Agenda item

16/20  

The Council considered a report that presented a draft amended Budget for 2020/21 in light of the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In the ensuing debate, particular reference was made to:-

(a)    the work undertaken by the Section 151 Officer.  A number of Members wished to thank the Section 151 Officer and her finance team for their hard work in preparing this draft amended Budget;

(b)    an amendment to the motion.  An amendment was PROPOSED and SECONDED that read as follows:

That Part 1 of the recommendation be revised as follows:

‘That the first four options as set out in Section 5.2 of the presented agenda report (totalling £433,000) be approved and a sum of £880,000 be taken from the Unearmarked Reserve (making a total of £1,313,000) in order to produce an Amended Revenue Budget for 2020-21.’

In expressing their support for the amendment, some Members were of the view that it would be more appropriate (bearing in mind that the COVID-19 pandemic was considered to be an Emergency) for Unearmarked Reserves to be used in order to balance the Revenue Budget for 2020-21.  In contrast, other Members felt that it would not be prudent to use Unearmarked Reserves and were of the view that Members should trust the advice of their highly respected Section 151 Officer.

In line with statutory requirements, a recorded vote was then undertaken on the amendment.  The voting on this amendment was recorded as follows:-

For the motion (14): Cllrs Abbott, Baldry, Birch, Brazil, Hodgson, Jackson, Kemp, Long, McKay, O’Callaghan, Pannell, Rose, Sweett and Thomas.

Against the motion (17): Cllrs Austen, Bastone, Brown, Chown, Foss, Hawkins, Holway, Hopwood, May, Pearce, Pennington, Pringle, Reeve, Rowe, Smerdon, Spencer and Taylor.

Abstentions (0)

Absent (0)

and the vote on this amendment was declared LOST.

In line with statutory requirements, a recorded vote was then undertaken on the recommendation and was recorded as follows:-

For the motion (17):          Cllrs Austen, Bastone, Brown, Chown, Foss, Hawkins, Holway, Hopwood, May, Pearce, Pennington, Pringle, Reeve, Rowe, Smerdon, Spencer and Taylor.

Against the motion (14):   Cllrs Abbott, Baldry, Birch, Brazil, Hodgson, Jackson, Kemp, Long, McKay, O’Callaghan, Pannell, Rose, Sweett and Thomas.

Abstentions (0)

Absent (0)

and the vote on the recommendation was declared CARRIED.

It was then:

RESOLVED

1.      That the following ten options (totalling £1,313,000) be approved in order to produce an Amended Revenue Budget for 2020-21:

-        To use the 3^rd trance of COVID-19 funding received from Central Government (£121,000);

-        To use the New Burdens Government grant funding received for the administration of the Business Rates Grants (£170,000);

-        To utilise the 2019/20 Statement of Accounts underspend (£112,000);

-        To use funding from the Strategic Change Transformation Programme (T18) Earmarked Reserve (£30,000);

-        To cease the 2020/21 annual contribution towards building up a budget for future years for the Follaton Roof and Follaton Lift (£80,000);

-        To use funding from Unearmarked Reserves (£200,000);

-        To use funding from the Economic Regeneration (Business Rates Pilot Gain) Earmarked Reserve (£127,000);

-        To cease the Repairs and Maintenance (R&M) contribution for the R&M Earmarked Reserve (£80,000);

-        To use funding from the Business Rates Retention Reserve (£343,000); and

-        To cease making a contribution to the Planning Earmarked Reserve in 2020/21;

2.      That the Unearmarked Reserves be replenished through a range of measures to be agreed as part of the Medium Term Financial Strategy;

3.      That it be noted that the future capacity of Reserves (as set out in Section 5.13 of the presented agenda report) may have to be called upon to meet any future financial challenges and/or additional requirements;

4.      That the funding within the Business Rates Retention Fund be earmarked for employment land opportunities (as set out in Section 8.7 of the presented agenda report); and

5.      That Tranche 4 of the Discretionary Business Grants Policy (as attached at Appendix 2 of the presented agenda report) be approved, to confirm that, in accordance with Central Government guidance, Town and Parish Councils are able to apply to the Scheme if they meet the eligibility criteria (as set out at Section 11 of the presented agenda report).