Agenda and minutes
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Contact: Stewart Agland Email: stewart.agland@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
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Declarations of Interests under Standing Order 13(2)(b) Minutes: There were no declarations of members' interests. |
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Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 10 November 2015 · the Meeting of the Council held on 10 November 2015 Minutes: It was
Proposed by Councillor Donna Jones Seconded by Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson
That the minutes of the meeting of the council held on 10 November 2015 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the council held on 10 November 2015 be confirmed and signed as a correct record. |
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Communications from the Lord Mayor including Apologies for Absence and Appointments. Also any urgent and important business in accordance with Standing Order No 26. Minutes: Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Paul Godier and Phil Smith. Apologies for lateness were received on behalf of Councillor Lee Hunt. The Lord Mayor welcomed Councillor Margaret Foster following a period of absence from council business.
The Lord Mayor advised that today's meeting is being filmed and that owing to electrical issues, a bell would be used to control speaking times at today's meeting.
The Lord Mayor gave details of the evacuation proceedings.
The Lord Mayor advised that he had not been notified of any appointments and that there was no urgent business.
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Deputations from the Public under Standing Order No 24 Minutes: The City Solicitor reminded all those making deputations that if they did not wish to be filmed, photographed or recorded when making their deputations they should indicate in order that all present who may be intending to film, photograph or record proceedings could accede to their wishes.
The City Solicitor advised that eight deputation requests had been received in respect of agenda item 7 - Portsmouth City Council Revenue Budget 2016/17 - Savings Proposals. Seven of these wished to speak against elements of the budget and one wanted to speak in support of the budget. In addition, one written representation against elements of the budget had been received from Ms Charlotte Gerada and had been circulated to members.
In view of the number of deputation requests received for today's council meeting in respect of agenda item 7, the Lord Mayor proposed that speakers against elements of the revenue budget should each have up to three minutes to speak. This was seconded by Councillor Donna Jones and was agreed by members.
The City Solicitor advised that the first person making a deputation did not wish to be filmed or photographed.
Ms Tierney, Mr Sprake - Unison, Ms Shonagh Dillon, Mr Cal Corkery, Ms Tuck, Honorary Alderman Dr Alan Burnett and Mr Steve Bonner each made deputations against the revenue budget proposals or elements of them.
Mr Jim Fleming gave a deputation in favour of the proposals.
During the item on deputations, owing to a disturbance in the chamber, Council adjourned at 2.20 pm. Council resumed at 2.35 pm.
The Lord Mayor explained that standing orders had to be adhered to during council meetings and that no protests including the display of banners were allowed to take place in the chamber. |
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Recommendations from the Cabinet Meeting held on 3 December 2015 Minutes: The Lord Mayor advised that items 5 and 6 would be dealt with together. The following minutes were opposed.
Minute 74 - Property Investment Strategy Minute 75 - Budget and Performance Monitoring 2015/16 (2nd Quarter) to end September 2015
It was
Proposed by Councillor Donna Jones Seconded by Councillor Lee Mason
That the recommendations contained in Cabinet minute 74 - Property Investment Strategy - be approved.
As an amendment it was
Proposed by Councillor Luke Stubbs Seconded by Councillor John Ferrett
That the following additional recommendation be included:
iii) The council welcomes the proactive approach by the Cabinet to utilise cheap borrowing to supplement the council's revenue budget thus helping to protect vital services.
The Leader of the Council, Councillor Donna Jones agreed to accept the amendment as part of the proposal.
Following debate, upon the substantive proposal, incorporating the amendment standing in the name of Councillor Luke Stubbs, being put to the vote, this was CARRIED.
RESOLVED that
i) The Director of Finance & S151 Officer be authorised to amend the Corporate Capital Programme, Property Investment Fund by adding an additional £20m financed from Prudential borrowing in 2015/16, to acquire additional investment property.
ii) That any unutilised borrowing ability within the Property Investment Fund in 2015/16 be automatically carried forward into 2016/17.
iii) The council welcomes the proactive approach by the Cabinet to utilise cheap borrowing to supplement the council's revenue budget thus helping to protect vital services.
Minute 75 - Budget and Performance Monitoring 2015/16 (2nd Quarter) to end September 2015
It was
Proposed by Councillor Donna Jones Seconded by Councillor Luke Stubbs
That the recommendations contained in Cabinet minute 75 - Budget and Performance Monitoring 2015/16 (2nd Quarter) to end September 2015 be approved.
Following debate upon being put to the vote this was CARRIED.
RESOLVED that
(i) The forecast outturn position for 2015/16 be noted:
(a) An overspend of £2,695,900 before further forecast transfers from/(to) Portfolio Specific Reserves
(b) An overspend of £3,123,300 after further forecast transfers from/(to) Portfolio Specific Reserves.
(ii) Members note that any actual overspend at year end will in the first instance be deducted from any Portfolio Specific Reserve balance and once depleted then be deducted from the 2016/17 Cash Limit.
(iii) Directors, in consultation with the appropriate Cabinet Member, consider options that seek to minimise any forecast overspend presently being reported and prepare strategies outlining how any consequent reduction to the 2016/17 Portfolio cash limit will be managed to avoid further overspending during 2016/17. |
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Portsmouth City Council Revenue Budget 2016/17 - Savings Proposals To receive and consider the attached report of the Cabinet held on 3 December 2015, the recommendations for which will follow. Additional documents: Minutes: It was
Proposed by Councillor Donna Jones Seconded by Councillor Luke Stubbs
That the recommendations contained in Cabinet minute 78 - Portsmouth City Council Revenue Budget 2016/17 - Savings Proposals be approved.
Councillor Donna Jones spoke on the budget proposals which had been produced by the Conservative Group, in consultation with the UKIP and Labour groups, and commended the budget to council.
The Leader wished to place on record her thanks to the following people · Councillors Julie Swan and Stuart Potter in relation to libraries, particularly for their support in developing plans for the Paulsgrove area of the city · Councillor Aiden Gray for his help and assistance with the property investment fund · Councillor Stuart Potter for his work ensuring that RNLI volunteers will get free parking at the sea front when responding to a call-out · Dr Julia Katharine for her work on the Troubled Families agenda · Chris Ward, Julian Pike, Cabinet Members and to the leaders of the UKIP and Labour groups for their work on the budget.
The Leader of the Council advised that a statement and undertaking of the administration to be reflected in the council minutes is as follows :-
"That the Resources portfolio holder gives an undertaking that he will not implement the indicative savings proposal 143 entitled "Remove funding for trade union officials" in the sum of £75,000 and, as is his discretion, an alternative proposal will be substituted of equivalent value through additional efficiencies made in Information Services."
Council adjourned at 4.32 pm. Council resumed at 4.43 pm.
As an amendment it was
Proposed by Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson Seconded by Councillor Hugh Mason
That the recommendations set out in Appendix 1 to these minutes (Liberal Democrat Revenue Amendment) be adopted. Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson spoke to his group's proposed budget amendments. He expressed his thanks to all members of the administration and in particular to Cabinet Members and also to members of the Labour and UKIP groups who had input into the budget. He commended the Liberal Democrat group's proposed budget amendments to the council.
Councillor Colin Galloway, group leader of UKIP then spoke in support of the budget proposals put forward by Councillor Donna Jones.
As an amendment, it was
Proposed by Councillor John Ferrett Seconded by Councillor Aiden Gray
That the recommendations set out in Appendix 2 attached to these minutes (Labour Revenue Amendment) be adopted. Councillor John Ferrett then spoke to his group's proposed budget amendments and commended them to the council.
Following debate, the Lord Mayor called upon the Leader of the Council, Councillor Donna Jones to sum up.
Councillor Jones said that she did not propose to accept the Liberal Democrat group or the Labour group amendments.
The Lord Mayor advised that the amendments to the revenue budget would now be put to the vote using the recorded vote method in accordance with the regulations. Upon the Liberal Democrat amendment standing in the name of Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson being put to the vote the following members voted in favour:
The following members voted against the proposed amendment:
The following members abstained:
The Liberal Democrat amendment was therefore LOST.
Upon the Labour amendment standing in the name of Councillor John Ferrett being put to the vote, the following members voted in favour:
The following members voted against the proposal:
The following members abstained:
The Labour group amendment standing in the name of Councillor John Ferrett was therefore LOST.
Upon the recommendations in Cabinet minute 78 - Revenue Budget 2016/17 - Savings Proposals being put to the vote, the following members voted in favour:
The following members voted against the recommendations:
The following members abstained:
The Cabinet recommendations in Cabinet minute 78 - Revenue Budget 2016/17 - Savings Proposals were therefore CARRIED.
RESOLVED that (1) the following be approved:
(a) the Council's Budget for 2016/17 be prepared on the basis of a 2% Council Tax increase
(b) in the event that the Council has the ability to increase the level of Council Tax beyond 2% in order to fund Adult Social Care pressures, and if the Council elects to do so, that any additional funding that arises is passported direct to Adult Social Care to provide for those otherwise unfunded cost pressures.
(c) The savings proposals for each Portfolio amounting, in total, to £11m for 2016/17 and continuing into future years as set out in Appendix A to enable appropriate consultation and notice periods to be given to affected parties
(d) £500,000 be released from the MTRS Reserve to increase the Business Intervention Fund in order to increase the scale and pace of the programme of Service interventions described in paragraphs 10.17 and the funding to be used flexibly across years
(e) the allocation of the Business Intervention Fund to Service interventions be delegated to the S151 Officer in consultation with the Leader of the Council.
(2) the following be noted:
(a) The Budget Savings Requirement for 2016/17 of £11m approved by the City Council was based on a Council Tax increase of 2.0%; each 1% change (increase or decrease) in the Council Tax results in a change to the savings requirement of £625,000[1]
(b) The key themes arising from the budget consultation
(c) The indicative savings proposals set out in Appendix B which are provided for the purpose of demonstrating to the Council that the Portfolio savings as recommended in paragraph (1)(c) above are robust and deliverable
(d) The likely impact of savings as set out in Appendix B based on the scale of the Portfolio savings as recommended in paragraph (1)(c)
(e) the responsibility of the City Council is to approve the overall Budget and the associated cash limits of its Portfolios and Committees; it is not the responsibility of the City Council to approve any individual savings within those Portfolios / Committees
(f) it is the responsibility of the individual Portfolio Holders (not the City Council) to approve the individual savings proposals and the Portfolio Holder can therefore, in response to any consultation, alter, amend or substitute any of the indicative savings proposal(s) set out in Appendix B with alternative proposal(s) amounting to the same value within their Portfolio
(g) Managers will commence any necessary consultation process or notice process necessary to implement the approved Portfolio / Committee savings
(h) there is no general provision for Budget Pressures and that it is the responsibility of the Portfolio Holder to manage any Budget Pressures which arise from the overall resources available to the Portfolio (which includes their Portfolio Reserve)
(i) In accordance with the approved financial framework, it is the responsibility of the Portfolio Holder, in consultation with the Director of Finance & Information Services (S151 Officer), to release funds from the Portfolio Reserve in accordance with the provisions set out in paragraph 10.14
(j) The MTRS Reserve held to fund the upfront costs associated with Spend to Save Schemes, Invest to Save Schemes and redundancies currently holds a very modest uncommitted balance of £3.0m and will only be replenished from an approval to the transfer of any non-Portfolio underspends at year end into this reserve
[1] Tax increases will be subject to Council Tax referendum thresholds which are at this stage unknown |
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Questions from Members under Standing Order No 17. Minutes: There were no members' questions.
At the end of the meeting, the Lord Mayor wished everyone a Happy Christmas.
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