Agenda and draft minutes

To receive declarations of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or other registrable or non-registrable interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.

No declarations of interest were made by Councillors regarding items on the agenda.

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 10 December 2024.

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 10 December 2024 were agreed as a true record and the Mayor was authorised to sign them.

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

The Mayor made a number of announcements relating to noteworthy recent and upcoming events.

This report fulfils the statutory requirement to agree a budget for 2025/26, comprising both revenue and capital expenditure plans, and to set a council tax for the year.

The Council Tax recommendation as supported by Financial Strategy Advisory Group is for an increase of £6.75 per annum (Band D property), an equivalent increase of 2.98%.

The Council gave consideration to its 2025/26 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, Licensing and Planning Policy and Strategy & Resources Committees (appertaining to fees and charges, the revenue budget and capital programme).

In moving the recommendations of the report, the Chair of the Strategy and Resources Committee, Councillor Neil Dallen, made a statement to the Council on the budget for 2025/26 to which Councillors Alison Kelly, Kate Chinn and Bernie Muir responded.

Upon being put the motion to agree the recommendations of the report was CARRIED, there being 23 members in favour and 11 against  as detailed below.

Accordingly, it was resolved:

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

a.    The revenue estimates for 2025/26 (as included in Section 5 and Appendix 2 of the report)

b.    The capital programme for 2025/26 and the provisional programme for 2026/27 to 2029/30, as summarised in the capital strategy statement (as included in Section 8 and Appendix 10 of the report).

(2)          That the fees and charges recommended by the policy committees be approved for 2025/26 as attached in Section 5 and Appendix 4 of the report.

(3)          That it be noted that, under delegated powers, the Chief Finance Officer calculated the amount of the Council Tax Base as 33,846.93 (Band ‘D’ equivalent properties) for the year 2025/26, in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”). (as attached at Appendix 5 of the report)

(4)          That the Council Tax Requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2025/26 is £7,883,627 as attached in Section 12 and Appendix 5 of the report.

(5)          That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2025/26 in accordance with sections 31 to 36 of the Act:

a.    £59,065,553 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in section 31A(2) of the Act.

b.    £51,181,926 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in section 31A(3) of the Act.

c.    £7,883,627 being the amount by which the aggregate at 8(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 8(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with section 31A(4) of the Act, as its council tax requirement for the year.

d.    £232.92 being the amount at 8(c) above divided by the amount at 1. above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with section 31(B) of the Act, as the basic amount of its council tax for the year.

(6)          To note that Surrey County Council and Surrey Police Authority have issued precepts to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each category of dwellings in the Council’s area as indicated in the table below:-

SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL

This report sets out the recommendations from the Strategy and Resources Committee for proposed changes following the conclusion of the Polling Places and Districts Review.

Councillor Neil Dallen as Chair of the Strategy and Resources Committee informed the Council that he would not move the committee’s recommendations for this item, as the Council had been informed by Surrey County Council that any County Council by-elections held before May 2026 would use the existing division boundaries. Councillor Dallen recommended that this item be considered by the Council at an appropriate time in the future rather than at this meeting.  

The Mayor informed the Council that accordingly, under FC14.12 of Appendix 4 of the Constitution this item was withdrawn.

The Council is asked to consider whether it wishes to pass a resolution to exclude the Press and Public from the meeting in accordance with Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the business involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act (as amended) and that pursuant to paragraph 10 of Part 2 of the said Schedule 12A the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

In accordance with section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, by reason of special circumstances, the Mayor is of the opinion that the item should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

This report has not been published because the meeting is likely to be closed to the press and public in view of the nature of the business to be transacted/nature of the proceedings.  The report deals with information relating to an individual and the public interest in maintaining the exemption currently outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The Council received a report inviting it to endorse the recommendation of the Appointment Panel to appointCagdas Canbolat as the Council’s Section 151 Officer following the resignation of the current postholder.

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

Upon being put the recommendations were CARRIED with 31 votes for and 3 abstentions.

Accordingly, the Council agreed to:

(1)       Approve the appointment of Cagdas Canbolat as the Council’s s151 Officer, on a permanent basis, effective as from 19th May 2025.

(2)       Delegate to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of Strategy and Resources Committee, the authority:

To vary the effective date of appointment, should that be necessary, and

To appoint an Interim Section 151 Officer from one month prior to the leaving date of the current postholder and for them to remain in post until such time as a new permanent Director of Corporate Services/Section 151 Officer commences in post.