Agenda item

To consider the recommendations of the Executive in relation to the draft General Fund Revenue Budget and the setting of a Council Tax for the 2019/2020 Financial Year.

Members considered the recommendations from the Executive at its meetings on 4 February and 25 February 2019 in relation to the draft General Fund Revenue Budget and setting of Council Tax for 2019/2020.

Members firstly considered the proposed budget saving of as a result of the income from Blackpool Coastal Housing Ltd in the sum of £500,000 and technical savings of £150,000 from the recovery of development fees from Blackpool Housing Company Ltd.

Motion 1:  Councillor Blackburn proposed (and Councillor Campbell seconded):

‘1.      To approve the income from Blackpool Coastal Housing Ltd in the sum of £500,000 (line 4 of Section A, Appendix 2 Budget Savings of the report to the Executive on 4 February 2019)

2.       To approve the technical savings of £150,000 from the recovery of development fees in respect of Blackpool Housing Company Ltd (line 1.1 of Section B, Appendix 2 Budget Savings of the report to the Executive on 4 February 2019).’

Recorded vote: The Council noted that under the Local Authorities (Standing Order) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, there was a requirement for a recorded vote on setting the Council tax and budget. The voting was as follows:

For the motion: Councillors Benson, Blackburn, Cain, Campbell, Collett, Critchley, Cross, Elmes, Jackson, Kirkland, Matthews, Mitchell, O’Hara, Owen, Rowson, Ryan, Smith, I Taylor, L Williams, Mrs Wright - Total 20.

Against the motion: Councillors Mrs Callow, Callow, Clapham, Cox, Galley, Mrs

Henderson, Roberts, Scott, Mrs Scott, T Williams – Total 10.

Abstentions:  Councillor G Coleman – Total 1.

Motion 1 carried:  The motion was therefore carried.

Note:  Having declared prejudicial interests, Councillors Hobson, Hunter, Hutton, Robertson, Singleton, Stansfield and L Taylor left the meeting during consideration of the above part of the item.

Motion 2:  Councillor Blackburn proposed (and Councillor Campbell seconded):

‘To approve the following remaining recommendations outlined in Appendix 7(c), bringing together the recommendations from the Executive meetings on 4 February 2019 and 25 February 2019, into a summary document, set out in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011.

1.             That the £1,544,000 Social Care Support Grant is allocated in full to Children’s Social Care (ref. paragraph 4.7 of the report to the Executive on 4 February 2019).

2.             To agree the level of net expenditure for the General Fund Revenue Budget 2019/20 of £124,073,000 (ref. paragraph 6.2 of the report to the Executive on 4 February 2019).

3.             To agree a level of budget savings of £8.35m (ref. paragraphs 7.1 and 7.2 and Appendix 2 of the report to the Executive on 4 February 2019).

4.             That the Chief Executive be authorised to take any necessary steps to ensure all staffing savings are achieved (ref. paragraph 8.1 of the report to the Executive on 4 February 2019).

5.             To agree that the Business Loans Fund is increased from £100m to £200m with immediate effect (ref. paragraph 8.3 of the report to the Executive on 4 February 2019).

6.             That the target level of working balances remains at £6m (ref. paragraph 10.4 of the report to the Executive on 4 February 2019).

7.             To request a detailed review of earmarked reserves takes place at Provisional Outturn 2018/19 to reprioritise and unearmark funds to replenish working balances to their target level in 2019/20 should this be necessary (ref. paragraph 10.4 of the report to the Executive on 4 February 2019).

8.             To agree that the 2019/20 costs of £1.188m associated with the Ofsted action plan are agreed and met from higher than anticipated returns from the Business Loans Fund (ref. paragraph 10.5 of the report to the Executive on 4 February 2019)

9.             To adopt the formal Council Tax Resolutions set out at Appendix 7(c) (Annex 1) and in so doing agree a Council Tax Requirement of £56,838,000 and a Council Tax Base of 36,521.

10.         To note the calculation of Aggregate Amounts as directed by Section 31A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as set out at Appendix 7 (c)(Annex 1 and 2).

11.         To approve a level of Council Tax for the financial year 2019/20 of £1,556.31 at valuation Band D equivalent (a 2.99% increase excluding the precepts for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire and the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority).

12.         To note that the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire’s precept for the financial year 2019/20 is £201.45 (a £24.00 increase, equivalent to 13.52%) for a Band D Tax equivalent and the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority precept for the financial year 2019/20 is £69.48 for a Band D Tax equivalent (a 2.99% increase).

13.         To confirm that the aggregate levels of Council Tax for Valuation Bands A to H will be as below:

a)      To confirm that should recommendation i) above be approved, the aggregate levels of Council Tax for Valuation Bands A to H will be as below:

Recorded vote: The Council noted that under the Local Authorities (Standing Order) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, there was a requirement for a recorded vote on setting the Council tax and budget. The voting was as follows:

For the motion: Councillors Benson, Blackburn, Cain, Campbell, Collett, Critchley, Cross, Elmes, Hobson, Hunter, Hutton, Jackson, Kirkland, Matthews, Mitchell, O’Hara, Owen, Rowson, Ryan, Singleton, Smith, I Taylor, L Taylor, L Williams, Mrs Wright - Total 25.

Against the motion: Councillors Mrs Callow, Callow, Clapham, Cox, Galley, Mrs

Henderson, Roberts, Robertson, Scott, Mrs Scott, Stansfield, T Williams – Total 12.

Abstentions: Councillor G Coleman – Total 1.

Motion 2 carried: The motion was therefore carried.