Minutes:
Councillor Humby left the meeting before questions and debate.
Councillor Cutler (Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Risk), moved that the recommended minute and recommendations in Report CL160 be approved and adopted (seconded by Councillor Tod, Cabinet Member for Service Quality and Transformation).
Council proceeded to ask questions and debate the matters in the recommended minute and the reports.
AMENDMENT -Moved by Councillor Godfrey and seconded by Councillor Horrill, as follows:
1. That charges for Sunday and evening parking in city centre car parks be removed with effect from April 2021.
2. That the £149,000 saving achieved by deleting posts from the Planning team be removed and the posts be reinstated.
3. That a 100% discount on garden waste charges in 2021/22 be offered to any resident claiming a means tested benefit.
4. That charges for the garden waste collection service be removed with effect from February 2022.
5. That provision for salary pay award be removed, reflecting the national Government position that a public sector pay freeze should be maintained in 2021/22.
6. That the £850,000 per annum saving in 2021/22 and 2022/23 as a result of reduced pension fund contributions following the recent actuarial assessment be used to fund the above changes rather than being transferred to the Transitional Reserve.
7. That £150,000 be removed from the Climate Emergency revenue budget (£20k in 2021/22 and £130k in 2022/23).
8. That the proposal to transfer £150k to the Parking reserve in 2021/22 and 2022/23 be deleted.
9. That a revised Medium Term Financial Plan replace the appendix 1 of CAB3289.
10. That a revised Council Tax Resolution be approved.
Following questions and debate in respect of the Amendment, in accordance with legislative requirements on recorded votes at Budget Meetings, a recorded vote was taken.
Division Lists
The following Members voted in favour of the amendment to the recommended minute of Cabinet:
Councillors Brook, Clementson, Cook, Cunningham, Gemmell, Godfrey, Griffiths, Horrill, Lumby, Mather, McLean, Miller, Pearson, Read, Ruffell, Scott, Weston
The following Members voted against the amendment to the recommended minute of Cabinet:
Councillors Achwal, Becker, Bell, Bentote, Bronk, Clear, Craske, Cutler, Evans, Fern, Ferguson, Gordon-Smith, Green, Hiscock, Hutchison, Laming, Learney, Murphy, Porter, Power, Prince, Rutter, Thompson, Tod, Weir, Williams
No Members abstained from voting.
AMENDMENT LOST
Following summing up by the proposer and seconder of the substantive motion (Councillors Cutler and Tod, respectively) in accordance with legislative requirements on recorded votes at Budget Meetings, a recorded vote was first taken with regard to Recommendations in Report CL160 and also Recommendations 1 – 5 of the recommended minute of Cabinet
Division Lists
The following Members voted in favour of the Recommendations in Report CL160 and also Recommendations 1 – 5 of the recommended minute of Cabinet:
Councillors Achwal, Becker, Bell, Bentote, Bronk, Clear, Craske, Cutler, Evans, Fern, Ferguson, Gordon-Smith, Green, Hiscock, Hutchison, Laming, Learney, Murphy, Porter, Power, Prince, Rutter, Thompson, Tod, Weir, Williams
The following Members voted against Recommendations in Report CL160 and also Recommendations 1 – 5 of the recommended minute of Cabinet:
Councillors Brook, Cook, Cunningham, Gemmell, Godfrey, Griffiths, Horrill, Lumby, Mather, McLean, Miller, Pearson, Read, Ruffell, Scott, Weston
The following Members abstained from voting on Recommendations in Report CL160 and also Recommendations 1 – 5 of the recommended minute of Cabinet:
Councillor Clementson
RESOLVED:
1. That Council had regard to and noted the additional information as set out in Report CL160 as part of its consideration and determination of the General Fund Budget 2021/22 (CAB3289).
2. That existing Recommendation 8 in CAB3289 be replaced with the updated recommendation 8 as follows: “That the level of Council Tax at Band D for City Council services for 2021/22 be increased to £147.34”
RESOLVED:
That the recommended minute of Cabinet held 11 February 2021 (as follows) be approved and adopted:
1. That the level of General Fund Budget for 2021/22 be agreed and the summary as shown in appendix A of the report.
2. That the investment proposals set out in section 15 of this report be supported, including:
a. Additional staff provision to support the delivery of the Movement Strategy at an annual cost of £60,000;
b. £60,000 per annum in to cover potential additional costs in relation to Meadowside leisure centre;
c. Increased provision for Local Council Tax Support, with £169,000 additional one off provision to the Council’s Hardship Fund, funded directly from Government grant;
d. Provision of £250,000 to meet Covid related/recovery costs in 2021/22 funded from the “tranche 5” Covid grant confirmed in the Government Settlement;
e. Additional revenue budget provision, funded from the Major Investment Reserve, of £2m required to fund Central Winchester Regeneration project work in 2021/22 and 2022/23, subject to the approval of the business case which will be brought to Cabinet later in the year;
f. Additional revenue provision, funded from the Major Investment Reserve of £250,000 to fund the creation of an interim open space at the Friarsgate site in Winchester.
3. That the savings proposals set out in section 16 of the report be approved, including:
a. The implementation of “cashless parking”, phased over 2 years;
b. Fees and charges for services to be increased by an average of 3% (not including parking charges or garden waste, where no increase is proposed for April 2021);
c. Building Control fees increase by 10% on average;
d. That no additional revenue contributions be made to the Property and Asset Reserve and that use of the reserve be reviewed as part of the refresh of the Asset Management Strategy in 2021;
e. That the annual revenue contribution to the Car Park and Transport reserve be reduced to £150,000 per annum for the next four years;
f. The budget for “small grants” is reduced by £15,000;
g. A one year grant agreement based on a maximum grant of £147,200 for “Play to the Crowd”;
h. That financial support for the annual Criterium event is not continued.
4. That £1.5m be transferred from the Transitional Reserve to the Major Investment Reserve to ensure sufficient resources are available to cover major investment after accounting for the CWR provision set out in recommendation 2 e) above.
5. That the policy as previously agreed by the Council on 14 July 1999 (min 186 refers) is confirmed to treat all expenses of the Council as General Expenses other than those specifically identified and itemised in the Winchester Town Account. In consequence of which the sum of £1,061,591 be treated as Special Expenses under Section 35 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 in respect of the Winchester Town area, Appendix D.
In accordance with legislative requirements on recorded votes at Budget Meetings, a recorded vote was then taken with regard to Recommendations 6 – 9 of the recommended minute of Cabinet
Division Lists
The following Members voted in favour of the Recommendations 6 – 9 of the recommended minute of Cabinet:
Councillors Achwal, Becker, Bell, Bentote, Bronk, Clear, Craske, Cutler, Evans, Fern, Ferguson, Gordon-Smith, Green, Hiscock, Hutchison, Laming, Learney, Murphy, Porter, Power, Prince, Rutter, Thompson, Tod, Weir, Williams
The following Members voted against Recommendations 6 – 9 of the recommended minute of Cabinet:
Councillors Brook, Cook, Cunningham, Gemmell, Godfrey, Griffiths, Horrill, Lumby, Mather, McLean, Miller, Pearson, Read, Ruffell, Scott, Weston
The following Members abstained from voting on Recommendations 6 – 9 of the recommended minute of Cabinet:
Councillor Clementson
RESOLVED:
That the recommended minute of Cabinet held 11 February 2021 (as follows) be approved and adopted:
6. That the Council Tax for the Special Expenses in the Winchester Town area at Band D for 2021/22 be increased to £73.41.
7. That the deficit balance on the Council Tax Collection Fund for distribution to this Council, calculated in January 2021 of £153,843.75, be approved.
8. That the level of Council Tax at Band D for City Council services for 2021/22 be increased to £147.34.
9. That the Council Tax requirements per parish area, listed in Appendix E, be noted.
Council Tax for the City of Winchester for the year commencing 1 April 2021
In accordance with legislative requirements on recorded votes at Budget Meetings, a recorded vote was then taken with regard to the Motion.
Division Lists
The following Members voted in favour of the motion regarding the Council Tax 2021/22:
Councillors Achwal, Becker, Bell, Bentote, Bronk, Clear, Craske, Cutler, Evans, Fern, Ferguson, Gordon-Smith, Green, Hiscock, Hutchison, Laming, Learney, Murphy, Porter, Power, Prince, Rutter, Thompson, Tod, Weir, Williams
The following Members voted against the motion regarding the Council Tax 2021/22:
Councillors Brook, Cook, Cunningham, Gemmell, Godfrey, Griffiths, Horrill, Lumby, Mather, McLean, Miller, Pearson, Read, Scott, Weston
The following Members did not cast a vote regarding the motion regarding the Council Tax 2021/22:
Councillor Ruffell
RESOLVED:
1. That any expenses incurred by the Council in performing in a part of its area a function performed elsewhere in its area by a Parish Council/Town Council/Parish Meeting shall not be treated as special expenses for the purposes of Section 35 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, except in the case of the following special items relating to the non-parished area the aggregate amount of which is £1,061,591 (Appendix D to report CAB3289 refers) and which is shown within the total of special items at paragraph 4(e) below:-
(a) Magdalen Hill and West Hill Cemeteries;
(b) Allotments;
(c) Town centre Christmas lighting;
(d) Footway lighting;
(e) Bus shelter maintenance;
(f) Grants for community facilities in the Town and Vision Delivery (“parish” element);
(g) Recreation Grounds & Open Spaces (except Abbey Gardens, Riverside Walks, the Weirs and St Giles Hill);
(h) Neighbourhood Services;
(i) Public Conveniences
(j) Theatre Royal
(k) Maintenance work to Council Owned Bridges
(l) Community Speed Watch
(m) Night Bus Contribution
(n) St Maurice’s Covert
(o) Neighbourhood Plans
(p) Community Infrastructure
(q) Administration of the Town Forum
2. That it be noted that the Head of Revenues, in consultation with the Strategic Director (Resources) calculated the Council Tax Base for 2021/22 at
(a) 50,810.47
being the amount calculated by the Council for the whole Council area, in accordance with Section 31B(1) (Item T) of the Local Government Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”), as its Council Tax base for the year.
(b) for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish/Town precept relates as in the attached Annex 1.
3. Calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2021/22 (excluding Parish Precepts) is £8,548,005.
4. That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2021/22 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:
(a) £109,131,374
being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act taking into account all precepts issued to it by Parish Councils.
(b) £97,084,577
being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.
(c) £12,046,797
being the amount by which the aggregate at 4(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 4(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) £237.09
being the amount at 4(c) above (Item R), all divided by Item T (2(a) above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year (including Parish Precepts).
(e) £3,498,792
being the aggregate amount of all special items referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act (as per the attached Annex 2)
(f) £8,548,005
being the amount at 4(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 4(e) above by Item T (2(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 relates.
5. That it be noted for the year 2021/22, Hampshire County Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner - Hampshire have stated, and the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority has recommended the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:
Precepting Precept
Authority Amount
Hampshire County
Council (HCC) £68,616,999
Police and Crime Commissioner
– Hampshire (PCCH) £11,506,539
Hampshire Fire and £3,578,581
Rescue Authority (HFRA)
Valuation HCC PCCH HFRA
Bands
A 900.30 150.97 46.95
B 1,050.35 176.14 54.78
C 1,200.40 201.30 62.60
D 1,350.45 226.46 70.43
E 1,650.55 276.78 86.08
F 1,950.65 327.11 101.73
G 2,250.75 377.43 117.38
H 2,700.90 452.92 140.86
6. That the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in columns 2-9 of Annex 2 as the amounts of Council Tax for 2021/22 for each part of its area and for each of the categories of dwellings shown.
7. That the Council determines that the Council’s basic amount of Council Tax for 2021/22 is not excessive in accordance with principles approved under Section 52ZB of the Local Government Finance Act 1992