Agenda item

(Copy herewith)

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 fund balances of £4.9m for 2015/16 (as set out in Appendix 8 of the attached Cabinet report).

7.      That the draft Fees and Charges set out in Appendix 9 (of the attached Cabinet report) be approved.

8.      That Council does not increase the Council Tax for its own purposes, that is, excluding county, police, and parish precepts.