Agenda and minutes

To approve and sign as an accurate record the Minutes of the Special and Ordinary Council Meetings held on 26 January 2011.

The minutes of the Special Council Meeting and the Ordinary Council Meeting held on 26 January 2011 were confirmed and signed as an accurate record.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Iain Coleman, Georgie Cooney, Sally Powell and Peter Tobias. 

The Mayor’s Announcements were circulated and tabled at the meeting.  (Copy attached as Appendix 1 to these minutes).

If a Councillor has any prejudicial or personal interest in a particular report he/she should declare the existence and nature of the interest at the commencement of the consideration of the item or as soon as it becomes apparent.

At meetings where members of the public are allowed to be in attendance and speak, any Councillor with a prejudicial interest may also make representations, give evidence or answer questions about the matter. The Councillor must then withdraw immediately from the meeting before the matter is discussed and any vote taken, unless a dispensation has been obtained from the Standards Committee.

Where members of the public are not allowed to be in attendance, then the Councillor with a prejudicial interest should withdraw from the meeting whilst the matter is under consideration, unless the disability has been removed by the Standards Committee.

The Mayor advised Councillors that, in relation to agenda item 6.5 – Councillors’ Allowances Scheme: Revision, the Standards Board had advised that it was necessary for all Councillors to declare their allowances as personal interests under the Code of Conduct.  In order to manage this with the minimum of disruption, all Councillors present in the Chamber would be deemed as having declared a personal interest in this item (unless the Councillor objects), and this fact would be duly noted and recorded in the minutes.  This was agreed unanimously.

In addition, the following declarations of interest were also made:

·        Councillor Caroline Needham declared a personal and prejudicial interest in agenda item 6.1 - Revenue Budget and Council Tax Levels 2011/12, as her son is employed as an Outreach Worker at Fulham Central Children’s Centre.  She left the room during the discussion.

·        Councillor Rory Vaughan declared a personal interest in agenda item 6.1 - Revenue Budget and Council Tax Levels 2011/12, as his son uses the Wendell Park Children’s Centre.

·         Councillor Wesley Harcourt declared a personal interest in agenda item 6.1 - Revenue Budget and Council Tax Levels 2011/12, as some of the Community Organisations funded by the Council were partner organisations of Advice UK where he works.  He was also a trustee of the Hammersmith and Fulham Citizens Advice Bureau.

There are no public questions to consider.

There were no public questions.

This report sets out proposals in respect of the revenue budget for the Council for 2011/12 including Council Tax levels, and deals with the precept from the Greater London Authority (GLA), together with ancillary issues.

7.02pm - The report and recommendations were moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh.

In accordance with Council convention, the Leader of the Administration, Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh, and the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Stephen Cowan, were then given unlimited time to speak on the Budget report.  Speeches on the report were made by Councillors Botterill and Binmore (for the Administration) and Councillors Jones and Homan (for the Opposition).

Under Council Procedure Rule 15 (e) (v), Councillor Mark Loveday moved, seconded by Councillor Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler that the Leader’s time limit be extended.  This was agreed.  Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh (for the Administration) made a speech winding up the debate.  The report and recommendations were put to the vote. 

FOR                            28

AGAINST                   12

ABSTENTIONS         0

The report and recommendations were declared  CARRIED.

8.19pm -  RESOLVED:

1.      To note the Council Tax freeze  for the Hammersmith & Fulham element for 2011/12.  For planning purposes, there will be no change for 2012/13 and 2013/14.

2.      That the Council Tax be set for 2011/12 for each category of dwelling, as calculated in accordance with Sections 30 to 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as outlined below and in full in Appendix A of the report:

(a)          The element of Council Tax charged for Hammersmith & Fulham Council will be £811.78 per Band D property in 2011/12.

(b)          The element of Council Tax charged by the Greater London Authority will be £309.82 per Band D property in 2011/12.

(c)           The overall Council Tax to be set will be £1,121.60 per Band D property in 2011/12.

3.   That the Council’s own total net expenditure budget for 2011/12 be set as £189.289m.

4.   That fees and charges be approved as set out in paragraph 4.4 of the report.

5.   That the Director of Finance and Corporate Services’ budget projections to 2013/14 be noted.

6.   That the Director of Finance and Corporate Services’ statements under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003 regarding adequacy of reserves and robustness of estimates be noted (section 13 of the report).

7.   That the Director of Finance and Corporate Services be authorised to collect and recover National Non-Domestic Rate and Council Tax in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (as amended), the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and the Council Schemes of Delegation.

8.   That all Chief Officers be required to report monthly on their projected financial position compared to their revenue estimates (as part of the Corporate Monitoring Report).

9.   That all Chief Officers be authorised to implement their service spending plans for 2011/12 in accordance with the recommendations within the report and the Council's Standing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.1

This report sets out proposals in respect of the capital programme, together with ancillary issues.

8.20pm - The report and recommendations were moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh.

The report and recommendations were put to the vote. 

FOR                            28

AGAINST                   12

ABSTENTIONS         0

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

8.20pm -  RESOLVED:

1.      That the General Fund Capital Programme is £31.931m for 2011/12 be approved.

2.      That a Debt Reduction target of £53.9m by 2015/16 which will reduce underlying debt (Capital Financing Requirement to £78.8m) be approved.

3.      That 25% of receipts generated for the decent neighbourhoods programme continue to be used to support general capital investment be approved.

4.      That the following initiatives within the capital programme be approved:

·        The continuation of the rolling programmes for Corporate Planned Maintenance (£2.5m), repairs to carriageways and footways (£2.1m) , private sector housing grants (£0.45m), Parks Improvements (£0.5m) and contributions to the Invest to Save Fund (£0.750m)

·        The setting aside of £0.250m in reserve for the DDA Programme.

5.      That, subject to agreement of the overall programme, prudential borrowing of £5.4m regarding the Schools Capital Strategy be approved.

6.      That the level of resource forecast (Table 5 of the report) and indicative expenditure for the decent neighbourhoods programme as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report and proposed 2011/12  contribution to fund works to the HRA stock of £14.867m from the Decent Neighbourhoods Pot for one year only be noted and approved.

7.      That the 2011/12  HRA capital programme as set out in Appendix 3 of the report, and subject to appropriate Member approval for un-committed schemes be approved.

8.      That the prudential indicators as set out in Appendix 4 of the report be approved.

9.      That the following annual Minimum Revenue Provision: (Appendix 5 of the report) be approved.

·        For debt which is supported through Formula Grant this authority will calculate the Minimum Revenue Provision in accordance with current regulations (namely 4% of the Capital Financing requirement net of adjustment A).

·        For debt which has arisen through prudential borrowing it should be written down in equal instalments over the estimated asset life. The debt write-off will commence the year after an asset comes into use.

The report provides information on the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy for 2011/12 including interest rate projections and borrowing and investment activity reports for the period April to December 2011.

The report seeks approval for borrowing limits and authorisation for the Director of Finance and Corporate Services to arrange the Council’s cashflow, borrowing and investments in the year 2011/12.

8.22pm - The report and recommendations were moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh.

The report and recommendations were put to the vote. 

FOR                            28

AGAINST                   0

ABSTENTIONS         11

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

8.23pm - RESOLVED:

1.      That the future borrowing and investment strategies and authorise the Director of Finance and Corporate Services to arrange the Council’s cashflow, borrowing and investments in 2011/12 be approved.

2.      That the additions to the list of institutions to the Council’s restricted lending list noted at paragraph 10.4 of the report be approved.

3.   In relation to the Council’s overall borrowing for the financial year 2011/12, the Prudential Indicators as set out in Section 3 of the report, be approved.

4.   That future amendments to the credit criteria be delegated to Cabinet. 

(Councillor Vaughan announced that he worked for the Financial Services Authority.  He left the Council Chamber during the discussion and did not vote on the report.)

The Council at its meeting on 26 May 2010 agreed revisions to the Constitution and re-adopted the document for the 2010/11 Municipal Year. 

This report proposes some in year amendments to reflect changes to Cabinet portfolio responsibilities and changes to the Schemes of Delegation as a result of the creation of a new Housing and Regeneration department.

8.24pm - The report and recommendation were moved for adoption by the Cabinet Member for Strategy and Chief Whip, Councillor Mark Loveday.

Speeches on the report were made by Councillor Mark Loveday (for the Administration) and Councillor Andrew Jones (for the Opposition).

The report and recommendation was put to the vote:

FOR                                                    28

AGAINST                                           13

ABSTENTIONS                                 0

The report and recommendation was declared CARRIED.

8.25pm RESOLVED:

That the changes and amendments proposed to the Council Constitution, as summarised in Appendix 1 to the report, be agreed.

This report performs the statutory annual review of Councillors’ allowances for the 2011/12 financial year, and takes into account the recommendations made in the Independent Remunerator’s report to London Councils (May 2010).

8.28pm - The report and recommendation were moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh.

Speeches on the report were made by Councillor PJ Murphy (for the Opposition) and Councillor Mark Loveday (for the Administration).

The report and recommendation was put to the vote:

FOR                                                    28

AGAINST                                           13

ABSTENTIONS                                 0

The report and recommendation was declared CARRIED.

8.32pm - RESOLVED:

That the Councillors’ Allowances Scheme 2011 – 12 as set out in Appendix 1 of the report, be adopted.

There are no special motions to consider.

There were no special motions.

There are no information reports to note.

There were no information reports to this meeting of the Council.

* * * * *   CONCLUSION OF BUSINESS    * * * * *