To receive any apologies for absence.

No apologies for absence were received for the meeting.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

There were no petitions listed for consideration for this meeting.

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.

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.

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.”

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:

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 23^rd 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: