To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Abdul Matin and Mohammed Abdul Munim and for lateness from Councillor Clair Hawkins.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Abdul Matin and Mohammed Abdul Munim and for lateness from Councillor Clair Hawkins.

RESOLVED

That the apologies for absence and lateness be noted.

To note any declarations of interest made by Members, including those restricting Members from voting on the questions detailed in Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992.  See attached note from the Chief Executive.

Please see minutes.

Councillors made declarations of interest on the item included on the agenda as follows:-

Please see minutes.

Dispatches Programme – Monday 1^st March 2010

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Lutfur Rahman, referred to a television documentary ‘Dispatches’ that had been broadcast by Channel 4 on Monday evening.  He stated that members of the administration were not complacent about the issues raised but they would not be distracted from their work on behalf of the people of the borough.  The Council was committed to the highest standards of probity and the programme had contained no direct allegations of wrong doing about the allocation of funds nor any new issues regarding staffing.  The Leader rejected those who sought to divide the community and stressed the Council’s Members were committed to One Tower Hamlets.  

No requests for deputations or petitions to the meeting had been received at the time of agenda despatch.

Details of any valid deputations or petitions received before the deadline set by the Council’s Constitution will be circulated to Members before the meeting.  To be taken at the Budget Meeting a deputation or petition must relate to the Council’s Budget or to the setting of the Council Tax.

No petitions or deputations were received for this meeting.

There were no petitions or deputations.

To consider the proposals of the Executive in relation to the Budget and Council Tax 2010/11.

The Budget Council Meeting Document Pack is circulated with this agenda.  This includes the report of the Cabinet Meeting of 10^th February 2010; the Budget Motion from the Lead Member for Resources and Performance; the updated report of the Corporate Director, Resources; supporting documents as previously circulated to all Councillors in advance of the Cabinet; and the results of consultation that were also circulated separately prior to the Cabinet meeting.    

For ease of reference an index to the items contained in the Budget Council Meeting Document Pack is attached.

Three amendments to the Cabinet’s budget proposals, moved by Councillor Tim Archer, Councillor Abjol Miah and Councillor Stephanie Eaton respectively, were each debated and defeated.

DECISIONS

A.        General Fund Revenue Budget Requirement and Council Tax 2010/2011

            1.         That a total Budget Requirement be agreed for Tower Hamlets in 2010/11 of £310,369,000.

            2.         That a Council Tax be agreed for Tower Hamlets in 2010/11 of £885.52 at Band D, as detailed in the table below: -

a)     Resulting in a Council Tax for all other band taxpayers, before any discounts, and excluding the GLA precept, as set out in the Table below:-

3.         That for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in 2010/2011:-

(a)    The Council Tax for Band D taxpayers, before any discounts, and including the GLA precept, shall be £1,195.34 as shown below: -.

(b)    The Council Tax for taxpayers in all other bands, before any discounts, and including the GLA precept, shall be as detailed in the table below: -

4                    That the statutory calculations of this Authority’s total Budget requirement in 2010/2011, as detailed in Appendix A to the motion and set out at pages 16-18 of the  ...  view the full decision text for item 5.1

The Council considered the report of the Cabinet meeting on 10^th February 2010 containing the proposals of the Executive for the Council’s Budget and Council Tax for 2010/11. 

Three amendments had been notified in advance in accordance with the Council Procedure Rules and these amendments, together in each case with officer comments, were circulated to the meeting in the pack of tabled documents.

It was MOVED by Councillor Ohid Ahmed and SECONDED by Councillor Lutfur Rahman – “That the recommendations contained in the 10^th February 2010 report of the Cabinet be agreed.”

Councillor Ohid Ahmed, Lead Member for Resources and Performance, introduced the report and recommendations of the Cabinet and outlined the key elements of the Executive’s proposed budget for 2010/11.

MOVED as an AMENDMENT by Councillor Timothy Archer, SECONDED by Councillor David Snowdon – “That the motion be amended as per the tabled motion from Councillor Archer (attached at Appendix A).

MOVED as a further AMENDMENT by Councillor Abjol Miah, SECONDED by Councillor Dulal Uddin – “That the motion be amended as per the tabled motion from Councillor Miah (attached at Appendix B).

MOVED as a further AMENDMENT by Councillor Stephanie Eaton, SECONDED by Councillor Azizur Rahman Khan – “That the motion be amended as per the tabled motion from Councillor Eaton (attached at Appendix C).

The meeting then debated the budget proposals of the Cabinet and the respective amendments moved as above, in accordance with the Budget Council Procedure Rules.

Following debate, Councillor Abjol Miah MOVED and Councillor Harun Miah SECONDED – “That the question be now put”.   

On being put to the vote, the procedural motion was agreed.

Prior to the vote Councillor Ohid Ahmed, Lead Member for Resources and Performance addressed the meeting under his right of reply.

Following this, the amendment MOVED by Councillor Timothy Archer was first put to the vote and was DEFEATED.

The amendment MOVED by Councillor Abjol Miah was then put to the vote and was DEFEATED.

The amendment MOVED by Councillor Stephanie Eaton was then put to the vote and was DEFEATED.

The original motion moved by Councillor Ohid Ahmed was then put to the meeting.

At this juncture, more than ten Members rose to request a recorded vote (Rule 17.4).  Accordingly the motion was put to the vote and Members voted as follows:

For  (40 Councillors)

Councillor Lutfur Rahman

Councillor Abjol Miah

Councillor Stephanie Eaton

Councillor Helal Abbas

Councillor Ohid Ahmed

Councillor Rajib Ahmed

Councillor Rofique Uddin Ahmed

Councillor Mohammed Shahid Ali

Councillor Shahed Ali

Councillor Abdul Asad

Councillor Lutfa Begum

Councillor Alibor Choudhury

Councillor Marc Francis

Councillor Fazlul Haque

Councillor Shafiqul Haque

Councillor Carli Harper-Penman

Councillor Clair Hawkins

Councillor Alexander Heslop

Councillor Sirajul Islam

Councillor Waiseul Islam

Councillor Ann Jackson

Councillor Denise Jones

Councillor Azizur Rahman Khan

Councillor Rania Khan

Councillor Shiria Khatun

Councillor Fozol Miah

Councillor Harun Miah

Councillor Timothy O’Flaherty

Councillor Joshua Peck

Councillor Oliur Rahman

Councillor Mohammed Mamun Rashid

Councillor Muhammad Abdullah Salique  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.1