Individual amendments to the revenue and capital budgets, including explanation, for debate.

These will be published in the Briefing Note.

The Head of Financial Services will submit a report to the City Executive Board on 12 February which presents the outcome of the budget consultation and seeks agreement of the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2020-21 to 2022-23 and the Budget for 2019-20 for recommendation to Council (published as a supplementary pack).

The City Executive Board is asked to consider the outcome of the public consultation, agree the amendments to the Consultation Budget set out in the report, and make recommendations to Council. Any changes to the final recommendations to Council and any amendments resulting from the City Executive Board meeting will be tabled at the Council meeting.

Amendments to the budget submitted by opposition groups or individual councillors must be received before 1.00pm on Tuesday 12 February and will be circulated with the briefing note.

Councillor Turner, the Board Member for Finance and Asset Management, will present the report and move the City Executive Board’s recommendations.

The procedure for this item is set out in Part 11.4 of the Council’s Constitution.

Recommendations: Council is recommended to:

a.    consider the City Executive Board recommendations to Council, including the budget published as part of the agenda for this meeting along with any amendments resulting from the CEB meeting of 12 February tabled at this meeting;

b.    consider the substantive amendments proposed by the opposition groups; and published with the briefing note;

c.    consider individual amendments; and

d.    agree the recommendations from the City Executive Board as presented to Council, or with further amendments as decided by Council.

Subject to the recommendations of the City Executive Board at their meeting on 12 February:

Council is recommended to resolve to:

1.    Approve the 2019-20 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 £24.167 million for   2019/20 and an increase in the Band D Council Tax of 2.99% or £8.94 per annum representing a Band D Council Tax of £307.80 per annum;

b)    the Housing Revenue Account budget for 2019/20 of £42.466 million and a reduction of 1% (£1.03/wk) in social dwelling rents from April 2019 giving a revised weekly average social rent of £102.26 as set out in Appendix 4;

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

2.    Agree the fees and charges shown in Appendix 7.

3.    Delegate to the Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Board 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 12-14 of the report.

4.    Ratify their decision to implement the Premium Council Tax of 100% for properties that have been empty for more than 2 years and approve the escalated rate of premium council tax when permitted to do so. (Para 17-19  ...  view the full agenda text for item 89

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

Council had before it and considered:

·         The report  of the Head of Finance and the budget and medium term financial strategy submitted to the City Executive Board for consideration on 12 February 20189

·         The extract of the draft minutes of that meeting;

·         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;

·         Additional recommendations to, and accepted by, the Executive Board published with the briefing note including a revised Appendix 6 (Capital);

·         One individual amendment submitted and circulated  at the meeting

Councillor Turner, seconded by Councillor Brown, moved the City Executive Board recommendations.

Councillors Haines left and Councillor Corais arrived at this point.

a)    Liberal Democrat group amendments to the budget

Councillor Roz Smith, seconded by Councillor Wade, moved the Liberal Democrat group amendments.

After debate, Councillor Turner called for a named vote on the amendments. This being supported by more than the required 10 councillors, a named vote was taken:

For the amendments – Councillors Altaf-Khan, Gant, Goddard, Gotch, Harris, Landell Mills, Roz Smith, Wade (8)

Against the amendments- Councillors Arshad, Azad, Bely-Summers, Brown, Chapman, Clarkson, Cook, Corais, Curran, Djafari-Marbini, Donnelly, Fry, Hayes, Hollingsworth, Howlett, Kennedy, Lygo, Malik, McManners, Munkonge, Pressel, Rowley, Rush, Simm, Linda Smith, Tanner, Tarver, Taylor, Turner, Upton (30)

Abstentions- Councillors Simmons, Wolff (2)

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

b)   Green group amendments to the budget

Councillor Simmons, seconded by Councillor Wolff, moved and seconded 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 City Executive Board budget as proposed

Councillors Gant and Goddard left before this point.

Councillor Roz Smith, seconded by Councillor Simmons, moved an amendment: Cut communications officer posts by 1FTE and put funds into supporting Experience Oxfordshire and a 0.5FTE Carbon Accountant post (reducing communications posts by £45k and allocating £20k to Experience Oxfordshire and £25k to the part time post) to start immediately and continue for 4 years.

The S151 officer confirmed the proposals were arithmetically correct.

After debate this was put to the vote.

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

d)   Decision on the City Executive Board budget

After a debate, the recommendations of the City Executive Board including the details of the medium term financial strategy, budget, capital programme, HRA, fees and charges and other matters as set out in the published agenda and briefing note for this meeting were put to the vote.

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

For the City Executive Board recommendations to Council – Councillors Arshad, Azad, Bely-Summers, Brown, Chapman, Clarkson, Cook, Corais, Curran, Djafari-Marbini, Donnelly,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 89

If the City Executive Board agrees changes to the recommendations, or changes or corrections to the published report or appendices, these will be tabled at the meeting.

The Licensing and Gambling Acts and General Purposes Licensing Committees considered at their meetings on 23 January reports on fees and charges for the licensing functions falling within their remits.

The draft minutes of the Committees and the reports accompanying the three sets of fees and charges are attached. These fees and charges are also included in the budget papers at Item 9.

The Committee Chairs may wish to present the recommendations.

Recommendations: the Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee and the General Purposes Committee recommend:

That Council agree the licence fees and charges for 2019/20 as set out in Items 9a, 9b and 9c (and repeated in Item 10 Appendix 7 (relevant Community Services Fees and Charges and relevant Planning and Regulatory Fees and Charges).)

Councillor Malik having declared this item related to his disclosable pecuniary interests, 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, presented the report and moved the recommendations for their respective committees.

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

Council resolved to agree the licence fees and charges for 2019/20 as set out 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).

Green Group’s amendments to the revenue and capital budgets, including explanation, for debate.

These will be published in the Briefing Note.

Liberal Democrat Group’s amendments to the revenue and capital budgets, including explanation, for debate.

These will be published in the Briefing Note.

On 5 February the Scrutiny Committee will consider its Budget Review Group’s report on the 2019/20 budget before submitting to the City Executive Board for its consideration (report to follow).

The Board’s response will be tabled or reported at this meeting.

The Chairs of the Scrutiny Panel and Finance Panel will present the report and recommendations.

Recommendation: Council is asked to note the recommendations of the Scrutiny Committee and the City Executive Board’s response.

Council considered the report and recommendations of the Budget Review Group of the Scrutiny Committee to the City Executive Board meeting on 12 February and the Board’s response. Councillor Fry, Chair of the Budget Review Group, explained the Panels’ approach to scrutinising the budget and formulating their recommendations and drew attention to the key findings in the report.

Council resolved to note the report and the response.

Report of the Head of Financial Services on the soundness of the financial proposals before Council.

The Head of Financial Services will present the report and recommendations.

Recommendations: That Council notes this report in setting its budget for 2019/20 and the indicative budgets for 2020/21 – 2022/23.

Council considered a report from the Head of Financial Services on the soundness of the financial proposals before Council. The Head of Financial Services drew attention to the key points including risks and to the levels of the Council’s reserves and balances and contingencies.

Council resolved to note the report and its implications.

The Head of Financial Services has submitted a report on the outcome of the budget consultation and to agree the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2020-21 to 2022-23 and 2019-20 Budget for recommendation to Council.

Recommendations: The City Executive Board is asked to consider the    outcome of the public consultation, agree the amendments to the Consultation Budget and recommend that Council resolves to:

1.      Approve the 2019-20 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, noting:

              a) the Council’s General Fund Budget Requirement of £24.167 million for   2019/20 and an increase in the Band D Council Tax of 2.99% or £8.94 per annum representing a Band D Council Tax of £307.80 per annum

              b) the Housing Revenue Account budget for 2019/20 of £42.466 million and a reduction of 1% (£1.03/wk) in social dwelling rents from April 2019 giving a revised weekly average social rent of £102.26 as set out in Appendix 4

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

2.    Agree the fees and charges shown in Appendix 7

3.      Delegate to the Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Board Member for Finance and Asset Management 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 12-14 below.

4.      Ratify their decision to implement the Premium Council Tax of 100% for properties that have been empty for more than 2 years and approve the escalated rate of premium council tax when permitted to do so. (Para 17-19)

5.      Agree the transfer of property from the General Fund to the HRA as referred to in paragraph 35.

The Head of Financial Services introduced a report on the outcome of the budget consultation and to agree the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2020-21 to 2022-23 and 2019-20 Budget for recommendation to Council. It was a positive budget, despite a number of external pressures and one which, among other things, supported the Oxford Living Wage; prioritised homelessness services; and tackled poverty in a variety of ways.

The Budget proposals were a statement of the position at a point in time, but which would be reviewed and redesigned over the coming months. Some elements would come back to the Board for more detailed consideration  in due course.

There was concern about the apparently limited reach of the budget consultation and thought should be given to finding a means of engaging with the public more effectively (and with particular reference to those with the greatest needs and who may be  hard to reach).

Proposals for the Capital Programme were significant and welcome as was development of the Project Management Office. Capital investment in the Council’s wholly-owned company, Oxford Direct Services, for example, would, in turn, increase the dividend payable to the Council.

The Chair moved the recommendations given in the report, together with those given in the supplement. The tabled and amended version of Appendix 6 is attached to these minutes.

The City Executive Board agreed the amendments to the Consultation Budget and resolved to recommend that Council resolves to:

1.      Approve the 2019-20 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, noting:

              a) the Council’s General Fund Budget Requirement of £24.167 million for   2019/20 and an increase in the Band D Council Tax of 2.99% or £8.94 per annum representing a Band D Council Tax of £307.80 per annum

              b) the Housing Revenue Account budget for 2019/20 of £42.466 million and a reduction of 1% (£1.03/wk) in social dwelling rents from April 2019 giving a revised weekly average social rent of £102.26 as set out in Appendix 4

              c) the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme as shown in Appendix 6, with the change referenced in 7 below.

2.    Agree the fees and charges shown in Appendix 7

3.      Delegate to the Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Board Member for Finance and Asset Management 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 12-14 below.

4.      Ratify their decision to implement the Premium Council Tax of 100% for properties that have been empty for more than 2 years and approve the escalated rate of premium council tax when permitted to do so. (Para 17-19)

5.      Agree the transfer of property from the General Fund to the HRA as referred to in paragraph 35.

6.      Formally adopt the Business Rates Retail Discount Scheme and apply the scheme in accordance with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 139