Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Eric Bosshard, Nicky Dykes and Will Harmer.

The following declarations of interest were made –

·  Councillor Peter Fookes, as a trustee of Penge and Anerley Age Concern.

·  Councillor Peter Morgan, whose daughter was a director of Kier.

·  Councillor Michael Turner, who was in receipt of a pension from the London Pension Fund Authority.

The minutes of the meeting held on 14^th December 2015 were confirmed.

Report CSD16033

A petition had been received from the Knoll Residents Association asking the Council to designate part of Petts Wood and Knoll Ward as an Area of Special Residential Character (ASRC). The petition contained in excess of 900 signatures.

The Chairman of the Knoll Residents Association, Mr Paul Savage, addressed the Council in support of the petition, explaining that ASRC status would help to preserve this well-established residential area from overdevelopment.

A motion that the petition be referred to the Development Control Committee and the Executive to be considered under the Local Plan process was moved by Councillor Peter Morgan and seconded by Cllr Peter Dean and CARRIED.   

Questions must be received by 5pm on Tuesday 16^th February 2016.

Seven questions for oral reply and two questions for written reply had been received from members of the public. The questions and replies are set out in Appendix A to these minutes.  

Twelve questions had been received from Members of the Council for oral reply. The questions and replies are set out in Appendix B to these minutes.

Eighteen questions had been received from Members of the Council for oral reply. The questions and replies are set out in Appendix C to these minutes.

No statements were made.

(A) 2016/17 Council Tax

Report FSD16017

The Director of Finance circulated supplementary information and amended recommendations which were received and accepted by the meeting -

“There were no changes to the final Mayoral precept accepted by the London Assembly on 22^nd February 2016. 

There were no changes required to the amount included for levies following receipt of written confirmation.

On 11^th February 2016 the Department of Health published the public health allocations for 2016/17. Bromley’s allocation is £15,478k compared to £15,836k assumed in the draft budget (a reduction of £358k). The 2016/17 central contingency already includes a provision of £347k to reflect the expected reduction in public health funding and the additional £11k can be met from the remaining provision for further reductions in grant funding also held in the central contingency.

Indicative allocations for 2017/18 were also published and the Department of Health will publish confirmation of these and the conditions that will apply in due course.  Bromley’s indicative allocation is £15,096k compared to £15,114k assumed in the financial forecast.

The above changes will require the following proposed amendments to be made to the recommendations of the Executive:

Amended Recommendation (2.1)

(b)  approve the draft revenue budgets for 2016/17 with the following   amendment:

(iii)  £358k be allocated from the central contingency to the Care Services Portfolio to reflect the public health grant allocation for 2016/17.

(f)  approve the following provisions for levies to include in the budget for 2016/17:

(g)  approve a revised Central Contingency sum of £14,983k to reflect the changes in (b) and (f);

(i)  set a 3.99% increase in Bromley’s council tax for 2016/17 (1.99% general increase plus 2% Adult Social Care Precept) compared with 2015/16 and a 6.4% reduction in the GLA precept;

(j)  note the final position on the GLA precept, as accepted by the London   Assembly on 22nd February 2016.

Amended Recommendation (2.2)

Council Tax 2016/17 – Statutory Calculations and Resolutions (as amended by the Localism Act 2011).

Subject to 2.1 (a) to (m) above, if the formal Council Tax Resolution as detailed below is approved, the total Band D Council Tax will be as follows:

Amended Recommendation (2.3):

(iii)  that the following amounts be calculated for the year 2016/17 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the Act):

(a)  £537,282k being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act.

(b)  £401,599k being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.

(iv)  to note that the Greater London  ...  view the full minutes text for item 156.

Report CS16002

A motion to accept the recommendations of the Executive regarding the Public Health Budget 2016/17 and 2017/18 was moved by Councillor Robert Evans and seconded by Cllr Stephen Carr.

An amendment was moved by Cllr Ian Dunn and seconded by Cllr Richard Williams to delete the second bullet point in the second recommendation from the Executive and replace it with the words – “seek alternative funding to support these services, including health related earmarked reserves.”

This amendment was LOST and the substantive motion was CARRIED. 

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A motion to agree and adopt the Treasury Management Statement and Annual Investment Strategy for 2016/17 including the prudential indicators and the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) policy statement was moved by Cllr Graham Arthur, seconded by Cllr Stephen Carr and CARRIED.  

Report CSD16030

A motion to agree the recommendations of the General Purposes and Licensing Committee to approve a flat rate 1.2% pay increase for all staff (excluding teachers) and reject Trade Union claims was moved by Councillor Tim Stevens, seconded by Cllr Diane Smith and CARRIED.

Report CSD16031

A motion to agree the recommendation of the General Purposes and Licensing Committee to approve the 2016/17 Pay Policy Statement was moved by Councillor Tim Stevens, seconded by Cllr Diane Smith and CARRIED.

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A motion to agree the recommendations of the General Purposes and Licensing Committee to approve the 2016/17 Members Allowances Scheme, to retain the Mayoral Allowance for 2016/17 at £15,698 and to increase the Deputy Mayor’s Allowance for 2016/17 to £3,575 was moved by Councillor Tim Stevens, seconded by Cllr Diane Smith and CARRIED.

A motion to extend the meeting beyond three hours was moved by Councillor Stephen Carr, seconded by Councillor Simon Fawthrop and CARRIED.

The following motion was moved by Councillor David Livett and seconded by Councillor Terence Nathan –

European Union

“This Council agrees that the negative impacts that the European Union has upon the efficiency and costs of Bromley Council activities mean Bromley Council would be better off if Britain was out of the European Union.”

The motion was CARRIED.

Councillors Simon Fawthrop, David Livett and Terence Nathan requested that their votes in support of the motion be recorded.

The Mayor thanked everyone who had attended the Parkside Restaurant on 28^th January which had raised £900 and the quiz evening on 19^th February which raised £1,800. The Mayor particularly thanked Councillor Ian Payne for acting as quizmaster.

The Mayor encouraged Members to attend the charity preview of “Far from the Madding Crowd” at the Bromley Little Theatre on 10^th March 2016, and the end of year dinner dance at the Bromley Court Hotel on 23^rd April.

RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded during consideration of the item of business referred to below as it is likely in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings that if members of the Press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information.

The following summary

refers to matters

involving exempt information

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A motion to accept the recommendations in the report was moved by Councillor Graham Arthur, seconded by Cllr Stephen Carr and CARRIED.