Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Bliss, Lakhmana, Lavery, Nelson and Sansarpuri.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 16 January 2020 (attached)

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 16 January 2020 be agreed as a correct record. 

It was noted that Mayor’s Quiz Nights had been scheduled for 24 March 2020 and 29 April 2020.

(i)         Urgent Implementation of Decisions

 

Councillor Puddifoot moved, and Councillor Bianco seconded, the recommendation as set out on the Order of Business and it was: 

 

ReSOLVED: That the Urgency decisions detailed in the report be noted.

 

(ii)   Update to the Council Constitution – The Council’s New Management Structure

 

It was noted that there had been a slight change to the name of the new Building Services, Infrastructure and Business Improvement Directorate since the publication of the agenda.  Councillor Puddifoot moved, and Councillor Bianco seconded, the recommendation as set out on the Order of Business and it was: 

 

RESOLVED: That:

a)     the Constitution be updated to reflect the new top-tier management structure agreed by the Leader of the Council, as set out in the new Part 7 – Management Structure, noting it will come into effect on 1 July 2020; and

b)     authority be delegated to the Chief Executive and Head of Democratic Services, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to update ‘Article 11 - Officers and Part 3 - Scheme of Delegations to Officers’ in order to re-allocate the existing delegations and responsibilities of Chief Officers and provide for the efficient implementation of the new structure.

 

(iii)       a) Members’ Allowances 2020/21

 

Councillor Puddifoot moved, and Councillor Bianco seconded, the recommendation as set out on the Order of Business and it was: 

 

RESOLVED:  That the current Members’ Allowances Scheme be revoked as of 31 March 2020 and the new scheme for 2020/21 be approved, as shown in Appendix B of the report, for implementation from 1 April 2020, including, for 2020/21 a basic allowance of £11,482.59 to be payable to all councillors and special responsibility allowances (SRAs) to be paid in equal monthly instalments to councillors holding the responsibilities listed 1 to 16 in the following table:

 

That the Head of Democratic Services be authorised to increase the level of Basic Allowance and any SRAs agreed under this recommendation and recommendation b) below, each subsequent year in line with the annual Local Government Pay Settlement.  All payments to be made in equal monthly instalments.  The Basic Allowance includes intra borough travel and subsistence costs.

 

		(£)
1.	Mayor	23,090.28
2.	Deputy Mayor	9,005.07
3.	Leader of the Council	57,129.24
4.	Deputy Leader of the Council	48,124.17
5.	Chief Whip of Largest Party	23,090.28
6.	Cabinet Member	40,244.82
7.	Chairman of Scrutiny and Policy Overview Committee	23,090.28
8.	Chairman of Planning Committee	23,090.28
9.	Chairman of Licensing Committee	9,761.87
10.	Vice Chairman of Licensing Committee	6,507.96
11.	Chairman of Standards Committee	3,253.98
12.	Standards Committee Independent Person	1,626.99
13.	Chairman of Audit Committee*	3,095.70
14.	Champion	5,937.79
15.	Council representative on Fostering and Permanence Panel	13,015.93
16.	Cabinet Assistant	9,005.07

* Where a non-Councillor is Chairman or Vice Chairman, a co-optees’ allowance is payable as set out in the Scheme under section 9.

 

(iii)       b) Members’ Allowances 2020/21

 

Councillor Puddifoot moved the recommendation as set out on the Order of Business.  The motion was seconded by Councillor Bianco and put to a recorded vote:

 

Those voting for: Councillors Allen, Birah, Curling, Dhillon, Dhot, Duncan, Eginton, Farley, Gardner, Mathers, Milani, Money, Morse, Oswell, Prince, Singh and Sweeting.

 

Those voting against: None. 

 

Those abstaining: The Mayor (Councillor Yarrow), the Deputy Mayor (Councillor Barnes), Councillors Ahmad-Wallana, Arnold, Bianco, Bridges, Brightman, Burrows, Chamdal, Chapman, Choubedar, Cooper, Corthorne, Denys, Deville, Edwards, Flynn, Fyfe, Goddard, Graham, Haggar, Hensley, Higgins, Hurhangee, Kauffman, Lewis, Makwana, Markham, Melvin, D Mills, R Mills, Morgan, O’Brien, Palmer, Puddifoot, Radia, Riley, Rodrigues, Seaman-Digby, Simmonds, Stead and Tuckwell.

 

The motion was carried and it was:

 

RESOLVED: That SRAs of the following amounts be paid in equal monthly instalments to Councillors holding the following responsibilities:

 

		(£)
17.	Leader of 2nd Party	23,090.28
18.	Deputy Leader of 2nd Party	5,937.79
19.	Chief Whip of 2nd Party	5,937.79
20.	2nd Party Lead on Scrutiny and Policy Overview Committee	5,937.79
21.	Party Lead on Planning Committee	5,937.79

 

iv)        Waiver of 6 Month Councillor Attendance Rule

 

The Mayor had agreed the inclusion of this item as a matter requiring urgent consideration.  Councillor Puddifoot moved, and Councillor Bianco seconded, the recommendation as set out on the Order of Business.  Following debate (Councillor Curling), it was:

 

RESOLVED: That, pursuant to Section 85(1) of the Local Government Act 1972, Councillor Lakhmana’s non-attendance at meetings of the authority due to ill health, be approved for a further period ending the day after the Council meeting in September 2020 i.e. 11 September 2020.

To consider the recommendations of Cabinet which will be published, once agreed. The report to Cabinet is available in the Group Offices, on request to the Head of Democratic Services or online at:

 

https://modgov.hillingdon.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=115&MID=3480#AI36587

 

Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 will apply to the recommendations of this item. Any Member who is more than two months in arrears with their Council Tax or has arrears of Council Tax must declare that fact and must not vote on this item.

 

Budget Conflict Resolution Procedures – Council is asked to consider the Cabinet’s proposals. It may adopt the proposals, submit objections to Cabinet or invite the Cabinet to make amendments specified by Council. If Council votes to object to the Cabinet proposals or to invite Cabinet to make amendments then the Conflict Resolution Procedure will come into operation.

 

The Council meeting will be adjourned while a special meeting of the Cabinet is held, after which the Council will resume and consider any revised proposals submitted by the Cabinet or the reasons why the Cabinet disagrees with Council’s objections or proposed amendments. The budget would then be open for debate and amendment until a final decision is made.

 

Members are asked to note that, in accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, recorded votes will be taken at the annual budget setting meeting on any motion, amendment to motion or substantive motion regarding the General Fund Revenue Budget, Housing Revenue Account and Capital Programme.

Councillor Flynn moved, and Councillor Denys seconded, the suspension of Council procedure rule 14.4 to allow unlimited speaking time for the mover and seconder of the motion and the principal speaker / mover of the amendment and seconder of the amendment from the Labour Group. 

 

RESOLVED: That the mover and seconder of the budget motion and the principal speaker / mover and seconder of the principal amendment from the Labour Group be allowed unlimited speaking time on this item.

 

Councillor Bianco moved, and Councillor Puddifoot seconded, the budget recommendations, as set out on the Order of Business. 

 

Councillor Mathers moved, and Councillor Dhillon seconded, the following amendment:

 

That the Cabinet be invited to consider the Labour Group's amendments to the Cabinet's budget proposals set out in the Council Tax Resolution and report back to the Council. These amendments include increasing the Council Tax uplift to 1.99%, or 3.99% including the Social Care Precept, and result in a Council Tax Requirement of £121,008,027 and Hillingdon Share of Band D Council Tax of £1,185.11;

 

i)     In relation to the General Fund Revenue Budget, the proposals are based on the budget proposals approved by Cabinet on 13 February 2020, subject to the following amendments:

 

	2020/21 £'000
Council Tax Requirement based on Cabinet Proposals		120,786
Increase the Council Tax uplift from 1.8% to 1.99%	222	222
Additional officers in the SEND team	49
Additional Education Psychologists	146
Urban Tree Challenge	50
Feasibility Study for Solar Panels on Council owned assets	200
Additional Youth Support Workers	196
Police Officer Funding through MOPAC	114
Green Spaces and Waterways patrol officers	56
Fund a 10% discount of camera-style doorbells and PIR cameras for residents	55
Introduce a small grants fund for celebrating diversity	10
Introduce a new Care Leavers Council Tax Discount	50
Freeze Council Tax (except the Social Care Precept) for CTRS clients	205
Reduce Production of Hillingdon People	(40)
Remove the Priority Growth Item: Military History Curator	(56)
Remove the Priority Growth Item: Patrol Officers at Little Britain Lake	(60)
Remove the Priority Growth Item: Live Interpretation for the Battle of Britain Bunker	(100)
Reduction in Capital Financing Costs	(61)
Increase drawdown from General Balances	(814)	0
Council Tax Requirement based on Labour Group Proposals		121,008
Change in Council Tax Requirement		222
Decrease drawdown from General Balances		(222)

 

ii)           In relation to the General Fund Capital Budget, the proposals are based on the budget proposals approved by Cabinet on 13 February 2020, subject to the following amendments:

	2019/20 £'000	2020/21 £'000	2021/22 to 2024/25 £'000	Total £'000
Capital Programme	85,516	87,568	271,179	444,263
Drinking Fountains	0	38	0	38
Removal of the New Theatre	0	(1,000)	(43,000)	(44,000)
Removal of the Battle of Britain Bunker & Visitor Centre Enhancements	0	(100)	0	(100)
Council Programme	85,516	86,506	228,179	400,201

 

iii)          In relation to the Housing Revenue Account Budget, the proposals are based on the budget proposals approved by Cabinet on 13 February 2020, subject to the following amendments to the HRA Capital Programme:

 

	2020/21 £'000	2021/22 to 2024/25 £'000	Total £'000
Capital Programme	51,402	149,794	201,196
Introducing CCTV cameras to all Council Housing blocks	1,200	4,800	6,000
Increase the rate of boiler replacements to more efficient boilers	1,067	0	1,067
Burglar Alarms for Council Tenants	100	0	100
Council Programme	52,569	154,594	208,393

 

Following debate (Councillors Bianco, Curling, Duncan, Eginton, Money, Puddifoot and Sweeting), the amendment was put to a recorded vote:

 

Those voting for: Councillors Allen, Birah, Curling, Dhillon, Dhot, Duncan, Eginton, Farley, Gardner, Mathers, Milani, Money, Morse, Oswell, Prince, Singh and Sweeting.

 

Those voting against: The Mayor (Councillor Yarrow), the Deputy Mayor (Councillor Barnes), Councillors Ahmad-Wallana, Arnold, Bianco, Bridges, Brightman, Burrows, Chamdal, Chapman, Choubedar, Cooper, Corthorne, Denys, Deville, Edwards, Flynn, Fyfe, Goddard, Graham, Haggar, Hensley, Higgins, Hurhangee, Kauffman, Lewis, Makwana, Markham, Melvin, D Mills, R Mills, Morgan, O’Brien, Palmer, Puddifoot, Radia, Riley, Rodrigues, Seaman-Digby, Simmonds, Stead and Tuckwell.

 

Those abstaining: None. 

 

The motion was lost.

 

Following further debate (Councillors Burrows, Corthorne, Curling, Eginton, Lewis, D. Mills, Morse, O’Brien, Palmer and Sweeting), the original motion was put to a recorded vote: 

 

Those voting for: The Mayor (Councillor Yarrow), the Deputy Mayor (Councillor Barnes), Councillors Ahmad-Wallana, Allen, Arnold, Bianco, Birah, Bridges, Brightman, Burrows, Chamdal, Chapman, Choubedar, Cooper, Corthorne, Curling, Denys, Deville, Dhillon, Dhot, Duncan, Edwards, Eginton, Farley, Flynn, Fyfe, Gardner, Goddard, Graham, Haggar, Hensley, Higgins, Hurhangee, Kauffman, Lewis, Makwana, Markham, Mathers, Melvin, Milani, D Mills, R Mills, Money, Morgan, Morse, O’Brien, Oswell, Palmer, Prince, Puddifoot, Radia, Riley, Rodrigues, Seaman-Digby, Simmonds, Singh, Stead, Sweeting and Tuckwell.

 

Those voting against: None.

 

Those abstaining: None.

 

The original motion was carried and it was:

 

RESOLVED: That the Cabinet budget recommendations as set out below, be approved.

 

1.         The General Fund revenue budget proposals made by Cabinet be approved, resulting in a Council Tax requirement for 2020/21 of £120,786,455;

 

2.         Council note that at its meeting on 16 January 2020 the Council calculated the amount of 102,107 as its Council Tax Base for the year 2020/21. This was calculated in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012, as its Council Tax Base for the year (Item T in the formula in Section 31B (3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992);

 

3.         The Hillingdon element of Council Tax be set at £1,182.94 for a Band D property. Taking into account the precept levied by the Greater London Authority, this results in an overall Band D Council Tax of £1,515.01 for the borough;

 

4.         The following amounts have been calculated by the Council for the year 2020/21, in accordance with Sections 32 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (the Act):

 

a) £464,686,565             being the aggregate of the amounts that the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A (2) (a) to (f) of the Act.  (Gross Expenditure including the amount required for additions to working balances)

 

b) £343,900,110             being the aggregate of the amounts that the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A (3) (a) to (d) of the Act. (Gross Income including reserves to be used to meet Gross Expenditure)

 

c) £120,786,455             being the amount by which the aggregate at 4 (a) above exceeds the aggregate at 4 (b) above. This is calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31A (4) of the Act, as its Council Tax requirement for the year.  (Item R under Section 31B of the Act)

 

d) £1,182.94                   being the amount at 4 (c) above divided by Item T (2 above). This is, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year. (Council Tax at Band D for the Council)

 

e)

The London Borough of Hillingdon Council Tax
Band A	Band B	Band C	Band D
788.62	920.06	1,051.50	1,182.94
Band E	Band F	Band G	Band H
1,445.81	1,708.70	1,971.56	2,365.88

 

being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at 4 (d) above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5 (1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation B and D. This is calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 36 (1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different valuation bands;

 

5.         Council note that for the year 2020/21 the Greater London Authority and its functional bodies have stated the following amounts in precepts.  These have been issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Act, for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:

 

The Greater London Authority Precept
Band A	Band B	Band C	Band D
221.38	258.28	295.17	332.07
Band E	Band F	Band G	Band H
405.86	479.66	553.45	664.14

 

6.         The Council has calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at 4 (e) and 5 above.  The Council in accordance with Section 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 hereby sets the Council Tax for the year 2020/21 for each category of dwelling below:

 

Total Council Tax 2020/21
Band A	Band B	Band C	Band D
1,010.00	1,178.34	1,346.67	1,515.01
Band E	Band F	Band G	Band H
1,851.67	2,188.36	2,525.01	3,030.02

 

7.         The Council delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Finance, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Business Services, to approve amendments to the aggregate 2020/21 Council Tax set out in Recommendation 6 to reflect any late changes to Greater London Authority Precept.

 

8.         The Council Tax Discount for Older People be retained for 2020/21 with a 1.74% discount on the Hillingdon’s element of the Council Tax for those joining the scheme on or after 1 April 2020, 4.00% for those who joined the scheme before or on 31 March 2019 and 8.59% for those who joined before or on 31 March 2019;

 

9.         The Capital Programme for 2020/21 to 2024/25 as set out in Appendix 9 of the background report to Cabinet be approved;

 

10.      The Housing Revenue Account budget proposals and housing rents set out in Appendix 10 of the background report be approved;

 

11.      The proposed amendments to Fees and Charges set out in Appendix 8 of the background report to Cabinet be approved;

 

12.      The Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Annual Investment Strategy, Capital Strategy and Minimum Revenue Provision Statement for 2020/21 to 2024/25 as set out in Appendix 12 of the background report to Cabinet be approved;

 

13.      The London Borough of Hillingdon Pay Policy Statement for 2020/21 as set out in Appendix 13 of the background report to Cabinet be approved;

 

14.      Council note the Corporate Director of Finance’s comments regarding his responsibilities under the Local Government Act 2003;

 

15.      Council (as set out in Schedule G of the Constitution - Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules) resolves that Cabinet may utilise the general reserves or balances or approve virements between the General Fund budget, Housing Revenue Account budget or Capital budgets during the MTFF financial years 2020/21 to 2024/25 in respect of those functions which have been reserved to the Cabinet in Article 7 of the Constitution;

 

16.      Council confirm that the Council’s relevant basic amount of Council Tax for 2020/21 is not excessive in accordance with principles approved under Section 52ZB Local Government Finance Act 1992 and therefore a referendum will not be triggered.