Agenda and minutes

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The minutes of the Ordinary Council Meeting held on 29 January 2014were confirmed and signed as an accurate record.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Gavin Donovan, Ali De Lisle and Jane Law.

Apologies for lateness were received from Councillors Elaine Chumnery, Robert Iggulden and PJ Murphy.

In response to a request from a member of the public, the Mayor reminded the Gallery to respect where members of the public ask not to be photographed.

The Leader gave a speech thanking the Councillors who would not be standing for re-election in May.   He paid tribute to Councillors Helen Binmore, Alex Chalk, Iain Coleman, Georgie Cooney, Oliver Craig, Ali De Lisle, Gavin Donovan, Robert Iggulden, Sally Powell and Peter Tobias.  Councillor Cowan, Leader of the Opposition, gave a speech thanking the outgoing Opposition Councillors.  Councillor Sally Powell addressed the Chamber, giving a speech outlining her time on the Council.

There are no public questions.

There were no public questions received.

The report sets out the Council’s 2014/15 revenue budget proposals which includes Council Tax levels, savings and growth proposals, changes to fees and charges, an update on budget risks, Equalities Impact Assessments and implementing the retail business rates relief scheme as proposed by the Government.

7.35pm - The report and recommendations were moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Nicholas Botterill.

In accordance with Council convention, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Nicholas Botterill, and the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Stephen Cowan, were given unlimited time to speak on the Budget report.  Speeches on the report were also made by Councillors Helen Binmore, Marcus Ginn and Greg Smith (for the Administration) and Councillors Andrew Jones, Max Schmid and Lisa Homan (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.

9.19pm RESOLVED:

(1)      That approval be given to a 3% 2014/15 council tax reduction for the Hammersmith & Fulham element. 

(2)      That the council tax be set for 2014/15 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:

(a)       The element of council tax charged for Hammersmith & Fulham Council will be £735.16 per Band D property in 2014/15.

(b)       The element of council tax charged by the Greater London Authority will be £299.00 per Band D property in 2014/15.

(c)       The overall Council Tax to be set at £1,034.16  per Band D property in 2014/15.

(3)      That the Council’s own total net expenditure budget for 2014/15  is set at £172.033m.

(4)      That fees and charges are approved as set out in paragraph 6.1 of the report.

(5)      That the budget projections made by the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance to 2016/17 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), the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and the Council Schemes of Delegation.

(8)      That all Executive Directors be required to report monthly on their projected financial position compared to their revenue estimates (as part of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.1

The report outlines the latest 4 year Capital Programme and estimates for the Council’s debt reduction programme as measured by the Capital Financing Requirement.  The report also sets out the Council’s Minimum Revenue Provision policy and the Prudential Indicators.

9.20pm - 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 Stephen Cowan and Caroline Needham (for the Opposition) and Councillor Nicholas Botterill (for the Administration).

The report and recommendations were put to the vote:

FOR                         26

AGAINST                0

NOT VOTING         13

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

9.28pm RESOLVED:

(1)      That the General Fund Capital Programme budget at £49.3m for 2014/15 (Table 4 of the report) be approved.

(2)      That the continuation of the reduction in CFR which based on current forecasts will reduce to £66.5m by 31 March 2015 be noted.

(3)      In respect of capital receipts for 2014/15 to:

·         approve the application of £9.5m capital receipts to the reduction of CFR (Table 2 of the report).

·         approve the continuation of the rolling programme schemes funded from capital receipts amounting to £6.23m set out in Table 5 of the report.

·         approve capital receipts funded schemes within Decent Neighbourhoods Programme (Housing and Regeneration) for 2014/15 as follows:

•     Housing Revenue Account projects £25.8m;

•     Decent Neighbourhoods projects £42.7m.

This totals £68.5m per Table 6b.

·         note existing capital receipts funded schemes (approved in 2013/14) but now scheduled for 2014/15 are as follows:

•     The Schools Capital Programme £6.6m;

•     Grants to Social Landlords (Hostel Improvement) £60K;

•     Relocation of HAFAD[1] to Edward Woods Community Centre and Related Refurbishment Requirements £308K.

(4)        That the Decent Neighbourhoods Programme for 2014/15 as set out in Table 6a (section 7), including the indicative capital expenditure budget 2014/15 of £91.6m funded from capital receipts of £68.5m with the remainder of £23.1m funded from other sources (also included within the programme is the budget envelope of £48.4m for 2014/15 for investment in existing Council Homes via the HRA Capital Programme), be approved.

(5)        that the annual Minimum Revenue Provision policy statement for 2014/15 in Appendix 5 of the report be approved.

(6)        that the CIPFA[2] Prudential Indicators as set out in Appendix 6 of the report be approved.

The report sets out the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy for 2014/15.  It seeks approval for the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance to arrange the Treasury Management Strategy in 2014/15 as set out in the report.

9.29pm - 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:

FOR                         26

AGAINST                0

NOT VOTING         13

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

9.33pm RESOLVED:

(1)      That approval be given to the future borrowing and investment strategies as outlined in the report and that the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance be authorised to arrange the Council’s cashflow, borrowing and investments in 2014/15.

(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)      That approval be given 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 2014.

This report performs the statutory annual review of Members’ allowances for the 2014/15 financial year.  The annual review takes into account the recommendations made in the Independent Remunerator’s report to London Councils (May 2010).

9.34pm - 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 PJ Murphy and Stephen Cowan (for the Opposition) and Councillor Mark Loveday (for the Administration).

The report and recommendations were put to the vote:

FOR                         26

AGAINST                0

NOT VOTING         13

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

9.44pm RESOLVED:

That the Members’ Allowances Scheme 2014/15 as set out in Appendix 1 of the report be adopted.

The report sets out the pay policy for 2014/15 and the pay schemes attached as Appendices 1, 2 and 3 of the pay policy.

9.45pm - 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 PJ Murphy and Stephen Cowan (for the Opposition) and Councillor Nicholas Botterill (for the Administration).

The report and recommendations were put to the vote:

FOR                         27

AGAINST                13

NOT VOTING         0

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

9.54pm RESOLVED:

(1)      That the pay policy for 2014/15 as set out in the report be approved.

(2)      That the pay schemes attached as Appendices 1, 2 and 3 of the pay policy, be endorsed.