Issue - meetings

This report asks the Council to approve the Strategic Priorities for the council for 2025 – 2027 and associated proposals to fund these priorities.

Council received a report asking it to approve the Strategic Priorities for the council for 2025 – 2027 and associated proposals to fund those priorities.

Councillor Neil Dallen MOVED and Councillor Hannah Dalton SECONDED the recommendations in the report.

An amendment to the recommendations was MOVED by Councillor James Lawrence and SECONDED by Councillor Julie Morris. The proposed amendment was as follows:

Change "and Implement" to "with option to Implement", remove “so seeking Full Council approval for an additional £250,000”.

The amendment was not accepted by the proposer of the original motion and accordingly was debated by the Council. Upon being put to the vote the amendment was LOST with 7 votes for, 18 votes against and the Mayor not voting.

An amendment to the recommendations was MOVED by Councillor Julie Morris and SECONDED by Councillor James Lawrence. The proposed amendment was as follows:

·                Change priority 4 by removing "but excluding other commercial assets on long term leases"?

·                Change priority 6 by removing all wording relating to CIL. As follows:?

“Priority 6: Strategic Projects?

?Outcome: To investigate the feasibility of the following strategic projects - Develop the parking solution identified via car parking strategy (priority 5) - Develop a proposed sporting excellence scheme for Gibraltar Recreation Ground - Investigate feasibility of step free access at Ewell station.”

The amendment was not accepted by the proposer of the original motion and accordingly was debated by the Council. Upon being put to the vote the amendment was LOST with 7 votes for, 14 votes against, 2 abstentions and the Mayor not voting.

Upon being put, the recommendations of the substantive motion were CARRIED as follows:

The Council agreed with 18 votes for, 3 votes against, 3 abstentions and the Mayor not voting to:

(1)       Approve the proposed amendment to the Council’s Four Year Plan, to be replaced by the Strategic Priorities for 2025 to 2027, as set out within Appendix 1 to the report.

The Council unanimously agreed that:

(2)       As part of the approval of the Council’s strategic priorities, to agree that these revised priorities no longer include the proposed office move to 70 East Street, for the reasons included in paragraphs 2.8-2.15 and Appendices 2 and 3 of the report.

The Council agreed with 15 votes for, 5 votes against, 4 abstentions and the Mayor not voting to:

(3)       Approve an amended reserves policy for the Council, as set out in the 2024-2028 Financial Plan (and further ratified as part of the 2025/26 budget) that enables the Council to resource the strategic priorities in this paper, as set out at paragraphs 2.16-2.22, noting the caveats set out by the Section 151 officer in paragraph 4.16.