Issue - meetings

The Budget Book (green cover) will be issued in a supplementary agenda and will reflect the recommendations considered at the meeting of the Cabinet on 24 February 2021.

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  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50

Councillor S. Buttar

To consider the detailed Revenue Budget for 2021/22 and make recommendations to Council.

Cabinet considered the Revenue Budget for 2021/22.

Cabinet noted that the budget had considered the impact of COVID-19, but through sound financial management, the Council  were able to propose a 0.0% increase in the Spelthorne Borough Council element of the Council Tax for 2021/22, to assist its residents during these challenging times.

Cabinet also noted that the Chief Finance Officer had taken on board the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and made an additional £150,000 available for green initiatives enabling the Council to provide a total of £250,000 which would be in addition to the unused £900,000 Green Belt initiative which had been put into an earmarked reserve to be available to be called upon if required in the future, rather than returning the funds to the General Fund.

Resolved to recommend Council to agree

1.    To approve a 0.00% increase on Band D for the Spelthorne Borough Council element of the Council Tax for 2021/22 and also that:

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

b)    No money, as set out in the report will be appropriated from General Reserves in support of Spelthorne’s local Council Tax for 2021/22

c)    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.    To continue the Council’s Local Council Tax Support Scheme with the current rules and regulations.

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

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

5.    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.

6.    To note that 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.

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

To scrutinise the Detailed Revenue Budget for 2021/22 prior to it being considered by Cabinet on 24 February 2021.

The Chief Accountant introduced the report and drew the Committees attention to the key aspects and explained that the details of how officers had arrived at the figures stated was set out in section three. The Chief Accountant informed members that the Chief Financial Officer is satisfied that the Council have complied with the CIPFA code and legislation as set stated in section eight.

The portfolio holder for Finance, Councillor Buttar, was invited to address the Committee. Councillor Buttar informed the Committee the Council had listened to members views and tried to incorporate them.

In response to members questions the Deputy Chief Executive informed the Committee that a detailed breakdown of the figures by portfolio holder would be going to Council along with appendices containing additional information including the comparison of Council Tax with Surrey County Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner and a year on year breakdown.

Members expressed the view that it was not clear what would be covered by the 1 million set aside for issues relating to COVID and expressed concern at the increase in domestic violence and financial hardship and sought assurance that there would be provision for supporting these areas.

The Deputy Chief Executive informed members that the family support team had expanded and it was anticipated that other frontline staff would encounter some issues but this was being addressed. Members were advised that the grants panel had considered the range of issues generated by COVID and that these issues would be addressed in a report to Cabinet that would be published on 16 February. The Deputy Chief Executive confirmed that the report did include the details of a grant towards the Citizens Advice Bureau and that the Council did make contributions to Surrey domestic violence support.

The Deputy Leader and portfolio holder for Community Wellbeing and Housing, Councillor Attewell, was invited to comment and confirmed that there were concerns that Housing Associations would take action against those in rent arrears when they were able to do so and that a COVID recovery report  was being worked on.

In response to further questions the Deputy Chief Executive explained that the residents may be eligible for Council Tax support if their income is negatively impacted which would result in additional financial and staffing pressures. He advised that the government had provided some funding but any additional costs would need to be covered by the COVID contingency fund.  

Members queried the funds set aside for litigation and if the risk had been legally assessed. The Deputy Chief Executive informed the Committee that the risk had not been legally assessed but that was a prudent precaution to ensure funds were available if the issue could not be resolved.

In response to members questions the Chief Accountant explained that it was generally accepted that unused contingencies could go back into the general fund and Councillors would be asked to agree any proposed spend.

Members asked the Deputy Chief Executive if he could explain the large  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37