Agenda item

The Mayor set out the procedure to be adopted in determining the Council Tax for 2022-23 and the Recommendations of the Executive. 

The Mayor would take the report on Council Tax first, together with the recommendations of the Executive on 3 February 2022 relating to the Medium Term Financial Strategy, General Fund, Service Plans, Budgets and Prudential Indicators, Housing Revenue Account Budgets, the Investment Programme and the Capital, Investment and Treasury Management Strategies.

The recommendations from the meeting of the Executive on 20 January 2022 would be considered once the Council Tax for 2022-23 had been determined. A procedure note had been prepared which clearly set out all the recommendations before the Council.

Councillor Ayesha Azad moved and Councillor Simon Ashall seconded the reception and adoption of the report and recommendations of the meetings of the Executive held on 20 January 2022 and 3 February 2022.

The Council had before it the recommendations of the Executive for the Medium Term Financial Strategy, General Fund, Service Plans, Budgets and Prudential Indicators 2022-23, the Housing Revenue Account Budgets 2022-23, the Investment Programme 2021-22 to 2025-26, and the Capital, Investment and Treasury Management Strategies.  A report on the 2022-23 Council Tax was also before the Council.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Azad, made a statement on the Budget for 2022-23.  Councillor A-M Barker, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor M I Raja, Deputy Leader of the Labour Group, and Councillor A Boote, Leader of the Independent Group, were invited to respond to the budget statement.

Following the statements by the Group Leaders, there was an opportunity for Councillors to raise any points in respect of the Council Tax proposals and associated recommendations of the Executive.  Following discussion, the Council was directed to the recommendations set out in items 8A to 8D, together with the Council Tax 2022-23 proposals. 

In accordance with Standing Order 10.8 the names of Members voting for and against the recommendations, as set out in the reports before the Council, were recorded.

In favour:                           Councillors S Ashall, A Azad, J Brown, K Davis, S Dorsett, G Elson, D Harlow, S Hussain, C Kemp, N Martin, C Rana and Whitehand.

Total in favour:                  12

Against:                             None.

Total against:                     None

Present not voting:            The Mayor, Councillor Lyons, and Councillors A-M Barker, A Boote, M Bridgeman, W Forster, K Howard, D Hughes, I Johnson, A Kirby, R Leach, L Morales, E Nicholson, M I Raja, D Roberts and J Sanderson.

Total present not voting:   15

The recommendations were therefore carried by 12 votes in favour to no votes against.

RESOLVED

That  (i)    the revenue estimates for 2022/23, as submitted, be approved;

          (ii)   it be noted that the Chief Financial Officer, in accordance with the terms of his delegated authority, has calculated the following amount for the year 2022/23 in accordance with regulations made under Section 31B (3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended (the Act) as:-

a)      41,519.00 being the amount calculated by the Council, in accordance with regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992, as its Council Tax base for the year;

          (iii) the Council calculates that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2022/23 is £10,606,601;

          (iv)  the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2022/23 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:-

a)         £165,644,375 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A (2) of the Act;

b)      £155,037,774 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A (3) of the Act;

c)      £10,606,601 being the amount by which the aggregate at 4 a) above exceeds the aggregate at 4 b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31A(4)  of the Act, as its council tax  requirement for the year;

d)      £255.46 being the amount at 4 c) above divided by the amount at 2 a) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with section 31 B  of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year;

          (v)   it be noted for the year 2022/23 Surrey County Council and Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner have issued precepts to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each of the categories of dwellings in the Council’s area as shown in the table below.

          (vi)  the Council, in accordance with Section 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in the table below as the amounts of council tax for the year 2022/23 for its area and for each of the categories of dwellings :-

          (vii) the Council’s basic amount of Council Tax for 2022/23 is not excessive in accordance with the principles approved under Section 52 ZB of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended.