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Agenda and minutes

Budget, Council
Tuesday, 26th February, 2019 6.10 pm

Venue: Council Chamber, Marmion House, Lichfield Street, Tamworth, B79 7BZ. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services 01827 709264 

Items
No. Item

58.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

None

59.

To receive the Minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 61 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 11th December 2018 were approved and signed as a correct record.

 

(Moved by Councillor D Cook and seconded by Councillor Dr S Peaple)

60.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of Members’ interests (pecuniary and non-pecuniary) in any matters which are to be considered at this meeting.

 

When Members are declaring a pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest in respect of which they have dispensation, they should specify the nature of such interest.  Members should leave the room if they have a pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest in respect of which they do not have a dispensation. 

Minutes:

Councillor A Bishop declared a pecuniary interest in minute 63 and accordingly left the meeting.

61.

To receive any announcements from the Mayor, Leader, Members of the Cabinet or the Chief Executive

Minutes:

Councillor D Cook made the following announcement:-

 

“Thank you Mr Mayor

 

Mr Mayor we are a town of Community Champions and, it is right that we celebrate a local citizen when they display an act of kindness or courage. 

 

 

We have a local young lady who has recently demonstrated pure courage.

 

The dictionary definition of courage is the state or quality of mind, or spirit that enables one to face danger or fear with self-possession, confidence and resolution.

 

 As I say Mr Mayor we have a young woman locally who has displayed this trait and I will of course as Leader of the Council be writing to her, I hope you will join me Mr Mayor?  Her name is Kate Pritchard she took the foolish courageous decision (I say) to marry Councillor Rob Pritchard on the Saturday just passed.

 

 I have course joked Mr Mayor but I’m hoping the Members of the Chamber will stand an applaud Councillor Pritchard with me, to congratulate him on his wedding on Saturday.”

 

Mayor Peter Thurgood made the following announcements:-

 

“I would like to take this opportunity; we are actually losing Ryan Keyte very shortly.

 

 I would like to thank him for all the hard work he has put in for the Council and may I wish him well and I’m sure you will join me in doing that in his next post.”

 

“I would also like to thank the Council employees for the montage that was presented to me at the civic ball; I thought that was a really lovely gesture, if Mr Barratt would mind conveying my thanks to all the members of staff. Its heart felt. Thank you.”

62.

Question Time:

(i)                 To answer questions from members of the public pursuant to Procedure Rule No. 10.

 

(ii)               To answer questions from members of the Council pursuant to Procedure Rule No. 11

 

Minutes:

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC NO. 1

 

Under Procedure Rule No 10, Ms Vivien Shaw, of Tamworth will ask the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor R Pritchard, the following question:-

 

"Last July you were kind enough to reply to my queries regarding the lack of public toilets in Tamworth and also whether anything could be done to ensure we, the people in Tamworth and visitors to the area could look forward to a proper Information Centre rather than the inadequate cramped space in the Council offices.

 

Well over six months later, nothing has changed.

 

The Assembly Rooms, part of the re-juvenation project haven't been re-opened, something that was promised by yourselves at the 17th July 2018 Council meeting quoting "Christmas time this year (2018) or early next year" ...your words. Meantime visitors and local people rely on the facilities in Ankerside, when it’s open or the ones in the Castle grounds. Neither of which is clearly signposted.

 

Can you confirm that the premises previously known as Goostry's, are your property and therefore ideally suited to be a Tourist Information Office? They are central, large and lying empty, with room for refreshments and toilets."

 

Councillor R Pritchard gave the following reply:-

 

“Thank you Mr Mayor, due to the complexity of the works and the age of the building, the opening of the Assembly Rooms has been delayed.

 

We aim to open the premises to the public in September of this year.

 

The shop known as Goostrys (more of us will know it as the Peel Café) is owned by the Council.  

 

We are looking at a number of venues for a new TIC and this is one of them. We hope to make an announcement as soon as possible.”

 

Ms Vivien Shaw asked the following supplementary question:-

 

“Those replies were given me to last July in particular the Council properties you was going to gain further information and also you was  going to look at other properties but nothing else has been done and it was over 6 months ago.

 

 As far the assembly rooms are concerned could we have your assurance that when they are finally opened and I believe it’s going to be in October that the main amenities there will be open for the public even when the assembly rooms are not being used?”

 

Councillor R Pritchard gave the following reply:-

 

“Thank you Mr Mayor.

 

 In terms of the delays when the question was originally answered, since then other properties potentially have become available for TIC so that’s one of the reason for the delays because properties we had not originally considered had become available so we wanted to explore those as well.

 

As I said we will make a formal announcement as soon as possible and that includes the provision of public toilets.”

 

 

 

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL NO. 1

 

Under Procedure Rule No 11, Councillor Dr S Peaple will ask the Portfolio Holder for Culture and Operational Services, Councillor J Chesworth, the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

63.

Corporate Vision, Priorities Plan, Budget & Medium Term Financial Strategy 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 509 KB

(Leader of the Council)

 

This item is being considered at Cabinet on Monday 25th February 2019, a verbal update will be provided on any amendments as a result of that meeting.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council proposed the Vision Statement, Priority Themes, Corporate Priorities and Outcomes and their inclusion in the Corporate Plan and Support Service Plan.

 

The recommendation package of budget proposals to enable the Council to agree the:

·General Fund (GF) Revenue Budget and Council Tax for 2019/20;

 

·Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget for 2019/20;

 

·5 Year General Fund Capital Programme (2019/24);

 

·5 Year HRA Capital Programme (2019/24);

 

·3 Year General Fund Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) (2019/22); and

 

·5 Year HRA Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) (2019/24).

 

 

To comply with the requirement of the Council’s Treasury Management Policy in reporting to Council the proposed strategy for the forthcoming year and the Local Government Act 2003 with the reporting of the Prudential Indicators

 

 

RESOLVED

That Council approved;

 

1

The Vision Statement, Priority Themes, Corporate

Priorities and Outcomes for 2019/20

 

2

The proposed revisions to Service Revenue Budgets (Policy Changes)

 

3

The sum of £62,517 be applied from Council Tax Collection Fund surpluses in reducing the Council Tax demand in 2019/20

 

4

The sum of £752,887 be applied from Business Rates Collection Fund surpluses in 2019/20

 

5

That on 29th November 2018, the Cabinet calculated the Council Tax Base 2019/20 for the whole Council area as 21,761 [Item T in the formula in Section 31B(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the "Act")]

6

That the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2019/20 is £3,849,303

7

The following amounts as calculated for the year 2019/20 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:

a.    £49,832,645 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act (Outgoings excluding internal GF Recharges);

b.    £45,983,342 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act (Income excluding internal GF Recharges);

c.    £3,849,303 being the amount by which the aggregate at 7(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 7(b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act as its Council Tax requirement for the year (Item R in the formula in Section 31A(4) of the Act);

d.    £176.89 being the amount at 7(c) above (Item R), all divided by Item T (at 5 above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year;

 

8

The Council Tax level for the Borough Council for 2019/20 of £176.89 (an increase of £5.14 (2.99%) on the 2018/19 level of £171.75) at Band D;

9

An aggregate Council Tax (comprising the respective demands of the Borough Council, Staffordshire County Council, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Authority) of £1,715.41 at Band D for 2019/20 be noted (£1,648.36 in 2018/19)

10

The Council Tax levels at each band for 2019/20

11

The sum of £1,408,174 be transferred from General  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63.