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 2022/2023 Financial Year.

The Council considered the recommendations from the Executive from the meetings on 7 February and 24 February 2022 in relation to the draft General Fund Revenue Budget and setting of Council Tax for 2022/2023.

Members firstly considered the budget proposals in relation to Blackpool Operating Company Limited.

Motion 1:  Councillor L Williams proposed (and Councillor Taylor seconded):

‘To agree a budget saving of £900,000 based on a dividend from Blackpool Operating Company Limited (ref. Appendix 2 of the report to the Executive on 7 February 2022’.

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, Brookes, Burdess, Campbell, Clapham, D Coleman, G Coleman, Collett, Cox, Farrell, Galley, Hobson, Hugo, Hunter, Hutton,  Jackson, Kirkland, Matthews, B Mitchell, M Mitchell, O’Hara, Owen, Roberts, Robertson, D Scott, Mrs Scott, R Scott, Sloman, Smith, Stansfield, Taylor, L Williams, T Williams, Wilshaw - Total 34.

Against the motion: Councillor Baker – Total 1.

Abstentions:  Councillor Mrs Callow – Total 1.

Motion 1 carried:  The motion was therefore carried.

Note:  Having declared prejudicial interests, Councillors Cain, Critchley and Walsh left the meeting during consideration of the above part of the item.

Motion 2:  Councillor L Williams proposed (and Councillor Taylor seconded):

‘To agree a budget saving of £250,000, as part of the identified total non-recurrent savings of £6.04m to replenish working balances, based on savings as a result of consolidation following the establishment of Blackpool Waste Services Limited trading as Enveco (ref. Appendix 2 of the report to the Executive on 7 February 2022)’.

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 Baker, Benson, Brookes, Burdess, Cain, Mrs Callow, Campbell, Clapham, D Coleman, G Coleman, Collett, Cox, Critchley, Farrell, Galley, Hobson, Hugo, Hunter, Jackson, Matthews, B Mitchell, M Mitchell, O’Hara, Owen, Roberts, Robertson, D Scott, Mrs Scott, R Scott, Sloman, Smith, Taylor, Walsh, L Williams, T Williams, Wilshaw - Total 36.

Against the motion: None

Abstentions:  None

Motion 2 carried:  The motion was therefore carried.

Note:  Having declared prejudicial interests, Councillors Hutton, Kirkland and Stansfield left the meeting during consideration of the above part of the item.

Motion 3:  Councillor L Williams proposed (and Councillor Taylor seconded):

‘The Council to agree the proposed the remaining recommendations 2c to 2k as outlined in Appendix 7(a) (and reproduced below), bringing together the recommendations from the Executive meetings on 7 February 2022 and 24 February 2022 into a summary document, set out in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011:

1.             To agree a level of budget savings of £7.7m (£8.6m minus £900,000 already approved in 2a) (ref. paragraphs 7.1 and 7.4 and Appendix 2 of the report to the Executive on 7 February 2022).

2.             To agree the level of net expenditure for the draft General Fund Revenue Budget 2022/23 of £160,276,000 (ref. paragraph 6.2 of the report to the Executive on 7 February 2022).

3.             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 7 February 2022).

4.             That the target level of working balances remains at £6m (ref. paragraph 10.4 of the report to the Executive on 7 February 2022).

5.             To adopt the formal Council Tax Resolutions set out at Appendix 7(a) (Annex 1), in so doing agree a Council Tax Requirement of £64,992,000 and a Council Tax Base of 37,140.

6.             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(a) (Annex 1 and 2).

7.             To approve a level of Council Tax for the financial year 2022/23 of £1,749.92 at valuation Band D equivalent (a 2.99% increase including the 1% Adult Social Care Precept but excluding the precepts for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire and the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority).

8.             To note that the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire’s precept for the financial year 2022/23 is £236.45 (a £10.00 increase, equivalent to 4.42%) for a Band D Tax equivalent and the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority precept for the financial year 2022/23 is £77.27 (a £5.00 increase, equivalent to 6.92%) for a Band D Tax equivalent.

9.             To confirm that should recommendation 2h) 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, Brookes, Burdess, Campbell, Collett, Critchley,  Farrell, Hobson, Hugo, Hunter, Hutton, Jackson, Kirkland, Matthews, M Mitchell, O’Hara, Owen, Smith, Taylor, L Williams - Total 20.

Against the motion: Councillors Baker, Mrs Callow, Clapham, D Coleman, G Coleman, Cox, Galley, B Mitchell, Roberts, Robertson, D Scott, Mrs Scott, R Scott, Sloman, Stansfield, Walsh, T Williams, Wilshaw – Total 18.

Abstentions:  Councillor Cain - Total 1.

Motion 3 carried: The motion was therefore carried.