Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

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 Standards Committee.

To approve the minutes of the Council meeting held on 20 January 2021.

The Mayor noted an amendment to the minutes – Councillor Frances Stainton should have been listed as being in attendance.

6.30pm – RESOLVED

That the amended minutes of the meeting held on the 20^th of January 2021 were agreed as an accurate record.

The Mayor noted that the date of Annual Council would be moving to the 28^th of April 2021 so it could be held safely before the legislation enabling remote meetings came to an end on the 7^th of May 2021.

With great sadness, the Mayor informed the Council of the death of former Councillor Guy Mortimer. Mr Guy Mortimer was elected as a Conservative Councillor for Crabtree ward from 1990 to 1996. Speeches of remembrance were made by Councillors Adronie Alford and Alex Karmel. The Council observed a minute of silence in his memory.

The Mayor then expressed the Council’s congratulations to Councillor Max Schmid and his wife on the birth of their son.

The Leader/relevant Cabinet Member to reply to questions submitted by members of the public.

The questions and responses to the questions can be found in Appendix 1.

The Council is obliged to set a balanced budget and council tax charge in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

The 2021/22 revenue budget proposals are set out regarding:

·       Council tax levels

·       Investment and savings proposals

·       Changes to fees and charges

·       Budget risks, reserves and balances

·       Equalities Impact Assessments

6.57pm – The report and recommendations were moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan.

In accordance with Council convention, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan, and the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Andrew Brown, were given unlimited time to speak on the Budget report.

Speeches on the report were also made by Councillors Rowan Ree, Helen Rowbottom, and Max Schmid (for the Administration) – and Councillor Frances Stainton (for the Opposition).

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan, then made a speech winding up the debate.

The report and recommendations were put to the vote and a roll-call was undertaken, in accordance with Council convention when voting on the budget:

FOR:                      33

AGAINST:               11

NOT VOTING:        1

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

8.42pm – RESOLVED

That Council, for the reasons set out in the report and appendices, agree:

1.             To increase the Hammersmith & Fulham element of council tax by 1.99% for 2021/22, as modelled by the government in their spending power calculations for local government.

2.             To apply the “adult social care precept” levy of 3% for 2021/22, as modelled by the government in their spending power calculations for local government.

3.             To set the Council’s own total net expenditure budget for 2021/22 at £124.458m.

4.             To approve £7.885m of new investment on key services for residents.

5.             To approve fees and charges as set out in paragraph 12 below including freezing charges in adult social care, children’s services and general fund housing.

6.             To note the budget projections to 2024/25 made by the Director of Finance in consultation with the Strategic Leadership Team.

7.             To note the statement of the Director of Finance, under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003, regarding the adequacy of reserves and robustness of estimates (paragraph 48).

8.             To approve the reserves strategy and realignment of reserves as set out in Appendix J and Appendix K.

9.             To require all Directors to report on their projected financial position compared to their revenue estimates in accordance with the Corporate Revenue Monitoring Report timetable.

10.          To authorise Directors to implement their service spending plans for 2021/22 in accordance with the recommendations within this report and the Council's Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, relevant Schemes of Delegation and undertake any further consultation required regarding the Equalities Impact Assessment.

11.          Set the Council’s element of council tax for 2021/22 for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.1

This report presents the Council’s four-year Capital Programme for the period 2021 to 2025.

8.42pm – The report and recommendations were formally moved by the Cabinet Member for Finance and Commercial Services, Councillor Max Schmid.

Speeches on the report were made by Councillors Max Schmid and Andrew Jones (for the Administration) – and Councillor Andrew Brown (for the Opposition).

The report and recommendations were then put to the vote.

FOR:                           34

AGAINST:                   11

NOT VOTING: 1

The recommendations were declared CARRIED.

8.54pm – RESOLVED

1. To approve the four-year General Fund Capital Programme budget at £158.1m for the period 2021/22-2024/25 (presented in Table 2 and Appendix 1).

2.     To approve the continuation of rolling programmes for 2021/22 funded from the Council’s mainstream resources. For financial modelling purposes, these programmes are assumed to continue at the same level until 2024/25:

3. To delegate approval of the detailed programmes for use of the rolling programmes to the relevant SLT Director in consultation with the Director of Finance and relevant Lead Cabinet Member.

4. To note the existing mainstream funded schemes previously approved, but now reprofiled to 2021/22 and future years as detailed in Table 3.

5. To approve the four-year Housing (HRA) Capital Programme at £247.6m for the period 2021/22-2024/25 as set out in Table 5 and Appendix 1.

6. To delegate the potential application of capital receipts (up to £4.4m) under the Government’s Flexible Use of Capital Receipts provisions to fund Invest to Save schemes in 2020/21 and 2021/22 (as identified in Appendix 5) and to support potential match-funding opportunities, to the Director of Finance in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Commercial Services.

7. To approve an additional budget envelope of £50m, from 2021/22 onwards, to provide operational flexibility, for taking forward the major projects set out in Capital Strategy. Use of this budget will be subject to Cabinet approval, agreement of funding sources and sign-off of an appropriate business case. 

8. To approve the Capital Strategy 2021/22, as set out in Appendix 4.

9. To approve the annual Minimum Revenue Provision policy statement for 2021/22, as set out in Appendix 6.

This report sets out the Council’s proposed Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy for 2021/22 and seeks authority for the Director of Finance to deliver the treasury management activities as set out in the report.

8.54pm – The report and recommendations were formally moved by the Cabinet Member for Finance and Commercial Services, Councillor Max Schmid.

The report and recommendations were then put to the vote.

FOR:                           UNANIMOUS

AGAINST:                   0

NOT VOTING:            0

The recommendations were declared CARRIED.

8.54pm – RESOLVED

1.    That approval is given to the future borrowing and investment strategies as outlined in this report.

2.    That the Director of Finance, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Commercial Services, be delegated authority to manage the Council’s cash flow, borrowing and investments in 2021/22 in line with this report.

3.    In relation to the Council’s overall borrowing for the financial year, to approve the Prudential Indicators as set out in this report and the revised Annual Investment Strategy set out in Appendix E.

4.    That this strategy be enacted immediately following the approval given by Full Council at this meeting.

The Council is required to prepare a pay policy statement for each financial year that sets out the Council’s approach to recognising and rewarding its employees in a fair, consistent, and equitable manner.

8.54pm – The report and recommendations were formally moved by the Cabinet Member for Public Services Reform, Councillor Adam Connell.

The report and recommendations were then put to the vote.

FOR:                      UNANIMOUS

AGAINST:               0

NOT VOTING:         0

The recommendations were declared CARRIED.

8.55pm – RESOLVED

1.    That Council approve the pay policy statement for 2021/22 as set out in Appendix 1.

2.    That Council note the benchmarking of the Council’s median pay multiple against the average of other Inner London Boroughs contained in section 2.5 [of the report].

This report presents the statutory annual review of Members’ allowances for the 2021/22 financial year. The annual review takes into account the recommendations made in the Independent Remuneration report to London Councils (January 2018).

8.55pm – The report and recommendations were formally moved by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan.

Speeches on the report were made by Councillors Stephen Cowan, Larry Culhane, and Max Schmid (for the Administration) – and Councillors Alex Karmel and Andrew Brown (for the Opposition).

The report and recommendations were then put to the vote.

FOR:                      34

AGAINST:               11

NOT VOTING:         1

The recommendations were declared CARRIED.

9.16pm – RESOLVED

That the Members’ Allowances Scheme 2021/22 as set out in Appendix 1 [of the report] be adopted.

This report recommends changes to the Departmental Register of Authorities and Contract Standing Orders.

9.16pm – The report and recommendations were formally moved by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan.

The report and recommendations were then put to the vote.

FOR:                      UNANIMOUS

AGAINST:               0

NOT VOTING:        0

The recommendations were declared CARRIED.

9.17pm – RESOLVED

1.    That Council agree the updates to the Departmental Register of Authorities in Appendix 1 [of the report].

2.    That Council agree the updates to Contract Standing Orders in Appendix 2 [of the report].

This report requests approval of the 2021/22 Council calendar of meetings.

9.17pm – The report and recommendations were formally moved by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan.

The report and recommendations were then put to the vote.

FOR:                      UNANIMOUS

AGAINST:               0

NOT VOTING:        0

The recommendations were declared CARRIED.

9.17pm – RESOLVED

That the schedule of meetings in the 2021/22 Council calendar of meetings be approved.