To receive and consider the following joint reports of the Executive Member for Finance and the Chief Finance Officer, presented to the Executive on 22 February 2017, and to adopt the resolutions therein:

(Note: PROCEDURAL ARRANGEMENTS - In respect of the main item of business on the agenda, the Mayor announced that the Leader of the Council (or his nominee) would have a maximum of 15 minutes to make the initial speech and a further maximum of 15 minutes to summarise the debate. The Leaders of the Labour and Liberal Democrat Groups (or their respective nominees) would each have a maximum of 15 minutes to make their initial speeches and a further maximum of 5 minutes to summarise on behalf of their respective Groups. The Mayor also outlined the approach for dealing with amendments. Members were instructed that, should an amendment be made to the main motion, the mover of that amendment would have a maximum of 5 minutes to make their speech. The Mayor further confirmed that, the time for all other speeches would be restricted to a maximum of 3 minutes.)

The Executive Member for Finance presented a number of reports setting out the proposed budget for the forthcoming year, together with the recommendations from the Executive meeting held earlier that evening.

It was moved and seconded that the Executive’s recommendations for the budget, circulated to Members at the meeting, be approved.

Councillors Ross and Bowker responded to the Motion on behalf of the Labour and Liberal Democrat Groups respectively, after which the budget proposals were then debated by the Council.

In accordance with procedures agreed at the outset of the debate, the Political Group Leaders summarised the essential views of their respective group and responded to some of the issues that had arisen from the debate.

The Motion was then put to a recorded vote, in accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014. The result was as follows:

Those in favour of the Motion: Councillors S.A. Anstee, S.K. Anstee, Dr. Barclay, Miss Blackburn, Boyes, Mrs. Bruer-Morris, Bunting, Butt, Cawdrey, Chilton, Cornes, Coupe, Mrs. Dixon, Mrs. Evans,  N. Evans, Holden, Hopps, Hyman, Lally, Lamb, Mitchell, Myers, J.R. Reilly, Rigby, Sharp, Shaw, Smith, Whetton, Williams, M. Young and Mrs. Young.

Those against the Motion: Councillors Acton, Adshead, Baugh, Bowker, Mrs. Brophy, Brotherton, Cordingley, Duffield, Fishwick, Freeman, Harding, Hynes, Jarman, Malik, O’Sullivan, Procter, Ross, Stennett, Taylor, Walsh, A. Western, D. Western and Wright.

With the result of the vote being 31 in favour and 23 against, with the Mayor not voting, the Motion was declared carried.

        RESOLVED –

(A)   That the Council approves:

(1)        The net Revenue Budget for 2017/18 at £160.83 million.

(2)        The 2018/19 to 2019/20 Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) including the income and savings proposals.

(3)        The calculation of the Council Tax Requirement as detailed in Section 9.1 of the budget report and summarised in the Appendix A of the Executive’s recommendations circulated at the meeting.

(4)        The formal Council Tax Resolution, as required under statute and set out in (D) below.

(5)        A Council Tax increased by 4.99%:

·       1.99% general increase in the ‘relevant basic amount’ in each of the three years 2017/18 to 2019/20, and

·       3.0% for the ‘Adult Social Care’ precept in each of the two years 2017/18 and 2018/19.

(6)        The Fees and Charges for 2017/18, as set out in the booklet available on the Council’s web site.

(7)        The delegation of authority to each Corporate Director, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer, to amend fees and charges during 2017/18 in the event of any change in the rate of VAT, as appropriate.

(8)        The minimum level of General Reserve for 2017/18 being retained at £6.0 million, the same as in 2016/17, Section 7.2 of the budget report.

(9)        The overall Capital Investment Programme level of £109.16 million (as detailed in the Capital Investment Programme and Prudential Indicators report) of which £65.73 million relates to 2017/18.

(10)    The Prudential Borrowing Indicators, as set out in Appendix 3, of both the Treasury Management Strategy and Capital Programme and Prudential Indicators reports.

(11)    The distribution of Dedicated Schools Grant, as recommended by the School Funding Forum and Executive, as summarised in Section 8 and detailed in Annex H of the budget report.

(12)    The publication of the Council’s updated Efficiency Plan in Annex I of the budget report.

(13)    Due to the late publication of the Final 2017/18 Local Government Finance Settlement, the delegation of authority to the Chief Finance Officer to vary the level of Budget Support Reserve needed to balance the 2017/18 revenue budget in the event of any change at final settlement (as long as this does not impact on the level of general risk reserve retained).

(B)   That, in approving the above, it is noted that the Council has taken into consideration:

(1)        The objective assessment by the Chief Finance Officer of the robustness of budget estimates and adequacy of the financial reserves (Section 7.3 and Annex G of the budget report).

(2)        The Executive’s response to the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations to the budget proposals, submitted to the Executive meeting held on 22 February 2017.

(3)        The ‘Budget 2017/18 – Consultation Process and Feedback’ report, submitted to the Executive meeting held on 22 February 2017.

(4)        The Equality Impact Assessments in relation to the budget proposals and the Public Sector Equality duty.

(C)       That in addition, the Council notes the following:

(1)        The approval on 18 January 2017 under delegated powers by the Chief Finance Officer of the Council Tax Base for 2017/18 at 74,883 Band D equivalents.

(2)        The calculation of the estimated Council Tax surplus, sufficient to release £(1.3) million to support the Council’s 2017/2018 revenue budget and a distribution of £(181) thousand and £(68) thousand representing the respective shares of the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority.

(3)        The base budget assumptions set out in the Medium Term Financial Strategy, as detailed in Annex A of the budget report.

(4)        The budget gap for the two years 2018/19 £13.19 million and 2019/20 of £6.05 million.

(5)        That the Capital Investment Programme for 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20 is to be set at an indicative £65.73 million, £25.51 million and £17.92 million respectively.

(6)        The use of capital receipts to fund a number of transformational savings and income generating projects, as detailed in Annex I of the budget report.

(7)        That the Council Tax figures included in the report for the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue and Police Authorities are the recommended provisional amounts pending their formal approval.

(8)        The Treasury Management Strategy 2017-20.

(9)        That the final decision with regard to school crossing patrols will not be taken until the results of the second phase of consultation are concluded and a report to the Executive will then be presented at the appropriate time.

(10)    That a ‘Budget 2017/18 - Consultation Process and Feedback’ report on the outcomes of the public consultation was included on the agenda for the Executive budget meeting held on 22 February 2017.

(D)       That, as referred to in A4 above, the Council calculates the formal Council Tax Resolution as follows:

PARISH COUNCIL PRECEPTS

Valuation Bands