Agenda and minutes

These were received from the Lord Mayor, Councillors Denham, Foggin, Gottshalk, Newby and Robson.

To pass the following resolution:-

RESOLVED:-

(1)        That the following, as submitted in the Estimates Book, be approved:-

            (a)        the Revenue estimates for 2019-2020;

            (b)        the Capital programme for 2019-2020;

            (c)        the Treasury Management Strategy for 2019-20

(d)        the Prudential indicators for 2019-20 (incorporating the Minimum Revenue Provision Statement

            (e)        the Capital Strategy for 2019-20

(2)        that it be noted that, at the meeting of the Executive on the 9 January 2019, the Council calculated the figure of 36,988, as its council tax base for the year 2019-2020 in accordance with the Local Authorities  (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012 made under Section 33(5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992;

(3)        that the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2019-2020 in accordance with Sections 31A of the Local Government and Finance Act 1992:-

(a)        £106,012,385 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2)(a) to (f) of the Act;

(b)        £100,528,557 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3)(a) to (d) of the Act;

(c)        £5,483,828 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;

(d)        £150.05 being the amount at (3)(c) above divided by the amount at 2 above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its council tax for the year;

            (e)        Valuation Bands

Being the amount given by multiplying the amount at (3)(d) above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation band D, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different valuation bands.

(4)        That it will be noted that, for the year 2019-2020, Devon County Council, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall and the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority have stated the following amounts on precepts issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 83 of the Local Government Act 2003, for each of the categories of the dwellings shown below:-

            Devon County Council

            Devon County Council - Adult Social Care

Minute 6 (2019/20 Council Tax Base and NNDR1) of the meeting of Executive held on 15 January 2019 was taken as read and adopted. 

The Leader of the Council moved, and Councillor Sutton seconded, the resolution as set out in the agenda and circulated papers in respect of the Council Tax for 2019/20.

The Leader, in presenting this, his last budget as Leader, set the context for the proposals. Despite the Government’s statement to the contrary, austerity was continuing with difficult choices necessary and, to balance this year’s budget, £2.2 million of budget cuts having to be made. Exeter’s Core Spending power had seen a 15.2% reduction since 2016-17, a bigger cut than every other Council in Devon and the Government had allocated extra resources directly to rural areas through the Rural Services Delivery Grant, yet areas like Exeter, serving as a focal point for those rural communities, had received nothing.

Whilst the Government had recognised the difficulties caused by austerity for some types of Local Authority District Councils such as Exeter had not been helped. County and Unitary Councils had been allowed to increase their Council Tax by an extra 6% over three years to help fund adult social care and the Police had been allowed to increase their Council Tax by £12 this year and £24 next year to give them much needed funds. 

Spending on culture and events had been protected even though the Council’s net budget had shrunk by a third since austerity began. Exeter possessed six organisations in the Arts Council England national portfolio, spending 23% of its net service budget on culture including £2.282 million on the RAMM alone.

There had been a heavy investment in communities with over £1.5 million given in community and arts grants every year which would be continued and work was ongoing with community groups to find sustainable ways of continuing to provide seed funding for such groups to grow and expand across the city.

The Council had engaged wholeheartedly in the prevention agenda working with Devon County Council and the NHS to invest significant resources into this work and leading Wellbeing Exeter which funds Community Connectors working in every GP practice in the city and Community Builders in every ward. This work had been recognised nationally by Public Health England as an exemplar. 

As one of 12 national Local Delivery Pilots for Sport England, the Council was gearing up for a significant investment into community programmes in areas of greatest need. Work would be undertaken in local schools and workplaces to encourage and support more people to become active in everyday life.  Over £3 million had been invested in Sports and Leisure Centres with new facilities in Wonford, Exeter Arena and ISCA Centre and at the Riverside. Pyramids had received a makeover to ensure that it is safe and remains open whilst the building of St Sidwell’s Point flagship leisure complex was completed. A draft Physical Activity Strategy had been published setting out exciting plans for future investment  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.