Agenda item

Report of the Section 151 Officer

Before handing over to Councillor N Rushton as portfolio holder, the Chairman set out how he intended to deal with this item given the complexities and detail of the report.

 

Councillor N Rushton then presented the report to members and thanked the Finance Team for all their hard work. He referred to the route the budget had taken to get to this stage where members’ comments were invited; and whilst a number of comments were made, no amendments had been proposed.

 

Councillor N Rushton moved the recommendations as set out in the report. The motion was seconded by Councillor R Blunt.

 

The Chairman referred to the amendments to the motion, which had been circulated in the additional papers. He invited Councillor S Sheahan to put forward his amendment.

 

Councillor S Sheahan outlined the amended budget as detailed in the additional papers and echoed Councillor N Rushton’s thanks to the Finance Team in assisting with the amended budget. The motion was seconded by Councillor J Legrys.

 

A full and lengthy debate was held before the Chairman put the motion to the vote. A recorded vote being required, the voting was as detailed below:

 

The amendment was declared LOST.

 

The Chairman referred members to a second amended budget and invited Councillor Wyatt to present it. Councillor Wyatt duly set out his budget amendment which was seconded by Councillor A Black. A further debate was held before the Chairman put the amendment to the vote. A recorded vote being required, the voting was as detailed below:

 

The amendment was declared LOST.

 

The Chairman referred members to the substantive motion as set out in the agenda.

 

A further debate was held which received wide support for the budget.

 

The Chairman then put the substantive motion to the vote. A recorded vote being required, the voting was as detailed below:

 

The motion was declared CARRIED.

 

It was therefore

 

RESOLVED THAT:

 

1.         The S151 Officer’s comments on the robustness of the estimates and adequacy of reserves, as set out in paragraph 1.3 of the report and as required by Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003, be noted.

 

2.         The Medium Term Financial Plan approved by Cabinet on 1 February 2022, as detailed in paragraph 1.2 and the associated background paper, be noted.

 

3.         The General Fund Revenue Budget for 2022/23 as summarised in section 2 of the report approved. This includes

 

(a)  Freezing the District Council’s share of the Council Tax in 2022/23

(b)  Changes to the Fees and Charges, as detailed in Appendix 1B, effective from 1 April 2022.

 

4.        The Housing Revenue Account Budget for 2022/23, as summarised in section 3 of the report, be approved. This includes

 

(a)  Increasing rents by up to 4.1%

(b)  Changes to Fees and Charges and Service Charges, as detailed in Appendices 2B and 2C.

 

5.         The proposed General Fund and Housing Revenue Account Capital Programmes for 2022/23 and planned financing, as set out in Section 4 of the report, be approved.

 

6.         The fleet replacement programme for 2023/24, to allow vehicles to be ordered in advance, be approved. 

 

7.         The remaining elements of the General Fund and HRA Capital Programmes 2023/24 – 2026/27 be approved for indicative purposes only.

 

8.         The Special Expenses Revenue Budget for 2022/23 as summarised in Section 5 be approved. This includes

 

(a)  Setting the Special Expenses Band D Council Tax at the levels detailed in table 5 of the report.

 

9.        The following amounts for the year 2022/23 in accordance with Regulation 31b of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended be approved:

 

(a)  £35,581 being the amount calculated by the Council, in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base (England) Regulations 2012, as its Council Tax Base for the year.

 

(b)  The amounts specified in Appendix 6, table A of this report being the amounts calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as the amount of its Council Tax Base for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which one or more special items relate.

 

10.      The following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2022/23 in accordance with Sections 31a and 31b of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended be approved:

 

1.      District/Parish gross expenditure

£60,111,517 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the item set out in Section 31a (2) of the Act.

 

2.    Income

£51,365,280 being the amount by aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31a (3) of the Act.

 

3.    District/Parish gross expenditure

£8,746,237 being the amount by which the aggregate at 10(1) above exceeds the aggregate at 10(2) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31a(4) of the Act as its Council Tax requirement for the year.

 

4.    Basic amount of tax (including average Parish precepts)

£245.81 being the amount of 10(2) above, divided by the amount stated as the Council Tax Base in parts of the Council’s area, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31b of the Act as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year.

 

5.    Parish precepts/special expenses

£3,103,803 being the aggregate amount of all special items referred to in Section 35(1) of the Act.

 

6.    Basic amount of tax (basic council tax – District)

£158.58 being the amount at 10(4) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 10(5) above by the amount as stated as the Council Tax Base for the whole of the Council area, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 34(2) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for dwellings in those parts of its area to which no special items relate.

 

7.    Basic amount of tax (Parished areas)

The amounts listed in column 5 of table B Appendix 6 to this report, being the amounts given by adding to the amount at 10(6) above, the amounts of the special item or items relating to dwellings in those parts of the Council’s area mentioned, divided in each case by the amount stated as the Council Tax Base in parts of the Council area, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 34(3) of the Act as the basic amounts of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its areas to which one or more special items relate.

 

8.    District/Parish council tax rates

The amounts set out in table c appendix 6 to this report being the amounts given by multiplying the amounts at 10(6) and 10(7) above by the number which, the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band D, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 36(1) of the Act as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwelling listed in different valuation bands.

 

11.         Major precepting authorities

The amounts set out in table d Appendix 6 to the report are the amounts notified by Leicestershire County Council, Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner and the Combined Fire Authority in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 hereby sets the amounts of Council Tax for the Council’s area for the year 2022/23 for each of the categories of dwellings as shown in table e Appendix 6 be noted.

 

12.         Council tax base – all bands

Having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at 10(8) (table c Appendix 6) and 11 (table d Appendix 6) above, the Council in accordance with Section 30(2) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 hereby sets the amount of Council Tax for the Council’s area for the year 2022/23 for each of the categories of dwellings as shown in table e Appendix 6.

 

13. Referendums relating to council tax increases

The relevant basic amount of Council Tax for 2022/23 is not excessive be noted.