Agenda item

The Cabinet Member presented the Council Tax Resolution 2018/19 and Revenue and Capital Budgets for 2018/19.  The Council is bound by Statute to specific timescales for Council Tax setting and is also required to make certain defined resolutions.  The recommendations that form the major part of this report are designed to comply with those Statutory Provisions.  The recommended resolutions also draw together the Council Tax implications of precepts proposed by the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent and Town and Community Councils, thereby enabling the County Council to establish its headline Council Tax levels at the various property bands within each Town or Community area.

 

The opposition stated that schools faced the brunt of cuts and 50% of new proposals relate to children or education in some form.

 

It was suggested that significant sums of money could be raised by raising premiums on second home properties left vacant for six months, this could potentially refer to 4500 empty houses across Monmouthshire and could possibly raise over £200,000.  This process would need a year consultation and could be included in the 2019/20 budget.

 

It was understood that officers were looking to move

 

Councillor Batrouni proposed an amendment, to implement:

 

1. 150% premium on second homes

2. To increase Discretionary Housing Payments by £50,000

3. Get rid of the fees for free school meals

4. Set aside £5000 for period poverty

 

The amendment was seconded and debate ensued.

 

The Leader thanked Councillor Batrouni for the amendment and requested further information surrounding DHP.

 

£5,000 would be set aside for period poverty should that be an outcome from the working group.

 

It was considered too late in the day to support the amendments, without time for consideration.

 

Difficulties surrounding pre-school child care were recognised and a 3 month assessment to identify impact was suggested.

 

Council voted on the amendment.  The amendment was defeated. 

 

Debate on the original recommendation ensued:

 

Disappointment was expressed regarding the cuts to the Highways budget, recent events demonstrating the effectiveness of the services.

 

The Leader of the Liberal Democrats thanked officers for the balanced budget and recognised the strains and challenges.  She asked that there be further budget monitoring and updates provided to enable Council to act proactively.

 

There were concerns around the engagement process and it was hoped the strategy would be reviewed next year.

 

It was asked that the increase in breakfast club fees be monitored and addressed if significant impact.

 

County Councillor R. Greenland left the meeting at 12:00

 

In response to a question, the Area Committee grants are still available, pending the outcome of the Bryn Y Cwm review.

 

Monitoring of the proposals will be presented to Scrutiny in the Outturn Reports.

 

Upon being put to the vote the recommendation was carried.  All Labour Group Members voted against the recommendation:

 

·       That the revenue and capital estimates for the year 2018/19 as attached in Appendix 1 and 2 be approved.

 

·       That it be noted that, at its meeting on 28th February 2018, Cabinet calculated the amounts set out below for the year 2018/19 in accordance with sections 32 and 33 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 ("the Act"). For information, sections 32 and 33 of the 1992 Act have been extensively amended by Schedule 12 to the Local Government (Wales)Act 1994. Both are further amended by the Local Authorities (Alteration of Requisite Calculations) (Wales) Regulations 2002 (the “2002 regulations”) and The Local Authorities (Alteration of Requisite Calculations) (Wales) Regulations 2013. Section 33 is further amended by the Local Government Reorganisation (Calculation of Basic Amount of Council Tax) (Wales) Order 1996. All necessary legislative and statutory amendments have been taken into account in calculating the following amounts: -

 

(a) 45,887.85 being the amount calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 33 of the Act and The Regulations (as amended by Regulations 1999 no. 2935), as its Council Tax base for the year;

(b) Part of the Council’s Area, being the amounts calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34 of the Act, as the amounts of its Council Tax base for the year for dwellings in those parts of the area to which one or more special items relate:

 

 

·       That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2018/19 in accordance with Sections 32 to 36 of the Act and sections 47 and 49 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (as amended):

 

(a) £152,920,291 being the aggregate of the amounts the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 32(2) (a) to (d) of the Act less the aggregate of the amounts the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 32 (3) (a) and (c) of the Act calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 32(4) of the Act, as its budget requirement for the year

(b) £93,268,176 being the aggregate of the sums which the Council estimates will be payable for the year into its Council fund in respect of redistributed non-domestic rates and revenue support grant in accordance with Section 33 (3)

(c) £6,000 being the cost to the authority of discretionary non-domestic rate relief anticipated to be granted (under sections 47 and 49 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, as amended)

(d) £1,300.09 being the amount at 2.3(a) and 2.3(c) above less the amount at

2.3(b) above, all divided by the amount at 2.2(a) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 33(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year

(e) £2,676,418 being the aggregate amount of all special items referred to in Section 34 of the Act (Town and Community Precepts)

(f) £1,241.76 being the amount at 2.3(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 2.3(e) above by the amount at 2.2(a) above calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 34(2) of the Act, as the basic amounts of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of the area to which no special item relates.

(g) Part of the Council’s Area, being the amounts of the special item or items relating to dwellings in those parts of the Council's area mentioned above divided in each case by the amounts at 2.2(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(3) of the Act, as the basic amounts of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of the area to which one or more special items relate:

 

 

(h) The County Council Area, being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at 2.3(f) above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is 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 amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different valuation bands.

 

 

(i) Part of the Council’s Area, being the amounts given by multiplying the amounts at 2.3(g) and 2.3(h) above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is 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 amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different valuation bands: -

 

 

·       That it be noted for the year 2018/19 that the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent has proposed, pending conclusion of the full scrutiny process, the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Act, for each of the dwellings shown above:

 

 

·       That, having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at 2.3(i) and 2.4 above, the Council, in accordance with Section 30(2) of the Act, hereby sets the following amounts as the amounts of Council Tax for the year 2018/19 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below: -

 

 

·       That Mrs J. Robson, Mr M. Howcroft, Miss R. Donovan, Mrs. S. Deacy, Mrs. W. Woods and Mrs. S. Knight be authorised under Section 223 of the Local Government Act 1972 to prosecute and appear on behalf of Monmouthshire County Council in proceedings before a Magistrates Court for the purpose of applying for Liability Orders in respect of Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rates.