Cabinet Member for Finance
In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 19.3, immediately after any vote is taken at a budget decision meeting of the Council the names of Councillors who cast a vote for the decision or against the decision or who abstained from voting shall be recorded in the Minutes of that meeting.
At its meeting on 7 February 2022, Cabinet considered Paper BCa/21/35, the General Fund Budget for 2022/23 and four-year outlook. Paper BC/21/31 now includes all the relevant updated information plus the tax base, precepts and council tax band information at parish level, together with the necessary recommendations.
Minutes:
91.1 Councillor Simon Barrett introduced report BC/21/31 and explained why a 0% council tax budget had been replaced by the 2% council tax budget detailed in the report.
91.2 Councillor Jamieson asked if the ongoing costs for Corks Lane were included in the budget and if so, what the ongoing costs were.
91.3 Councillor Jamieson also asked Councillor Barrett to clarify what he meant when he said climate change and biodiversity reductions would be made if financially viable.
91.4 Councillor Simon Barrett replied that he agreed with the climate emergency declared by Council however there was not a blank cheque and the benefits to residents should be clear as it was public monies that were being spent.
91.5 Councillor Hinton asked for clarification on the increase in staffing costs shown in the report.
91.6 Councillor Hinton also asked where the Communities budget mentioned by Councillor Barrett was shown in the report as the chart of forecasted budget gaps on page 33 of the report did not show any increase in community funding.
91.7 Councillor Simon Barrett replied that the wellbeing reserve had been agreed by Council as part of the Strategic Priorities and the fund was intended to be used for grants which could be applied for by organisations across the Babergh district.
91.8 The Chief Executive clarified that as of the middle of January, Babergh and Mid Suffolk combined employed 579 officers which was a full time equivalent of 525 officers and the combined salary costs of those employees was just over 21 million pounds.
91.9 Councillor Beer asked why a council tax increase was being proposed when the report showed the council having a surplus. Councillor Beer also asked where in the report the additional £41,000 for senior officers was shown and if it was necessary to spend £250,000 on refurbishment of the office rooms in Endeavour House.
91.10 The Chief Executive clarified that the £41,000 for staffing increase shown in the budget was a potential for an increase rather than an actual increase.
91.11 Councillor Ayres asked for more detail on the £200,000 in the budget for Communities.
91.12 Councillor Simon Barrett replied that this would contribute to organisations such as Citizens Advice Bureau and Quay Theatre and grants for other organisations to assist them to access funding from other sources.
91.13 Councillor Hinton asked why the 2% pay rise for staff shown on page 26 of the report had not been paid.
91.14 Councillor Simon Barrett replied that the staff pay rise was subject to a national negotiation and an agreement on the amount had not yet been agreed.
91.15 The Chief Executive confirmed that although a 2% rise had been budgeted for, the current offer was 1.75% but this had been rejected by the Unions and was subject to a strike ballot.
91.16 Councillor Melanie Barrett enquired if it was possible to pay the current pay rise offer of 1.75% to staff now before an actual agreement had been reached and the final agreement was unlikely to be less than that.
91.17 The Chief Executive stated that the advice from the LGA was not to pay any pay increase until an agreement had been reached however, he was happy to further explore the possibility of paying a pay increase before an agreement is reached.
91.18 Councillor Hinton sought clarification on what the amount in the budget for consultants’ fees was for.
91.19 The Assistant Director – Corporate Resources clarified that condition surveys needed to be carried out on Council owned properties and consultants may be required.
91.20 Councillor Malvisi sought clarification on the £55,000 in the budget for business rates on a car park in Sudbury.
91.21 Councillor Simon Barrett clarified that the car park was owned by a business, but the Council paid business rates to enable the car park to be available to the general public.
91.22 Councillor Jamieson enquired if the CCTV costs were an ongoing cost or a one-off cost.
91.23 Councillor Simon Barrett replied that it was an ongoing cost and Hadleigh and Sudbury Town Councils were also contributing.
91.24 Members debated issues in the report including parking charges, why there was a council tax increase proposed while the council has a surplus and pay increases for staff.
91.25 The recommendations in the report were Proposed by Councillor Simon Barrett and Seconded by Councillor Ward.
In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 19.3, the vote was recorded as follows:
For |
Against |
Abstain |
Clive Arthey |
|
|
Sue Ayres |
|
|
Melanie Barrett |
|
|
Simon Barrett |
|
|
|
Peter Beer |
|
David Busby |
|
|
Trevor Cresswell |
|
|
Sian Dawson |
|
|
Mick Fraser |
|
|
|
Jane Gould |
|
|
John Hinton |
|
Michael Holt |
|
|
Bryn Hurren |
|
|
|
Leigh Jamieson |
|
|
Robert Lindsay |
|
Mary McLaren |
|
|
|
Elisabeth Malvisi |
|
|
Margaret Maybury |
|
Zachary Norman |
|
|
Mark Newman |
|
|
Adrian Osborne |
|
|
Jan Osborne |
|
|
|
Alison Owen |
|
Lee Parker |
|
|
John Ward |
|
|
TOTAL 17 |
TOTAL 8 |
|
By 17 votes for and 8 votes against
It was RESOLVED:-
1.1 That the General Fund Budget proposals for 2022/23 and four-year outlook set out in the report be approved.
1.2 That the General Fund Budget for 2022/23 is based on a 2% increase to Band D Council Tax, which is equivalent to £3.48 per annum (7p per week) for a Band D property.
Supporting documents: