Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Phil Llewellyn 

Items
No. Item

58.

Prayers by the Mayor's Chaplain, followed by Welcome and Apologies

Minutes:

The Deputy Chief Executive read out the notice convening the meeting.

 

There then followed Prayers by the Mayor’s Chaplain.

 

Apologies were received from Councillors Akhtar H, Hussain I, Hussain S, Brookfield, Patel A, Patel Alf, Patel S, Desai S, Fazal, and Irfan.

 

59.

Minutes of the Council Forum Meeting held on 25th January 2024 pdf icon PDF 158 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED – The Minutes of the Council Forum Meeting held on 25th January 2024 were agreed as a correct record.

60.

Declarations of interest pdf icon PDF 71 KB

Minutes:

No Declarations of Interest were submitted.

61.

Mayoral Communications

Minutes:

The Mayor reported on events he had attended since the last meeting, in particular, Holocaust Memorial Day and Accrington Pals Service.

 

The Mayor also referred to the forthcoming Mayor’s Ball being held at King George’s Hall on Saturday 2nd March 2024, with ticket slaes having gone very well with over 250 people expected to attend.

 

62.

Pay Policy Statement 2024-25 pdf icon PDF 117 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

A report was submitted which updated the Finance Council and shared information relating to salary payments made to employees in Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council’s employment during 2023-2024. Details of the proposed Pay Policy to be applied in the forthcoming financial year, 2024-2025, were also set out in the report. The report also included details of the Chief Executive and Chief Officers pay scales and the range of salaries across the whole organisation during this period of time. The data was extracted and collated on 31 December 2023.

 

RESOLVED – That Finance Council approve the Pay Policy Statement for 2024-25 as set out in Appendix A.

 

 

63.

The Robustness of Estimates 2024-25 and the Adequacy of Reserves pdf icon PDF 81 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Finance Council received a report on the robustness of the Council’s budget estimates for 2024/25 and the adequacy of financial reserves in accordance with Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003.

 

Members were reminded that under Section 25 there was a statutory requirement on the Council’s Chief Financial Officer to report on:

 

a) the robustness of estimates made for the purposes of the calculations; and b) the adequacy of the proposed financial reserves.

 

Members therefore needed to have regard to the report when making decisions on the 2024/25 Budget (Revenue Budget and Capital Programme) and the associated level of Council Tax.

 

RESOLVED –

 

Finance Council considerED and haD regard to the statements from the Strategic Director Finance and Resources (as the Council’s statutory finance officer) as provided at Appendix A and B when determining the budget (Revenue Budget and Capital Programme) and the level of Council Tax for 2024/25.

64.

General Revenue Fund Budget 2024-25 (including update to Financial Strategy 2022-25) pdf icon PDF 464 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Member for Finance and Governance, Councillor Vicky McGurk, on behalf of the Labour Group, presented proposals on the General

Revenue Budget 2024/25 (including an update on the Financial Strategy 2022/25).

 

The report set out the proposed General Fund Revenue Budget for 2024/25. A report elsewhere on the Agenda for the meeting provided details of the proposed Capital Programme for 2024/25.

 

The report set out details of the Autumn Statement, the Local Government Finance Policy Statement and information on the Local Government Finance Settlement, details of which were confirmed by the Secretary of State for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) on 5th February 2024.

 

The report gave extensive information on the challenging national economic backdrop and the cost pressures faced, and the Council’s budget approach, and whilst the proposed budget for 2024/25 was balanced, there remained a budget gap of c£13.2m to 2026/27, and details were provided of the measures to deal with the budget gap.

 

In accordance with the Local Government (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, which came into force on 25th February 2014, the Council was required to record in the minutes of a budget decision meeting the names of persons who cast a vote for or against the decision or who abstained from voting.

 

The report contained the following recommendations, which were voted on in conjunction with the recommendations in the Capital Programme report, following debate on both items.

 

RESOLVED –

 

Finance Council is recommended to:-

 

a) Note the requirement for the Council to produce a Productivity Plan for publication on the Council’s website by July 2024;

b) acknowledge the impact of the increase in the Real/National Living Wage as set out below and note that a report on the impact of this on the hourly rates and contract changes for Social Care Providers for 2024/25 will be submitted to the Executive Board in due course;

c) approve the use of the High Needs Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Funding block in 2024/25 as set out at Appendix B;

d) approve the service investment proposals as set out in the report;

e) approve the savings proposals as set out at Appendix C;

f) note the estimated balance of reserves as at 31st March 2025 as shown at Appendix D;

g) approve the General Fund Budget Requirement for 2024/25 as set out at Appendix E to this report;

h) require each Portfolio to operate within the individual Portfolio Controllable Budgets for 2024/25 as set out at Appendix E and that these be cash limited and subject to regular monitoring and control;

i) approve an increase in the general Council Tax of 2.99% (reflecting a weekly increase of £1.02p for Band D Council Tax payers and of £0.68p for Band A Council Tax payers);

j) approve an additional increase in Council Tax of 2.00% to contribute towards the additional costs of Adult Social Care;

k) note the update to the Financial Strategy and Medium Term Financial Plan for 2022/25 as set out Appendix  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64.

65.

Capital Programme (including Capital Strategy) 2024-27 pdf icon PDF 151 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report submitted sought approval for the 2024/25 - 2026/27 Capital Strategy, set out in Appendix 1 and Capital Programme, set out in Appendix 6.

 

The Capital Strategy gave a high-level overview of how the Council’s capital expenditure, capital financing and treasury management activity contribute to the provision of local public services, along with an overview of how associated risks were managed and the implications for future financial sustainability.

 

Decisions made on capital and treasury management would have financial consequences for the Authority for many years into the future. They were therefore subject to both a national regulatory framework and to a local policy framework, summarised in the report.

 

In accordance with the Local Government (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, which came into force on 25th February 2014, the Council was required to record in the minutes of a budget decision meeting the names of persons who cast a vote for or against the decision or who abstained from voting.

 

 

The recommendations in the report were then voted on in conjunction with the recommendations in the Revenue Budget Report:

 

FOR

 

Akhtar P, Khan S, Whittingham, Raja, Shaw, Gibson, Humphrys, Fielding, Floyd, Harling, Smith D, Khan Z, Talbot, Hussain M, Smith J, Riley, Mahmood, Gunn, McGurk, McCaughran, Jackson, Casey, Imtiaz, Taylor, Shorrock and Liddle.

 

 

AGAINST

 

Marrow, Connor, Russell, Slater Ju, Baldwin, Slater Jacq, Slater N, Slater Jo, Gee, Hardman and Rigby.

 

 

ABSTAIN

 

Sidat, Khonat, Ali, Desai M.

 

The recommendations contained in the reports at Agenda Items 7&8 were therefore carried.

 

RESOLVED -

 

2.1. approve the Capital Strategy for 2024/27 (Appendix 1), including:

a) agree to the Asset Review (Phase 1) interventions as set out in the Strategy;

 b) delegate authority to the Growth Programme Director, in consultation with the Deputy Director Legal and Governance, to implement the interventions referred to in 2.1(a) above;

c) the Council’s Capitalisation Policy, as outlined in Appendix 2;

d) the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement, which determines the Council’s policy for repayment of debt, noting that the policy is subject to the outcome of a current Government consultation. A further report will be presented if required following the consultation outcome. (Appendix 3);

e) the proposed Prudential Indicators for the forthcoming year (Appendix 4);

f) the proposed Investment Strategy for 2024/25, as outlined in Appendix 5; and

 

2.2. Approve the proposed Capital Programme for 2024/25, as outlined in Appendix 6 and Appendix 6A.

 

2.3. Note the indicative programmes for 2025/26 to 2026/27 as shown in Appendix 6 and acknowledge that these will be subject to further review as part of the development of future years’ capital programmes.

 

2.4. Delegate authority to the Strategic Director Finance and Resources to determine the most appropriate method of financing the capital programme.

66.

Council Tax 2024-25 pdf icon PDF 94 KB

Minutes:

A report was submitted on the Council’s requirement to set amounts of Council

Tax before 11th March in the financial year preceding that for which it was set.

 

In setting its Council Tax requirement, the Council took into account any funding from reserves, income it expected to raise and general funding it would receive from Government as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement.

 

The Council was also required to set a basic amount of Council Tax for the financial year 2024/25. The Council Tax was set on the basis of:

 

a)    The precept on the Collection Fund issued by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire.

 

b)    The precept on the Collection Fund issued by the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority.

 

c) The Borough Council’s precept on the Collection Fund, which is dependent on two factors: (i) Its Council Tax requirement, and (ii) The precepts issued by the seven Parish / Town Councils.

 

The Council was recommended to approve the draft resolution setting the Council Tax for 2024/25, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report submitted and in also in the Appendix to these Minutes.

 

In accordance with the Local Government (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, which came into force on 25th February 2014, the Council was required to record in the minutes of a budget decision meeting the names of persons who cast a vote for or against the decision or who abstained from voting.

 

Following discussion, Finance Council moved to a recorded vote, with Councillors voting as follows:

 

FOR

 

Ali, Akhtar P, Khan S, Whittingham, Raja, Shaw, Gibson, Humphrys, Fielding, Floyd, Harling, Smith D, Khan Z, Talbot, Hussain M, Smith J, Riley, Mahmood, Gunn, McGurk, McCaughran, Jackson, Casey, Imtiaz, Taylor, Shorrock and Liddle.

 

 

AGAINST

 

Marrow, Connor, Russell, Slater Ju, Baldwin, Slater Jacq, Slater N, Slater Jo, Gee, Hardman and Rigby.

 

 

ABSTAIN

 

Sidat, Khonat, and Desai M.

 

 

RESOLVED –

 

That the draft resolution setting the Council Tax for 2024/25, be approved as set out in Appendix 1 of the report submitted and in also in the Appendices to these Minutes.