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. Minutes: Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillor Abdal Ullah.
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DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTERESTS PDF 56 KB 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 Monitoring Officer.
Decision: No declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests were made.
Minutes: No declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests were made.
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TO RECEIVE ANNOUNCEMENTS (IF ANY) FROM THE SPEAKER OF THE COUNCIL OR THE HEAD OF PAID SERVICE Decision: There were no announcements.
Minutes: There were no announcements.
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TO RECEIVE ANY PETITIONS The Council’s Constitution provides for the Budget Council meeting to receive a maximum of three petitions, which must relate to the Council’s budget or the setting of the Council Tax.
The deadline for submission of petitions for this meeting is Noon on Thursday 21st February 2013. Any valid petitions that are received by the deadline will be notified to Members before the meeting. Decision: 4.1 Petition regarding the Council’s finances after 2014
Afazalur Rahman addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitioners and responded to questions from Members. The relevant Cabinet Member then responded to the matters raised in the petition.
DECISION
That the petition be referred to the Interim Corporate Director, Resources, for a written response on any outstanding matters within 28 days.
(Action by: Chris Holme, Interim Corporate Director, Resources)
4.2 Petition regarding the Mayor’s Office costs
Di Roome addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitions and responded to questions from Members. The relevant Cabinet Member then responded to the matters raised in the petition.
DECISION
That the petition be referred to the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal Services) for a written response on any outstanding matters within 28 days.
(Action by: Isabella Freeman, Assistant Chief Executive (Legal Services))
Minutes: 4.1 Petition regarding the Council’s finances after 2014
Afazalur Rahman addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitioners and responded to questions from Members.
Councillor Alibor Choudhury, Cabinet Member for Resources, then responded to the petition. He highlighted that the balanced budget for 2013/14 created headroom for some one-off spending and that this was an achievement given the scale of the cuts imposed on the Council. He stated that no borough had yet developed a balanced budget for 2015/16. The Council was developing its plans and would not be pushed into making hasty cuts.
RESOLVED
That the petition be referred to the Interim Corporate Director, Resources, for a written response on any outstanding matters within 28 days.
4.2 Petition regarding the Mayor’s Office costs
Di Roome addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitions and responded to questions from Members.
Councillor Alibor Choudhury, Cabinet Member for Resources, then responded to the petition. He stated that the sums involved were small compared to the Council’s overall budget and that the cost of the Mayor’s office was comparable to other similar London Boroughs; and highlighted the achievements of the administration in the face of resource reductions.
RESOLVED
That the petition be referred to the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal Services) for a written response on any outstanding matters within 28 days.
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BUDGET AND COUNCIL TAX 2013/14 PDF 42 KB Additional documents:
Decision: Mayor Lutfur Rahman introduced, and Councillor Alibor Choudhury moved, the budget proposals of the Mayor and Executive as set out in the agenda pack. Councillor Ohid Ahmed seconded the proposals.
Four amendments were tabled and moved as follows:
(i) Amendment proposed by Councillor Carlo Gibbs and seconded by Councillor Joshua Peck (as attached at Appendix A to this decision sheet);
(ii) Amendment proposed by Councillor David Snowdon and seconded by Councillor Zara Davis (attached at Appendix B);
(iii) Amendment proposed by Councillor Oliur Rahman and seconded by Councillor Shafiqul Haque (attached at Appendix C);
(iv) Amendment proposed by Councillor Rania Khan and seconded by Councillor Abdul Asad (attached at Appendix D).
The Mayor amended his budget proposals by accepting in full the amendments proposed by Councillors Oliur Rahman and Rania Khan.
Following the debate the Speaker adjourned the meeting at 22:08 to allow officers to consider the effect of the two accepted amendments on the remaining amendments. The meeting reconvened at 22:17.
Councillor Carlo Gibbs and Councillor Joshua Peck altered their amendment to include an additional bullet point:
Following further debate the amendment proposed by Councillor Carlo Gibbs was put to the vote and was agreed.
The amendment proposed by Councillor David Snowdon was then put to the vote and was defeated.
The Speaker then adjourned the meeting at 22:43 to allow for further officer advice. The meeting reconvened at 22:50.
The substantive budget proposals as amended were then put to the vote and were agreed.
DECISION
This Council notes: · That between the Chancellor’s Emergency Budget in 2010 and 2017/18, the Council’s General Fund budget will have been cut by 50%; · The Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan is showing a black hole of £39m in 2015/16, £24m of which is unfunded, and a deficit of at least £55m is anticipated in 2016/17; · By 2015/16, Council reserves will be brought down to their lowest advisable level of £20m; · Many of the Mayor’s biggest spending commitments– including Free School Meals, THEOs, additional cleaning, Faith Buildings Fund, Educational Award and Council Tax Benefit – are only funded up to the election; · Continuing these services after their current funding ceases would increase the council’s black hole by over £6m each year; · In order to fund additional spending, the Mayor has initiated further frontline cuts, including a 5% reduction of the staffing budgets in Adults Health and Wellbeing and Children Schools and Families directorates, placing further pressure on frontline staff; · Closing this black hole would require the equivalent of a £600 per household Council Tax increase or cutting in half the services provided to the elderly and disabled in the Borough; · The Labour Group has been asking the Mayor for over a year to explain how he plans to close this financial black hole over which he has presided. This Council believes: · It is the duty of the Council to ... view the full decision text for item 5. Minutes: Mayor Lutfur Rahman introduced, and Councillor Alibor Choudhury moved, the budget proposals of the Mayor and Executive as set out in the agenda pack. Councillor Ohid Ahmed seconded the proposals.
Four amendments were tabled and moved as follows:
(i) Amendment proposed by Councillor Carlo Gibbs and seconded by Councillor Joshua Peck (as attached at Appendix A to these minutes);
(ii) Amendment proposed by Councillor David Snowdon and seconded by Councillor Zara Davis (attached at Appendix B);
(iii) Amendment proposed by Councillor Oliur Rahman and seconded by Councillor Shafiqul Haque (attached at Appendix C);
(iv) Amendment proposed by Councillor Rania Khan and seconded by Councillor Abdul Asad (attached at Appendix D).
The Mayor amended his budget proposals by accepting in full the amendments proposed by Councillors Oliur Rahman and Rania Khan.
Following the debate the Speaker adjourned the meeting at 22:08 to allow officers to consider the effect of the two accepted amendments on the remaining amendments. The meeting reconvened at 22:17.
Councillor Carlo Gibbs and Councillor Joshua Peck altered their amendment to include an additional bullet point:
Following further debate the amendment proposed by Councillor Carlo Gibbs was put to the vote and was agreed.
The amendment proposed by Councillor David Snowdon was then put to the vote and was defeated.
The Speaker then adjourned the meeting at 22:43 to allow for further officer advice. The meeting reconvened at 22:50.
The substantive budget proposals as amended were then put to the vote and were agreed.
RESOLVED
This Council notes:
· That between the Chancellor’s Emergency Budget in 2010 and 2017/18, the Council’s General Fund budget will have been cut by 50%;
· The Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan is showing a black hole of £39m in 2015/16, £24m of which is unfunded, and a deficit of at least £55m is anticipated in 2016/17;
· By 2015/16, Council reserves will be brought down to their lowest advisable level of £20m;
· Many of the Mayor’s biggest spending commitments– including Free School Meals, THEOs, additional cleaning, Faith Buildings Fund, Educational Award and Council Tax Benefit – are only funded up to the election;
· Continuing these services after their current funding ceases would increase the council’s black hole by over £6m each year;
· In order to fund additional spending, the Mayor has initiated further frontline cuts, including a 5% reduction of the staffing budgets in Adults Health and Wellbeing and Children Schools and Families directorates, placing further pressure on frontline staff;
· Closing this black hole would require the equivalent of a £600 per household Council Tax increase or cutting in half the services provided to the elderly and disabled in the Borough;
· The Labour Group has been asking the Mayor for over a year to explain how he plans to close this financial black hole over which he has presided.
This Council believes:
· It is the duty of the Council to manage ... view the full minutes text for item 5. |