Councillor Bely-Summers left before the vote on this item.

Council considered a report of the Head of Financial Services setting out the necessary calculation to enable Council to set the 2019/20 Council Tax for Oxford City.

Councillor Turner, Board Member for Finance and Asset Management, moved and Councillor Brown seconded the recommendations.

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

For the recommendations to Council – Councillors Altaf-Khan, Arshad, Azad, Brown, Chapman, Clarkson, Cook, Corais, Curran, Djafari-Marbini, Donnelly, Fry, Gotch, Harris, Hayes, Hollingsworth, Howlett, Kennedy, Landell Mills, Lygo, Malik, McManners, Munkonge, Pressel, Rowley, Rush, Simm, Simmons, Linda Smith, Roz Smith, Tanner, Tarver, Taylor, Turner, Upton, Wade, Wolff (37)

Against and abstentions – none

Council resolved in accordance with the named vote above to approve for 2019/20:

1.    The City Council’s precept and Council Tax requirement of £14,201,686 including Parish precepts and £13,941,621 excluding Parish precepts;

2.    The average Band D Council Tax figure (excluding Parish Precepts) of £307.80 a 2.99% increase on the 2018/19 figure of £298.86. Including Parish Precepts the figure is £313.54, a 3.21% increase (see 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 (see paragraphs 12 and 13 of the report);

4.    The amount of £603,750 to be treated as Special Expenses (see paragraph 19 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       £348.68

Old Marston  £340.49

Risinghurst and Sandhills £329.55

Blackbird Leys          £313.44

Unparished Area     £310.35

These figures include Parish Precepts and special expensing amounts as appropriate; in addition to the City-wide Council Tax of £294.47.

Council resolved to note:

6.    Oxfordshire County Council’s precept and Band D Council Tax as set out in paragraph 22 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 23 of the report, and

8.     The overall average Band D equivalent Council Tax of £1,988.65 including Parish Precepts (the Head of Finance having had confirmation of the Band D figures noted above from the County Council and Police and Crime Commissioner).