Councillor Clarkson submitted apologies for lateness.

On Minute 84, Councillors Abbasi and Malik declared that the taxi licensing fees and charges related to their disclosable pecuniary interests (employment and holding of licences). They left the room for the duration of that debate and decision then re-joined the meeting and took part in the debate at Minute 85.

Announcements by:

(1)          The Lord Mayor

(2)          The Sheriff

(3)          The Leader of the Council

(4)          The Chief Executive, Chief Finance Officer, Monitoring Officer

There were no announcements from the Lord Mayor, the Sheriff, Leader or senior officers.

With the permission of the Lord Mayor, Councillor Tanner apologised to Council and to the public unreservedly for ill-considered remarks he had made about homeless people and beggars in the city in a radio interview, and apologised for the resulting offence he gave.

The Lord Mayor acknowledged this.

The procedure for the debate on the Medium Term Financial Strategy and the Budget is set out in the Council’s Constitution at 11.3.

Any amendments to the procedure must be agreed by majority vote and will only apply to this meeting.

Amendments to the budget published in this agenda must be received by Committee and Member Services by 1.00pm one working day before the meeting (Friday 17 February).

Recommendations: Council is recommended to agree the times permitted for each stage in the procedure as detailed in the constitution and set out below: 

The total time for this item is limited to 1 hour 25 minutes excluding: the debates at (b); voting; and adjournments.

All speakers have 3 minutes unless otherwise stated.

(a)    Proposal of the Executive Board budget by the Leader of the Council (15 minutes)

(b)   Amendments submitted by opposition groups (proposal and debate 30 minutes for each group’s amendments including voting: proposer may speak for up to 10 minutes).

Opposition groups will present their budgets for debate as amendments to the recommendations. 

The proposals will be voted on as one amendment for each group.

Break

(c)    Individual amendments will be presented (maximum 40 minutes in total including voting)

Individual amendments must be submitted in writing on the form provided to the clerk in advance of the meeting or at least 15 minutes before the start of this item at the meeting on the form provided. These will be circulated to members.

Amendments will be taken in the order submitted and will be “taken as read”. A proposer and seconder are required. Should the proposer and seconder agree amendments can be taken in groups. Any amendments not taken within the time fall.

(d)   Debate the budget (as amended) (30 minutes or the remaining time overall whichever is the longer)

(e)    Recorded vote

(f)     Adjournment for 10 minutes if necessary to allow the Leader to consider any implications of the decision.

Council agreed for Minute 85 the stages of debate and the times permitted for each of these in the procedure as detailed in the constitution and set out in the agenda. 

Public addresses and questions to the Leader or other Board member received in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.11 and 11.12 relating to matters for decision on this agenda.

The request to speak accompanied by the full text of the address or question must be received by the Head of Law and Governance by 5.00 pm on Tuesday 14 February.

The briefing note will contain the text of addresses and questions submitted by the deadline, and written responses where available.

A total of 30 minutes is available for this item. Responses are included in this time. Up to five minutes is available for each public address and three minutes for each question.

Council heard an address from Neo (Homeless Man) about the need to reopen Lucy Faithfull House to provide spaces for homeless people.

The text of his submitted speech is appended to these minutes.

Councillor Rowley, Board Member for Housing, responded.

In summary, he thanked the speaker and thanked the Iffley Open House residents for meeting with him. He explained the difficulties in providing support for homeless people with no local connection in the current legal and funding climate. The council provided funding to support those it could and sought to secure support from the appropriate local authorities for those with no qualifying connection to Oxford. All places in Lucy Faithfull House had been replaced with supported housing. While he appreciated the need for such housing, for these and other reasons, he could not support the Green group’s amendment to use a one-time saving to incur a continuing cost.

Report of the Head of Financial Services on the soundness of the financial proposals before Council (to follow in the briefing note)

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

Recommendations: Council is recommended to note the report and its implications.

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 and to the levels of the Council’s reserves and balances.

Council resolved to note the report and its implications.

The report and recommendations of the Finance Panel of the Scrutiny Committee to the City Executive Board meeting on 9 February and the Board’s response are attached.

The Chair of the Finance Panel will present the report and the recommendations.

Recommendation: Council is asked to note the report and the City Executive Board’s response set out in the attached document and in the minutes of the meeting of 9 February.

Council considered the report and recommendations of the Finance Panel of the Scrutiny Committee to the City Executive Board meeting on 9 February and the Board’s response.

Council resolved to note the report and the response.

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

The draft minutes of the Committees and the reports accompanying the three sets of fees and charges are attached.

These fees and charges are included in the papers for Item 9 at Appendix 7.

The Committee Chairs may wish to present the recommendations.

Recommendations: Council is recommended to:

1.    agree the recommendations of the Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee (Appendix 7, relevant Community Services Fees and Charges); and

2.    agree the recommendations of the General Purposes Licensing Committee in respect of fees for other licensable activities (Appendix 7, relevant Community Services Fees and Charges);

3.    agree the recommendations of the General Purposes Licensing Committee in respect of fees for miscellaneous activities (Appendix 7, relevant Planning and Regulatory Fees and Charges).

Councillors Abbasi and Malik, having declared this related to their disclosable pecuniary interests, withdrew from the council chamber for the duration of this item.

Council considered the recommendations of the Licensing and Gambling Acts and General Purposes Licensing Committees on fees and charges included in the budget before Council as part of appendix 7.

Council resolved to:

1. agree the recommendations of the Licensing and Gambling Acts Committee (Appendix 7, relevant Community Services Fees and Charges); and
2. agree the recommendations of the General Purposes Licensing Committee in respect of fees for other licensable activities (Appendix 7, relevant Community Services Fees and Charges); and
3. agree the recommendations of the General Purposes Licensing Committee in respect of fees for miscellaneous activities (Appendix 7, relevant Planning and Regulatory Fees and Charges).

The Head of Financial Services submitted a report to the City Executive Board on 9 February which presents the outcome of the budget consultation and the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2017-21 and 2017-18 Budget for recommendation to Council.

The minutes of that meeting are available.

The Deputy Leader will move the City Executive Board’s recommendations.

Opposition Group amendments to the budget will be circulated with the briefing note.

The procedure for this item is at Agenda Item 4.

Recommendations:  Council is recommended to:

a.    note that the City Executive Board agreed to recommend to Council the budget  published as part of the agenda for their meeting on 9 February with amendments as set out below;

b.    note the implications (contained in this budget) of the City Executive Board’s decision on 15 December 2016 to make an investment to expand the commercial waste fleet collection capacity by adding an additional refuse collection vehicle (RCV) to the vehicle replacement programme and place an order for this vehicle now and creating two permanent posts, one driver and one loader, to crew the additional RCV;

c.    consider the recommendations of the City Executive Board including the amendments below;

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

e.    consider individual amendments; and

f.     agree the recommendations from the City Executive Board to Council or with further amendments:

The City Executive Board recommends that Council:

1.    approve the 2017-18 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 £21.055 million for 2017/18 and an increase in the Band D Council Tax of 1.99% or £5.67 per annum representing a Band D Council Tax of £290.19 per annum;

b)    the Housing Revenue Account budget for 2017/18 of £44.285 million and a reduction of 1% (£1.06/wk) in social dwelling rents from April 2017 giving a revised weekly average social rent of £105.65 as set out in Appendix 4;

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

2.    agree not to implement the voluntary ‘Pay to Stay’ policy for Council house tenants (para 28 of the report refers);

3.    agree the fees and charges shown in Appendix 7 with the amendment to waive the fees for:

•      Interment of a child – who at the time of death was less than 1 month (Resident); and

•      Interment of a child - who at time of death was prior to 12th birthday (Resident).

4.    delegate authority to the Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Board Member for Finance, Asset Management and Public Health 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 16-17 of the report;

5.    agree an additional loan of up to £75,000 for working capital to  ...  view the full agenda text for item 85.

Councillor Goddard arrived shortly after the start of this item and Councillor Clarkson arrived during the second amendment debate.

Council had before it and considered:

• The budget submitted to the City Executive Board for consideration on 9 February 2017;
• The recommendations from the City Executive Board from 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 Deputy Leader’s submitted amendment on behalf of the Executive Board published with the briefing note;
• Two amendments from the Liberal Democrat group submitted at the meeting;
• Two amendments from the Green group submitted at the meeting.

Councillor Turner, seconded by Councillor Price, moved the City Executive Board recommendations and an amendment to these. This was agreed and included at (9) in the decision below.

a)    Alternative budget proposals

Councillor Fooks, seconded by Councillor Gant, moved and seconded the Liberal Democrat group amendments circulated before the meeting.

After debate these were put to the vote.

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

Councillor Simmons, seconded by Councillor Thomas, moved and seconded the Green group amendments circulated before the meeting.

After debate these were put to the vote.

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

b)   Further amendments to the City Executive Board budget as proposed and amended

1.    Councillor Thomas, seconded by Councillor Simmons, moved and seconded an amendment: each year from 2017/18 to 2020/21 to use £50,000 of the vacancy factor identified in LibDem substantive budget amendment to provide additional transitional support to Children’s Centres within the city.  

Councillor Turner proposed a further amendment: each year from 2017/18 to 2020/21 to use £30,000 and provide support through the small grants budget to allow flexibility. This was accepted by the proposer.

The S151 officer confirmed this was feasible but there were risks in using the vacancy factor this way. After debate this was put to the vote.

With more councillors voting for than against, the amendment was carried:

to use £30,000 of the vacancy factor identified in LibDem substantive budget amendment to provide additional transitional support to Children’s Centres within the city, provided through the small grants budget.

2.    Councillor Simmons, seconded by Councillor Gant, moved and seconded an amendment: reduce the size of the communications team from 6 to 4, draw down the disabled transport reserve and invest in a new fraud officer to generate sufficient on-going revenue to fund a range of small initiatives in opposition budget amendments.  

The S151 officer confirmed this was feasible. After debate this was put to the vote.

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

3.    Councillor Gant, seconded by Councillor Fooks, moved and seconded an amendment: from 2017/18 onwards to use £20,000 of the vacancy factor identified to fund additional ESOL teaching.

The Leader stated that while he would not support this he would be open to providing additional  ...  view the full minutes text for item 85.

The Head of Financial Services has submitted a report which sets out the necessary calculation to enable Council to set the 2017/18 Council Tax for Oxford City.

The Deputy Leader will move the recommendations and the Head of Financial Services will be available to answer questions.

Recommendations: Council is asked to approve for 2017/18:

1.     The City Council’s precept and Council Tax requirement of £13,163,986 including Parish precepts and £12,949,098 excluding Parish precepts.

2.     The average Band D Council Tax figure (excluding Parish Precepts) of £290.19, a 1.99% increase on the 2016/17 figure of £284.52. Including Parish Precepts the figure is £295.00, a 2.06% increase (paragraphs 3 & 4 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 (paragraphs 11 and 12 of the report). 

4.     The amount of £561,275 to be treated as Special Expenses (paragraph 15 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                                                             £326.64

       Old Marston                                                        £320.16

       Risinghurst and Sandhills                               £310.16

       Blackbird Leys                                                    £288.43

       Unparished Area                                               £292.58

These figures include the Parish Precepts and special expensing amounts as appropriate; in addition to the City-wide Council Tax of £277.61.

The Council is also asked to note:

6.     Oxfordshire County Council’s precept and Band D Council Tax as set out in paragraph 18 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 19 of the report, and

8.     The overall average Band D equivalent Council Tax of £1,810.87 including Parish Precepts (subject to confirmation of the Band D figures for the County Council and Police and Crime Commissioner – as set out in paragraphs 18 and 19 of the report).

A recorded vote will be taken.

Council considered a report setting out the necessary calculation to enable Council to set the 2017/18 Council Tax for Oxford City. As there were no changes to the budget requirements as a result of the decision at Minute 85 these were unchanged.

In accordance with legislative requirements, a named vote was taken:

For the recommendations in the report –

Abbasi, Altaf-Khan, Anwar, Azad, Brandt, Brown, Chapman, Clarkson, Cook, Coulter, Curran, Fooks, Fry, Gant, Goddard, Goff, Haines, Hayes, Henwood, Hollingsworth, , Iley-Williamson, Kennedy, Landell Mills, Lloyd-Shogbesan, Lygo, Malik, Munkonge, Paule, Pegg, Pressel, Price, Rowley, Sanders, Simm, Simmons, Sinclair, Smith, Tanner, Tarver, Taylor, Thomas, Tidball, Turner, Upton, Wade, Wilkinson, Wolff (47)

Against the recommendations in the report – None

Abstentions – None.

Council resolved to approve for 2017/18:

1.    The City Council’s precept and Council Tax requirement of £13,163,986 including Parish precepts and £12,949,098 excluding Parish precepts.

2.    The average Band D Council Tax figure (excluding Parish Precepts) of £290.19, a 1.99% increase on the 2016/17 figure of £284.52. Including Parish Precepts the figure is £295.00, a 2.06% increase (paragraphs 3 & 4 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 (paragraphs 11 and 12 of the report). 

4.    The amount of £561,275 to be treated as Special Expenses (paragraph 15 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                                    £326.64

Old Marston                               £320.16

Risinghurst and Sandhills      £310.16

Blackbird Leys                           £288.43

Unparished Area                      £292.58

6.    These figures include the Parish Precepts and special expensing amounts as appropriate; in addition to the City-wide Council Tax of £277.61.

Council resolved to note:

7.    Oxfordshire County Council’s precept and Band D Council Tax as set out in paragraph 18 of the report.

8.    The Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley’s precept and Band D Council Tax as set out in paragraph 19 of the report, and

The overall average Band D equivalent Council Tax of £1,810.87 including Parish Precepts (subject to confirmation of the Band D figures for the County Council and Police and Crime Commissioner – as set out in paragraphs 18 and 19 of the report).

The Head of Financial Services submitted a report to the City Executive Board on 9 February which presents the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy for 2017/18 together with the Prudential Indicators for 2017/18 to 2019/20.

The Deputy Leader will move the recommendations and the Head of Financial Services will be available to answer questions.

Recommendations: the City Executive Board recommends that Council:

1.  approve the Treasury Management Strategy 2017/18, and adopt the Prudential Indicators for 2017/18 – 2019/20 as set out in paragraphs 7 to 37 and Appendix 2 of the report;

2.  approve the Borrowing Strategy at paragraphs 7 to 18 of the report;

3.  approve the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement at paragraphs 19 to 22 of the report which sets out the Council’s policy on charging borrowing to the revenue account; and

4.  approve the Investment Strategy for 2017/18 and investment criteria as set out in paragraphs 23 to 37 and Appendix 1 of the report.

Council considered a report submitted to the City Executive Board on 9 February setting out the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy for 2017/18 together with the Prudential Indicators for 2017/18 to 2019/20.

Council resolved to:

1.    approve the Treasury Management Strategy 2017/18, and adopt the Prudential Indicators for 2017/18 – 2019/20 as set out in paragraphs 7 to 37 and Appendix 2 of the report;

2.    approve the Borrowing Strategy at paragraphs 7 to 18 of the report;

3.    approve the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement at paragraphs 19 to 22 of the report which sets out the Council’s policy on charging borrowing to the revenue account; and

4.    approve the Investment Strategy for 2017/18 and investment criteria as set out in paragraphs 23 to 37 and Appendix 1 of the report.

This decision relates to the 2016-17 budget.

The Heads of Housing and Property Services and Financial Services submitted a report to the City Executive Board on 9 February asking for authorisation for the transfer of 5 properties to the company.

The Board Member for Housing will present the report.

Recommendations: the City Executive Board recommends that Council:

1.    make available in 2016-17 a state aid compliant loan facility for Oxford City Housing Limited to enable the company to purchase the 5 properties identified in this report; the loan being for £742,606 which includes the purchase price and the associated costs of acquisition.

2.    include the provision of the loan facility mentioned above as an additional expenditure item in the 2016/17 capital programme, funded by the associated capital receipt received from the disposal.

Council considered a report submitted to the City Executive Board on 9 February asking for authorisation for the transfer of 5 properties to the company.

The Board Member for Housing explained that the low valuation reflected the proposed requirement that rent charged for the properties be set at the level of housing benefit payable in perpetuity.

Council resolved to:

1.    make available in 2016-17 a state aid compliant loan facility for Oxford City Housing Limited to enable the company to purchase the 5 properties identified in this report; the loan being for £742,606 which includes the purchase price and the associated costs of acquisition.

2.    include the provision of the loan facility mentioned above as an additional expenditure item in the 2016/17 capital programme, funded by the associated capital receipt received from the disposal.

The Assistant Chief Executive submitted a report to the City Executive Board on 9 February which seeks approval of the 2016 annual update report on the Corporate Plan 2016-20.

Recommendations: Council is asked to note the annual update of the Corporate Plan 2016-20.

Council considered a report submitted to the City Executive Board on 9 February which seeks approval of the 2016 annual update report on the Corporate Plan 2016-20.

The Leader explained that the Board had agreed amendments to the document to correct numerical errors and officers had authority to make further necessary changes to ensure the accuracy of the document.

Council resolved to note the annual update of the Corporate Plan 2016-20.