Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Peter Dean, Kira Gabbert and Shaun Slator.

Councillor Nicholas Bennett declared an interest in relation to minute 51 as a member of the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.

Councillor Simon Fawthrop declared an interest in relation to minute 52 as his wife was employed by the Council.

It was noted that there was a typing error in question 9, on page 6 of Appendix C, which would be corrected.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 11^th December 2023 be confirmed.

Report CSD24022

The Director of Finance had circulated the following changes to the Council Tax Resolution -

“There were no changes to the final Mayoral precept accepted by the London Assembly on 22nd February 2024. 

Since the last meeting of the Executive there have been further changes on levies and the final position is shown in recommendation 2.1 (f) below.

Members are requested to note that the 2024/25 Budget includes the impact of the recommended 2024/25 pay award that is subject to Full Council approval (agenda item 7).

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

Amended Recommendation (2.1)

(e)  approves a revised Central Contingency sum to reflect the allocation of the pay award, movement of levies and final local government settlement, resulting in a sum of £9,829k;

(f)  approves the following provisions for levies to include in the budget for 2024/25:

(g)  notes the final position on the GLA precept, as accepted by the London   Assembly on 22^nd February 2024; and

(h)  Sets a 2% increase in Adult Social Care Precept with a 2.99% increase in Bromley’s General Council Tax, compared with 2023/24 (2% increase in Adult Social Care Precept and 2.99% increase in Bromley’s General Council Tax) and 8.58% increase in the GLA precept.”

The recommendations as amended above were moved by Councillor Christopher Marlow and seconded by Councillor Colin Smith.

The following amendments were moved by Councillor Simon Jeal and seconded by Councillor Jeremy Adams –

“After allowing for the report from the Director of Finance the following amendments are proposed to the recommendations of the Executive set out in the Blue Book on pages 27-134. 

The following changes be made to the recommended budget for 2024/25:

Additional recommendations:

1. Council be recommended to:

(k) Approve the proposed changes to the revenue budget as detailed in Appendix 1

Subject to the approval of (k) above: 

(l) Approve the following changes to the Capital Programme (agenda item 5):

i) The addition of £3,150k for a Children’s Home, funded from the Invest to Save earmarked reserve;

ii) The addition of £3,150k for a care home for Adults, funded from the Invest to Save earmarked reserve;

iii) The addition of £123.2m for a social housing scheme on the current Civic Centre site, funded by GLA Grant (£54m), external borrowing from the Public Works Loan Board (£58m) and the Invest to Save earmarked reserve (£11.2m);

iv) To not proceed with the planned disposal of the Civic Centre site;

v) The disposal of former ‘Top Shop’ building;

vi) The drawdown of £8m from the Growth Fund earmarked reserve to cover the net impact on capital financing arising from the change in capital receipts in iv) and v) above;

  (m) The detailed proposals relating to the changes in (l) will be reported back to Executive prior to final  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.

Report CSD24023

A motion to approve the Council Strategy for 2024/25  to 2027/28, including an increase of £2,477k in relation to new schemes to be added to the Capital programme as detailed in section 3.11 of the report to the Executive, was moved by Councillor Christopher Marlow, seconded by Councillor Yvonne Bear and CARRIED.

Report CSD24024

A motion to note Treasury Management performance report for the third quarter of 2023/24 and to adopt the Treasury Management Statement and Annual Investment Strategy for 2024/25 including (i) the Prudential Indicators for the period 2024/25 to 2026/27 (Annex 3 of Appendix 4 of the report) and (ii) the Minimum Revenue Provision MRP) Policy Statement (paragraph 2.4 of Appendix 4 to the report), was moved by Councillor Christopher Marlow, seconded by Councillor Colin Smith and CARRIED.

Report CSD24025

The following amendment was moved by Councillor Josh King and seconded by Councillor Kevin Kennedy-Brooks

“Amend recommendation 2.1 (ii) to add the words:

[Spinal Point 12 (BR4)...] which shall be increased to an hourly rate of £13.15, in line with the London Living Wage as at 1st April 2024. In consideration of the current cost of living pressures, an additional pay award of £500 shall be made for 2024/25 to each member of staff from grades BR4 to BR8 inclusive.”

On being put to the vote, the amendment was LOST.

A motion to approve (i) a flat 3% pay increase on all salary points and rates for Council staff (excluding teachers who are covered by a separate statutory pay negotiating process) for 2024/25, (ii) the removal of the equivalent spinal points 9-11 (affecting grade BR3) with assimilation to equivalent spinal point 12 (BR4), (iii) an increase of 3% to the Merited Rewards, for 2024/25, bringing the total to £412k for rewarding staff for exceptional performance, (iv) reject the Trade Union pay claim for staff, and to note that, as in previous years since coming out of nationally/regionally negotiated frameworks, Bromley staff will receive the 2024/25 pay increase in time for the April pay, was moved by Councillor Pauline Tunnicliffe, seconded by Councillor Colin Hitchins, and CARRIED. 

Report CSD24026

A motion to approve the 2024/25 Pay Policy Statement was moved by Councillor Pauline Tunnicliffe, seconded by Councillor Colin Hitchins and CARRIED.

Report CSD24027

A motion to approve (i) the Members Allowances Scheme 2024/25 (Appendix 2 to the report) on the basis of a 3% increase in line with the proposed increase for officers and (ii) the increase of the Mayoral and Deputy Mayoral Allowances by 3% to £16,946 and £4,157 respectively, was moved by Councillor Pauline Tunnicliffe, seconded by Councillor Colin Hitchins and CARRIED. 

The Mayor thanked Members for their attendance at recent events –

·  The Civic Carol Service and Nine Lessons on 17^th December at All Saints Church in Orpington;

·  The Sunday Lunch at The Warren to raise funds for Ukraine;

·  Holocaust Memorial Day;

·  The Annual Mayor’s Quiz;

·  The service to mark the second anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine.

The Mayor reminded Members about the forthcoming events –

·  Wine Tasting Evening on 16^th March 2024;

·  The Walnuts Restaurant in Locksbottom were offering a Sunday Lunch in aid of the Mayor’s Charities;

·  The dinner at the East India Club in April was now fully booked, but there was a waiting list.

The Mayor thanked Members for their phenomenal support throughout his year.