Report of the Head of Finance, Governance and Assurance will follow marked 9.

Contact James Walton Tel 01743 255011.

It was proposed by the Leader Mr K Barrow and seconded by Mrs A Hartley that the report, a copy of which is attached to the signed minutes and the recommendations contained therein, be received and agreed.

Mr R Evans proposed the following amendment on behalf of the Liberal Democrat Group which was seconded by Mr M Kenny;

‘That additional resource of £0.504m be allocated on a one-off basis and that this be funded from money in the General Reserve Fund, reducing the Council’s General reserve Fund Balance to an estimated £14.031m.’

After debate Mr K Barrow exercised his right of reply on the amendment to his proposition on the Administration’s budget.

On being put to a recorded vote, the amendment was lost with 43 voting against and 23 for as follows:

AGAINST (43)

Mr P Adams, Mr N Bardsley, Mr T Barker, Mrs J Barrow, Mr K Barrow, Mr T Bebb, Mr T Biggins, Mr G Butler, Mr J Cadwallader, Mrs K Calder, Mr D Carroll, Mr L Chapman, Mr S Charmley, Mr G Dakin, Mr S Davenport, Mr D Evans, Mrs A Hartley, Mr R Hughes, Mr V Hunt, Mr J Hurst-Knight, Mr S Jones, Mr C Lea, Mr D Lloyd, Mr R Macey, Mr D Minnery, Mrs C Motley, Mrs P Mullock, Mr P Nutting, Mr M Owen, Mr W Parr, Mr M Pate, Mr J Price, Mr M Price, Mr K Roberts, Mr R Tindall, Mr D Turner, Mr A Walpole, Mr S West, Mrs C Wild, Mr B Williams, Mr L Winwood, Mr M Wood, and Mr P Wynn.

FOR (23)

Mr A Bannerman, Mrs C Barnes, Mr A Boddington, Mrs V Bushell, Mrs A Chebsey, Mr P Cherrington, Mr T Clarke, Mrs P Dee, Mr R Evans, Mrs H Fraser, Mr N Hartin, Mr R Huffer, Mrs T Huffer, Dr J Jones, Mr M Kenny, Mrs H Kidd, Mr C Mellings, Mrs P Moseley, Mr K Pardy, Mrs V Parry, Mrs M Shineton, Mr J Tandy and Mr M Williams.

Dr J Jones, Mr R Evans and Mrs P Dee then exercised their right as Group Leaders to speak to the budget proposition, with Dr Jones speaking on behalf of Mr A Mosely.

After further debate the Leader exercised his right to reply to comments made on the Administration’s budget proposals as a whole.

On being put to a recorded vote the proposition was carried with 45 Members voting in favour and 20 against as follows:

FOR (45)

Mr P Adams, Mr N Bardsley, Mr T Barker, Mrs J Barrow, Mr K Barrow, Mr T Bebb, Mr T Biggins, Mr G Butler, Mr J Cadwallader, Mrs K Calder, Mr D Carroll, Mr L Chapman, Mr S Charmley, Mr P Cherrington, Mr G Dakin, Mr S Davenport, Mrs P Dee, Mr D Evans, Mrs A Hartley, Mr R Hughes, Mr V Hunt, Mr J Hurst-Knight, Mr S Jones, Mr C Lea, Mr D Lloyd, Mr R Macey, Mr D Minnery, Mrs C Motley, Mrs P Mullock, Mr M Owen, Mr W Parr, Mr M Pate, Mr J Price, Mr M Price, Mr K Roberts, Mrs M Shineton, Mr R Tindall, Mr D Turner, Mr A Walpole, Mr S West, Mrs C Wild, Mr B Williams, Mr L Winwood, Mr M Wood and Mr P Wynn.

AGAINST (20)

Mr A Bannerman, Mrs C Barnes, Mr A Boddington, Mr V Bushell, Mrs A Chebsey, Mr T Clarke, Mr R Evans, Mrs H Fraser, Mr N Hartin, Mr R Huffer, Mrs T Huffer, Dr J Jones, Mr M Kenny, Mrs H Kidd, Mr C Mellings, Mrs P Moseley, Mr K Pardy, Mrs V Parry, Mr J Tandy, Mr M Williams.

RESOLVED:

a)    That the refreshed Business Plan and Financial Strategy attached at Appendix 1 and the proposals for setting the Council’s budget until 2016/17 be approved.

b)    That it be noted that the funding gap of £80m for the period 2014-17 identified in the Council Business Plan and Financial Strategy agreed by Council in February 2014 had been reviewed and retained for planning purposes

c)    That the initial savings proposals identified for achievement by 2015/16 of £66.333m be noted, including the progress made in achieving savings and therefore agree the amendments and approve the savings proposals identified as removed from base for 2015/16 of £58.909m service savings with the balance of £7.424m to be met by additional ongoing and one off resources.

d)    That the additional service pressures identified for 2015/16 of £7.644m to be met by additional ongoing and one off resources in 2015/16 be noted.

e)    That the removal by Council of any allocation of council tax support grant to Town and Parish Councils for 2015/16 and future year’s council tax reduction scheme following consultation (as included in Recommendation c above) be approved.

f)     That the budget for 2015/16 of £576.379m noting an adjustment of £4.621m since Cabinet on 11 February 2015 due to reclassifications of budgets, savings allocations and recharges between income and expenditure, be approved.

g)    That the financial implications of the transfer of Fulcrum and Help2Change to ip&e be noted.

h)   That the revised Capital Programme for 2015/16 to 2016/17 as set out within the report be approved.

i)     That the Highways & Transport programme of schemes for delivery in 2015/16 be approved and delegated authority be given to the Area Commissioner South in consultation with the Portfolio Holder to approve any changes to the implementation plan of schemes for delivery in 2015/16, within the parameters of the outline capital programme.

j)      That the Statement of Chief Financial Officer on the Robustness of the Estimates and Adequacy of Reserves 2014-18 as set out in Appendix 2, noting the Council’s general fund balance over this period, be approved.

k)    That the Pay and Reward Policy for all Council staff for 2015/16 as set out in Appendix 3, be approved.