Agenda, decisions and minutes
Venue: The Council Chamber, 1st Floor, Town Hall, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, London, E14 2BG
Contact: John S Williams, Service Head, Democratic Services Tel: 020 7364 4204, E-mail: johns.williams@towerhamlets.gov.uk
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE To receive any apologies for absence. Decision: Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Rajib Ahmed, Mohammed Mukit and Abdal Ullah and for lateness from Councillor Zara Davis.
Minutes: Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Rajib Ahmed, Mohammed Mukit and Abdal Ullah and for lateness from Councillor Zara Davis.
RESOLVED
That the apologies for absence and lateness be noted.
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST 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.
Decision: No declarations of interest were made.
Minutes: No declarations of interest were made at this meeting.
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TO RECEIVE ANNOUNCEMENTS (IF ANY) FROM THE CHAIR OF COUNCIL OR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE Decision: No announcements were made at this meeting.
Minutes: No announcements were made at this meeting.
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BUDGET AND COUNCIL TAX 2011/12 To consider the revised proposals of the Mayor and Executive in relation to the Council’s Budget and Council Tax 2011/12 (to follow)
The first Budget Council Meeting on 23rd February agreed an amendment to the Mayor’s budget proposals. In accordance with the statutory rules relating to budget setting, if the Council wishes to amend the Mayor’s proposals it must refer the matter back to the Mayor for him to give further consideration to his proposals in the light of the amendment; and must allow the Mayor a period of at least five working days to do so.
This reconsideration period will expire on Wednesday 2nd March and the Mayor’s revised budget proposals will be circulated to Members as soon as they are available.
The full Budget Document Pack, including the report of the Cabinet Meeting of 9th February 2011; the original Budget Motion from the Cabinet Member for Resources; the report of the Corporate Director, Resources as submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Cabinet; and supporting documents updated in accordance with the Cabinet’s recommendations, was circulated to Councillors with the agenda for the first Budget Council meeting on 23rd February. Members are asked to bring their copy of the Document Pack with them to this meeting. Additional documents:
Decision: Mayor Lutfur Rahman introduced and Councillor Alibor Choudhury moved, the revised budget proposals of the Mayor and Executive. Councillor Rabina Khan seconded the proposals.
Two amendments were tabled and moved as follows:
(i) Amendment proposed by Councillor Helal Abbas and seconded by Councillor David Edgar;
(ii) Amendment proposed by Councillor David Snowdon and seconded by Councillor Timothy Archer
Councillor Alibor Choudhury indicated that the Mayor and Executive were unable to accept the amendments proposed.
Following debate, the amendment proposed by Councillor Helal Abbas was put to a recorded vote. The amendment did not achieve the two-thirds majority of Councillors present and voting that is required by the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules for an amendment to succeed at this meeting. The amendment was therefore defeated.
The amendment proposed by Councillor David Snowdon was then put to the vote and was defeated.
As no amendment had achieved a two-thirds majority of Councillors present and voting on the matter, the Mayor’s revised budget proposals were agreed.
DECISION
A. General Fund Revenue Budget Requirement and Council Tax 2011/2012
1. That the budget proposals of the Mayor and Executive, included in the Budget Council Document Pack submitted to the Council Meeting on 23rd February 2011 and subsequently revised as set out at Appendix 1 to this decision sheet, be agreed.
2. That a total Budget Requirement for Tower Hamlets in 2011/12 of £310.960M be agreed.
3. That a Council Tax be agreed for Tower Hamlets in 2011/12 of £885.52 at Band D,
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:-
4. That for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in 2011/12:-
(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: -
Minutes: Mayor Lutfur Rahman introduced his revised budget proposals. In relation to the items included in the substantive motion agreed at the Council Meeting on 23rd February which were not included in the Mayor’s initial budget proposals, the Mayor reported as follows:-
Employment Initiatives and Affordable Housing: The Mayor accepted the proposals put forward by the Liberal Democrat and Respect Members on these matters and had amended his proposals accordingly.
Housing Link and Support to the Mayor and Councillors: The Mayor accepted the proposals by the Labour Group on these matters and had amended his proposals accordingly.
Extended Schools: The Mayor noted the proposal from the Labour Group on this matter. However the Liberal Democrat and Respect amendment, accepted by the Mayor at the previous meeting, would provide substantially the same outcome at a lower cost and he had therefore incorporated the latter amendment into his proposals.
East End Life: The Mayor stated in light of officer advice that there were financial risks associated with moving to a quarterly publication as the savings may be offset by lost income from advertising, he was unwilling to pre-empt the outcome of the review. He therefore proposed to set a saving of at least £200,000 to be achieved as a result of the review of East End Life but not to make a decision on the frequency or format of the review until the review has reported back with fully costed proposals.
Community Safety: The Mayor stated that he was in discussion with the Borough Commander to enhance police provision by providing 21 new officers, using a combination of funding from the new Community Safety Fund allocated to each Borough by the GLA and drugs action funding. On the basis of the discussions so far, he was confident that the Council would have a considerable say in how the new officers are utilised. This proposal would allow for four more police officers than the Labour Group’s proposals without the need to cut THEOs. The Mayor was therefore unable to accept the Labour proposal.
Adventure Play: The Mayor stated that he had allocated £50,000 to Bartlett Park and Whitehorse Road adventure playgrounds. In addition, he had accepted a £60,000 saving from the Communications department to add to the resources for adventure play.
Allocation to reserves: The Mayor accepted officers’ advice on the risks to the Council of not maintaining reserves at a safe and prudent level and the amendments he had outlined meant that there was no need to reduce the planned contribution to General Reserves of £3m recommended by officers.
The Mayor’s revised proposals would confirm a Tower Hamlets Council Tax of £885.52 at Band D for 2011/12, which was no increase on 2010/11.
Councillor Alibor Choudhury MOVED, and Councillor Rabina Khan SECONDED the revised budget proposals of the Mayor and Executive.
Councillor Helal Abbas then MOVED and Councillor David Edgar SECONDED an amendment as follows:–
“This Council notes:
1. The scale of the cuts imposed on public services, families ... view the full minutes text for item 4. |