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
Note: 2nd Budget Meeting
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE To receive any apologies for absence. Decision: There were no apologies for absence.
Minutes: There were no apologies for absence.
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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: The Speaker announced that the Acting Corporate Director of Education, Social Care and Wellbeing, Isobel Cattermole, was to retire after 25 years’ local government service. Councillors from all parties addressed the meeting to pay tributes to Mrs Cattermole’s service and to wish her well in the future.
Minutes: The Speaker announced that the Acting Corporate Director of Education, Social Care and Wellbeing, Isobel Cattermole, was to retire after 25 years’ local government service. Councillors from all parties addressed the meeting to pay tributes to Mrs Cattermole’s service and to wish her well in the future.
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BUDGET AND COUNCIL TAX 2013/14 PDF 61 KB To consider the revised proposals of the Mayor and Executive in relation to the Council’s Budget and Council Tax 2013/14.
The first Budget Council Meeting on 27 February 2013 agreed a substantive motion that included an amendment to the Mayor’s budget proposals. In accordance with the requirements of the Constitution and statutory provisions, the Mayor has been formally advised of the changes agreed by the Council and within a period of five working days must reconsider his budget proposals in accordance with those and submit his final budget proposals to the second Budget Council Meeting. Those revised proposals may at the Mayor’s discretion include some or all of the changes agreed by the Council at the first budget meeting.
The attached report sets out the revised budget amendment adopted by the Council on 27 February. The Mayor’s revised budget proposals will be circulated to Councillors as soon as they are available.
Officer advice on the proposals in the budget has been received by Members in the Budget Council Document Pack and papers tabled at Council on 27 February. In the interests of economy these papers are not reproduced in the attached report except where they affect the recommendations agreed. Members are requested to bring the Budget Council Pack and tabled papers with them to the meeting. Additional documents:
Decision: A representative of the Unison trade union sought permission to address the meeting on the proposed budget amendments which he stated had implication for staff redundancies. The Service Head, Democratic Services advised that the deadline for petitions had passed and the Procedure Rules made no other specific provision for public or trade unions to address the meeting. There was a general provision under which the Chair of a meeting had discretion to allow participation by non-members but the Speaker indicated that he was not minded to exercise this discretion as there was no precedent for this at the Council meeting and he also understood that other persons had asked before the meeting to speak and had been told that they could not.
Mayor Lutfur Rahman introduced, and Councillor Alibor Choudhury moved, the revised budget proposals of the Mayor and Executive. Councillor Ohid Ahmed seconded the proposals. The Mayor stated that he and the Executive were unable to accept a number of the amendments proposed by Council on 27 February 2013, as set out with reasons in his tabled report.
Councillor Carlo Gibbs then moved the Council’s amended budget proposals as agreed at the meeting on 27 February 2013. Councillor Joshua Peck seconded the proposals.
Following a debate the amended budget proposal moved by Councillor Carlo Gibbs was put to the vote. The amended budget achieved the two thirds majority required by the regulations, with 34 Members voting in favour and 17 Members voting against, and accordingly was agreed.
DECISION
General Fund Revenue Budget and Council Tax Requirement 2013/14; and Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Annual Investment Strategy and Minimum Revenue Provision Policy Statement 2013-14.
This Council notes:
· 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;
This Council believes: · It is the duty of the Council ... view the full decision text for item 4. Minutes: The Mayor’s revised budget motion was tabled, including his comments on the budget amendment passed by the Council on 27th February 2013 and his own revised proposals for the Council’s consideration.
A representative of the Unison trade union sought permission to address the meeting on the proposed budget amendments which he stated had implication for staff redundancies. The Service Head, Democratic Services advised that the deadline for petitions had passed and the Procedure Rules made no other specific provision for public or trade unions to address the meeting. There was a general provision under which the Chair of a meeting had discretion to allow participation by non-members but the Speaker indicated that he was not minded to exercise this discretion as there was no precedent for this at the Council meeting and he also understood that other persons had asked before the meeting to speak and had been told that they could not.
Mayor Lutfur Rahman introduced, and Councillor Alibor Choudhury moved, the revised budget proposals of the Mayor and Executive. Councillor Ohid Ahmed seconded the proposals. The Mayor stated that he and the Executive were unable to accept a number of the amendments proposed by Council on 27 February 2013, as set out with reasons in his tabled report.
Councillor Carlo Gibbs then moved the Council’s amended budget proposals as agreed at the meeting on 27 February 2013. Councillor Joshua Peck seconded the proposals.
Following debate the amended budget proposal moved by Councillor Carlo Gibbs was put to the vote. The amended budget achieved the two thirds majority required by the regulations, with 34 Members voting in favour and 17 Members voting against, and was therefore agreed. Accordingly it was:-
RESOLVED
General Fund Revenue Budget and Council Tax Requirement 2013/14; and Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Annual Investment Strategy and Minimum Revenue Provision Policy Statement 2013-14.
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 ... view the full minutes text for item 4. |