Agenda item

Budget 2016/17

To pass the following resolution:-

 

RESOLVED:-

 

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

 

            (a)        the Revenue estimates for 2016-2017;

 

            (b)        the Capital programme for 2016-2017;

 

(2)        that it be noted that, at the meeting of the Executive on the 26 January 2016, the Council calculated the figure of 35,429, as its council tax base for the year 2016-2017 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 2016-2017 in accordance with Sections 31A of the Local Government and Finance Act 1992:-

 

(a)        £103,925,695 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)        £98,963,864 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)        £4,961,831 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)        £140.05 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

 

                                                                       

                       

A

B

C

D

£93.37

£108.93

£124.49

£140.05

 

 

 

 

E

F

G

H

£171.17

£202.29

£233.42

£280.10

 

 

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 2016-2017, 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

            Valuation Bands

 

A

B

C

D

£xxx.xx

£xxx.xx

£x,xxx.xx

£x,xxx.xx

 

 

 

 

E

F

G

H

£x,xxx.xx

£x,xxx.xx

£x,xxx.xx

£x,xxx.xx

 

 

            Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall

 

A         

B

C

D

£xxx.xx

£xxx.xx

£xxx.xx          

£xxx.xx

E

F

G

H

£xxx.xx

£xxx.xx

£xxx.xx

£xxx.xx

           

 

            Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority

            Valuation Bands

 

A         

B

C

D

£xx.xx

£xx.xx

£xx.xx

£xx.xx

E

F

G

H

£xx.xx

£xxx.xx

£xxx.xx

£xxx.xx

           

                       

(5)        That, having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at (3)(e) and (4) above, the Council, in accordance with Section 30(2) of the Local Government  Finance Act 1992, hereby set the following amounts as the amounts of council tax for the year 2016-2017 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:-

 

            Valuation Bands

 

A

B

C

D

£x,xxx.xx

£x,xxx.xx

£x,xxx.xx

£x,xxx.xx

E

F

G

H

£x,xxx.xx

£x,xxx.xx

£x,xxx.xx

£x,xxx.xx

 

 

 

 

Minutes:

Minute 13 (2016/17 Council Tax Base and NNDR1)) of the meeting of Executive held on 26 January 2016 was taken as read and adopted. 

 

Councillor Sutton, the Deputy Leader of the Council, moved and Councillor Denham seconded the resolution as set out in the agenda and circulated papers in respect of the Council Tax for 2016/17.

 

The Deputy Leader in presenting the budget stated that the Council, in spite of significant reductions in Government Grant both for the current year and for 2016/17, had achieved significant savings, continued to streamline and modernise the services and found innovative ways of delivering services such as setting up Strata with neighbouring councils to deliver IT services thereby making financial savings of £7 million over the next 10 years and working with partners on the Integrated Care for Exeter [ICE] project, saving money and resources across all the partner organisations.

 

Delivery of housing remained a priority. In the last year, 26 new council houses had been built for local families and work was to begin on providing an additional 26 new flats for older people adjoining Rennes House. Since 1 April 2014, 64 affordable homes had been delivered with 235 further affordable homes to follow. In Exeter 3,468 new homes had been built since 2011-12 - more than any other district in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay - earning the Council £10.2 million in New Homes Bonus.

Economic growth and job creation remained key goals. New businesses continued to relocate to the city, the Council itself having helped create 476 jobs in the city. New businesses were moving on to the Exeter Science Park and work was progressing on a landmark building to house the Met Office’s £97 million High Performance Computer. A new Leisure Complex built to Passivhaus standards, together with a modernised Bus Station fit to meet the needs of travellers to and from the City, were also planned.

Two major events in and around the City in 2016 were to take place - the Radio 1 Big Weekend at Powderham Castle and the European Rugby sevens event at Sandy Park which would also be held there for the next three years, building on the success of the Rugby World Cup and further enhancing the reputation of the City. Allied to the above was greater investment in the infrastructure of the City, including £1.3 million towards the delivery of the new railway station at Marsh Barton and £1.025 million towards the delivery of a fully operational junction at Sandy Park to enable further development in the area.

The Opposition Leader, whilst recognising some positive aspects within the budget, such as innovative solutions to service delivery as well as the identification of new sources of income, advised that it was a budget that his group would have to abstain on because there were aspects that could not be supported, principally the proposed Bus and Coach station site re-development

Other Members gave their support for the budget, noting that there had been no additional cuts to frontline Council services despite future risk including reduced revenue support grant, challenges to the self-financing of Housing Revenue Account, welfare reform cuts and uncertainty regarding business rate retention. One Member expressed her gratitude for the cross-party support for the Exeter City Futures initiative and hoped that the project, by taking a strategic approach, would tackle concerns over traffic congestion, health and the environment.

Another Member advised that she would oppose the budget, because of her opposition to the Bus and Coach station re-development, referring at the same time to cuts within certain services.

Responding, the Deputy Leader advised that no alternative solutions had been put forward for the Bus and Coach Station site and that re-modelling had led to the more efficient delivery of services rather than cuts.

 

RESOLVED:-

To pass the following resolution

 

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

 

            (a)        the Revenue estimates for 2016-2017;

 

            (b)        the Capital programme for 2016-2017;

 

(2)        that it be noted that, at the meeting of the Executive on the 26 January 2016, the Council calculated the figure of 35,429, as its council tax base for the year 2016-2017 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 2016-2017 in accordance with Sections 31A of the Local Government and Finance Act 1992:-

 

(a)        £103,925,695 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)        £98,963,864 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)        £4,961,831 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)        £140.05 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

 

                                                                                               

A

B

C

D

£93.37

£108.93

£124.49

£140.05

 

 

 

 

E

F

G

H

£171.17

£202.29

£233.42

£280.10

 

 

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 2016-2017, 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

            Valuation Bands

 

A

B

C

D

£805.08

£939.26

£1,073.44

£1,207.62

 

 

 

 

E

F

G

H

£1,475.98

£1,744.34

£2,012.70

£2,415.24

 

 

            Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall

 

A         

B

C

D

£115.23

£134.43

£153.64          

£172.84

E

F

G

H

£211.25

£249.66

£288.07

£345.68

           

 

            Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority

            Valuation Bands

 

A         

B

C

D

£53.32

£62.21

£71.09

£79.98

E

F

G

H

£97.75

£115.53

£133.30

£159.96

           

                       

(5)        That, having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at (3)(e) and (4) above, the Council, in accordance with Section 30(2) of the Local Government  Finance Act 1992, hereby set the following amounts as the amounts of council tax for the year 2016-2017 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:-

 

            Valuation Bands

 

A

B

C

D

£1,067.00

£1,244.83

£1,422.66

£1,600.49

E

F

G

H

£1,956.15

£2,311.82

£2,667.49

£3,200.98

 

 

 

 

(6)       The Council has determined that its relevant basic amount of Council

Tax for 2016/17 is not excessive in accordance with principles                                                                   approved under Section 52ZB Local Government Finance Act 1992.

As the billing authority, the Council has not been notified by a major precepting authority that its relevant basic amount of Council Tax for

2016/17 is excessive and therefore the billing authority is not

required to hold a referendum in accordance with Section 52ZK Local

Government Finance Act 1992.

 

In accordance with Standing Order 30 a named vote on the Resolution was recorded, as follows:

 

Voting for:

 

Councillors Bialyk, Branston, Brimble, Bull, Buswell, Choules, Denham, George, Hannaford, Hannan, Laws, Lyons, Morse, Owen, Packham, Pearson, Raybould, The Deputy Lord Mayor, Sheldon, Spackman, Sutton, Vizard, Wardle and Williams.

 

(24 Members)

 

Voting against:

 

Councillor Brock

 

(1 Member)

 

Abstain:

 

The Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor, Baldwin, Harvey, Holland, Leadbetter, Mottram, Newby, Prowse, Thompson and Shiel 

 

(10 Members)

 

Absent:

 

Councillors Edwards, Crew, Henson and Morris.

 

(4 Members)

 

The Resolution was carried.

 

Supporting documents: