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Home > Council & democracy > Council meetings > Agenda for Council on Wednesday, 1st March, 2023, 7.00 p.m.

Agenda, decisions and minutes

Budget Meeting, Council - Wednesday, 1st March, 2023 7.00 p.m.

  • Attendance details
  • Agenda frontsheet PDF 315 KB
  • Agenda reports pack
  • SUPPLEMENTARY AGENDA PDF 6 MB
  • Printed decisions PDF 379 KB
  • Printed minutes PDF 489 KB

Venue: Council Chamber - Town Hall, Whitechapel. View directions

Contact: Matthew Mannion, Head of Democratic Services  Tel: 020 7364 4651, E-mail: matthew.mannion@towerhamlets.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

To receive any apologies for absence.

Additional documents:

  • Webcast for 1.

Minutes:

No apologies for absence were received for the meeting.

 

Councillor Amina Ali and Councillor Mohammed Chowdhury joined the meeting online.

 

 

2.

DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTERESTS AND OTHER INTERESTS pdf icon PDF 215 KB

Members are reminded to consider the categories of interest, identified in the Code of Conduct for Members to determine; whether they have an interest in any agenda item and any action they should take. For further details, see the attached note from the Monitoring Officer.

 

Members are also reminded to declare the nature of the interest at the earliest opportunity and the agenda item it relates to. Please note that ultimately it is the Members’ responsibility to identify any interests and also update their register of interests form as required by the Code.

 

If in doubt as to the nature of an interest, you are advised to seek advice prior to the meeting by contacting the Monitoring Officer or Democratic Services.

 

Additional documents:

  • Webcast for 2.

Minutes:

The Director of Legal and Monitoring Officer advised that the Standards Advisory Committee had agreed a general dispensation to all Councillors in respect of matters relating to the Council Tax and also on Housing where the Councillor (or spouse or partner) holds a tenancy or lease with the Council. Members did not therefore have to declare a DPI in respect of these matters.

 

 

3.

TO RECEIVE ANNOUNCEMENTS (IF ANY) FROM THE SPEAKER OF THE COUNCIL OR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Additional documents:

  • Webcast for 3.

Minutes:

There were no announcements made by the Speaker or Chief Executive.

 

 

 

4.

TO RECEIVE PETITIONS

The Council Procedure Rules provide for a maximum of four petitions to be discussed at an Ordinary Meeting of the Council.

 

The attached report presents the received petitions to be discussed. Should any additional petitions be received they will be listed to be noted but not discussed.

 

Additional documents:

  • Webcast for 4.

Minutes:

There were no petitions listed for consideration for this meeting.

 

 

5.

BUDGET AND COUNCIL TAX 2023/24 pdf icon PDF 288 KB

  • View the background to item 5.

Additional documents:

  • 5.1 Annex 1 - Budget Motion and Council Tax Requirement 2023-24 , item 5. pdf icon PDF 172 KB
  • 5.2 Annex 1 - Council Tax Resolution - Appendix A , item 5. pdf icon PDF 116 KB
  • 5.3 Annex 2 - The Council's 2023-24 Budget Report and Medium Term Financial Strategy 2023-26 Report , item 5. pdf icon PDF 1 MB
  • 5.4 Annex 2 - Appendix 1A - MTFS Summary , item 5. pdf icon PDF 206 KB
  • 5.5 Annex 2 - Appendix 1B - MTFS Detail by Service Area , item 5. pdf icon PDF 209 KB
  • 5.6 Annex 2 - Appendix 2 - Tower Hamlets Core Spending Power , item 5. pdf icon PDF 204 KB
  • 5.7 Annex 2 - Appendix 3A - Growth, Core Grants and Inflation Summary , item 5. pdf icon PDF 238 KB
  • 5.8 Annex 2 - Appendix 3B - New Growth Business Cases - GF , item 5. pdf icon PDF 2 MB
  • 5.9 Annex 2 - Appendix 3C - New Growth Business Cases - HRA , item 5. pdf icon PDF 232 KB
  • 5.10 Annex 2 - Appendix 4A - Savings Summary , item 5. pdf icon PDF 220 KB
  • 5.11 Annex 2 - Appendix 4B - New Savings Business Cases - GF , item 5. pdf icon PDF 2 MB
  • 5.12 Annex 2 - Appendix 5 - Reserves Policy , item 5. pdf icon PDF 439 KB
  • 5.13 Annex 2 - Appendix 6 - Projected Movement in Reserves , item 5. pdf icon PDF 205 KB
  • 5.14 Annex 2 - Appendix 7 - HRA Budget Summary , item 5. pdf icon PDF 203 KB
  • 5.15 Annex 2 - Appendix 8A - Capital Budget by Programme 2023-26 - General Fund (GF) , item 5. pdf icon PDF 189 KB
  • 5.16 Annex 2 - Appendix 8B - Capital Budget Detail 2023-26 - General Fund (GF) , item 5. pdf icon PDF 266 KB
  • 5.17 Annex 2 - Appendix 8C - Capital Growth and Reductions 2023-26 - General Fund (GF) , item 5. pdf icon PDF 266 KB
  • 5.18 Annex 2 - Appendix 8D - Capital Budget by Programme 2023-26 - Housing Revenue Account (HRA) , item 5. pdf icon PDF 518 KB
  • 5.19 Annex 3 - 26 Jan 2023 Audit Committee - Treasury Management Strategy Statement Report , item 5. pdf icon PDF 371 KB
  • There are a further 15 documents.View the full list of documents for item 5.
  • Webcast for 5.

Minutes:

Mayor Lutfur Rahman moved, the budget and council tax proposals of the Mayor and Executive as set out in the agenda pack and the Aspire Group’s amendment set out in the supplementary agenda. Councillor Saied Ahmed seconded the proposals.

 

Councillor Marc Francis moved the Labour group amendment set out in the supplementary agenda, which was seconded by Councillor Sirajul Islam. Amendments proposed by Councillor Nathalie Bienfait for the Greens and Councillor Peter Golds, for the Conservatives were also considered who seconded each other’s amendments.

 

Following debate, the amendments moved by Councillors Marc Francis, Nathalie Bienfait and Peter Golds were put to a recorded vote and were rejected. The substantive Budget for 2023-24, including the administration amendment, the Council Tax Resolution and the Treasury Management Strategy and Investment Statements and the Capital Report submitted by Mayor Lutfur Rahman were put to a recorded vote and were agreed.

 

RESOLVED:

 

Budget Motion:

Revenue 2023-26 and Capital 2023-26

 

1.    To note a General Fund Revenue Budget of £446.205m and approve a Council Tax (Band D) of £1,146.88 (Council share) for 2023-24 as set out in the motion and Council Tax Resolution attached at Annex 1 to this report. This incorporates a freeze to the Tower Hamlets element of Council Tax and to only levy a 2% Adult Social Care precept for 2023-24.

 

2.    To note the GLA precept as set out in the Council Tax Resolution is subject to the approval of the GLA Assembly at their meeting scheduled for 23 February, any changes as a result of that meeting will be made known to Council before the date of this meeting.

 

3.    To note the change in the budget report appendices to reflect the final Local Government Finance Settlement grant allocation for the Services Grant which was increased by £0.178m (Annex 2 Appendix 1A, 1B, 2 and 6).

 

4.    To note the Capital Programme, Housing Revenue Account budget and Dedicated Schools budget. Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Investment Strategy and Capital Strategy 2023-24

 

5.    To adopt the Treasury Management Strategy Statement set out in Annex 3 Appendix A attached to this report.

 

6.    To adopt the Investment Strategy Report set out in Annex 3 Appendix B attached to this report.

 

7.    To adopt the Capital Strategy Report (which incorporates the Minimum Revenue Provision Policy Statement) set out in Annex 3 Appendix C attached to this report.

 

Section 25, Local Government Act 2003

 

8.    To note the Section 151 officer’s view on the robustness of estimates and adequacy of reserves required under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003, set out in section 2 of this report.

 

Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme (LCTRS)

 

9.    To note that the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme will remain unchanged for 2023-24.

 

 

 

Administration budget amendment – Full Council 1 March 2023

 

This Council notes:

1.    The draft budget considered by Cabinet on 25 January 2023 included the following two savings proposals:

 

2.    The administration has further considered the Re-commissioning Hostel Support saving and believes that the commissioning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

In view of the content of the remaining items on the agenda, and the need for Members to be free to discuss relevant issues in relation to the reports, the Council is recommended to adopt the following motion:

 

“That, under the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended, the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that the business to be transacted contacts information defined and Exempt in Part 1 of Scheduled 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.”

 

EXEMPT/CONFIDENTIAL SECTION (PINK)

 

The Exempt/Confidential (pink) papers for consideration at the meeting will contain information which is commercially, legally or personally sensitive and should not be divulged to third parties. If you do not wish to retain these papers after the meeting please hand them to the Democratic Services Officer present.

 

Additional documents:

  • Webcast for 6.

Minutes:

The Speaker MOVED and Councillor Talukdar seconded the motion to exclude the press and public for the remaining part of the meeting and AGREED a 5-minute adjournment to clear the public gallery.

Council

RESOLVED

“That under the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to information) Act 1985, the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting for the consideration of Section Two business on the grounds that it contains information defined as Exempt in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972.”

 

 

 

7.

AGREEMENT OF A SPECIAL SEVERANCE PAYMENT pdf icon PDF 290 KB

Additional documents:

  • 7.1 GPC Report - Process for agreeing Special Severance Payment , item 7. pdf icon PDF 249 KB
  • 7.2 Appendix A to GPC Report - Statutory Guidance , item 7. pdf icon PDF 3 MB
  • 7.3 Draft General Purposes Committee minute on Special Severance Payment , item 7. pdf icon PDF 123 KB
  • Restricted enclosure 30 View the reasons why document 7./5 is restricted
  • Restricted enclosure 31 View the reasons why document 7./6 is restricted
  • Restricted enclosure 32 View the reasons why document 7./7 is restricted
  • Restricted enclosure 33 View the reasons why document 7./8 is restricted
  • Webcast for 7.

Minutes:

Councillor Saif Uddin Khaled, Chair of the General Purposes Committee introduced the report which set out the process for agreeing a Special Severance Payment for the outgoing Chief Executive.

 

Members asked questions of the independent panel and the external consultant before the recommendations were put to a vote.

 

Council RESOLVED to:

 

1.    Review and note the response of the Independent Panel;

2.    Agree the special severance payment to the outgoing Chief Executive.

 

 

Under paragraph16.7, Part B – Responsibility for Functions and Decision- Making Procedures, of the Council’s Constitution, a member can ask for their vote to be recorded. The following table lists those Members who wished to have their vote recorded:

 

Results of Vote

Councillor Sirajul Islam

Against

Councillor Faroque Ahmed

Against

Councillor Leelu Ahmed

Against

Councillor Sabina Akhtar

Against

Councillor Asma Begum

Against

Councillor Maisha Begum

Against

Councillor Nathalie Bienfait

Against

Councillor Rachel Blake

Against

Councillor Mufeedah Bustin

Against 

Councillor Marc Francis

Against

Councillor Peter Golds

Against

Councillor Shubo Hussain

Against

Councillor Asma Islam

Against

Councillor Sabina Khan

Against

Councillor James King

Against

Councillor Amy Lee

Against

Councillor Ayas Miah

Against

Councillor Rebeka Sultana

Against

Councillor Abdal Ullah

Against

RESULT

CARRIED

 

 

 

8.

AGREEING INTERIM CHIEF EXECUTIVE ARRANGEMENTS pdf icon PDF 119 KB

Additional documents:

  • 8.1 Chief Executive's JD PS , item 8. pdf icon PDF 151 KB
  • 8.2 Report to General Purposes Committee Process for agreeing Interim Chief Executive arrangements , item 8. pdf icon PDF 318 KB
  • Restricted enclosure 37 View the reasons why document 8./4 is restricted
  • Webcast for 8.

Minutes:

The Speaker of the Council proposed and Mayor Lutfur Rahman seconded, that, under Procedure Rule 12.1 (m), Rule 9.1 be agreed to extend the meeting for up to 20 minutes to allow for the completion of the discussion on this report. This was put to Members and was agreed.

 

Councillor Saif Uddin Khaled, Chair of the General Purposes Committee introduced the report and asked members to note the process and proposals for agreeing the interim Chief Executive arrangements until the recruitment of a permanent replacement could be concluded.

 

Following debate, the Council RESOLVED to:

 

1.    Note the report and minutes of the General Purposes Committee of 23rd February 2023.

 

2.    Agree that Stephen Halsey be appointed as the Council’s Interim Chief Executive on the job description set out in the Appendix to the cover report.

 

3.    Agree that this includes appointment to the designations of:

a)    Head of Paid Services

b)    Electoral Returning Officer

c)    Electoral Registration Officer

 

4.    That the above arrangements apply until such time as the Council appoints a permanent Chief Executive.

 

 

Under paragraph16.7, Part B – Responsibility for Functions and Decision

Making Procedures, of the Council’s Constitution, a member can ask for their vote to be recorded. The following table lists those Members who wished to have their vote recorded:

 

Results of Vote

Councillor Sirajul Islam

Against

Councillor Faroque Ahmed

Against

Councillor Leelu Ahmed

Against

Councillor Sabina Akhtar

Against

Councillor Asma Begum

Against

Councillor Maisha Begum

Against

Councillor Nathalie Bienfait

Abstain

Councillor Rachel Blake

Against

Councillor Mufeedah Bustin

Against 

Councillor Marc Francis

Against

Councillor Peter Golds

For

Councillor Shubo Hussain

Against

Councillor Asma Islam

Against

Councillor Sabina Khan

Against

Councillor James King

Against

Councillor Amy Lee

Against

Councillor Ayas Miah

Against

Councillor Rebeka Sultana

Against

Councillor Abdal Ullah

Against

RESULT

CARRIED

 

 

 

 

 

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