.    Note the Chief Finance Officer’s commentary in section 4 of the report on the robustness of budget estimates and levels of reserves under sections 25 and 26 of the Local Government Act 2003

6.    Agree the Council Tax Base for the whole council area for 2021/22 [Item T in the formula in Section 31b (3) of the local government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “act”)] should be 39,016 band D equivalent dwellings and calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purpose for 2021/22 is £205.05 Per Band D equivalent dwelling.

7.    That the following sums be now calculated by the Council for the year 2020/21 in accordance with Section 31 to 36 of the Local Government Act 1992.

8.    That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2021/22 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Localism Act 2011. 

Being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at (F) above by the number which in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the sum which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation band ‘D’, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different band.

9.    That it be noted that for the year 2021/22 Surrey County Council and Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner have stated the following amounts (subject to ratification on 2 & 7 February) in precepts issued to Spelthorne Borough Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:

Precepts issued to the Council

10.That, having calculated the aggregate in each case above the Council in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Localism Act 2011, hereby sets the amounts as the amounts of Council tax for the year 2021/22.

The Council has determined that its relevant basic amount of Council Tax for 2021/22 is not excessive in accordance with the principles approved under Section 52ZB Local Government Finance Act 1992.

As the billing authority, the council has not been notified by a major precepting authority that its relevant basic amount of Council Tax for 2021/22 is excessive and that the billing authority is not required to hold a referendum in accordance with Section 52ZK Local Government Finance Act 1992.