Agenda and minutes

Councillor Hadland declared a personal, non-pecuniary interest as a Trustee of the Delapre Abbey Trust.

To approve the minutes of the proceedings of the Meeting of the Council held on 19^th January 2015.

The minutes of the meeting on the 19^th January 2015 were agreed and signed by the Mayor, subject to the inclusion of amendments that records Councillor Marriott as being present, Councillor Palethorpe as absent, and Councillor Ford ‘replacing’ Councillor Marriott on the Planning Committee.

Apologies were received from Councillors Strachan, Duncan, Hibbert, Golby, Flavell, N Choudary, Malpas and Davies.

The Mayor announced that The Heart of the Community awards give people the chance to celebrate community spirit, recognise neighbourhood achievement and say a big thank you and noted the closing date for nominations was the 31^st March 2015.

It was noted that Councillor Golby had become a father again, and best wishes were sent to his family.

The Mayor informed Council the necessity for Robustness of Budget Estimates and Adequacy of Reserves to be agreed prior to the other budget reports. Therefore, this item would be heard after Item 6 – Committee Proportionality.

The Mayor proposed a suspension of standing orders under Rule 25 which would enable the mover and seconders the opportunity to speak for a maximum of 10 minutes and that no other speech exceeds 5 minutes in relation budget reports, which was agreed.  

It was also noted that in accordance with the principles of the 2014 regulations, recorded votes would be held on all matters relating to the budget.

Mr Townsend addressed Council and commented that he considered there to be a lack of Policing in the Town centre during a time when there was increased crime. He further commented that the Administration had wasted money on Abington Street and asked that no more public money be wasted.

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The Leader of the Council updated Members verbally on the Item and commented that he had been made aware that a Member had resigned from the Labour Group and therefore a proportionality report was needed. The Chief Executive explained that under the legislation, it was necessary for him to be formally notified, and having not received such notification the Member would remain a Councillor.

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Councillor Mackintosh submitted a report that set out the Corporate Plan 2015 Update.

Councillor Markham seconded the report.

There voted for the Corporate Plan (2015 Update): Councillors Ansell, Aziz, Begum, Bottwood, I Choudary, Eldred, Hadland, Hallam, Hill, King, Lane, Larratt, Lynch, Mackintosh, Markham, Nunn, Oldham, Parekh, Patel, Sargeant and Yates.

There voted against: Councillors Ashraf, Beardsworth, Conroy, Ford, Glynane, Gowen, Marriott, Mason, Meredith and Stone.

There abstained the Mayor.

The recommendation in the report were agreed.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the Corporate Plan (2015 Update) be approved.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council to finalise the Corporate Plan and associated action plan in lune with the budget decisions, service plans and any other consequent changes.

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Councillor Bottwood submitted a report that sought the approval of the Treasury Management Strategy.

Councillor Mackintosh seconded the report.

There voted for the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy: Councillors Ansell, Ashraf, Aziz, Begum, Bottwood, I Choudary, Eales, Eldred, Gowen, Hadland, Hallam, Hill, King, Lane, Larratt, Lynch, Mackintosh, Markham, Marriott, Mason, Nunn, Oldham, Parekh, Patel, Sargeant, Stone and Yates.

There voted against: Councillors Beardsworth, Conroy, Ford, Glynane, Mennell, Meredith.

There abstained the Mayor.

The recommendations in the report were agreed.

RESOLVED:

Council approved:

a)    That the Treasury Management  Strategy for 2015-16 at Appendix A  of the report be approved: incorporating:

                    (i)        The Capital Financing and Borrowing Strategy for 2015-16 including:

·           The Council’s policy on the making of Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) for the repayment of debt, as required by the Local Authorities (Capital Finance & Accounting) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008.

·           The Affordable Borrowing Limit for 2015-16 as required by the Local Government Act 2003.

(ii) The Investment Strategy for 2015-16 as required by the CLG revised Guidance on Local Government Investments issued in 2010.

b)   That authority be delegated to the Council’s Chief Finance Officer, in liaison with the Cabinet member for Finance, to make any temporary changes needed to the Council’s borrowing and investment strategy to enable the authority to meet its obligations.

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Councillor Bottwood submitted a report which reported the outcome of the consultation process on the 2015/16 General Fund budget and the final formula grant settlement for 2015/16 and to agree Cabinet’s proposals for the 2015/16 to 2019/20 General Fund budgets, the level of Council Tax increase for 2015/16 and the indicative levels for 2016/17 – 2019/20. It was noted that there had been a revision to Appendix 7 which sought approval to incorporate the Vulcan Works redevelopment, a key part of Northampton’s Cultural Quarter, into the 2015/16 – 2019/20 Capital Programme.

Councillor Mackintosh seconded the report.

Councillor Mason proposed and Councillor Marriott seconded amendments, highlighted in black, on the attached supplementary document to the minutes, at Appendices 4, 6 and 10.

There voted for the amendments: Councillors Ashraf, Eales, Gowen, Marriott, Mason and Stone.

There voted against the amendments: Councillors Ansell, Aziz. Begum, Bottwood, I Choudary, Eldred, Ford, Hadland, Hallam, Hill, King, Lane, Larratt, Lynch, Mackintosh, Markham, Nunn, Oldham, Parekh, Patel, Sargeant and Yates.

There abstained the Mayor, Councillors Beardsworth, Conroy, Glynane, Mennell and Meredith.

The amendment was lost.

Councillor Beardsworth proposed and Councillor Glynane seconded amendments, highlighted in black, on the attached supplementary document to the minutes, at Appendices 4, 6 and 10.

There voted for the amendments: Councillor Beardsworth, Conroy, Ford, Glynane and Meredith.

There voted against the amendments: Councillors Ansell, Aziz, Begun, Bottwood, I Choudary, Eldred, Hadland, Hallam, Hill, King, Lane, Larratt, Lynch, Mackintosh, Markham, Nunn, Oldham, Parekh, Patel, Sargeant and Yates.

There abstained the Mayor, Ashraf, Eales, Gowen, Marriott, Mason, Mennell and Stone.

The amendment was lost.

Council debated the recommendations contained within the report.

There voted for the recommendations: Councillors Ansell, Aziz, Begum, Bottwood, I Choudary, Eldred, Hadland, Hallam, Hill, King, Lane, Larratt, Lynch, Mackintosh, Markham, Nunn, Oldham, Parekh, Patel, Sargeant and Yates.

There voted against the recommendations: Ashraf, Beardsworth, Conroy, Eales, Ford, Glynane, Gowen, Marriott, Mason, Mennell, Meredith and Stone.

There abstained the Mayor.

The recommendations in the report were agreed:

RESOLVED:

1.      That the feedback from consultation with the public, organisations and the Overview and Scrutiny Committees, be considered and welcomed (detailed at Appendices 1 to 3 of the attached Cabinet report).

2.      That authority be delegated to the Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer to implement all budget options and restructures.

3.      That authority be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member for Finance, and where appropriate the relevant Director and Lead Cabinet Member to transfer monies to/from earmarked reserves should that become necessary during the financial year.

4.      That a General Fund budget for 2015/16 of £29.149m (excluding parishes), be approved (detailed in Appendices 4, 5, and 6 of the attached Cabinet report) for its own purposes.

5.      That a General Fund Capital Programme for 2015-16, including future year commitments, and proposed financing be approved (as set out in Appendix 7 of the attached Cabinet report) for its own purposes.

6.      The Council confirmed the aim of maintaining a minimum level of unallocated general  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

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Councillor Bottwood submitted a report that sought the approval of the HRA 2015/16 budget and the HRA forecasts for 2016/17 to 2019/20, rent increases, services charges and other charges for 2015/16 and provided Members with an update on ongoing work on the direction of the NPH.

Councillor Mackintosh seconded the report.

There voted for the recommendations: Councillors Ansell, Ashraf, Aziz, Beardsworth, Begum, Bottwood, I Choudary, Conroy, Eales, Eldred, Ford, Glynane, Gowen, Hadland, Hallam, Hill, King, Lane, Larratt, Lynch, Mackintosh, Markham, Marriott, Mason, Mennell, Meredith, Nunn, Oldham, Parekh, Patel, Sargeant, Stone and Yates.

There abstained the Mayor.

The recommendations in the report were agreed:

RESOLVED:

2.1   That Council approved:

a)      An average rent increase of 2.2% per dwelling, in line with the Government’s national rent policy, to take effect from 6^th April 2015.

b)      The HRA budget for 2015/16 of £54.6m expenditure including options detailed in Appendix 1 and 2.

c)      The HRA capital programme for 2015/16, including future year commitments, and proposed financing as set out in Appendix 3.

d)      The proposed service charges listed in Appendix 4.

e)      That Cabinet be authorised, once the capital programme has been set, to approve new capital schemes and variations to existing schemes during 2015/16, subject to the funding being available and the schemes being in accordance with the objectives and priorities of the Council.

f)       The Total Fees proposed for NPH to deliver the services in scope for 2015/16 detailed in Appendix 5.

2.2      That the Council acknowledged the issues and risks detailed in the Chief Finance Officer’s report on the robustness of estimates and the adequacy of the reserves.

2.3      That the Council delegate authority  to the Chief Finance Officer to make any technical changes necessary to the papers for the Council meeting of 23^th February 2015.

2.4      That the Council be recommended to confirm the reserves strategy of protecting balances wherever possible to allow the option of supporting future years’ budgets, aiming for a minimum level of unallocated Housing Revenue Account balances of at least £5m for 2015/16 having regard to the outcome of the financial risk assessment and remaining at this level over the medium term.

2.5      That Council be recommended to delegate authority to the Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer to implement any retained HRA budget options and restructures.

2.6      That authority be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the Cabinet Member, and where appropriate the relevant Director and Cabinet Member to:

·         transfer monies to/from earmarked reserves should that become necessary during the financial year.

·         transfer monies to /from HRA working balances between the Council and NPH  for cash flow purposes should that become necessary during the financial year.

·         update prudential indicators in both the Prudential Indicators report and Treasury Strategy report, for Council for any budget changes that impact on these.

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Councillor Bottwood submitted a report that set out the final precept determinations from the major precepting authorities (Northamptonshire County Council and Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner), parish councils and the budget setting decision of the Council.

Councillor Mackintosh seconded adoption of the report.

There voted for the recommendations: Councillors Ansell, Ashraf, Aziz, Begum, Bottwood, I Choudary, Eales, Eldred, Gowen, Hadland, Hallam, Hill, King, Lane, Larratt, Lynch, Mackintosh, Markham, Marriott, Mason, Nunn, Oldham, Parekh, Patel, Sargeant, Stone and Yates.

There voted against: Ford and Meredith.

There abstained the Mayor and Councillors Beardsworth, Conroy, Glynane and Mennell.

RESOLVED:

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Councillor Bottwood submitted a report that advised Council on the robustness of the estimates in the budget and the adequacy of the proposed financial reserves.

Councillor Mackintosh seconded the recommendations.

There voted for the recommendations: Councillors Ansell, Ashraf, Aziz, Beardsworth, Begun, Bottwood, I Choudary, Conroy, Eales, Eldred, Ford, Gowen, Hadland, Hallam, Hill, King, Lane, Larratt, Lynch, Mackintosh, Markham, Marriott, Mason, Mennell, Nunn, Oldham, Parekh, Patel, Sargeant, Stone and Yates.

There abstained the Mayor and Councillor Glynane.

RESOLVED:

That Council carefully considered the content of the report with regards to the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account prior to approval of the Council approving the Medium Term Financial Plan 2015/20, the Revenue Budget for 2015/16, Capital Programme 2015/20, Housing Revenue Account (HRA) 2015/16, HRA Capital Programme 2015/20, Reserves levels and Treasury Management Strategy 2015/16.

None.