Skip to content

Agenda item

(a)  In the exercise of its Public Sector Equality Duty, as set out below, the County Council must have full regard to and consider the impact of any proposals in relation to equalities prior to making any decisions and any identified significant risks and mitigating action required.  The updated overview of the impact assessments for all service areas entitled ‘2017/18 Budget Impact Assessment  has been circulated separately and is available to all Members of the Council for consideration under this item (alongside any specific equality impact assessments undertaken as part of the budget’s preparation) at https://new.devon.gov.uk/impact/published/budget-setting-201718/

 

(b) To receive and approve the Report of the County Treasurer (CT/17/10) together with the Minutes of the Cabinet held on 10th February 2017 relating to the budget and the Minutes of the Joint Scrutiny Budget meeting held on 30th January 2017, attached. The report and Cabinet Minutes will follow.

Minutes:

[All Members of the Council had been granted a dispensation to allow them to speak and vote in any debate on the setting of the Council Tax or Precept or any fees and charges arising therefrom as a consequence of simply being a resident of or by virtue of being a resident of or a land or property owner in the administrative County of Devon or by being a County Council representative on local authority company or  joint venture or by being a parent or guardian of a child in a school on any matter relating to school meals and school transport or in relation to the setting of members’ allowances or as a parent or a guardian of a child in care or in receipt of statutory sick pay or a state pension. Councillor Bowden had also been granted a personal dispensation to allow him to speak and vote on any matter before the Council relating to flooding arising from his being a County Council representative on the South West Regional Flood Defence & Coastal Committee and residing in an area at risk of flooding unless it unless it related directly to any land or property owned by him]. 

 

The Council considered the recommendations of the Cabinet held on 10 February 2017 relating to the Revenue Budget for 2017/18, the Medium Term Financial Strategy to 2020/21 and the Capital Programme 2017/18-2020/22 as set out at Minute 148 of that meeting, together with the summary report of the County Treasurer (CT/17/10) comprising, in detail:

 

§  Introduction;

§  Revenue Budget Overview;

§  Capital Programme Overview;

§  People’s, Place, Corporate & Non-Service Revenue Budgets & Capital Programmes; 

§  Medium Term Financial Strategy 2017/18-2020/21;

§  County Fund Balance and Earmarked Reserves for 2017/18;

§  Prudential Indicators and Treasury Management 2017/18-2020/21; and

§  Risk Analysis of Volatile Budgets.

 

The County Treasurer’s Report (CT/17/10) and accompanying detailed service budgets and spending plans incorporatedadditional spending in the sum of £2,000,000 on rural roads and £500,000 on Highways Drainage as suggested by the Council’s Scrutiny Committees, to be met from central budgets, as proposed at the Cabinet on 10 February 2017; acknowledging that this had no effect upon the Council Tax requirement or levels of precept set out in Reports CT/17/9 and CT/17/10.

 

The Council also had before it the updated overview of impact assessments relating to the 2017/18 budget;  previous iterations of which had been circulated and drawn to the attention of all Members of the Council for the purposes of the consideration of the budget by Scrutiny Committees, by the Cabinet and by this County Council. This was in order that Members might have access to all necessary equality impact assessments, including specific impact assessments undertaken as part of the budget’s preparation so that they might, in turn, have full regard to the responsibilities placed upon the Council to exercise its Public Sector Equality Duty in considering the proposals and their impact, before making a decision on the budget. The Impact Assessment had been re-circulated to Members prior to this meeting, together with all assessments published in relation to the budget, was available at: https://new.devon.gov.uk/impact/published/budget-setting-201718/ . 

 

The Chairman of the Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee having MOVED and it having been duly SECONDED that the Minutes of the Joint Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 30  January 2017 relating to the annual estimates be approved, the motion was subsequently put to the vote and declared CARRIED.

 

The Chairman of the Council MOVED and it was duly SECONDED that in accordance with Standing Order 30, Standing Order 14(4) be suspended to permit more than one motion or amendment to be debated at the same time.

 

The Motion was put to the vote and declared CARRIED.

 

The Chairman then indicated that he would exercise his discretion to enable the Leaders and budget spokespersons of the political groups to speak for longer than 7 minutes, if desired.

 

Councillor Hart MOVED and Councillor Clatworthy SECONDED that Cabinet Minute 148 setting out the proposed revenue and capital budgets as detailed in Report CT/17/10 be approved.

 

In commending the proposed budget to the Council, the Leader also sought the endorsement  of Members to sending a copy of the final agreed budget to Devon’s Members of Parliament   highlighting the financial difficulties faced - past, present and future - by local authorities and  pressing for a fundamental review of local government funding. He reflected upon the difficulties faced by this Council over the preceding 7 years in managing overall reductions to its budgets over that time approaching some £270,000,000 and the anticipated further funding reductions over the next 3 years, irrespective of Business Rates Retention. The Leader commented upon the extensive, continuing, lobbying of Devon’s Members of Parliament on the provisional settlement four of whom, currently, had indicated their  intention to vote against the Finance Bill and the revised funding formula for schools should funding for Devon’s schools be not significantly improved.

 

Members then formally moved, each duly seconded, amendments as shown below which were subsequently the subject of one debate as agreed above.

 

 

Councillor Connett MOVED and Councillor Brazil SECONDED that Cabinet Minute 148 (Revenue Budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy to 2017/18 – 2020/21 and Capital Programme 2017/18 – 2021/22) be amended by the addition of the following and all necessary changes be made to the detailed budgets referred to at 148(c):

 

‘Aspirational for our children’s education and protecting classroom teaching

Devon’s Liberal Democrats will restore £2,200,000 to the schools budget and stop the Conservative planned cut worth £33 per child.

 

The Conservative cuts to schools across Devon are simply wrong and place an even greater burden on Heads, Governors, teachers and children. Devon schools are already poorly funded by the Government, which pays £290 a year LESS for each child in Devon than the national average.

 

The crisis for Devon’s schools is made worse by extra cuts imposed by the Conservative councillors running Devon County Council. They plan to axe another £2,200,000 from our schools, worth £33 a year per pupil.

 

The Liberal Democrat amendment is to restore £2,200,000 to Devon schools by transferring £2,200,000 from the Service Transformation Fund, which currently stands at £11,400,000.

 

Keeping children safe

Invest £200,000 to recruit up to 5 new School Traffic Safety Officers who will work with schools to promote children’s safety to and from school and support local traffic management measures, funded by cutting £200,000 from the council’s £400,000 annual spending on hiring rooms in hotels and other premises for meetings.

 

We welcome the reinstatement of £254,000 for the valued School Crossing Patrol Service, which Conservative councillors voted to cut just 12 months ago.

 

Fixing more potholes and highway flooding

Increase the budget for much needed pothole repairs and highway drainage works by £1,000,000. This can be achieved by allocating £700,000 from the County Council’s budget for Public Relations, media and cross-council advertising, which totals nearly £2,000,000, topped up with £300,000 from the Service Transformation Reserve.

 

Supporting Devon’s environment

1.     Develop a programme to install up to 12 pay-to-use charging points annually for electric vehicles for the next four years – capped by annual budget of £40,000 funded from the on-street parking account which is forecast to hold a balance of just over £3,000,000 at 31 March 2018.

2.     Support Community composting schemes with a budget of £40,000 funded by reducing the Council’s spending on hiring external meeting rooms by the same amount.

Working better together – putting money into services for the community

1.     Undertake an urgent review of the County Hall estate to identify opportunities to generate a commercial income to the council.

2.     Prepare a detailed report for Corporate Services Scrutiny to ensure surplus assets are disposed of efficiently and achieve best value.

Additionally, Devon County Council is concerned by this Government continuing to off-load the cost of paying for services to the Council Tax payers, especially the cost of social care - a Government levy on old age.

 

Accordingly, the County Council urges Devon Members of Parliament to vote against the Local Government Settlement unless there is a meaningful increase in the Revenue Support Grant for 2017/18, in particular to at least erase the cut in funding in the Rural Services grant and New Homes Bonus’.

 

 

Councillor Owen MOVED and Councillor Westlake SECONDED that Cabinet Minute 148 (Revenue Budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy to 2017/18 – 2020/21 and Capital Programme 2017/18 – 2021/22) be amended by the insertion of the following as (c) – (g) (and subsequent re-lettering of existing paragraphs ((c) – (r) as ((h) – (w)) and all necessary changes be made to the detailed budgets at 148(d) (formerly (c)):

 

‘(c)  that this Council agrees to make representations to the Government concerning the serious level of underfunding which is jeopardising the Council’s ability to meet its statutory responsibilities and asks the Government to reconsider its support for Devon recognising its low wage levels and its reliance on the public sector and small and medium enterprises, which makes compensating for the loss via Rate Support Grant particularly harmful;

 

(d) that the Council should lobby Devon MPs and Government ministers to redress the current financial situation of the county before lasting damage is done to Devon’s public services;

 

(e)  that the Council asks the Government to withdraw its proposed ‘National Funding Formula’ for schools until it can be shown to give adequate funding to pupils in Devon;

 

(f) that £1,000,000 be transferred from the On-Street Parking Account to Neighbourhood Highway Officers’ budgets to enable  them to secure TROs and carry out small improvement projects in Exeter and other urban areas that contribute to this fund;

 

(g) that any funds designated for repairing potholes be available to all parts of Devon.’

 

The Council noted, as previously indicated, that the proposed budget reflected the Cabinet’s recommendations and, as affirmed by the Cabinet Member for Resources & Asset Management,  that it contained  provision for Town and Parish Funds and  a Locality Budget allocation of £10,000 for each Member of the new Council. Any unspent Locality Budget allocations would not however be carried forward from 2016/17 into 2017/18 in view of the forthcoming County Council elections. The Cabinet Member also confirmed that no provision had been made by the current administration to increase Members’ Allowances in 2017/18 either in line with any recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel or with any national pay awards. He also commended the budget to the Council as abalanced budget, prepared on the basis of the best information available, predicated upon an increase in Council Tax of 4.99% (including the permitted 3% increase of the Social Care precept) and re-iterated that the s151 Officer had also confirmed that it represented a sound and achievable finance plan for 2017/18.

 

The Leader of the Council paid tribute to and expressed his gratitude to the County Treasurer, her staff and all those Officers involved in the preparation and management of budgets over previous years and in continuing to deliver high quality services and recognised also the exceptionally difficult  circumstances of preparing a budget for 2017/18 in light of the delay in the final announcement by Government of the financial settlement and grants. These and the aforementioned suggestion of further lobbying of Devon’s Members or Parliament  were universally endorsed by Party Group Leaders and other Members of the Council during the course of debate, acknowledging also the concerns at the timing of the final local government settlement, the announcement of which had still not been confirmed.

 

Thereafter, the matter having been debated and the proposals, options and/or alternatives set out in the amendments referred to above having been explored, argued and considered alongside all other relevant factors (e.g. financial, sustainability, carbon impact, risk management, equality and legal considerations and Public Health impact) set out in the County Treasurer’s Report and/or referred to above having been considered:

 

 

The amendment in the name of Councillor Owen was then put to the vote and declared LOST.

 

[NOTE: In accordance with Standing Order 32(5) and any vote relating to the setting of the Council Tax or level of precept, Councillors voted as for, against or in abstention to the aforementioned  Motion/Amendment  as follows:

 

for the amendment, Councillors Biederman, Brazil, Connett, Dewhirst, Dezart, Edmunds, Foggin, Greenslade, Hannaford, Hannan, Hannon, Hill, Hook, Julian, Morse, Owen, Vint, Way, Westlake, Wragg, Wright and Younger-Ross : (Total: 22 )

 

against the amendment Councillors Ball, Barisic, Barker, Berry, Bowden, Boyd, Brook, Channon, Chugg, Clarance, Clatworthy, Colthorpe, Croad, Davis, Diviani, Eastman, Edgell, Gilbert, Gribble, Hart, Hawkins, Hosking, B Hughes, S Hughes, Knight, Leadbetter, McInnes, Mathews, Parsons, Radford, Randall Johnson, Rowe, Sanders, Sellis, Squires, and Yabsley: (Total:36 )

 

and abstaining from voting, Councillor Prowse: (Total:1)

 

 

The amendment in the name of Councillor Connett was then put to the vote and declared LOST.

 

[NOTE: In accordance with Standing Order 32(5) and any vote relating to the setting of the Council Tax or level of precept, Councillors voted as for, against or in abstention to the aforementioned  Motion/Amendment  as follows:

 

for the amendment, Councillors Biederman, Brazil, Connett, Dewhirst, Edmunds, Foggin, Greenslade, Hannaford, Hannan, Hannon, Hill, Hook, Morse, Owen, Vint, Way, Westlake, Wragg, Wright and Younger-Ross: .(Total: 20)

 

against the amendment Councillors Ball, Barisic, Barker, Berry, Bowden, Boyd, Brook, Channon, Chugg, Clarance, Clatworthy, Colthorpe, Croad, Davis, Diviani, Eastman, Edgell, Gilbert, Gribble, Hart, Hawkins,  Hosking, B Hughes, S Hughes,  Knight, Leadbetter, McInnes, Mathews, Parsons, Prowse, Radford, Randall Johnson, Rowe, Sanders, Sellis, Squires, and Yabsley: (Total: 37 )

 

and abstaining from voting, Councillors Dezart and Julian: (Total:  2)

 

The motion in the name of Councillor Hart was then put to the vote and declared CARRIED.

 

Further and pursuant to the aforementioned, a copy of the budget would, as indicated by the Leader of the Council, be sent to Devon Members of Parliament pointing out the reductions needed to balance the budget for 2017/18 and those in the previous 7 years and the need for a serious review of local government funding as the demands being placed upon local government were not being adequately funded by Central Government grants. 

 

[NOTE: In accordance with Standing Order 32(5) and any vote relating to the setting of the Council Tax or level of precept, Councillors voted as for, against or in abstention to the aforementioned  Motion/Amendment  as follows:

 

for the Motion, Councillors Ball, Barisic, Barker, Berry, Bowden, Boyd, Brook, Channon, Chugg, Clarance, Clatworthy, Colthorpe, Croad, Davis, Dezart, Diviani, Eastman, Edgell, Gilbert, Gribble, Hart, Hawkins,  Hosking, B Hughes, S Hughes, Julian, Knight, Leadbetter, McInnes, Mathews, Parsons, Prowse, Radford, Randall Johnson, Rowe, Sanders, Sellis, Squires, and Yabsley: (Total: 39)

 

against the Motion, Councillors Biederman, Brazil, Connett, Dewhirst, Edmunds, Foggin, Greenslade, Hannaford, Hannan, Hannon, Hill, Hook, Morse, Owen, Vint, Way, Westlake, Wragg, Wright and Younger-Ross: (Total:  20).

Supporting documents:


Top