It was moved by Councillor Mrs Wilson, seconded by Councillor Harper, that the recommendations of the Policy and Resources Committee relating to the Medium Term Financial Strategy and Budget Proposals 2018/19 be approved subject to the amendment of recommendation no.16 to refer to Appendix C, not Appendix D.

Amendment moved by Councillor Perry, seconded by Councillor Boughton, that the recommendations of the Policy and Resources Committee relating to the Medium Term Financial Strategy and Budget Proposals 2018/19 (as amended) be approved subject to the following changes with the consequences set out in the papers circulated:

3.  That a proposed Council Tax of £250.56 at Band D be agreed.

4.  That the revenue estimates for 2018/19 incorporating the growth and savings items set out in Appendix A be agreed, including an additional saving of £45,000 in the budget for Communications.

9.  That a revised Strategic Revenue Projection be endorsed, showing the ongoing impact of the proposed change in Council Tax and removing the projected surplus of £97,000 for 2018/19, with a corresponding increase in the budget deficit in 2019/20.

As a consequence of the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a named vote was taken on the amendment as follows:

FOR (21)

Councillors Barned, Mrs Blackmore, Boughton, Brice, D Burton, M Burton, Cuming, Fort, Garten, Greer, Mrs Hinder, McLoughlin, Newton, Perry, Powell, Prendergast, Mrs Ring, Round, Spooner, Springett and

Mrs Stockell

AGAINST (29)

Councillors Adkinson, Clark, Cox, Daley, English, Fermor, Field, Fissenden, Mrs Gooch, Mrs Grigg, Harper, Harvey, Harwood, Hastie,

Mrs Joy, Lewins, B Mortimer, D Mortimer, Munford, Naghi, Pickett,

Mrs Robertson, J Sams, T Sams, Vizzard, Webb, Wilby, Willis and

Mrs Wilson

ABSTENTIONS (1)

Councillor Garland

AMENDMENT LOST

Amendment moved by Councillor Cox, seconded by Councillor Mrs Gooch, that the recommendations of the Policy and Resources Committee relating to the Medium Term Financial Strategy and Budget Proposals 2018/19 (as amended) be approved subject to the following changes with the consequences set out in the papers circulated:

4.  That £20,000 in the budget allocation for Environmental Enforcement is deleted and reinstated in the budget for the Communication Section and that a one off amount of £20,000 is allocated to Environmental Enforcement from the 2018/19 surplus.

9.  That a revised Strategic Revenue Projection be endorsed, reducing the projected surplus of £97,000 for 2018/19 to £77,000.

As a consequence of the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a named vote was taken on the amendment as follows:

FOR (33)

Councillors Adkinson, Barned, Mrs Blackmore, Clark, Cox, Daley, English, Fermor, Field, Fissenden, Mrs Gooch, Mrs Grigg, Harper, Harvey, Harwood, Hastie, Mrs Joy, Lewins, B Mortimer, D Mortimer, Munford, Naghi, Newton, Pickett, Powell, Mrs Robertson, J Sams, T Sams, Vizzard, Webb, Wilby, Willis and Mrs Wilson

AGAINST (15)

Councillors Boughton, Brice, D Burton, M Burton, Cuming, Fort, Garland, Garten, Greer, Mrs Hinder, Perry, Round, Spooner, Springett and Mrs Stockell

ABSTENTIONS (3)

Councillors McLoughlin, Prendergast and Mrs Ring

AMENDMENT CARRIED

The substantive motion was then put to the vote.

As a consequence of the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a named vote was taken on the substantive motion as follows:

FOR (34)

Councillors Adkinson, Barned, Mrs Blackmore, Clark, Cox, Daley, English, Fermor, Field, Fissenden, Garland, Mrs Gooch, Mrs Grigg, Harper, Harvey, Harwood, Hastie, Mrs Joy, Lewins, B Mortimer, D Mortimer, Munford, Naghi, Newton, Pickett, Powell, Mrs Robertson, J Sams, T Sams, Vizzard, Webb, Wilby, Willis and Mrs Wilson

AGAINST (17)

Councillors Boughton, Brice, D Burton, M Burton, Cuming, Fort, Garten, Greer, Mrs Hinder, McLoughlin, Perry, Prendergast, Mrs Ring, Round, Spooner, Springett and Mrs Stockell

SUBSTANTIVE MOTION CARRIED

RESOLVED:

1.  That the revised revenue estimates for 2017/18, as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee, be agreed.

2.  That the minimum level of General Fund Balances be set at £2m for 2018/19. 

3.  That the proposed Council Tax of £252.90 at Band D for 2018/19 be agreed. 

4.  That the revenue estimates for 2018/19 incorporating the growth and savings items, as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee, be agreed except that £20,000 in the budget allocation for Environmental Enforcement is deleted and reinstated in the budget for the Communication Section and that a one off amount of £20,000 is allocated to Environmental Enforcement from the 2018/19 surplus.

5.  That the Statement of Earmarked Reserves and General Fund Balances, as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee, be agreed. 

6.  That the Capital Programme, as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee, be agreed. 

7.  That the funding of the Capital Programme, as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee, be agreed. 

8.  That the Medium Term Financial Strategy, as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee, be agreed.

9.  That the Strategic Revenue Projection, as set out in Appendix A to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee, be endorsed as the basis for future financial planning subject to the projected surplus of £97,000 for 2018/19 being reduced to £77,000 as a consequence of the decision set out in paragraph 4 above.

10.  That it be noted that the Council’s Council Tax Base for the year 2018/19 has been calculated as 60,921.6 in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992. 

11.  That it be noted that in accordance with Government guidance the yield from business rates has been calculated as £56,621,934. 

12.  That it be noted that the individual parish area tax bases set out in Appendix B are calculated in accordance with Regulation 6 of the Regulations and are the amounts of the Council Tax Base for the year for dwellings in those parts of the Council’s area to which a special item relates.
 

13.  That the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2018/19 (excluding Parish precepts) is £15,407,072. 

14.  That the following amounts now be calculated by the Council for the year 2018/19 in accordance with Section 32-36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Localism Act 2011:- 

15.  That it be noted that for the year 2018/19 Kent County Council, the Kent Police & Crime Commissioner and the Kent & Medway Fire & Rescue Authority have stated the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:- 

16.  That, having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at 14 (d), and 15 above, the Council, in accordance with Section 30 (2) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets out in Appendix C, the amounts of Council Tax for the year 2018/19 for each of the categories of dwellings shown.

17.  That the Treasury Management Strategy 2018/19 and the Treasury

Management and Prudential Indicators, outlined in Appendix A to the report of the Policy and Resources Committee, be adopted.