513
It was proposed by Councillor Lissimore that the recommendations contained in draft minute 622 of the Cabinet meeting of 26 January 2022 and the recommendations in the report entitled “Precept and Council Tax Levels 2022-23” be approved and adopted
A main amendment was proposed by Councillor King, seconded by Councillor Fox and Councillor Nissen, as follows:-
That the recommendations contained in draft minute of the Cabinet meeting of 26 January 2022 and the recommendations contained in the Chief Operating Officer’s report entitled “Budget 2022-23 and Medium Term Financial Forecast’ be approved and adopted, subject to such amendments necessary to give effect to the following resolution, for the reasons and purposes set out below:
- Recognising the energy and cost of living crisis faced by so many, including the most vulnerable and just about managing. Noting that the Government’s Council Tax rebate and fuel bills loan will be far too late and too little to stop yet more families falling into fuel poverty, to choose between warmth and food:
- To freeze Council Tax in 2022/23 to help with the public’s cost of living and energy crisis at a cost of some £0.32m in 2022/23.And to create:
- A Colchester Emergency Fund targeted help for those in extreme difficulty, whether with food or warmth or other essential needs, as a supplement to national schemes and other support, working through our community partners. at a one off cost of £100k in 2022/23
1.3 A Crisis Reaction Service, drawing on our high performing benefits team but strengthening them, acknowledging rising demand. So that they can continue to connect residents to sources of support and to otherwise alleviate hardship, at pace, with partners. At a cost of £50K, in 2022/23 and future years.
Cost and Use of Reserves
It is recognised that these amendments increase the revenue budget for 2022/23 by £470,000, to be funded by drawing upon unrestricted reserves These amendments have implications for later years, by increasing the funding gap, from 2023/24 onwards. It is recognised this will have to be addressed by the Council, through further efficiencies, savings or use of reserves. The amendments however are modest in scale relative to the Budget but will provide encouragement, relief and support to many.
Because of the referendum principles, a freeze in Council Tax for 2022/23 would be a loss in each year of the MTFF, £320k in 2022/23 or £1.7m across the five years.
An updated version of the MTFF agreed by Cabinet in January 2022 is shown below in Table 1, which includes the above proposed amendments. The January MTFF position is shown in Table 2 for comparison.
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Table 1
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2022/23 Budget and MTFF – Proposed amendments above
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22/23
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23/24
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24/25
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25/26
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|
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£'000
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£'000
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£'000
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£'000
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Previous year's budget
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21,747
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22,025
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22,030
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23,365
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Cost pressures & Growth items
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2,319
|
396
|
900
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900
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Capital financing
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0
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609
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385
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(276)
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Income losses
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0
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(150)
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(200)
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(200)
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Savings
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(2,045)
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(146)
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(50)
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(50)
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Change in forecast use of new homes bonus
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4
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(704)
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300
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0
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Current year's budget
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22,025
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22,030
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23,365
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23,739
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Business rates
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(6,413)
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(5,956)
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(5,500)
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(5,044)
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Govt Grant
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(568)
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0
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0
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0
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New Homes Bonus
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(1,954)
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(950)
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(950)
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(950)
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Council Tax
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(12,980)
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(13,425)
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(13,878)
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(14,339)
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Previously planned use of reserves
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810
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935
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935
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935
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Covid use of reserves
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(920)
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(400)
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(200)
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(200)
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Budget Gap Cumulative
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0
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2,234
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3,772
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4,141
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Table 2
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2022/23 Budget and MTFF – January Cabinet
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22/23
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23/24
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24/25
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25/26
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|
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£'000
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£'000
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£'000
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£'000
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Previous year's budget
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21,747
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21,875
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21,980
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23,315
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Cost pressures & Growth items
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2,169
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496
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900
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900
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Capital financing
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0
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609
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385
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(276)
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Income losses
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0
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(150)
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(200)
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(200)
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Savings
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(2,045)
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(146)
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(50)
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(50)
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Change in forecast use of new homes bonus
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4
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(704)
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300
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0
|
|
Current year's budget
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21,875
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21,980
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23,315
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23,689
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|
Business rates
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(6,413)
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(5,956)
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(5,500)
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(5,044)
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Govt Grant
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(568)
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0
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0
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0
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New Homes Bonus
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(1,954)
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(950)
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(950)
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(950)
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Council Tax
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(13,300)
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(13,757)
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(14,221)
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(14,693)
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Previously planned use of reserves
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810
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935
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935
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935
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Covid use of reserves
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(450)
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(400)
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(200)
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(200)
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Budget Gap Cumulative
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0
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1,852
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3,379
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3,737
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Councillor Lissimore indicated that the main amendment was not accepted.
A main amendment was proposed by Councillor Goacher as follows:-
That the recommendations contained in the draft minute of the Cabinet meeting of 26 January 2022 and the recommendations contained in the Chief Operating Officer’s report entitled “Budget 2022-23 and Medium Term Financial Forecast’ be approved and adopted, subject to such amendments necessary to give effect to the following proposals for the reasons and purposes set out below:
The U.K. is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world, according to the World Wildlife Fund’s 2019 ‘Living Planet Report’, which placed the U.K. in 189th place out of 218 countries. According to a further report by the Natural History Museum (London), the U.K. has just 53% of its biodiversity left compared to a 75% global average. There is an ecological emergency as well as a climate emergency and the U.K. is facing an ecological recession with 41% of species having declined since 1970.
It is not always easy for members and officers to fully appreciate the ecological impact of policy initiatives without expert advice.
In this context, Colchester Council needs an in-house ecologist to oversee and advise officers and members on the ecological impact of all that we do and to liaise with outside organisations and experts. They would work alongside officers responsible for the climate emergency and Woodland Project.
Therefore it is proposed that:-
- £34,000 per annum be allocated to fund the recruitment and appointment of an in-house Ecology Officer post.
- For the first year this would be funded out of reserves and for subsequent years to be part or fully funded out of savings made by reducing funding to ecologically damaging projects as identified by the Ecology Officer. Thus part of their role becoming to fund their own job via conducting an ecological audit of Council activities.”
Councillor Lissimore indicated that the main amendment was not accepted.
On being put to the vote the main amendment proposed by Councillor King was lost (TWENTY FOUR voted FOR and TWENTY SIX voted AGAINST).
Further to the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 15(3) a named vote was taken and the voting was as follows:-
FOR: Councillors Barton, Bourne, Burrows, Chuah, Coleman, Cope, Cory, Cox, Fox, Goacher, Goss, Hogg, King, Lilley, Luxford Vaughan, McCarthy, Nissen, Pearson, Scordis, Scott-Boutell, Warnes, Whitehead, J. Young and the Deputy Mayor (T. Young).
AGAINST: Councillors Barber, Bentley, Buston, Chapman, Chillingworth, Crow, Dundas, Ellis, Hagon, Hayter, Hazell, Jowers, Laws, Leatherdale, Lissimore, Loveland, Maclean, Mannion. Moore, B. Oxford, G. Oxford, P. Oxford, Tate, Willetts, Wood and the Mayor (Davidson).
On being put to the vote the main amendment proposed by Councillor Goacher was lost (TWENTY THREE voted FOR, TWENTY FIVE voted AGAINST and TWO ABSTAINED from voting).
Further to the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 15(3) a named vote was taken and the voting was as follows:-
FOR: Councillors Barton, Bourne, Burrows, Chuah, Coleman, Cope, Cory, Cox, Fox, Goacher, Goss, Hogg, King, Lilley, Luxford Vaughan, McCarthy, Nissen, Pearson, Scordis, Scott-Boutell, Warnes, Whitehead and J. Young.
AGAINST: Councillors Barber, Bentley, Buston, Chapman, Chillingworth, Crow, Dundas, Ellis, Hagon, Hayter, Hazell, Jowers, Laws, Leatherdale, Lissimore, Loveland, Maclean, Mannion, Moore, B. Oxford, G. Oxford, P. Oxford, Tate, Willetts, and Wood
ABSTAINED: The Mayor (Davidson) and the Deputy Mayor (T. Young).
On being put to the vote the motion proposed by Councillor Lissimore was carried (TWENTY SIX voted FOR and TWENTY FOUR voted AGAINST).
FOR: Councillors Barber, Bentley, Buston, Chapman, Chillingworth, Crow, Dundas, Ellis, Hagon, Hayter, Hazell, Jowers, Laws, Leatherdale, Lissimore, Loveland, Maclean, Mannion, Moore, B. Oxford, G. Oxford, P. Oxford, Tate, Willetts, Wood and the Mayor (Councillor Davidson).
AGAINST: Councillors Barton, Bourne, Burrows, Chuah, Coleman, Cope, Cory, Cox, Fox, Goacher, Goss, Hogg, King, Lilley, Luxford Vaughan, McCarthy, Nissen, Pearson, Scordis, Scott-Boutell, Warnes, Whitehead, J. Young and the Deputy Mayor (Councillor T. Young).