Agenda item

Councillor Hull, seconded by Councillor Watts, moved the recommendations in the report.

Councillor Russell moved her amendment.

Councillors Burgess and Heather contributed to the debate.

The amendment was put the vote.  Voting was recorded as follows:

For: Councillor Russell.

Against: Councillors Andrews, Burgess, Caluori, Chowdhury, Comer-Schwartz, Convery, Court, Debono, Diner, Doolan, Erdogan, Fletcher, Gallagher, Gantly, Gill, Greening, Hamitouche, Heather, Hull, Ismail, Jeapes, Kaseki, Kay, Khan, Klute, Murray, Ngongo, Nicholls, O’Halloran, O’Sullivan, Parker, Alice Perry, Rupert Perry, Poole, Poyser, Shaikh, Smith, Turan, Diarmaid Ward, Nick Ward, Watts, Wayne, Webbe and Williamson.
 

The amendment was LOST.

The recommendations in the report were put to the vote.  Voting was recorded as follows:

For: Councillors Andrews, Burgess, Caluori, Chowdhury, Comer-Schwartz, Convery, Court, Debono, Diner, Doolan, Erdogan, Fletcher, Gallagher, Gantly, Gill, Greening, Hamitouche, Heather, Hull, Ismail, Jeapes, Kaseki, Kay, Khan, Klute, Murray, Ngongo, Nicholls, O’Halloran, O’Sullivan, Parker, Alice Perry, Rupert Perry, Poole, Poyser, Shaikh, Smith, Turan, Diarmaid Ward, Nick Ward, Watts, Wayne, Webbe and Williamson.

Against: Councillor Russell.

The recommendations were CARRIED.

RESOLVED:

The General Fund Budget 2015-16 and MTFS (Section 3 of the Main Report)

2.1         That the 2015-16 net Council cash limits as set out in Table 1 (paragraph 3.1.4 of the report) and the MTFS at Appendix A to the report, which include the revenue savings in Appendix B to the report, be agreed.

2.2         That the report of the Policy and Performance Scrutiny Committee on 22^nd January 2015 be noted in reviewing the ‘Budget Proposals 2015-16’ and its recommendation for the addition of an invest-to-save scheme comprising the installation of photovoltaic (PV) plates on corporate Council properties (excluding leisure centres, schools and housing, which are subject to ongoing exploration) (Paragraph 3.1.3 and Appendix B of the report) be agreed.

2.3         That it be agreed that within the 2015-16 revenue budget, £1.16m from general grant funding, to continue to provide a Resident Support Scheme following the reduction in Local Welfare Provision (LWP) funding by the Government, on being transferred from specific to general grant and that it be noted that we will review expenditure on the Resident Support Scheme in the first three months of 2015-16 and supplement this funding as required from the Housing Benefit Reserve up to the level of the LWP funding for 2014-15 (£1.44m) be agreed (Paragraphs 3.2.5 to 3.2.6 of the report).

2.4         That the requirement to report on the number of maintained schools that have completed the Schools Value Financial Standard (SVFS) by 31^st March to the Department for Education by 31^st May each year be noted (Paragraph 3.2.15 of the report).

2.5         That the fees and charges policy and the schedule of 2015-16 fees and charges (paragraph 3.2.16-17 and Appendix C of the report) be agreed.

2.6         That the Council’s policy on the level of General Fund balances and the estimated use of the Council’s earmarked reserves be agreed (Paragraph 3.2.21-22 and Table 3 of the report).

The HRA Budget and MTFS (Section 4 of the Main Report)

2.7         That the balanced HRA 2015-16 budget within the HRA MTFS at Appendix D1 of the report be agreed.

2.8         That it be noted that the proposed increases in 2015-16 for HRA rents and other fees and charges were agreed by the Council’s Executive on 12 February 2015 (Paragraphs 4.4 to 4.9, Table 5 and Appendix D2 of the report).

The Capital Programme 2015-16 to 2017-18 (Section 5 of the Main Report)

2.9         That the 2015-16 capital programme be agreed and that the provisional programme for 2016-17 to 2017-18, which includes funding for an expanded Phase 2 Bunhill heat and power scheme (funded on the expectation that it will be a priority for planning gain from developments in Bunhill) be noted (Paragraph 5.1, Table 6 and Appendix E1 of the report).

2.10       That it be agreed that the Corporate Director of Finance and Resources applies capital resources to fund the capital programme in the most cost-effective way (Paragraph 5.3 of the report).

2.11       That the schemes that comprise the Capital Allowance pot of eligible affordable housing and regeneration schemes be noted (Paragraph 5.4 and Appendix E1 of the report).

2.12      That the schedule of planned Traffic and Transportation schemes in 2015-16 be noted and the related decision-making responsibilities for these schemes be agreed (Paragraph 5.5 and Appendix E2 of the report).

Treasury Management Strategy (Section 6 of the Main Report)

2.13       That the Treasury Management Strategy, Annual Investment Policy, Prudential Indicators, Minimum Revenue Provision Policy Statement and investment criteria be agreed (Section 6 and Appendices F1 to F4 of the report).

Council Tax 2015-16, incl. Statutory Calculations (Section 7 of the Main Report)

2.14       That the calculations required for the determination of the 2015-16 council tax requirement and the level of council tax as detailed in Section 7 of the report and summarised below be agreed.

1)      The 2015-16 council tax requirement of £70,648,601 (Paragraph 7.4 of the report)

2)      The relevant amount of Islington Band D council tax of £981.22, a 1.99% increase compared to 2014-15, and to determine that this is not ‘excessive’. (Paragraphs 7.5 and 7.6 of the report)

3)      The basic amount of Islington Band D council tax for dwellings to which no special item relates (i.e. outside of the Lloyd Square Garden area) of £981.01 and total Band D council tax (including the GLA precept) of £1,276.01. (Paragraphs 7.8 and 7.12 of the report)

4)      The amount of 2015-16 council tax (excluding the GLA precept) for each valuation band over each of the Council’s areas. (Paragraph 7.10 of the report)

5)      The total amount of 2015-16 council tax (including the GLA precept) for each valuation band over each of the Council’s areas. (Paragraph 7.12 of the report)

Matters to consider in setting the Budget (Section 8 of the Main Report)

2.15       That the Section 151 Officer’s and the Monitoring Officer’s comments in their determination of the revenue and capital budgets for 2015-16 and the basis for the level of council tax, including the Section 151 Officer’s report in relation to his responsibilities under section 25 (2) of the Local Government Act 2003, be noted.

2.16       That the Resident Impact Assessment (RIA) on the 2015-16 budget be noted (Appendix G of the report).

2.17       That the Pay Policy Statement for 2015-16 at Appendix H of the report be agreed.