Agenda item

The Conservative Group would like to propose the amendments within the enclosed document. 

Shadow Cabinet Member (Finance, Shared Services and Governance), Councillor Sam Chapman expressed his thanks to the Conservative group and officers for their contribution to the proposed amendment.

Councillor Chapman set out the proposed amendment, how these would be funded and referenced the current rise in the cost of living.  The amendment referenced 

1. A freeze in Council Tax,

2. Free parking on Council car parks for Battery Electric Vehicles

3. Improved access to Youth Zone facilities for young people in rural areas.

4. A feasibility study around developing drop-in customer service facilities for

vulnerable residents in rural areas.

The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Martin Boardman, supported the amendment, particularly regarding the Youth Zone and customer services. 

In debating the proposals put forward by the opposition, Members raised issues around the green agenda, the benefits of the administration’s investment strategy to date, the benefits of apprenticeships and the freezing of council tax. 

There was general support for the proposals around the proposals 2, 3 and 4.

Members then debated the Revenue Budget 2022/23, Medium Term Financial Strategy and Capital Programme 2022-2025. 

Members supported the proposals relating to supporting and subsidising bus services, the green agenda, the GP surgery at Whittle and tackling health inequalities. 

Councillor Christine Turner requested that a briefing note be circulated to all members explaining special expenses. 

Following a query relating to section 106 contributions from developers relating to Buckshaw Village Railway Station Councillor Bradley agreed to discuss the issue with Lancashire County Council. 

The Mayor called a short adjournment to take legal advice regarding the amendment at 8.20pm.

Amendment

The adoption of the Alternative Budget as set out in the report, was moved as an amendment by the Shadow Cabinet Member (Finance, Shared Services and Governance), Councillor Sam Chapman and seconded by the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Martin Boardman.

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 Martin Boardman, Sam Chapman, Alan Cullens, Magda Cullens, John Dalton, Harold Heaton, Keith Iddon, Alan Platt, Debra Platt, Aidy Riggott, William Simmance, Christine Turner, John Walker. 

Against: Councillors Sarah Ainsworth, Aaron Beaver, Julia Berry (Deputy Mayor), Alistair Bradley, Mark Clifford, Gordon France, Margaret France, Peter Gabbott, Danny Gee, Tom Gray, Steve Holgate (Mayor), Terry Howarth, Hasina Khan, Samir Khan, Zara Khan, Adrian Lowe, June Molyneaux, Alistair Morwood, Beverley Murray, James Nevett, Jean Sherwood, Kim Snape, Jenny Whiffen, Alan Whittaker

The vote was lost (13:24:0). 

Substantive motion

The substantive motion, as indicated in Agenda Item 9 was proposed by the Executive Leader, Councillor Alistair Bradley, and seconded by the Executive Member (Customer and Streetscene Services), Councillor Adrian Lowe, 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 Sarah Ainsworth, Aaron Beaver, Julia Berry (Deputy Mayor), Alistair Bradley, Mark Clifford, Gordon France, Margaret France, Peter Gabbott, Danny Gee, Tom Gray, Steve Holgate (Mayor), Terry Howarth, Hasina Khan, Samir Khan, Zara Khan, Adrian Lowe, June Molyneaux, Alistair Morwood, Beverley Murray, James Nevett, Jean Sherwood, Kim Snape, Jenny Whiffen, Alan Whittaker

Against: Councillors Martin Boardman, Sam Chapman, Alan Cullens, Magda Cullens, John Dalton, Harold Heaton, Keith Iddon, Alan Platt, Debra Platt, Aidy Riggott, William Simmance, Christine Turner, John Walker. 

The vote was carried by majority (24:13:0), and it was therefore a Decision

That the budget and proposals as set out in the report in item 9 and supporting appendices be approved to include:

a) Approve the budget and proposals set out in this report, including the level of Council Tax as set out in the Formal Council Tax Resolution, including Special Expenses & Parish Precepts 2022/23, at Appendix A;

b) Note the advice of the Chief Finance Officer in relation to the robustness of the estimates within the overall budget, including the risks contained within it and the adequacy of the proposed level of financial reserves, as set out in the Statutory Report at Appendices B1 – B3;

c) Approve the council’s Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) at Appendix C;

d) Note the council’s forecast Cumulative Budget Deficit and Budget Strategy 2021-22to 2024-25 at Appendix D;

e) Note the analysis of the movement in the 2022/23 Budget from the position

approved by Council in February 2021 at Appendix E;

f) Approve the capital programme for 2021/22 to 2024/25 (Appendices F1, F2 & F3);

g) Approve the Capital Strategy at Appendix G;

h) Approve the Treasury Management Strategy at Appendix H and note the advice of the treasury management consultants at Appendix H1;

i) Approve the council’s Pay Policy at Appendix I for publication on the council’s

website from April 2022;

j) Note the budget consultation 2022/23 Report at Appendix J;

k) Note the Assessing the Impact of Budget Proposals 2022/23 Report at Appendix K.

FORMAL COUNCIL TAX RESOLUTION

1.      It be noted that on 19^th January 2022 the Director of Finance as Statutory Finance Officer calculated the Council Tax Base 2022/23

(a) for the whole Council area as 38,108.00 [Item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the "Act")] ; and

(b) for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates (as in the attached Table 2).

2.      Calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2022/23 (excluding Parish precepts) is £7,608,587

3.      That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2022/23 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:

(a)     £54,903,347    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)     £46,544,738    being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.

(c)     £8,358,609       being the amount by which the aggregate at 3(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 3(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)     £219.34 being the amount at 3(c) above (Item R), all divided by Item T (1(a) above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year (including Parish precepts).

(e)     £1,565,533 being the aggregate amount of all special items (Special Expenses and Parish precepts) referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act (as in the attached Table 1).

(f)      £178.26 being the amount at 3(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 3(e) above by Item T (1(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 Parish precept relates.

4.      To note that the County Council, the Police Authority and the Fire Authority have issued precepts to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each category of dwellings in the Council’s area as indicated in the table below.

5.      That the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in the tables below as the amounts of Council Tax for 2022/23 for each part of its area and for each of the categories of dwellings.

6.         That the Statutory Finance Officer and his officers be authorised to take any action necessary to ensure collection and recovery of the Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rates.

7.         As the Council’s basic amount of Council Tax has increased by 1.99% for 2022/23, it is considered not excessive in accordance with principles approved under Section 52ZB Local Government Finance Act 1992.