Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Epsom Town Hall, https://www.youtube.com/@epsomandewellBC/playlists. View directions

Contact: Fiona Cotter, tel: 01372 732124  email:  fcotter@epsom-ewell.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

32.

Declarations of Interest

To receive declarations of the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.

Minutes:

No declarations of interest were made by councillors regarding items on the Agenda.

33.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 91 KB

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 12 December 2017 (attached)


Minutes:

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 12 December 2017 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

34.

Mayoral Communications/Business

To receive such communications or deal with such business as the Mayor may decide to lay before the Council.

Minutes:

The Mayor welcomed Councillor Alex Coley elected to the vacancy in Ruxley Ward at the by-election on 15 February 2018. She also announced that an award dedicated to the memory of John Harrison, Active Citizen and active supporter of the Sunnybank Trust, was to be made by the Trust in his name.  Mr. Harrison had passed away at the beginning of the year.  Finally, she reminded members about a number of forthcoming charity evetns.

35.

Questions from Councillors pdf icon PDF 72 KB

To answer any written questions from Councillors

 

Note:  The deadline for questions is 5pm on Wednesday 14 February 2018 (17.00 hours on the third clear working day before the meeting).


Minutes:

Four questions had been addressed to the Chairman of the Strategy and Resources Committee to which written answers had been provided and published.

 

36.

Budget Report 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 207 KB

This report fulfils the statutory requirement to agree a budget for 2018/19, comprising both revenue and capital expenditure plans, and to set a Council Tax for the year.  The council tax recommendation is for an increase of 2.98%.  Financial Policy Panel made no recommendation to Council but requested that the report include options for a Council Tax freeze and an increase of 2.98%.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council gave consideration to its 2018/19 budget, comprising both revenue and capital expenditure plans and Council Tax amounts for each band of dwelling.  The report took account of the recommendations of the Community & Wellbeing, Environment and Strategy and Resources Committees (appertaining to fees and charges, the revenue budget and capital programme).

In moving the recommendations of the Chief Finance Officer, the Chairman of the Strategy and Resources Committee, Councillor Eber Kington, made a statement to the Council on the budget for 2018/19 to which Councillors Alexander Clarke and Kate Chinn responded.

Upon being put, the MOTION was CARRIED, there being 29 members in favour and 6 against and 1 abstention as follows:

 

For the Motion (29)

Against the Motion (6)

Not voting (0)

Michael Arthur

Kate Chinn

The Mayor

Tony Axelrod

Alex Clarke

 

Richard Baker

Rob Geleit

 

Rekha Bansil

Jane Race

 

John Beckett

Omer Kokou-Tchri

 

Steve Bridger

Vince Romagnuolo

 

Alex Coley

 

 

George Crawford

 

 

The Deputy Mayor

 

 

Hannah Dalton

 

 

Graham Dudley

 

 

Robert Foote

 

 

Chris Frost

 

 

Eber Kington

 

 

Jan Mason

 

 

Barry Nash

 

 

Peter O’Donovan

 

 

Martin Olney

 

 

David Reeve

 

 

Humphrey Reynolds

 

 

Guy Robbins

 

 

Clive Smitheram

 

 

Jean Steer

 

 

Alan Sursham

 

 

Mike Teasdale

 

 

Peter Webb

 

 

David Wood

 

 

Clive Woodbridge

 

 

Tella Wormington

 

 

Accordingly, it was

RESOLVED that:

(1)          That it be noted that, under delegated powers, the Chief Finance Officer calculated the Council Tax Base as 32,658.06 (Band ‘D’ equivalent properties) for the year 2018/19 calculated in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”).

(2)          That the following estimates recommended by the policy committees be approved:-

a)            The revised revenue estimates for the year 2017/18 and the revenue estimates for 2018/19

b)           The capital programme for 2018/19 and the provisional programme for 2019 to 2021, as summarised in the capital strategy statement.

(3)          That the fees and charges recommended by the policy committees be approved for 2018/19.

(4)          That the Council Tax Requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2018/19 is £6,289,942.

(5)          That the Council receives the budget risk assessment at Annexe 6 and notes the conclusion of the Chief Finance Officer that these budget proposals are robust and sustainable as concluded in this report.

(6)          That the Council receives the Chief Finance Officer Statement on the Reserves as attached at Annexe 8.

(7)          That the Council agrees the Treasury Management Strategy, Prudential Indicators and Authorised Limits for 2018/19 as set out in Annexe 11 including:-

a)            Affordability Prudential Indicators

b)           The actual and estimated Capital Financing Requirement

c)            The estimated levels of borrowing and investment

d)           The authorised and operational limits for external debt

e)            The treasury management prudential indicators

(8)          That the following amounts be now calculated for the year 2018/19 in accordance with sections 31 to 36 of the Act:

a)            £56,138,698 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in section 31A(2) of the Act

b)           £49,848,756 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in section 31(A)3 of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

37.

Revision to Constitution - Planning Members' Code of Conduct pdf icon PDF 88 KB

The report recommends that the Constitution be updated to include the revised Model Code of Practice for Members in respect of Planning Matters adopted by the Planning Committee at its meeting on 18 January 2018.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council received a report from the Chief Legal Officer.

Councillor Humphrey Reynolds MOVED, and Councillor David Reeve SECONDED the recommendations in the report, subject to stating that it was the intention to review the Code after six months operation.

Accordingly, it was

RESOLVED that:

The revised Model Code of Practice for Members in respect of Planning Matters attached at Annexe 1 be included in the Constitution, to supercede the (ACSeS) Model Code of Good Practice currently contained therein.  The revised Code to be reviewed after six months operation.

 

38.

Motions to Council

In pursuance of the Council’s Rules of Procedure, to consider any Motions submitted by the due deadline.

 

No Motions received by the deadline.

 

Note: The deadline for Notice of Motions was 5.00pm on Wednesday 7 February 2018 (17.00 hours on the eighth clear working day before the meeting)

Minutes:

No motions to Council had been received by the deadline of 5pm on Wednesday 7 February 2018 (eight clear working days before the meeting).