(a)        To receive and consider the capital and revenue budget estimates presented by the Executive, together with the summaries, statements, schedules of fees and charges and reports of the Executive in relation thereto and to adopt resolutions therein.

 

(b)        To set and approve the Council Tax Requirement for the District for the year beginning 1 April 2014, in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended.

 

(c)        To set and approve, in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended the amounts as the amounts of the Council Tax for the year 2014/2015 for each of the categories of dwellings included in the respective valuation bands A to H.

 

(d)        To agree the Treasury Management Strategy 2014/15 – 2016/17.

 

 

(Members are requested to refer to the reports circulated in respect of Agenda Item 3 for the Executive meeting on 19 February 2014 and also the Fees and Charges Book 2014/15* which will be made available, with the rest of the agenda papers, on the Council’s website at www.trafford.gov.uk > Home > your Council > Councillors & committees > Committee meetings > Council > 19 Feb 2014 7.00 pm)

 

*Note: a hard copy will be made available to Members upon request.

(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 finish 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 wind up on behalf of their respective Groups. The Mayor also outlined the approach for dealing with amendments, should any be made to the main motion, and indicated that the mover of an amendment would have 5 minutes, whilst the time for all other speeches would be restricted to 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 thatthe Executive’s recommendations for the budget, circulated to Members at the meeting, be approved.

 

Councillors Brotherton and Bowker responded to the Motion on behalf of the Labour and Liberal Democrat Groups respectively. During his speech, Councillor Brotherton gave notice of a Motion under procedure rule 12 to adjourn the meeting. Accordingly, the Mayor proceeded to deal with the proposed adjournment.

 

It was moved and seconded that:

 

“This Council condemns the Government austerity measures, as they relate to Local Authorities, which have resulted in unprecedented cuts to all Councils but particularly so in Greater Manchester and Metropolitan areas like Trafford.

 

Since 2010 the Council has already cut its budget by £61 million, a further budget cut of £17 million is proposed for 2014/15 and following the Chancellors announcement further cuts of around £54 million are projected in the following three financial years. This will represent a total of £132 million cut from the Council budget.

 

The largest share of the total cuts have come from Children and Young People and Older People Services, many of which are services that are provided to the most vulnerable people in Trafford, for example, 10 children centre closures, 4 elderly people home closures, day care centre for elderly people closed, swingeing cuts in social services, social worker numbers reduced, people with learning difficulties budget cut, youth services, connexions, advice services have all suffered significantly with deep cuts in funding.

 

This Council is rightly concerned for the vulnerable people who receive statutory services from the Council that they will suffer a loss of service and be put at risk, which in turn will put a huge strain on remaining staff. It is of further concern that the Council will be forced to remove those people who require lower levels of care from receiving any care whatsoever, which in the long term will require more resources as these residents slip into high dependency care earlier than they should have. This concern is shared by many Councils and Council Leaders up and down the Country, of all political persuasions.

 

This Council remains concerned that basic Council services like street cleaning, environmental enforcement, fortnightly collection of grey bins, park maintenance, repairs of roads and pot holes, library services, Sale Water Park, housing services, music service, education welfare officers, public protection officers and many more services are being run down to an unacceptable level.

 

The cuts represent over 1,000 job posts lost in Trafford and those who remain employed have had their wages drastically reduced in real terms.

 

The Council further notes the recent Manchester Evening News (MEN) editorial which revealed that the Council austerity cuts across Greater Manchester imposed by the Chancellor are not working. The figures revealed by experts indicate that: “far from reducing the cost of the public purse, taking funding away from our regions much needed services is pushing costs up by making people more dependent on the services that remain, most notably the health services”. Alongside the MEN report the Council also recognises the “cost of living crises” which is driving many people to become more dependent.

 

In light of the above the Council calls on the Government to review their austerity measures with a view to drawing an immediate halt to the cuts to local authorities. This would enable Trafford to present a balanced budget and fulfil our statutory duties, without the need to continue to make savage cuts to vulnerable people and maintain services across Trafford at least to the present level, without the need to raise the Council Tax for already hard pressed families.

 

The Council adjourns this meeting and gives notice to hold a further Council meeting on 5 March 2014 where a report will be submitted outlining a revised set of budget proposals taking account of the Government’s response to the Council’s representation.”

 

Following a debate on the matter, the Motion moved under procedure rule 12 was put to a recorded vote, in accordance with the decision of Council made earlier (Minute 79 refers). The result was as follows:

 

Those in favour of the Motion: Councillors Acton, Adshead, Baugh, Bennett, Boyle, Brotherton, Cordingley, Duffield, Freeman, Gratrix, Hynes, Jarman, Lloyd, O’Sullivan, Procter, Quayle, Ross, Smith, Stennett, S. Taylor, Walsh, A. Western and D. Western.

 

 

Those against the Motion: Councillors Anstee, Dr. Barclay, Miss Blackburn, Bowker, Boyes, Mrs. Brophy, Mrs. Bruer-Morris, Bunting, Candish, Chilton, Colledge, Mrs. Cooke, Cornes, Coupe, Mrs. Dixon, Mrs. Evans,  Higgins, Holden, Hyman, Lally, Lamb, Mitchell, Myers, J.R. Reilly, Mrs. Reilly, Rigby, Sharp, Shaw, N. Taylor, Mrs. Ward, Whetton, Mrs. Wikinson, Williams, M. Young and Mrs. Young.

 

Those abstaining from voting: None.

 

With the result of the vote being 23 in favour and 35 against, with 0 abstentions, the Motion was declared lost.

 

The Council then turned to the debate on the main Motion.

 

(Note: During the debate on the Motion, the time being 8.43 p.m. the Mayor indicated that the length of speeches would now be restricted to a maximum of two minutes per speaker. With the time being 8.57 p.m., the Mayor further reduced speeches to 1 minute.)

 

In accordance with procedures agreed at the outset of the debate, the Political Group Leaders summarised the essential views of their respective group.

 

The Motion was then put to a recorded vote, in accordance with the decision of Council made earlier (Minute 79 refers). This result was as follows:

 

Those in favour of the Motion: Councillors Anstee, Dr. Barclay, Miss Blackburn, Bowker, Boyes, Mrs. Brophy, Mrs. Bruer-Morris, Bunting, Butt, Candish, Chilton, Colledge, Mrs. Cooke, Cornes, Coupe, Mrs. Dixon, Mrs. Evans,  Higgins, Holden, Hyman, Lally, Lamb, Mitchell, Myers, J.R. Reilly, Mrs. Reilly, Rigby, Sharp, Shaw, N. Taylor, Mrs. Ward, Whetton, Mrs. Wikinson, Williams, M. Young and Mrs. Young.

 

Those against the Motion: None.

 

Those abstaining from voting: Councillors Acton, Adshead, Baugh, Bennett, Boyle, Brotherton, Cordingley, Duffield, Freeman, Gratrix, Hynes, Jarman, Lloyd, O’Sullivan, Procter, Quayle, Ross, Smith, Stennett, S. Taylor, Walsh, A. Western and D. Western.

 

With the result of the vote being 35 in favour and 0 against, with 23 abstentions, the Motion was declared carried.

 

        RESOLVED –

 

(A)       That the Council approves:

 

(1)        The net Revenue Budget for 2014/15 at £154.552 million, a decrease of £(4.451) million, or (2.8)%, when compared to the 2013/14 base budget of £159.003 million.

(2)        The calculation of the Council Tax Requirement as detailed in Section 8 of the budget report and summarised in Appendix A to this document.

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

(4)        That there is no increase in the proposed Council Tax level for Trafford related services in 2014/15 (valuation bands are detailed at Annex F of the budget report).

(5)        The Fees and Charges for 2014/15, as set out in the booklet available on the Council’s web site, including specifically :

·             the decision to increase allotment fees by 50p per week for a standard and additional concessionary plot, and an increase in the concessionary charge for a first plot of 25p per week, all to be made in 2015/16.

·             delegation to Corporate Directors jointly with the Director of Finance of the authority to amend fees and charges during 2014/15 in the event of any change in the rate of VAT, as appropriate.

(6)        That the minimum level of General Reserve for 2014/15 be set at £6 million, the same as in 2013/14 (Annex N of the budget report).

(7)        The overall Capital Investment Programme level of £83.2 million (as detailed in the Capital Investment Programme 2014/17 report) of which £40.9 million relates to 2014/15.

(8)        The Prudential Borrowing Indicators as set out in Appendix 1, page 10, of the Treasury Management Strategy.

(9)        The additional borrowing as detailed in paragraph 17 of the Capital Investment Programme and Prudential Indicators 2014/17 report.

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

 

(1)        The objective assessment by the Director of Finance of the robustness of budget estimates and adequacy of the General Reserve (Annex N).

 

(2)        The Executive’s response to the Scrutiny Committee recommendations to the budget proposals.

 

(3)        The detailed report on the outcomes of the Staff and Trade Union Consultation which can be found on the agenda for the Employment Committee on 19 February 2014.

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

 

(1)        The approval on 23 January 2014, under delegated powers by the Director of Finance, of the Council Tax Base for 2014/2015 at 71,940 Band D equivalents, along with the calculation of the estimated Council Tax surplus, sufficient to release £300,000 to support the Council’s 2014/2015 revenue budget and a distribution of £40,500 and £15,600 representing the respective shares of the Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority. 

(2)        That the Capital Investment Programme for 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 is to be set at a notional £24.5 million and £17.8 million respectively.

(3)        The Treasury Management Strategy 2014/2017.

(4)        The base budget assumptions, as set out in the Medium Term Financial Outlook, as detailed in Annex B of the Executive’s Revenue Budget Proposals 2014/2015.

(D)       That, as referred to in A3 above, the Council calculates the formal Council Tax Resolution as follows:

 

PARISH COUNCIL PRECEPT

 

	2013/14			2014/15
Parish/Town Council	Tax	Precepts	Council Tax	Tax	Precepts	Council Tax	Council Tax
	Base	£	Band D (£)	Base	£	Band D (£)	Increase
Partington	1,331	56,568	42.50	1,354	57,545	42.50	0.0%
TOTAL / AVERAGE	1,331	56,568	42.50	1,354	57,545	42.50	0.0%

 

 

Valuation Bands

 

Council Tax Schedule 2014/15	Band A £	Band B £	Band C £	Band D £	Band E £	Band F £	Band G £	Band H £
Trafford Council	736.82	859.62	982.43	1,105.23	1,350.84	1,596.44	1,842.05	2,210.46
Office of Police and Crime Commissioner for GM	101.53	118.46	135.38	152.30	186.14	219.99	253.83	304.60
GM Fire & Rescue Authority	38.42	44.83	51.23	57.64	70.44	83.25	96.06	115.28
Sub total	876.77	1,022.91	1,169.04	1,315.17	1,607.42	1,899.68	2,191.94	2,630.34
Partington
Parish only	28.33	33.06	37.78	42.50	51.94	61.39	70.83	85.00
Parish & District only	765.15	892.68	1,020.21	1,147.73	1,402.78	1,657.83	1,912.88	2,295.46
Aggregate of Council Tax requirements (incl. Police & Fire)	905.10	1,055.97	1,206.82	1,357.67	1,659.36	1,961.07	2,262.77	2,715.34