Agenda and minutes

To approve the minutes of the proceedings of the Meeting of the Council held on MeetingDate.

The minutes of the proceedings of the meeting of Northampton Borough Council held on 21 January 2008 were signed by the Mayor.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Capstick, Collins, Hollis, B Markham and Meredith.

The Mayor referred to a recent accident to Councillor B Markham and on behalf of the Council wished him a speedy recovery.

Councillor Woods proposed and Councillor Hadland seconded “That Standing Orders be suspended under Council Procedural Rule 22 so as to allow public addresses on any agenda item.  Any member of the public indicating a wish to speak would have a total of three minutes in which to address the Council on one or more items of their choosing”.

Upon a vote the motion was carried.

Councillor Woods proposed and Councillor Hadland seconded “That Standing Orders be suspended under Council Procedural Rule 22 in relation to Item 6 “Council Wide General Fund Revenue Budget 2008/09 to 2010/11” so as to suspend the time limits in respect of the length of speeches by the proposers of any motions or amendments for the duration of the budget debate to enable such speeches to exceed the normal speaking time limits”.

Upon a vote the motion was carried.

Report of Chief Executive (copy to follow)

Councillor Woods submitted a report and proposed that the Corporate Plan and the Council’s priorities for 2008/2011 be approved.  Councillor Glynane seconded the proposal.

RESOLVED: (1) That the outcomes of the Corporate Plan consultation detailed in Appendix 2 of the report be noted.

(2) That the Corporate Plan and priorities for 2008/2011 as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report be adopted.

Report of Director of Finance (copy herewith)

Councillor Mildren submitted a report and proposed that the Capital Programme for 2008/09 and outline proposals for 2009/10 to 2012/13 be approved.  Councillor Perkins seconded the proposal.

RESOLVED: (1) That Cabinet be authorised once the Capital Programme has been set to approve new capital schemes and variations to existing schemes arising during 2008/09 subject to the funding being available and the schemes being in accordance with the objectives and priorities of the Council.

(2) That the Capital Programme for 2008/09 as set out in Annex A of the report amounting to £19,000,003m be approved.

(3) That the capital financing principles to be applied in 2008/09 as set out in paragraph 3.2.6 of the report be approved.

(4) That the proposed financing of the Capital Programme for 2008/09 as set out in paragraphs 3.2.7 to 3.2.8 and Annex B of the report be approved.

(5) That the Capital Strategy for 2008/09 to 2010/11 set out in Annex E of the report be approved.

Report of Director of Finance (copy herewith)

Councillor Mildren submitted a report and proposed the approval of the 2008/09 to 2010/11 General Fund Budgets, Council Tax Level for 2008/09 and Indicative Levels for 2009/10 to 2010/11.  Councillor Perkins seconded the proposal.

Councillor Hadland proposed “That £25,000 be added to voluntary sector support to help them meet the effects of inflation; to be financed from the General Reserves”.  Councillor Palethorpe seconded the amendment.

Upon a requisition for a roll- call there voted for the amendment:

Councillors Caswell, Choudary, Clarke, Davies, Duncan, Edwards, Flavell, Hadland, M Hoare, Lane, Larratt, C Lill, J Lill, Malpas, Palethorpe, Reeve, Scott, Tavener.

There voted against the amendment:

Councillors Beardsworth, Chaudhury, Church, J Conroy, R Conroy, Crake, De Cruz, Garlick, Glynane, Hawkins, B Hoare, I Markham, Matthews, Mildren, Perkins, Simpson, Taylor, P M Varnsverry, P D Varnsverry, Wilson, Woods and Yates.

The Mayor abstained.

The amendment was lost.

RESOLVED:(1) That the feedback from consultation with the public organisations and the Overview and Scrutiny Committees be welcomed as detailed in Annexes A and B of the report.

(2) That the Council’s representations on the provisional formula grant settlement as set out in Annex D of the report be noted.

(3) That the projected 2007/08 outturn position of £346,000 underspend as at the end of January 2008 (be noted).

(4) That the changes to the proposed budget detailed in Annex D of the report in light of the consultation responses and final formula grant settlement be noted.

(5) That the General Fund budget for 2008/09 of £31.6m (an increase of 3.3% or £1m over the 2007/08 budget) be agreed as detailed in Annex E of the report.

(6) That the Council approves the issues and risks detailed in the Section 151 Officer’s statement on the robustness of estimates and the adequacy of reserves as set out in Annex I of the report.

(7) That Council confirms the reserves strategy of protecting balances wherever possible to allow the option of supporting future years’ budgets at a premium for a minimum level of unallocated general fund reserves of £2.75m at the end of 2008/09 having regard to the outcome of the financial risk assessment and increasing this over the medium term to £3m.

(8) That Council Tax be increased by 4.5% for 2008/09 for the Council’s own purposes.

(9) That the draft fees and charges set out in Annex K of the report be noted.

Report of Director of Finance (copy to follow)

Councillor Mildren submitted a report and proposed the adoption of the Council Tax resolution set out in Annexes A and B of the report.  Councillor Perkins seconded the proposal.

RESOLVED:Northampton Borough Council (hereinafter referred to as “the Council” in this resolution) calculated the following amounts for the year 2008/09 in accordance with various regulations and RESOLVES for the financial year 2008/2009 to:

1       Set the General Fund Budget Requirement for the Council at £32,439,455 calculated as follows:

                                                £

a)      Net Expenditure on Council Services  31,608,001

b)      Parish Council Precepts 831,454

         _________

c)      Total General Fund Budget Requirement  32,439,455

2       Note that, arising from the decision of the Council at this meeting and decisions taken by Parish Councils, the amount of Special Items included in the Budget Requirement set out at (1) above is £1,817,482 calculated as follows:

                                                £

a)      Council Special Expenses 986,028

b)      Parish Council Expenses 831,454

         ________

c)      Total Special Items  1,817,482

3       Note that (in accordance with regulations made under Section 33(5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 – “the Act”) the Council has calculated the following amounts:

a)      65,443

being the Council Tax Base (in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992) and the Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 and (No2) Regulations 2003) for the year.

b)      The sums shown in Annex B Schedule A column (2): being the amounts of Council Tax Base for dwellings in those parts of the area set out in column (1) of the schedule to which one or more special items relate.

4)      Set the following amounts in accordance with sections 32 to 36 of the Local Government Finance 1992

a)      Gross Expenditure 125,832,394Gross expenditure including Parish precepts in accordance with s32(2) (a)-(e) of the Act.

b)      Gross Income 93,392,939Gross income including the use of reserves in accordance with s32(3) (a)-(c) of the Act.

         _________

c)      Budget Requirement 32,439,455The budget requirement in accordance with s32(4) of the Act being the amount by which the aggregate at 4(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 4(b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 32(4) of the Act.

d)      i) Redistributed

Non Domestic Rates -2,290,340 From the finance settlement.

ii) Revenue Support Grant -16,452,635From the finance settlement.

iii) Transfer from

         Collection Fund 22,057Collection Fund deficit in accordance with S97 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 and regulations made under s98 of the 1988 Act.

iv) Total of d)(i) to __________

         (iii) inclusive -18,720,918Formula grant, special  grants and Collection Fund deficit

e)      Amount to be raised from  13,718,537Item (c) + (d)(iv).

         Council Taxes

f)       Basic Amount of   209.63Item (e) divided by tax

         Council Tax base (resolution 3(a)) – this represents the weighted average Council Tax at Band D including Parish precepts but excluding County Council and Police Authority in accordance with s33(1) of the Act.

g)      Total of Special Items 1,817,482This represents the total of Parish precepts and other  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Report of Director of Finance (copy herewith)

Councillor Mildren submitted a report and proposed the approval of the HRA Rent Increases and Other Charges for 2008/09 and approval of the overall HRA budgets for 2008/09 and forecasts for 2009/10 and 2010/11.  Councillor Perkins seconded the proposal.

RESOLVED:(1) That an average rent increase of 4.72% per dwelling per week be approved in line with the Government’s rent restructuring regime, convergence in 2016/17, to take effect from 1 April 2008.

(2) That the medium term planning option set out in Annex D of the report and the revised contributions to/from working balances be approved.

(3) That the HRA budget for 2008/09 as set out in Annex A of the report be approved and the indicative budgets for 2009/10 and 2010/11 be noted.

(4) That the warden and call care charges (including Eleanore House) be held at 2007/08 levels in line with Northampton Supporting People as set out in Annex C of the report.

(5) That the heating service charges be increased by 5% as set out in Annex C of the report.

(6) That garage charges be increased by 5% as shown in Annex C of the report.

Report of Director of Finance (copy herewith)

Councillor Mildren submitted a report and proposed the approval of the Prudential Indicators required under the CIPFA Prudential Code for Capital Finance in local authorities.  Councillor Perkins seconded the proposal.

RESOLVED:(1) That Council approve the Prudential Indicators required under the CIPFA Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities as set out in paragraph 3.2.2 of the report.

(2) That in line with the Guidance Notes to the Prudential Code issued by CIPFA approval be given to the delegation of authority to the Section 151 Officer to make adjustments between the “borrowing” and “other long term liabilities” categories within the overall total of the indicators of the operational boundary and the authorised limit for external debt, as shown as paragraph 3.2.2 (g) and (h) of the report.  This would allow movements between borrowing and other long term liabilities should the Section 151 Officer deem that the use of finance leases for capital expenditure constitutes good and prudent financial management.

Report of Director of Finance (copy herewith)

Councillor Mildren submitted a report seeking approval to the Treasury Strategy for 2008/09 to 2010/11.  Councillor Perkins seconded the proposal.

RESOLVED:That the Treasury Strategy for 2008/09 to 2010/11 be approved incorporating

(a) the Capital Financing and Borrowing Strategy for 2008/09 to 2010/11 (paragraphs 3.2.1 to 3.2.6 of the report) as required by the Council’s Treasury Management Policy Statement (STMP6) Reporting Requirements and Management Information Arrangements) and including

(i) the Council’s policy of making a Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) for the repayment of debt as required by the Local Authority’s (Capital Finance and Accounting) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2008.

(ii) That the affordable borrowing limit for 2008/09 to 2010/11 as required by the Local Government Act 2003.

(b) the Investments Strategy for 2008/09 to 2010/11 (paragraph 2.2.7 to 3.2.11) as required by the DCLG (formerly ODPM) Guidance on Local Government Investments Issued in 2004.

Report of Chief Executive (copy to follow)

Councillor Woods submitted a report and proposed the appointment of Councillors to the Community Enabling Fund Advisory Panel as set out in the report.  Councillor Hadland seconded the motion.

It was noted that historically the Panel had monitored the grant arrangements to the voluntary sector.

RESOLVED:That Councillors J Conroy, Flavell, Glynane, I Markham, Palethorpe and Scott be appointed to the Community Enabling Fund Advisory Panel and that it be noted that part of the Panel’s function would be to monitor the grants made to the Voluntary Sector.

None.