Prayers were taken by Reverend Andrew Hollins, Minister of the Methodist Church in Biggleswade, Upper Caldecote and Cardington, Superintendent Minister of the North Bedfordshire Circuit of the Methodist Church and Methodist District Ecumenical Officer for Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire.

To approve the minutes of the Council meeting held on 30 January 2014.

(Attached pages 5 to 15)

RESOLVED

that the minutes of the meeting held on 30 January 2014 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To receive from Members any declarations of interest.

Cllr Dr R Egan declared an interest in agenda item 7c. – Budget Report for the Housing Revenue Account (Housing Service) Business Plan, as a council tenant, – and withdrew from the Chamber when the specifics of the proposed rent increase were discussed.

1.     The Chairman explained that in accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders)(England)(Amendment) Regulations 2014 there would be a recorded vote for agenda items 7(a), (b), (c) and (e).

2.     The Chairman advised that she was hosting the following events:

a.      Civic Service on Sunday 2 March at Northill Church.

b.      “Wow! Here come the Girls” on Sunday 27 April at the Grove Theatre, Dunstable.

3.     Council stood in silent tribute to the memory of former Mid Bedfordshire District Council and Central Bedfordshire Council Member Mrs Anita Lewis, who had recently passed away.  She had been a member of both authorities’ Executives.

The Leader of the Council to announce any matters of communication.

The Leader of the Council commended the Executive Member for Corporate Resources and Officers in the Council’s Finance Team for a proposed budget which contained no increase in the Council’s element of the Council Tax and no cut to frontline services.

To receive any questions, statements and deputations from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 1 of part A4 of the Constitution.  This session will be held at the Chairman’s discretion and will normally last no longer than 15 minutes.

No questions, statements or deputations were received.

To consider recommendations from the meeting of the Executive held on 4 February 2014 and answer questions asked under Rule No. 13.1.

(a)       Budget 2014/15 and Medium Term Financial Plan 2014 to 2018 

(pages 17 – 18)

(b)       Capital Programme 2014/15 to 2017/18                             (page 19)

(c)       Budget report for the Housing Revenue Account (Housing Service)

         Business Plan                                                (page 21)

(d)       Treasury Management Strategy and Treasury Policy    (page 23)

and to present the Council Tax Resolution (pages 25 to 38)

Note: The papers for (a) (b) (c) and (d) above may be seen at the following link:

http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/modgov/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=577&MId=4398&Ver=4

(a)       Budget 2014/15 and Medium Term Financial Plan 2014 to 2018

The Council considered recommendations from the meeting of the Executive held on 4 February 2014 seeking approval of the proposed Medium Term Financial Plan and Revenue Budget for 2014/15. 

In his introduction, the Deputy Leader drew attention to the external factors which had influenced the proposed budget and the financial challenges faced by local authorities.  He referred to the significant social and economic drivers of change within Central Bedfordshire across the medium term and beyond.  He commented that any budget had to be sustainable, affordable and support the Council’s priorities.  He was pleased to confirm that the proposed budget entailed no increase in the Council’s element of the Council Tax nor any cuts to frontline services.  He also commented that the financial position of the Housing Revenue Account was positive and would enable the Council to achieve the ambitions contained in the Housing Asset Management Strategy.

The Deputy Leader referred to the transfer of Public Health, with its £10m budget, to the Council, the proposed Capital Programme 2014/15 to 2017/18 which included funding for significant capital projects across all directorates, including the Woodside Link, the Leisure Centre in Flitwick, enhanced waste disposal facilities and new school places.

The Leaders of the Independent and the Liberal Democrat Groups commented on the proposed budget as provided for in the Council’s constitution. 

RESOLVED:

1.    that the responses from consultation with Overview and Scrutiny as set out in Appendix K to the Executive report and the response to consultation with the public and stakeholders as set out in Appendix A to the Executive report, be noted;

2.    that the Revenue Budget for 2014/15 and the Medium Term Financial Plan for 2014/15 to 2017/18 be approved;

3.    that there were no adjustments to the draft Budget as described in paragraph 52 of the report;

4.    that the Council Tax Base as set out in Appendix G  to the Executive report, be noted;

5.    that a Band D Council Tax (CBC element) of £1,308.33 for residents of Central Bedfordshire, representing a 0% increase on the charge for 2013/14, be approved;

6.    that the fees and charges set out in Appendix J to the Executive report be approved; and

7.    that efficiency proposals identified in Appendix I to the Executive report be noted, and that they be subject to formal consultation and equality impact assessment in the coming months, and that the Corporate Management Team be instructed to propose alternative compensatory savings if it appears, following a review of the outcome of the equality impact assessment, that any specific proposal cannot be delivered.

In accordance with The Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a recorded vote was taken.

Those in favour of the resolutions were:

Councillors Barker, Bastable, Berry, Birt, Blair, Bowater, Brown, Chapman, Clarke, Collins, Costin, Dalgarno, Dodwell, Drinkwater, Duckett, Gomm, Hegley, Hollick, Hopkin, Jamieson, Janes, M Jones, D Lawrence, J  ...  view the full minutes text for item 81.