Agenda and minutes

To receive and record any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors A Briggs, B Gibb-Gray, Mrs E Shimbart and Y Weeks.

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of the Council held on 10 December 2015.

The minutes of the Council meeting held on 10 December 2014 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

There were no matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting.

To receive any declarations of interests from Members.

There were no declarations of interest from any of the members present.

The Mayor to formally invite organisers of the Emsworth British Food Fortnight to present a report  to the Council on winning the national “Bring Home the Harvest/British Food Fortnight’ award.

The Mayor was pleased to formally invite Giles Babb, Lulu Bowerman and Alistair Gibson, representing Emsworth Business Association and organisers of the Emsworth British Food Fortnight, to share their success in winning the national ‘Bring Home the Harvest/British Food Fortnight Award with the Council.  On behalf of the Council the Mayor offered her congratulations.

The Mayor reported on, and encouraged all members of the Council to support, various forthcoming charity and other events she would shortly be attending.

In addition to his published report, the Leader briefed the Council on two key successes highlighted in the Council’s Quarter 3 Performance Healthcheck report:

•      Significant reduction in reported incidences of littering in the Borough arising from the recently implemented ‘zero tolerance’ policy; and

•      Havant Borough Council rated first of seven authorities for Value for Money in a recent residents’ survey.

Proposed by Councillor Lenaghan and seconded by Councillor Branson it was

RESOLVED that Councillor Leah Turner be provisionally elected as Mayor for 2015/16.

Proposed by Councillor Cheshire and seconded by Councillor Branson it was

RESOLVED that Councillor Faith Ponsonby be provisionally elected as Deputy Mayor for 2015/16.

(1)  Budget Speech by the Leader of the Council;

(2)  Reply by the Leader of the Opposition Group;

(3)  Leader reply to the Opposition Group; and

(4)  Questions for clarification to the Leader of the Council.

The Leader presented his budget speech to the Council, focusing on the key themes of leadership, finance, customers, the organisation and its partners.  The Leader was pleased to present a balanced budget for 2015-16 to the Council, with its proportion of the Council Tax frozen for the sixth consecutive year.

The Leader of the Opposition was given an opportunity to reply to the Leader’s report and all members of the Council were given an opportunity to ask the Leader questions of clarification.

The Council to consider the following recommendations arising from the Cabinet meeting held on 4 February 2015:

(A)       Revenue Budget 2015/2016 to 2019/2020

            RECOMMENDED to Council:

(a)        that the following be approved, as set out in the report to the Cabinet on 4 February 2015:

(1)       The proposed Revenue and Capital Budget for 2015/2016, including a Council Tax rate of £192.78 at Band D (0% increase);

(2)       The Treasury Management Strategy and Prudential Indicators; and

(3)        Proposed Prices for Services for 2015/2016

(b)       That it benoted that (on 8th January, 2015) the Chief Finance Officer calculated the Council Tax Base 2015/2016 for the whole Council area as 38,846.07 [Item T in the formula in Section 31B(1) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended, (the “Act”)] and that this Council Tax base be split between the regions of the Environment Agency as follows:

Southern – Hampshire – 38,106.00

Southern – Sussex – 740.07

(c)        That the following amounts be calculated by the Council for the year 2015/2016 in accordance with Sections 31 and 34 to 36 of the Act.

               (i)      £ 70,193,000 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act;

        (ii)     £ 62,704,250 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act;

                                    (iii)    £7,488,750 being the amount by which the aggregate at d(i) above exceeds the aggregate at d(ii) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act, as its Council Tax requirement for the year (Item R in the formula in section 31A(4) of the Act);

        (iv)    £192.78 being the amount at d(iii) above (Item R), divided by Item T  (c above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year;

(e)       Valuation Bands

A                   B                      C                     D

   £128.52        £149.94           £171.36           £192.78

E                   F                      G                     H

   £235.62        £278.46           £321.30           £385.56

being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at d(iv) above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation band D, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different valuation bands.

(f)        That it be noted that for the year 2015/2016 the Hampshire County Council (see (h) below) and Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority have stated the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each of the categories of the dwellings shown below:

Valuation Bands – Hampshire County Council

A                      B                      C                     D  ...  view the full agenda text for item 58.

The Council considered the following recommendations arising from the Cabinet meeting held on 4 February 2014:

(A)         Revenue Budget 2015/16 to 2019/20

The Leader of the Council presented the draft Revenue Budget 2015/16 to 2019/20.  Proposed by Councillor Cheshire and seconded by Councillor Sceal it was

RESOLVED that

(a)        the following be approved, as set out in the report to the Cabinet:

(1)         the proposed Revenue and Capital Budget for 2015/2016, including a Council Tax rate of £192.78 at Band D (0% increase);

(2)         the Treasury Management Strategy and Prudential Indicators; and

(3)        proposed Prices for Services for 2015/2016

(b)                   it benoted that (on 8th January, 2015) the Chief Finance Officer calculated the Council Tax Base 2015/2016 for the whole Council area as 38,846.07 [Item T in the formula in Section 31B(1) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended, (the “Act”)] and that this Council Tax base be split between the regions of the Environment Agency as follows:

Southern – Hampshire – 38,106.00

Southern – Sussex – 740.07

(c)        the following amounts be calculated by the Council for the year 2015/2016 in accordance with Sections 31 and 34 to 36 of the Act.

(i)            £ 70,193,000 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act;

(ii)           £ 62,704,250 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act;

(iii)          £7,488,750 being the amount by which the aggregate at c(i) above exceeds the aggregate at c(ii) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act, as its Council Tax requirement for the year (Item R in the formula in section 31A(4) of the Act);

(iv)         £192.78 being the amount at c(iii) above (Item R), divided by Item T  (b above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year;

(d)       Valuation Bands

A                   B                        C                     D

£128.52       £149.94            £171.36          £192.78

E                   F                        G                     H

£235.62        £278.46            £321.30         £385.56

being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at c(iv) above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation band D, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different valuation bands.

(e)       it be noted that for the year 2015/2016 the Hampshire County Council (see (g) below) and Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority have stated the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each of the categories of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58.

There were no matters the Cabinet Leads wished to add to their published reports.

(i)                the Leader and Cabinet Leads to answer questions on matters within their respective reports.

(ii)           Chairmen to answer questions on minutes of meetings since the last Council meeting.

Cabinet Leads and the Committee Chairmen answered questions on matters contained within their respective reports.  Questions for Councillors Briggs and Mrs Y Weeks were noted in their absence for formal response following the meeting.

In accordance with Standing Order 23.4 (a).

There were no questions under standing order 23.4(a).

There were no urgent questions under standing order 23.4(b).

To receive the minutes of meetings held since publication of the agenda for the last meeting of the Council.

Proposed by Councillor Mrs G Blackett and seconded by Councillor G Shimbart, it was

RESOLVED that the minutes of Committees held since the last meeting of the Council be accepted.

At the conclusion of the meeting, and with the prior consent of the Mayor, the Leader expressed his appreciation, on behalf of all members of the Council, to those members who would not be standing for re-election in May for their valued contribution to the work of the Council and their valued commitment to their local communities