Councillor Haines left the meeting at the start of this item.

Council considered the report from the Head of Financial Services submitted the meeting of 13 February 2020 which set out the necessary calculations to enable the setting of the 2020/21 Council Tax for Oxford City.

Subsequent to the original publication of the report it was confirmed that:

·         Oxfordshire County Council  had set a precept figure for 2020/21 of £70,102,622.52 giving a Band D Council Tax of £1,527.44;

·         The Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley had set a precept figure for 2020/21 of £9,926,278.74 giving a Band D Council Tax of £216.28;

·         At its meeting on 13 February Oxford City Council set its budget as set out in the reports and minutes of that meeting, resulting in a precept and Council Tax requirement of £14,407,726 excluding Parish precepts, giving a Band D Council Tax as set out in the report.

Councillor Brown, the Leader of the Council, proposed and Councillor Hollingsworth seconded the recommendations set out in the agenda.

In accordance with legislative requirements, a recorded vote was then taken:

For the resolution set out below:

Councillors Arshad, Azad, Brown, Chapman, Clarkson, Cook, Corais, Curran, Djafari-Marbini, Donnelly, Fry, Gant, Garden, Gotch, Harris, Hayes, Henwood, Hollingsworth, Howlett, Humberstone, Iley-Williamson, Kennedy, Landell Mills, Lygo, Munkonge, Pressel, Rowley, Rush, Simm, Simmons,  Linda Smith, Roz Smith, Tanner, Tarver, Taylor, Tidball, Upton, Wade, Wolff (39).

Against the resolution: None (0)

Abstentions: None (0)

Council resolved in accordance with the named vote to approve for 2020/21:

1.         The City Council’s precept and Council Tax requirement of £14,679,191 including Parish precepts and £14,407,726 excluding Parish precepts.

2.         The average Band D Council Tax figure (excluding Parish Precepts) of £313.92 a 1.99% increase on the 2019/2020 figure of £307.80. Including Parish Precepts the figure is £319.84, a 2.01% increase (as set out in paragraphs 2 to 6 of the report).

3.         A contribution of £10,000 to Old Marston Parish Council in recognition of the additional expenditure that the Parish incurs as a consequence of maintaining the cemetery (as set out in paragraphs 9 and 10 of the report).

4.         The amount of £623,305 to be treated as Special Expenses (as set out in paragraph 13 of the report).

5.         The Band D Council Taxes for the various areas of the City (excluding the Police and County Council’s precepts) as follows:

                        Littlemore                                      £358.22

                        Old Marston                                  £347.97

                        Risinghurst and Sandhills       £336.47

                        Blackbird Leys                            £319.31

                        Unparished Area                         £316.50

These figures include Parish Precepts and special expensing amounts as appropriate; in addition to the City-wide Council Tax of £300.34.

and noted:

6.         Oxfordshire County Council’s precept and Band D Council Tax as set out in paragraph 17 of the report;

7.         The Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley’s precept and Band D Council Tax as set out in paragraph 18 of the report;

8.         The overall average Band D equivalent Council Tax of £2,063.56 including Parish Precepts.

Council considered the report of the Head of Law and Governance asking for approval of the schedule of polling districts and polling places (shown at Appendix A to the report) for the administrative area of the City Council as required by the Electoral Administration Act 2006.

Councillor Brown, Leader of the Council, presented the report and moved the recommendations, which were agreed on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to:

1.         approve the schedule of polling districts and polling places (shown at Appendix 1 of the report) for the administrative area of the City Council;

2.         delegate to the Returning Officer the power to make changes to polling places and polling stations in emergency situations; and

3.         request the Returning Officer to investigate the suggested alternative polling places and report back to Council as necessary following the May 2020 elections.

Council considered the report of the Assistant Chief Executive, submitted to Cabinet on 12 February 2020, on the post consultation draft of the Council’s Corporate Strategy for 2020 to 2024 (“Council Strategy 2020–2024”).

Councillor Brown, Leader of the Council, presented the report and moved Cabinet’s recommendations to Council. These were agreed on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to

1.      adopt the Council Strategy 2020-2024 attached as Appendix 1 to the report;

2.      delegate authority to the Head of Corporate Policy, Partnerships and Communications in consultation with the Council Leader to make further minor amendments as required prior to its publication in March 2020;

3.      note that Key Performance Indicators agreed by Cabinet will be inserted as a schedule in the Council Strategy.

Councillor Malik re-joined the meeting at the start of this item.

Councillors Corais and Munkonge arrived at this point.

Council had before it and considered:

·         The report of the Head of Finance to Cabinet on 12 February 2020 setting out the outcome of the budget consultation and seeking agreement of the Council’s Budget for 2020/21 and the Medium Term Financial Strategy for the following 3 years;

·         The additional recommendation agreed at that meeting: Agree the additional unbudgeted amount of RSI grant of £840k for 2020-21 is added to the Council’s Homelessness earmarked reserve.

·         The Liberal Democrat group’s submitted amendments published with the briefing note;

·         The Green group’s submitted amendments published with the briefing note;

·         The Head of Finance’s comments on the amendments published with the briefing note;

·         One individual amendment submitted and circulated  at the meeting

Councillor Turner, seconded by Councillor Brown, moved agreement of the Budget for 2020/21 and the Medium Term Financial Strategy and the seven recommendations from Cabinet.

a)    Liberal Democrat group amendments to the budget

Councillor Arshad arrived during this section of the debate.

Councillor Roz Smith, seconded by Councillor Wade, moved the Liberal Democrat group amendments. After debate these were put to the vote.

With more councillors voting against than for, the Liberal Democrat amendments were not carried.

b)   Green group amendments to the budget

Councillor Wolff, seconded by Councillor Simmons, moved the Green group amendments.After debate these were put to the vote.

With more councillors voting against than for, the Green group amendments were not carried.

c)    Individual amendment to the Cabinet budget as proposed

Councillors Garden and Roz Smith left the meeting during this section of the debate.

Councillor Hayes left the chamber for the duration of this part of the debate as this affected his DPI as the charity he worked for was involved with the group referred to in the amendment.

Councillor Turner left the chamber for the duration of this part of the debate as the amendment specifically referred to his Special Responsibility Allowance.

Councillor Wade, seconded by Councillor Gant, moved an amendment: award £5,000 in-year revenue spending to support the Art Bus, a project of the Art Room funded by stopping the additional Special Responsibility Allowance to the non-statutory deputy leader for one year from 1 April of as soon as possible thereafter.  This was to support the new venture and bring the benefit of art therapy to children across the city.

The S151 officer confirmed the proposals were arithmetically correct.

The Leader in responding to the amendment reminded councillors that this worthwhile project could be funded through their ward budgets or the by applying for a council grant.

After debate the amendment was put to the vote.

With more councillors voting against than for, the amendment was not carried.

d)   Decision on the Cabinet budget

Councillors Hayes and Turner returned to the chamber. Councillor Djafari-Marbini arrived during the debate on this item.

After a debate, the recommendations of the Cabinet agreed at their meeting on 12 February including the details of the medium term financial strategy, budget for 2020/21, capital programme, HRA, fees and charges and other matters as set out in the published agenda and briefing note for this meeting, and the additional recommendation as set out above, were put to the vote.

In accordance with legislative requirements, a recorded vote was then taken:

Forthe Cabinet recommendations to Council:

Councillors Arshad, Azad, Aziz, Bely-Summers , Brown, Chapman, Clarkson, Cook, Corais, Curran, Djafari-Marbini, Donnelly, Fry, Haines, Hayes, Henwood, Hollingsworth, Howlett, Humberstone, Kennedy, Lloyd-Shogbesan, Lygo, McManners, Malik, Munkonge, Pressel, Rowley, Rush, Simmons,  Linda Smith, Tanner, Tarver, Taylor, Tidball, Turner, Upton, Wolff (37).

Againstthe Cabinet recommendations to Council; Councillors Gant, Harris, Wade (3).

Abstentions: Councillors Altaf-Khan, Goddard, Landell Mills (3).

Council resolved in accordance with the named vote to:

1.      approve the 2020-21 General Fund and Housing Revenue Account budgets and the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account Medium Term Financial Plan as set out in Appendices 1-10 of the report, noting:

a)    the Council’s General Fund Budget Requirement of £24.183 million for 2020/21 and an increase in the Band D Council Tax of 1.99% or £6.13 per annum representing a Band D Council Tax of £313.92 per annum subject to confirmation of the referendum levels contained in paragraphs 5 and 6 of the report;

b)    the Housing Revenue Account budget for 2020/21 of £44.455 million and an increase of 2.70% (£3.06/wk) in social dwelling rents from 1 April 2020 giving a revised weekly average social rent of £105.32 as set out in Appendix 5 of the report;

c)    the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme as shown in Appendix 6 of the report;

2.     agree the fees and charges shown in Appendix 7 of the report;

3.     delegate to the Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets the decision to determine whether it is financially advantageous for the Council to enter into a Business Rates Distribution Agreement as referred to in paragraphs 13-15 of the report;

4.     approve a loan facility of up to £500k for working capital to the Council’s Joint Venture, Oxford West End Development Ltd (OxWed) at terms to be agreed by the Council’s Section 151 Officer as referred to in paragraph 37 of the report; and

5.     approve the payment into the County Council Pension Fund of £5 million as referred to in the Consultation Budget and paragraph 21 of the report;

6.     note the changes to Business Rates reliefs and discounts for 2020-21 as referred to in paragraph 12; and

7.     agree the additional unbudgeted amount of RSI grant of £840k for 2020-21 is added to the Council’s Homelessness earmarked reserve.

Councillor Malik having declared this item related to his disclosable pecuniary interest, withdrew from the council chamber for the duration of this item.

Councillors Cook and Clarkson, Chairs of the Licensing Acts Committee and the General Purposes Licensing Committee, moved the recommendations from their respective committees.

On being seconded and put to the vote these were agreed.

Council resolved to agree the licence fees and charges for 2020/21 as set out in in the appendices to the reports to the committees and repeated in the budget book at Appendix 7 (relevant Community Services Fees and Charges and relevant Planning and Regulatory Fees and Charges).

Council considered the report of the Head of Financial Services, submitted to Cabinet on 12 February 2020, presenting the proposed Capital Strategy for approval.

Councillor Turner, Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management, presented the report and moved the recommendationsThese were agreed on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to approve the Capital Strategy set out at Appendix A of the report.

Councillor Tidball left the meeting during the debate on this item.

Council considered the report of the Head of Financial Services, submitted to Cabinet on 12 February 2020, presenting the proposed Treasury Management Strategy for 2020/21 together with the Prudential Indicators for 2020/21 to 2024/25.

Councillor Turner, Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management, presented the report and moved the recommendationsThese were agreed on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to approve:

1.     the Treasury Management Strategy 2020/21 as set out in paragraphs 18 to 64 and the Prudential Indicators for 2020/21 – 2024/25 as set out in Appendix 2 of the report;

2.     the Borrowing Strategy at paragraphs 26 to 38 of the report;

3.     the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement at paragraphs 39 to 41 of the report which sets out the Council’s policy on charging borrowing to the revenue account; and

4.     the Investment Strategy for 2020/21 and investment criteria as set out in paragraphs 42 to 63 and Appendix 1 of the report.

To increase the Covered Market masterplan project’s feasibility budget allocation in order to allow for additional spend on business case consultants, public engagement, a 3D model and abortive costs due to COVID-19.

Decision to appoint Gort Scott Limited in order to deliver the Concept Masterplan (RIBA Stage 2) and heritage-led Asset Management & Maintenance Plan for Oxford’s Covered Market.

The total value of the contract is within officer delegated authority.