Council had before it the following (previously circulated, now appended):

(1)       Minute extract and recommendation from the City Executive Board held on 8^th February 2012;

(2)       Report of the Head of Finance;

(3)       Liberal Democrat Group budget amendments;

(4)       Green Group budget amendments.

Councillors declared interests as follows:

(a)       Councillor Sajjid Malik declared a personal interest as he was as he was involved in the hackney carriage and private hire Licensing trade, held a street trading License and owned a business in Oxford.

(b)       Councillor Mohammed Niaz Abbasi declared a personal interest as he was involved in the hackney carriage and private hire Licensing trade.

(c)        Councillor Mohammed Altaf-Khan declared a personal interest as he was involved in the hackney carriage and private hire Licensing trade.

(d)       Councillor Shah Jahan Khan declared a personal interest as he was involved in the hackney carriage and private hire Licensing trade.

(e)       Councillor Rae Humberstone declared a personal interest as he was a City Council appointed representative on the Agnes Smith Advice Centre and employed by the Oxfordshire County Council with regard to the Dial-a-Ride Service. .

(f)         Councillor Beverley Hazell declared a personal interest as she was involved with the Capital Management of the Oxford Night Shelter.

(g)       Councillor Nuala Young declared a personal interest as she was involved in the Tourist Tour Guide trade.

Councillor Ed Turner, seconded by Councillor Bob Price, moved and spoke to the Administration’s budget.

Councillor Mark Mills, seconded by Councillor Stephen Brown, moved and spoke to the Liberal Democrat Group’s proposed General Fund Budget and Capital Budget amendments to the City Executive Board’s recommendation.

Following a debate, Council voted on the Liberal Democrat Group’s amendments but these were not carried.

Councillor David Williams, seconded by Councillor Matt Morton, moved and spoke to the Green Group’s proposed General Fund and Capital Budgets amendments to the City Executive Board’s recommendation.

Following a debate, Council voted on the Green Group’s amendments but these were not carried.

Council voted upon the substantive City Executive Board’s recommendation and these were carried.

The full decision of Council on the Council’s Budget for 2012/13 – 2015/16 is set out below:

(a)       With regard to the Budget 2012/13 – 2015/16 to:

(1)       Approve the General Fund budget requirement for 2012/13 of £24.113 million as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report of the Head of Finance and in so doing to agree a Council Tax freeze for 2012/13, thereby resulting in an average Band D Council Tax of £262.96; 

(2)       Approve the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget for 2012/13 as set out in Appendix 4 to the report of the Head of Finance and an average dwelling rent increase of 7.83% and service charge increases of 6.1%

(3)       Approve the Capital Programme for 2012/13 - 2015-16 as set out in Appendix 6 to the report of the Head of Finance subject to the inclusion of £300,000 in the 2011/12 Capital Programme in respect of the installation of photo voltaic works to General Fund Leisure properties to be funded by capital receipts and the inclusion of £400,000 for Council house properties in the HRA for similar works to be financed from underspends within the HRA capital programme; and

(4)       Approve Fees and Charges as set out in Appendix 7 to the report of the Head of Finance;

(b)       With regard to the Periodic Report – Budget 2011/12 (Papers attached to the agreed copy of the minutes) to:

(1)       Agree the inclusion of £400k feed-in-tariff solar panel capital works to the 2011/12 HRA capital programme and the approval of the use of Capital Programme underspends to fund this project;

(2)       Agree to the inclusion of £300k feed-in-tariff solar panel capital works within the 2011/12 General Fund Capital Programme in the absence of any underspend on the Programme and the approval of such funding as appropriate;

(3)       On the basis of Council agreeing the additional funding in regard to the fitting of solar photovoltaic  panels, to grant project approval for the fitting of such solar photovoltaic panels to appropriate Council-owned sheltered housing accommodation blocks and leisure centres; to waive the Council’s procurement rules in regard to selecting an appropriate contractor or contractors for this work, on the basis that following such rules would not help to achieve overall best value; and to delegate the authority to award such contract or contracts to the Chief Executive;

(4)       Agree that £50k of capital expenditure be brought forward from 2013-14 to 2011-12 to fund feasibility work associated with the £2m Depot Relocation Project planned for 2013/14.