Issue - meetings

It was noted that in accordance with council procedure rule 17.6, a recorded vote would  be taken on the motion or any amendments and substantive motions. 

It was proposed by Councillor Yates and seconded by Councillor Everitt that: 

1. That the 2024/25 General Fund revenue budget, as amended from the original draft,  be approved; 

2. That the 2024-28 General Fund capital programme, as amended, be approved;  3. That the 2024/25 schedule of Fees and Charges be approved. 

Councillor Rattigan proposed and Councillor Pugh seconded the following amendment: 

“That residential parking permits increases are frozen for this financial year which allows  time for the review to be completed.” 

The Monitoring Officer conducted a recorded vote on the motion as follows: 

48 Councillors voted in favour of the amendment. 

Councillors Albon, Ara, Austin, Bayford, Boyd, Braidwood, J. Bright, K. Bright, Britcher,  Crittenden, Currie, D’Abbro, Davis, Dawson, Dennis, Donaldson, Duckworth, Edwards,  Everitt, Farooki, Fellows, Garner, Green, Keen, Kup, Makinson, Matterface, Pat Moore,  Paul Moore, Munns, Nixey, Ovenden, Owen-Hughes, Packman, Pope, Pugh, Rattigan,  Rogers, Rusiecki, H. Scobie, W. Scobie, Scott, Smith, Towning, Whitehead, Worrow,  Wright and Yates. 

No Members voted against the amendment. 

No Members abstained against the amendment. 

The amendment was AGREED. 

Councillor Worrow proposed and Councillor Braidwood seconded the following  amendment: 

"In view of the continuing cost of living crisis, and other financial pressures affecting  household budgets, this amendment calls for Council Tax charges to be frozen at last  year's levels.

It is recognised that this caring move would not be without cost, so this amendment  proposes that the increase monies be drawn from the council reserves." 

The Monitoring Officer conducted a recorded vote on the motion as follows: 

3 Councillors voted in favour of the amendment. 

Councillors Braidwood, Dennis and Worrow. 

13 Councillors voted to abstain from the motion. 

Councillors Bayford, Davis, Dawson, Fellows, Kup, Paul Moore, Pugh, Rattigan, Rogers,  Rusiecki, Scott, Towning and Wright. 

32 Councillors voted against the amendment. 

Councillors Albon, Ara, Austin, Boyd, J. Bright, K. Bright, Britcher, Crittenden, Currie,  D’Abbro, Donaldson, Duckworth, Edwards, Everitt, Farooki, Garner, Green, Keen,  Makinson, Matterface, Pat Moore, Munns, Nixey, Ovenden, Owne-Hughes, Packman,  Pope, H. Scobie, W. Scobie, Smith, Whitehead and Yates. 

The amendment was LOST. 

The substantive motion was then put to the vote: 

The Monitoring Officer conducted a recorded vote on the motion as follows: 

45 Councillors voted in favour of the substantive motion. 

Councillors Councillors Albon, Ara, Austin, Bayford, Boyd, J. Bright, K. Bright, Britcher,  Crittenden, Currie, D’Abbro, Davis, Dawson, Donaldson, Duckworth, Edwards, Everitt,  Farooki, Fellows, Garner, Green, Keen, Kup, Makinson, Matterface, Pat Moore, Paul  Moore, Munns, Nixey, Ovenden, Owen-Hughes, Packman, Pope, Pugh, Rattigan,  Rogers, Rusiecki, H. Scobie, W. Scobie, Scott, Smith, Towning, Whitehead, Wright and  Yates.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7

Matt Sanham introduced the report and made the following comments:

• The government settlement statement made little difference to the assumptions that had been made by the Council;
• However, the government funding had contributed significantly to the Council budget and had freed up £250k;
• Additional money had therefore been allocated for weed control which would use hot foam;
• The same weed control method would also be used for cleaning graffiti;
• £50K had been set aside for football development for communities and £116k had been set aside for managing the effects of inflation.

Councillor Yates, Cabinet Member for Corporate Resources said that the Council had accumulated reserves which were now at a 10 year high. The focus was on what residents wanted, including a clean environment.

Members asked questions and made comments as follows:

• One Member said that this was a fair and balanced budget. There was a healthy increase to the budget;
• Members thanked officers for drafting the proposals for this balanced budget;
• Members further thanked officers particularly in Chris Blundell and Matt Sanham for the stewardship in the treasury management approaches used since 2016 which had built these reserves;
• Other Members welcomed the proposed cleaning of beaches after summer.

Members noted the report.

Report to follow

Cabinet was pleased to be able to present a balanced budget for 2024-25 to the meeting. Members thanked Officers from across the Council and in particular Finance Officers for their hard work putting together the draft Council budget. Members noted that the budget process kicked off in August 2023 with a series of prioritisation meetings. The end product of the process was a compassionate, progressive, and resident-focused budget for all of us to review.

Members discussed the content of the budget proposals and noted that a planned approach to budget setting, combined with an efficient use of resources, had allowed the Council to present this balanced budget, which allowed for investment in key service areas that contributed towards the Council’s Corporate Priorities as well as helping to deliver against what residents want, as reflected in the feedback from the Residents Survey. This year’s financial settlement was broadly in line with the Council’s basic assumptions, with little or no change from that which was presented in October. However, the certainty over settlement had allowed the Council to review these assumptions, this had freed up capacity:

·  To employ two further graffiti cleaning operatives in 2024/25. Together with equipment and transport, the cost of which will be £80k.

·  Over and above the investment above, Cabinet had considered the use of Glyphosate as the principal chemical means by which to control the presence of weeds on land within the Council’s ownership. The Council currently applied Glyphosate using a relatively safe spotting method. It was important to note that Kent County Council also used Glyphosate, in spray form, to control weeds on the highways, and Cabinet understood that they will continue to do so. As a result of concerns expressed about the safety of the Council’s practices, Thanet District Council would be utilising Hot Foam to control weeds in the coming year. The hot foam equipment could also be used to clean graffiti and chewing gum from walls and pavements. The additional cost of this would be £100k;

·  Sports Development £50k - recent conversations with the Kent Football Association had been positive about funding that could become available through the Association to increase the work that TDC did with local communities to improve their access to sports and facilities. This included potential support for pitch improvements at Jackey Bakers for the 2024/25 football season. A one-off sum of £50k was included to be drawn from reserves as required pending an application for grant funding.

·  Given inflation had been reducing over the past months, Cabinet was where possible, reducing the resident focused fees and charges to no more than 5%;

·  As part of the overall budget setting process, Cabinet would seek to update the schedule of the proposed fees and charges for 2024/25 in the annex to the Fees and Charges report in time for the meeting of the Cabinet on 25 January 2024 for recommendation to Council for approval in February;

Cabinet acknowledged that given the timescales of the announcement of the provisional settlement only  ...  view the full minutes text for item 80