Agenda and minutes

To approve and sign as an accurate record the Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 30 January 2013.

The minutes of the Ordinary Council Meeting held on 30 January 2013were confirmed and signed as an accurate record.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Oliver Craig, Donald Johnson and Peter Tobias.  Apologies for lateness were received from Councillor Jane Law.

The Mayor’s Announcements were circulated and tabled at the meeting.

If a Councillor has a disclosable pecuniary interest in a particular item, whether or not it is entered in the Authority’s register of interests, or any other significant interest which they consider should be declared in the public interest, they should declare the existence and, unless it is a sensitive interest as defined in the Member Code of Conduct, the nature of the interest at the commencement of the consideration of that 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 disclosable pecuniary interest or other significant 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.

Where Members of the public are not allowed to be in attendance and speak, then the Councillor with a disclosable pecuniary interest should withdraw from the meeting whilst the matter is under consideration. Councillors who have declared other significant interests should also withdraw from the meeting if they consider their continued participation in the matter would not be reasonable in the circumstances and may give rise to a perception of a conflict of interest.

Councillors are not obliged to withdraw from the meeting where a dispensation to that effect has been obtained from the Audit, Pensions and Standards Committee. 

There were none.

There are no public questions to consider.

There were no public questions received.

To report the results of the Wormholt and White City Ward By-Election held on 7 February 2013.

7.03pm - The Council noted that Councillor Max Schmid, the Labour Party candidate, was elected Ward Councillor to the vacancy in Wormholt and White City Ward at the By-election held on 7 February 2013.  The Mayor welcomed Councillor Max Schmid to the chamber.

To note the appointment of Councillor PJ  Murphy as the Deputy Opposition Whip, made by the Opposition Party on the Council.

7.04pm - The Council noted the appointment of Councillor PJ Murphy as the Deputy Opposition Whip, made by the Opposition Party on the Council.

To appoint Councillor Max Schmid to the Transport, Environment and Residents Services Select Committee effective from the day after the Council meeting.

7.05pm RESOLVED:

That Councillor Max Schmid be appointed to the Transport, Environment and Residents Services Select Committee effective from the day after the Council meeting.

The report is seeking approval to changes to the Constitution to incorporate delegated powers to the Tri Borough Director of Public Health.  The report also informs Members of the minor changes made to the constitution by the Monitoring Officer in consultation with the Leader, Chief Whip and Opposition Whip since the last Council meeting.

7.06pm - The report and recommendations were formally moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Nicholas Botterill.

The report and recommendations were put to the vote:

FOR                         unanimous

AGAINST                0

NOT VOTING          0

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

7.06pm RESOLVED:

(1)         That the amendment to the Constitution to incorporate the Schedule of Delegations attached as Appendix A of the report for the Tri Borough Director of Public Health, be approved; and

(2)         That the minor changes made to the constitution by the Monitoring Officer, be noted.

This report sets out the Council’s 2013/14 revenue budget proposals which includes the Council tax levels, detailed Savings and Growth Schedules, budget risks, a brief overview of the new local government finance system (business rate scheme) and its impact on Hammersmith and Fulham, new responsibilities to be undertaken by the Council and also an Equalities Impact Assessment.

7.07pm - The report and recommendations were moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Nicholas Botterill.

An addendum was circulated which included some changes to the figures in the report.

In accordance with Council convention, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Nicholas Botterill, 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 Marcus Ginn, Helen Binmore and Andrew Johnson (for the Administration) and Councillors Max Schmid, Andrew Jones and PJ Murphy (for the Opposition).

Councillor Nicholas Botterill (for the Administration) made a speech winding up the debate.  The report and recommendations were put to the vote and a roll-call was requested:

FOR                                                                                   NOT VOTING

FOR                         27

AGAINST                0

NOT VOTING          13

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

8.34pm RESOLVED:

(1)         To approve a Council Tax reduction of 3% for the Hammersmith & Fulham element for 2013/14. 

(2)         The council tax be set for 2013/14 for each category of dwelling, as calculated in accordance with Sections 31A to 49B of the Localism Act 2011, as outlined below and in full in Appendix A of the addendum:

(a)          The element of council tax charged for Hammersmith & Fulham Council will be £757.90 per Band D property in 2013/14.

(b)          The element of Council Tax charged by the Greater London Authority will be confirmed on the 25 February and is expected to be £303.00per Band D property in 2013/14. A reduction of 1%.

(c)           The overall Council Tax to be set will be £1,060.90 per Band D property in 2013/14.

(3)         The Council’s own total net expenditure budget for 2013/14 set at £181.944m, be approved.

(4)         That fees and charges are approved as set out in paragraph 5.2 of the report.

(5)         That the budget projections made by the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance to 2015/16 be noted.

(6)         That the statement made by the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003 regarding the adequacy of reserves and robustness of estimates be noted (section 14 of the report).

(7)         That the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance be authorised to collect and recover National Non-Domestic Rate and Council Tax in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (as amended),  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.5

This report sets out draft proposals in respect of the Council’s capital programme for 2013/14 to 2016/17, and states the latest capital estimates for the Council’s debt reduction programme, the General Fund, Decent Neighbourhoods and the Housing capital programmes.  This report incorporates the information arising from the Local Government Finance Settlement for 2013/14, where available.

8.35pm - The report and recommendations were formally moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Nicholas Botterill.

Speeches on the report were made by Councillor Stephen Cowan (for the Opposition) and Councillor Nicholas Botterill (for the Administration), before being put to the vote:

The report and recommendations were put to the vote:

FOR                         27

AGAINST                0

NOT VOTING          13

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

8.42pm RESOLVED:

(1)         To approve the draft General Fund Capital Programme budget at £65.0m for 2013/14.

(2)         To approve a Debt Reduction target of £20m for 2013/14 which will reduce underlying debt – based on current forecasts and as measured by the Capital Financing Requirement (CFR)^[1] - to £71.4m.

(3)         To approve 25% of receipts generated for the Decent Neighbourhoods programme continue to be used to support general capital investment or debt reduction in 2013/14 to 2016/17, subject to future review and potential regulatory changes.

(4)         To approve the following proposed capital receipts funded initiatives within the General Fund capital programme 2013/14 (Table 5 of the report):

•     The continuation of the rolling programmes for repairs to Carriageways and Footways £2.03m;

•     Corporate Buildings Planned Maintenance £2.5m;

•     Private Sector Housing Grant (Disabled Facilities) £0.45m;

•     Parks Improvements £0.5m;

•     Contributions to the Invest to Save Fund £0.75m; and

This totals £6.23m.

To note existing capital receipts funded schemes (approved for 2012/13) but now scheduled for 2013/14 as follows:

•     The Schools Capital Programme £8.906m;

•     The Corporate Buildings Planned Maintenance £1.84m

This totals £10.746m.

The overall total use of capital receipts for General Fund capital schemes in 2013/14 is £16.976m.

(5)         To approve the level of resource forecast (Table 2 of the report) and indicative capital expenditure budget 2013/14 of £27.6m for the Decent Neighbourhoods programme, funded fully by capital receipts, as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report.

(6)         To approve the 2013/14 HRA capital programme of £37.0m as set out in Table 7 (Appendix 4 of the report) and approve the use of £15.212m of Decent Neighbourhoods’ capital receipts in support of this programme for 2013/14.

(7)         To approve the annual Minimum Revenue Provision for 2013/14 (Appendix 7 of the report).

•     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.

(8)         To approve the CIPFA^[2] prudential indicators as set out in Appendix 8 of the report.

The report sets out the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy for 2013/14.  It seeks approval for borrowing limits and authorisation for the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance to arrange the Council’s cashflow, borrowing and investments in the year 2013/14.

8.44pm - The report and recommendations were formally moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Nicholas Botterill.

The report and recommendations were put to the vote:

FOR                         27

AGAINST                0

NOT VOTING          13

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

8.44pm RESOLVED:

(1)    That the future borrowing and investment strategies as outlined in the report be approved and that the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance be authorised to arrange the Council’s cashflow, borrowing and investments in 2013/14.

(2)    That in relation to the Council’s overall borrowing for the financial year the comments and the Prudential Indicators as set out in the report be noted.

(3)    To pay the HRA investment income on unapplied HRA receipts and other HRA cash balances calculated at the average rate of interest earned on temporary investments with effect from 1 April 2013.

(4)    That the Money market Funds set out in Table 1 of Appendix B of the report are approved for use as part of the Council’s investment strategy.

(Councillor Rory Vaughan did not declare an interest but he withdrew from the meeting during discussion of the matter without speaking or voting thereon, as he worked for the financial regulator.)

This report performs the statutory annual review of Councillors’ allowances for the 2013/14 financial year.  The annual review takes into account the recommendations made in the Independent Remunerator’s report to London Councils (May 2010).

8.45pm - The report and recommendations were formally moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Nicholas Botterill.

Speeches on the report were made by Councillors Lisa Homan and Stephen Cowan (for the Opposition) and Councillor Mark Loveday (for the Administration), before being put to the vote:

The report and recommendations were put to the vote and a roll-call was requested:

FOR                                           AGAINST                       NOT VOTING

FOR                         26

AGAINST                14

NOT VOTING          1

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

8.55pm RESOLVED:

That the Councillors’ Allowances Scheme 2013 – 14 as set out in Appendix 1 of the report be adopted.

This report sets out the proposed pay policy for Hammersmith and Fulham.

8.56pm - The report and recommendations were formally moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Nicholas Botterill.

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

The report and recommendations were put to the vote:

FOR                         27

AGAINST                0

NOT VOTING          14

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

9pm RESOLVED:

(1)         That Council approve the pay policy and endorse the pay schemes attached at Appendices 1, 2 and 3 of the report.

(2)         That Council notes the Council’s Pensions Policy attached as Appendix 4 of the report and the Councillors’ Allowances scheme, submitted to this meeting as a separate item, which will constitute Appendix 5 of the report.

There are none.

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

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