Agenda item

The Council gave consideration to the report in the first supplementary agenda update (at pages 2 -9), as jointly-delivered by the Chief Executive, in the absence of the Interim Chief Finance Officer (Section 151 Officer), and the Chair of the Policy, Finance and Development Committee, Councillor Mrs S B Morris, which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document.

The Leader of the Council sought to clarify that report set out in the first supplementary agenda update (at pages 2 -9) was to supersede the original report in provided in main agenda document (at pages 57 - 60) due to short-notice revision of the precepts for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicestershire.

Councillor Mrs S B Morris requested that the substantive recommendation set out at paragraph 2.1. of the report (at page 6) be amended to incorporate an increase of 1.99% in Council Tax and, subject to that amendment, commended the report to Members.

Councillor Mrs S B Morris moved the recommendations as set out at paragraphs 2.1. to 2.5 of the report (as amended).

Councillor Mrs L M Broadley stated that the proposed increase in Council Tax was the first for this Council in five-years: however, noted that the Council still remained one of the lowest-setting authorities across all Leicester/shire District and Borough Councils.

Councillor Mrs L M Broadley seconded the recommendations (as amended).

The Leader of the Opposition sought further clarification as the recommendation at paragraph 2.1 (as amended).

Councillor Mrs S B Morris advised that the amendment to the substantive recommendation opted to incorporate an increase of 1.99%, as opposed to an increase of £5, to the rate of Council Tax for 2016/17.

The Opposition Leader enquired as to the reason for the increase in the Council’s base rate.

Councillor Mrs S B Morris advised that the increase of 1.99% served to normalise the Council base rate as a result, and subsequent to, the successive acceptance of the Council Tax Freeze Grant (CTFG) for the preceding five-years.

The Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor M H Charlesworth, stated that the CTFG was taken in previous years in the knowledge that future budgets were to be amended, accordingly. He noted that the levying of Council Tax was done for prudent, as opposed to political, purposes which required a sensible approach to avoid service failure.

RESOLVED THAT:

(i)        It be noted that, under powers delegated to the Chief Finance Officer, the Council be calculated at the amount of 16,944.20 as its Council Tax base for the financial year 2016/17 and that an increase of 1.99% in Council Tax be approved in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012.

(ii)       The Council Tax Requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2016/17 be approved at £3,501,210;

(iii)      The following amounts be calculated by the Council for the year 2016/17 in accordance with sections 30 to 306 (as amended) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

(a)       £19,017,644 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in section 31A(2) of the Act;

(b)       £15,516,434 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in section 31A(3) of the Act;

(c)       £3,501,210 being the amount by which the aggregate at 3 a) above exceeds the aggregate at iii(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with section 31A(4) of the Act, as its Council Tax Requirement for the year;

(d)       £206.63 being the amount at iii(c) divided by the amount a 1 above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with section 31 B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year;

(e)       Being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at iii(d) above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, be applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation Band D, calculated by the Council, in accordance with section 36(1) of the Act, as the amount to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different valuation bands below.

Valuation Bands

(iv)      It is noted that for the year 2016/17, Leicestershire County Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicestershire, and the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Combined Fire 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 shown below.

Precepting Authorities - Valuation Bands

(v)       That having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at ii(e) and iii above, the Council, in accordance with section 30(2) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the following amounts as the amounts of Council Tax for the year 2016/17 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below.

Votes For                   20

Votes Against            1

Abstentions               0