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Agenda and minutes

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Items
No. Item

126.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor A Cooper Councillor J Oates and M Summers.

127.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 98 KB

The approve the minutes of the previous meetings held on the 25th January 2024 and the 1st February 2024.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the previous meetings held on 25th  January  2024 and 1st February 2024 were approved and signed as a correct record.

 

(Moved by Councillor T Clements and seconded by Councillor S Smith)

 

128.

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:

There were no Declarations of Interest.

129.

Question Time:

To answer questions from members of the public pursuant to Executive Procedure Rule No. 13

Minutes:

None

130.

Matters Referred to the Cabinet in Accordance with the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules

Minutes:

None

131.

Corporate Vision, Priorities Plan, Budget & Medium Term Financial Strategy 2024/25 pdf icon PDF 960 KB

(Report of the Leader of the Council, Finance and Governance)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Leader of the Council, Finance and Governance to approve the recommended package of budget proposals (attached at Appendix 2) to enable the Council to agree the:

 

• General Fund (GF) Revenue Budget and Council Tax for 2024/25;

• Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget for 2024/25;

• 5 Year General Fund Capital Programme (2024/29);

• 5 Year HRA Capital Programme (2024/29);

• 3 Year General Fund Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) (2024/27); and • 5 Year HRA Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) (2024/29).

 

 

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 (attached at Appendix 3) and the requirement to prepare an annual Corporate Capital Strategy (Appendix A of the MTFS).

 

RESOLVED

that Cabinet:

 

 

 

endorsed the following recommendations to proceed to Council for approval:

 

 

1.

the proposed revisions to Service Revenue Budgets (Policy Changes) (Appendix E of the MTFS);

 

 

2.

the sum of £27,070 be applied from Council Tax Collection Fund surpluses in reducing the Council Tax demand in 2024/25 (Table 16, Section 7.8 of the MTFS);

 

 

3.

 the sum of £1,151,630 be applied to Business Rates Collection Fund deficits in 2024/25 (Table 16, Section 7.8 of the MTFS);

 

 

4.

that on 14 December 2023, the Cabinet calculated the Council Tax Base 2024/25 for the whole Council area as 23,479 [Item T in the formula in Section 31B(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the "Act")];

 

 

5.

that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2023/24 is £4,759,193 (Appendix F and Appendix H of the MTFS);

 

 

6.

the following amounts as calculated for the year 2024/25 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:

 

a. £4,759,193 being the amount 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);

 

b. £202.70 being the amount at 6 (a) above (Item R), all divided by Item T (at 4 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;

 

 

7.

the Council Tax level for the Borough Council for 2024/25 of £202.70 (an increase of £5.81 (2.95%) on the 2023/24 level of £196.89) at Band D;

 

 

8.

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 £2,107.68 at Band D for 2024/25 be noted (£2,012.94 in 2023/24) (Appendix H of the MTFS);

 

 

9.

the Council Tax levels at each band for 2024/25 (Appendix H of the MTFS);

 

 

10.

the sum of £1,134,859 be transferred from General Fund Revenue Balances in 2024/25 (Appendix F of the MTFS);

 

 

11.

the Summary General Fund Revenue Budget for 2024/25  ...  view the full minutes text for item 131.

132.

Review of Fees & Charges 2023/24 pdf icon PDF 60 KB

(Report of the Leader of the Council, Finance and Governance)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Leader of the Council, Finance and Governance to seek approval for the proposed fees and charges payable with effect from 1st April 2024.

 

RESOLVED

that Cabinet:

 

 

1.

Implemented the annual inflationary increase (5%) for the fees and charges where appropriate.

 

 

2.

Endorsed increases in the charges applied for goods sold through the catering bar and shops throughout the year as these are based on cost price plus a margin.

 

 

 

(Moved by Councillor T Jay and seconded by Councillor S Smith)

 

 

 

133.

Write Offs 1st April 2023 to 31st December 2023 pdf icon PDF 77 KB

(Report of the Leader of the Council, Finance and Governance)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Leader of the Council, Finance and Governance to endorse the amount of debt written off for the period 1st April 2023 to 31st September 2023.

 

RESOLVED

that Cabinet:

 

 

Endorsed the amount of debt written off for the period of

1st April 2023 to 31st December 2023 (Appendix A-E).

 

 

 

(Moved by Councillor T Jay and seconded by Councillor S Smith)

 

 

 

134.

Quarter 3 Performance Report pdf icon PDF 59 KB

(Report of the Leader of the Council, Finance and Governance)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Leader of the Council, Finance and Governance to provide Cabinet with an overview of Council performance for the third quarter of the 2023-24 financial year (October to December 2023). It reports the  Council’s position in relation to progress with strategic corporate plan projects and updates on the financial position, corporate risks, audits, information governance and complaints.  The report was considered by Corporate Scrutiny Committee on 7th February 2024.

 

RESOLVED

that Cabinet:

 

 

Endorsed the contents of this report.

 

 

 

(Moved by Councillor T Jay and seconded by Councillor S Smith)

 

 

 

135.

Emergency Planning and Civil Contingencies pdf icon PDF 105 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Environmental Health and Community Partnerships)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Environmental Health and Community Partnerships to set the current progress on the Council’s preparedness for Emergency and Business Continuity planning, as required by Civil Contingencies legislation, regulations, and directions.

 

RESOLVED

that Cabinet:

 

 

1.

Acknowledged and Supported the Emergency Planning & Business Continuity Improvement Plan – RAG rated and shown at Annex 1;

 

2.

Endorsed the Local Government Association’s 2018 Guidance document titled ‘A Councillor’s Guide to Civil Emergencies’ when dealing with major incidents and emergencies and shown at Annex 2; and

 

3.

Delegated authority to the Portfolio Holder for Environmental Health and Community Partnerships, in conjunction with Assistant Director Neighbourhoods, for  the development of member FAQs and communications guidance on handling emergency planning situations - supporting Member seminar(s) and onward training material via the Council’s MemberZone.

 

 

 

(Moved by Councillor S Smith and seconded by Councillor P Thompson)

 

 

 

136.

Housing Revenue Account Business Plan 2023-2053 pdf icon PDF 175 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning to present the updated baseline assessment and financial projections for the Council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) covering the 30-year period 2023/4-2053/4.  A detailed financial analysis, supported externally, is shown in Annex 1 and incorporates revised budgets and assumptions.

 

 

RESOLVED

that Cabinet:

 

 

1.

Approved the baseline and HRA investment forecast shown at Annex 1;

 

2.

Endorsed the financial modelling at Annexes 1 and 2, evidencing that the HRA balances in the medium term. But from 2042/43, the longer-term horizon scan shows that the plan is not financially sustainable;

 

 

3.

Agreed to consultation with Tenants and Leaseholders on the proposed scenarios around service efficiency to support interventions longer term to balance the HRA budget as shown at Annex 3;

 

4.

Delegated final approval, of the detail, in the full and summary HRA Business Plan working papers to the Portfolio Holder Housing and Planning, in consultation with the Assistant Director, Neighbourhoods shown at Annex 4;

 

5.

Approved the creation of a HRA Business & Viability Planning Project within the Social Housing Regulatory Programme to ensure oversight, scrutiny and monitoring of the consultation and progression of the service review opportunities identified;

 

6.

Delegated Authority to the Portfolio Holder of Housing and Planning, in conjunction with the Council’s S151 Officer, to write to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to set out the financial challenges and further impact of government intervention on rent setting regarding the Council’s ability to invest in its stock achieving environmental ambitions particularly around decarbonisation; and

 

7.

Endorsed continued financial support and modelling with Housing Finance Associates supporting the Council’s HRA business planning, costs met from existing budgets.

 

 

 

(Moved by Councillor S Smith and seconded by Councillor T Clements)

 

 

 

137.

Local Plan Progression Options pdf icon PDF 109 KB

( Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning sought Cabinet approval of the revised approach to the delivery of a new local plan for Tamworth resulting from Government’s proposed changes to the planning system, and for the publication of associated documents.

 

Resolved

that Cabinet

 

 

1.

Approved the revised approach to the development of the new local plan for Tamworth

2.

Approved the publication of the updated Local Development Scheme and Statement of Community Involvement.

 

 

 

(Moved by Councillor S Smith and seconded by Councillor P Thompson)

 

Members thanked the Anna Miller, Richard Powell and the team for an in depth and informative report.