Agenda item

To consider a report of the Conservative Group.

This item is being published as a supplement as the substantive item of an alternative budget proposition is not being presented for consideration and a vote. This item is for debate and to note.

Councillor Martin Boardman, Deputy Leader of the Opposition, presented the statement of opposition, which follows on from the alternative corporate strategy which was presented to Policy Council and sets out the plan of the Conservative Group to create a borough where people can start well, live well and age well.  The statement is to be noted. 

The purpose of the Opposition is to hold the Administration to account and the Opposition are not presenting a budget as the intention is to scrutinise the budget proposed by the Administration.  

The budget statement proposes a 1.50% increase in Council Tax in 2019/20, in 2020/12 and in 2021/22.  It is not felt that any higher increase in Council tax is necessary as year on year there is overspend which is carried over. 

The budget statement proposes £1.460m efficiency savings and £249,000 additional income in 2019/20 and more year on year.  The budget statement also proposes £1.65m in 2019/20 to invest in the Oppositions’ priority areas and projects, which includes allocating £300,000 to investigate the feasibility of developing a high-quality sports village in the borough and town centre residential accommodation for students, young professionals and young families.

A further £300,000 is proposed to be invested in a borough wide, partnerships grant fund which the Opposition believe will support more organisations, charities and voluntary groups for the wider benefit our communities.  £850,000 will be allocated to a rural investment fund, to provide a focus on improving infrastructure, communications, community links and supporting small businesses in rural communities.

As the building work to extend the Market Walk Shopping centre is well under way, the Opposition budget statement is to keep funding this development despite the uncertainties nationally within the retail sector. However, the income levels included in the proposal for 2019/20 and 2020/21 are much lower than the administrations’ and are felt to be more realistic. 

Councillor Peter Wilson, Executive Member (Resources), expressed his view that it is the duty of the Opposition to present proposals and for these to be voted on.  Due to the future uncertainties in local government finance it is expected that the Government will look at what Councils can raise themselves.  This means a risk that Council’s will be expected the raise Council Tax by 2.99% and the gap may not be funded by the Government.  Chorley has one of the lowest Council Tax in Lancashire.  Not all projects allocated a budget are realised, any underspend builds the capacity for the Council to reinvest. 

In debating the proposals put forward by the opposition, Members raised issues around the Market Walk extension, the proposed staff savings, the proposed officer to tackle rural broadband and the proposed sixth form education provision. 

Decision: That the Statement of Opposition be noted. 

Members debated the 2019/20 draft budget and summary Budget position over the Medium Term and the Fees and Charges Review 2019/20. 

In debating the proposals Councillor Martin Boardman, Deputy Leader of the Opposition raised issues around budget pressures and funding cuts, the response rate to the budget consultation and the figures for CIL and overage. 

Councillor John Dalton queried the cost of planning appeals in the previous year.  This figure will be provided following the meeting.  

Members highlighted the need to protect vulnerable people impacted by the budget cuts of other organisations, frustrations around the time taken to resolve Brexit, the cost to run Community Centres, the plans for future borrowing and the Chorley Flower Show. 

Councillor Eric Bell declared a pecuniary interest in this item and did not participate in the vote. 

MOTION

The motion, as indicated in Agenda Item 5 and 6, with the additional recommendation to add the development of a GP Surgery at Whittle to the Capital Programme with a sum of £570,000 to be included within the Capital Programme was proposed by Councillor Peter Wilson, Executive Member (Resources) and seconded by Councillor Alistair Bradley, Executive Leader was then put to the vote. 

In line with the legal requirement for all budget decisions to be recorded, this proposal was put to the vote and recorded as follows:

FOR Councillors A Beaver, A Bradley, T Brown, G Dunn, C France, G France, M France, A Gee, D Gee, Y Hargreaves, S Holgate, H Khan, Z Khan, R Lees, A Lowe, M Lowe, M Lynch, J Molyneaux, A Morwood, S Murfitt, B Murray, G Sharples, J Snape, K Snape, R Snape, P Walmsley, N Whitham, A Whittaker, P Wilson and The Mayor, M Lees.

ABSTAIN Councillors M Boardman, J Dalton, D Dickinson, K Iddon, S Long, G Morgan, M Perks, D Platt and J Walker.

The vote was CARRIED and it was therefore a DECISION to

1 a) Approve the budget and proposals set out in this report including:

Council Tax set out in the resolutions (at Appendix A)

b) Note Special Expenses and Parish Precepts (at Appendix B)

c) Approve the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) (Appendix C)

d) Note the Council’s cumulative budget deficit and budget strategy 2019-20 to 2021-22 (Appendix D)

e) Note significant budget movements from the 2018/19 Budget (at Appendix E)

f) Note the general fund forecast assumptions (at Appendix F)

g) Approve the capital programme for 2019/20 and note the indicative programme to 2021/22 (Appendices G1, G2 & G3)

h) Approve the Capital Strategy (Appendix H)

i) Approve the Treasury Management Strategy (Appendix I) and note the advice of the treasury management consultants (Appendix I1)

j) Approve the Council’s Pay Policy (at Appendix J) and publication on the Council’s website from April 2019

k) Note the advice of the Statutory Finance Officer in relation to the robustness of the budget and the risks contained within it as set out in the Statutory Report (Appendix K).

l) Note the Budget Consultation 2019/20 Report (at Appendix L)

m) Note the Assessing the Impact of Budget Proposals 2018/19 Report (at Appendix M)

2. To approve:

a. Amendments to the Council’s current fees and charges to be implemented as at 1st April 2019

b. Increases in the Council’s 2019/20 income budgets

3. To note the full list of fees and charges given in Appendix 1 of this report.

4. To add the development of a GP Surgery at Whittle to the Capital Programme with a sum of £570,000.