Agenda item

Cabinet

 

RECOMMENDED THAT COUNCIL 

 

1.    Approve the 2020/2021 General Fund Revenue Budget based on known commitments at this time and planned levels of service/functions resulting in a Budget Requirement of £24.329 million; and

 

2.    Approve the District Council Precept on the Collection Fund (Council Tax Requirement) of £9.562 million in 2020/2021 (based on the Government Settlement) and a Band D Council Tax of £150.31.

 

Council 

 

AGREED        to

 

(a)       Approve the 2020/2021 General Fund Revenue Budget based on known commitments at this time and planned levels of Service/functions resulting in a Budget Requirement of £24.350 million; and

 

(b)       Approve the District Council Precept on the Collection Fund (Council Tax Requirement) of £9.562 million in 2020/2021 (based on the Government Settlement) and a Band D Council Tax of £150.31.

Councillor John Williams introduced this report on the General Fund Revenue Budget for 2020/21. He reported that in the table on paragraph 21 of the report, on page 313 of the agenda, the figures in the table should be in pounds, not millions of pounds and the figures in paragraph 33a of the report, on page 316 of the agenda, should be £92.116 million and £38.207 million.

 

Councillor John Williams, Lead Cabinet Member for Finance, made the following points:

·         He thanked the Head of Finance for working with other Cambridgeshire authorities to set up a Business Rates pooling scheme which realised an extra £1 million to the Council.

·         An extra £5 million had been allocated to reduce the authority’s carbon footprint, including improving the efficiency of the Council’s housing stock and the purchasing of an electric bin lorry.

·         £4.5 million would be generated from investments over the next 12 months.

·         Income would continue to be generated from Ermine Street Housing Ltd, from business premises on Cambridge Science Park and Colmworth Trade Park, and from a return on a loan to deliver a new Ice Rink on the edge of Cambridge.

·         £200,000 would be invested in expanding the Mobile Warden Scheme.

·         £200,000 would support local businesses.

·         It was proposed to increase Council Tax by £5 for a Band D property.

 

Councillor John Williams proposed and Councillor Neil Gough seconded the recommendations in the report.

 

Councillor Heather Williams proposed an amendment to recommendation 1, seconded by Councillor Graham Cone, by the addition of the words shown in italics:

 

1)    Approve the 2020/21 General Fund Revenue Budget based on known commitments at this time and planned levels of service/functions resulting in a Budget requirement of £24.350 million, subject to:

 

a.    The inclusion of the following additional items:

 

                I.             Support for Olympic Athletes

 

£10,000

 

To establish an “Olympic Hopefuls” grant for residents of the District who are in full time education and are preparing for the next Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, this summer and future games. Applications to be processed, assessed and determined in the same way as Community Chest grants.

 

               II.              Youth Engagement

 

£5,000

 

To enable the Council to organise a youth engagement event or events in order to raise awareness and encourage young people to get involved. Parish councils/meetings to be invited to send 2 representatives aged 21 or under to event(s) where local issues could be debated and provide an introduction to the different layers of local government and how to get involved and all members being given the opportunity to get involved on an apolitical level.

 

             III.             Long Service Awards

 

£13,500

 

To extend the long service awards scheme (that currently applies after 20 years’ service) so that awards are given to staff at intervals of five years’ service starting at five years’ employment with South Cambridgeshire District Council.

 

b.    The £28,500 required to fund the above items, be met from a reduction to the budget within communications for the South Cambridgeshire magazine of £15,000 and a reduction in the maximum number of Special Responsibility Allowance to one, producing a saving of £13,500.

 

Councillor Heather Williams argued that these were modest amendments that would recognise the service of staff, help kindle community spirit and support the District’s best young athletes. Councillor John Williams explained that he would not accept this amendment as the proposed expenditure was not in the agreed Business Plan. He reported that there would be tax implications for the suggested long service award and the current administration supported all staff, not just long-term employees. He did not support the proposed reduction in the Communications budget, at a time when the Council was proposing new initiatives to tackle the climate emergency.

 

Councillor Nick Wright stated that the long service award was a small gesture that rewarded staff for their loyalty. He explained that village colleges no longer had the finances to support their best athletes and the proposed amendment helped to promote youth engagement.

 

Councillor Deborah Roberts supported the amendment which she believed was modest in scope and she stated that the impact on reducing the Communications budget would be minimal.

 

Councillor Peter McDonald explained that the Grants Advisory Committee had given detailed consideration to whether to continue the elite athletes scheme and had been mindful of the increase in national funding for Olympic and Paralympic athletes. The Advisory Committee had concluded that it was more beneficial to spread the Council’s grant funding across all community and age groups and that small amounts of funding, such as that proposed in the amendment, would make little difference for elite athletes.

 

Councillor Dr. Shrobona Bhattacharya suggested that if Councillors were serious about supporting the District’s youth then they should agree the amendment which proposed a modest budget for supporting young athletes.

 

Councillor Eileen Wilson suggested that the Council should support its staff all year round, with a good management structure and benefits such as flexi-time. Giving a reward to some staff every five years did not achieve this.

 

A vote was taken on the amendment and votes were cast as follows:

 

In favour (9):

Councillors Dr. Shrobona Bhattacharya, Tom Bygott, Graham Cone, Sue Ellington, Mark Howell, Deborah Roberts, Bunty Waters, Heather Williams and Nick Wright

 

Against (26):

Councillors Philip Allen, Henry Batchelor, John Batchelor, Anna Bradnam, Dr. Martin Cahn, Nigel Cathcart, Sarah Cheung Johnson, Gavin Clayton, Dr. Claire Daunton, Clare Delderfield, Peter Fane, Neil Gough, Bill Handley, Geoff Harvey, Dr. Tumi Hawkins, Steve Hunt, Tony Mason, Peter McDonald, Brian Milnes, Judith Rippeth, Bridget Smith, Hazel Smith, Dr. Ian Sollom, Dr. Aidan Van de Weyer, John Williams and Eileen Wilson.

 

Abstain (0):

 

The Chairman declared the amendment LOST.

 

Councillor Tom Bygott asked why there had been a reduction in Environment Protection and renewable energy, when being “Green to Our Core” was one of the Council’s objectives.

 

Councillor Mark Howell asked for clarification on the note on page 330 of the agenda, which stated that funds from the Housing Revenue Account would be used to set up a Community Liaison forum.

 

Councillor Nick Wright queried why funding for Legal Services was reducing from £331,000 this financial year to £308,000 for 2020/21 at a time when workload appeared to be increasing. He also expressed surprise that £216,000 had not been collected as part of the PPA agreement and asked what had happened to the £500,000 removed from the Transformation Budget. Finally he asked how much of the Planning budget had been spent on consultants, agency staff and the hiring of private companies.

 

Councillor Graham Cone noted that the Communications budget was to increase from £287,000 to £303,000 and that the Policy and Performance budget was also increasing and asked whether this was at the expense of the Planning Service.

 

Councillor Nigel Cathcart queried what savings were being referred to on page 315 of the agenda under the heading “Workforce Operating Model.” He also queried why Ageing Well was increasing from £44,000 to £244,000 whilst Children and Young People was reducing from £12,000 to £0. He expressed his support for Health and Wellbeing and expressed concern regarding the risk to future service delivery.

 

Councillor Heather Williams stated that she could not support the Budget due to the risks involved in borrowing £340 million and she also expressed concern at the apparent desire for the Council to be the first authority to have electric bin lorries, due to the associated risks. She expressed support for the income generated by Ermine Street Housing Ltd and the Ice Rink.

 

Councillor Neil Gough expressed his confidence in the Business Plans and the work officers had carried out to ensure that a robust and viable budget.

 

Councillor John Williams explained the reductions in the specific budget for 2020/21 when compared to the 2019/20 figures were, following detailed review of estimates by Heads of Service, largely due to underspends this year. Increases were generally due to overspends. With regard to risk management, he referred to the assurances given by the Chief Finance Officer in paragraph 2 on page 391 of the budget report and that the Council had sufficient reserves to respond to unforeseen events. He stated that officers would provide a written response to the questions raised by Councillors Howell and Wright.

 

Votes on the substantive motion were cast as follows:

 

In favour (24):

Councillors Philip Allen, Henry Batchelor, John Batchelor, Anna Bradnam, Dr. Martin Cahn, Sarah Cheung Johnson, Dr. Claire Daunton, Clare Delderfield, Peter Fane, Neil Gough, Bill Handley, Geoff Harvey, Dr. Tumi Hawkins, Steve Hunt, Tony Mason, Peter McDonald, Brian Milnes, Judith Rippeth, Bridget Smith, Hazel Smith, Dr. Ian Sollom, Dr. Aidan Van de Weyer, John Williams and Eileen Wilson.

 

Against (10):
Councillors Dr. Shrobona Bhattacharya, Tom Bygott, Gavin Clayton, Graham Cone, Sue Ellington, Mark Howell, Deborah Roberts, Bunty Waters, Heather Williams and Nick Wright.

 

Abstain (1):

Councillor Nigel Cathcart.

 

Council 

 

RESOLVED  to

 

(a)       Approve the 2020/2021 General Fund Revenue Budget based on known commitments at this time and planned levels of Service/functions resulting in a Budget Requirement of £24.350 million; and

 

(b)       Approve the District Council Precept on the Collection Fund (Council Tax Requirement) of £9.562 million in 2020/2021 (based on the Government Settlement) and a Band D Council Tax of £150.31.