Agenda item

The Mayorset out theprocedureto be adopted in determining the Council Tax for 2018-19 and the Recommendations of the Executive and the Licensing Committee.  The Mayor would take the report on Council Tax first, together with the recommendations of the Executive on 1 February 2018 relating to the General Fund, Service Plans, Budgets and Prudential Indicators, Housing Revenue Account Budgets, the Investment Programme and the Treasury Management Strategy and Prudential Indicators.

The recommendations from the meeting of the Executive on 18 January 2018, the recommendations from the meeting of the Licensing Committee on 23 January 2018 and the remaining recommendations from the meeting of the Executive on 1 February 2018 would be considered once the Council Tax for 2018-19 had been determined.  A procedure note had been prepared which clearly set out all the recommendations before the Council.

Councillor D J Bittleston moved and Councillor A Azad seconded the reception and adoption of the report and recommendations of the meetings of the Executive held on 18 January and 1 February 2018.

Councillor D Harlow moved and Councillor H J Addison seconded the reception and adoption of the report and recommendations of the meeting of the Licensing Committee held on 23 January 2018.

executive – 2 February 2017

General Fund, Services Plans, Budgets and Prudential Indicators 2018-19, Housing Revenue Account Budgets 2018-19, Investment Programme 2017-18 to 2020-21, Treasury Management Strategy and Prudential Indicators 2018-19 and Council Tax 2018-19

The Council had before it the recommendations of the Executive for the General Fund, Service Plans, Budgets and Prudential Indicators 2018-19, Housing Revenue Account Budgets 2018-19, Investment Programme 2017-18 to 2020-21, and Treasury Management Strategy and Prudential Indicators 2018-19.  A report on the 2018-19 Council Tax was also before the Council.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor D J Bittleston, made a statement on the Budget for 2018-19.  Councillor A-M Barker, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor M I Raja, Leader of the Labour Group, and Councillor J Bond, Leader of the Independent Group, were invited to respond to the budget statement.

Following the debate, the Council considered the recommendations of the Executive together with the report on the Council Tax 2018-19 and agreed the proposals unanimously. 

General Fund, Service Plans, Budgets and Prudential Indicators 2018-19

Resolved

That  (i)    the Revenue Estimates and Human Resource requirements for 2018/19 be approved;

          (ii)   a Band D Council Tax for the Borough of Woking for 2018/19 of £233.46 be approved;

          (iii)  the Finance Director, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, be authorised to approve the terms of the Surrey Business Rates Pilot on behalf of the Council and to sign the Memorandum of Understanding;

          (iv)  the Prudential Indicators at Appendix 3 to the report be approved, subject to any changes arising from consideration of the Investment Programme, revenue budgets and Final Government Settlement;

          (v)   the Service Plans for 2018/19 at Appendix 4 to the report be approved; and

          (vi)  the Food Safety Plan and Health and Safety Plan at Appendix 4a and 4b to the report be approved.

Housing Revenue Account Budgets 2018-19

Resolved

That  (i)    the Housing Revenue Account budget for 2018/19, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved; and

          (ii)   with effect from 2 April 2018, rents be increased by 4% for Shared Ownership properties and be reduced by 1% for all other tenancies.

Investment Programme 2017-18 to 2020-21

Resolved

That  (i)    the Investment Programme 2017/18 to 2020/21 be approved, subject to reports on projects where appropriate; and

          (ii)   the proposed financing arrangements be approved.

Treasury Management Strategy and Prudential Indicators 2018-19

Resolved

That  (ii)   the Treasury Management Prudential Indicators set out in table 2 of Section 4 and the MRP policy set out in Appendix A to the report be approved, subject to any changes arising from consideration of the Investment Programme, revenue budgets and Revenue Support Grant Settlement.

COUNCIL TAX 2018-19

Resolved

That  (i)    the revenue estimates for 2018/19, 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 2018/19 in accordance with regulations made under Section 31B (3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended (the Act) as:-

a)      41,030 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 2018/19 is £9,578,864.

          (iv)  the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2018/19 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:-

a)       £129,159,344 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A (2) of the Act;

b)       £119,580,480 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A (3) of the Act;

c)       £9,578,864 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)       £233.46 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 2018/19 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 2018/19 for its area and for each of the categories of dwellings :-

          (vii) the Council’s basic amount of Council Tax for 2018/19 is not excessive in accordance with the principles approved under Section 52 ZB of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended.

Adjournment

Following the determination of the Council Tax 2018/19, the Mayor adjourned the meeting for a ten minute comfort break.

executive – 18 january 2018

Notice of Motion – Councillor W P Forster

Resolved

That the Motion be supported as follows:

“Care leavers have had their childhoods punctuated by instability and trauma, they leave home earlier and have less support than other young people.  As a result, care leavers have some of the worse life chances in the country.

A 2016 report by the Children's Society found that when care leavers move into independent accommodation, they find managing their own finances extremely challenging.  With no family to support them and insufficient financial education, care leavers are falling into debt and financial difficulty.  The Children's Society recommends that care leavers should be taken out of Council Tax until they turn 25.

The Children and Social Work Act 2017 places corporate parenting responsibilities on borough and district councils for the first time, requiring them to have regard to children in care and care leavers when carrying out their functions.

To ensure that transition from care to adult life is as smooth as possible and to mitigate the chances of care leavers falling into debt as they begin to manage their own finances, this Council agrees not to charge care leavers under 25 living in Woking Borough any Council Tax from April 2018.

This Council also agrees to look at ways of supporting care leavers further to ensure they fulfil their potential.”

Notice of Motion – Councillor K Howard

Resolved

That the Motion be supported as follows:

“With a view to finding a solution to the ongoing problem of roadside litter, officers will investigate and recommend ways in which the Council can target people who throw litter from vehicles on the public highway.”

Protocols of the Thameswey Group of Companies

The Council thanked Councillor Johnson and Councillor Kingsbury for their work on reviewing the protocols and noted the intention to make the papers available electronically to those Members who had signed the non-disclosure agreement.

Resolved

That the revised Protocols of the Thameswey Group of Companies, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report, and as amended by the Executive, be adopted.

Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) Policy for Fly Tipping Offences

Resolved

That  (i)    the Council issue fixed penalty notices for fly tipping under the Environmental Protection Act 1990;

          (ii)   the level of fixed penalty notices shall be set at £400 per penalty notice for fly tipping, such penalty to be reduced to £300 if paid within 10 days as provided for under Regulation 2 of the Unauthorised Deposit of Waste (Fixed Penalties) Regulations 2016;

          (iii)  authority be delegated to the Assistant Director (Place), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environmental and Well Being Services, to vary the level of all environmental fixed penalty notice charges in accordance with legislation; and

          (iv)  authority be delegated to the Assistant Director (Place) to authorise any persons to issue fixed penalty notices for fly tipping under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

LICENSING COMMITTEE – 23 January 2018

Introduction of BTEC Qualification for Licensed Taxi Drivers

The Council had before it proposals for the introduction of a BTEC Level 2 certificate entitled ‘Introduction to the Role of the Professional Taxi and Private Hire Driver’ for both new and existing drivers.  Councillor Harlow, Chairman of the Licensing Committee, introduced the proposals.

Several Councillors indicated their support for the introduction of the qualification for new drivers, but felt that such a qualification was unnecessary for existing drivers, noting the cost (£300) and the time the certificate would take to complete and expressing the belief that the knowledge and skills of existing drivers would not be improved.  However, Councillors drew attention to the number of complaints received against existing drivers and the expectation within most professions of ongoing development to enhance their understanding.  It was noted that Guildford Borough Council had already introduced the scheme for both new and existing drivers, and that Woking was already receiving applications for licences from those drivers who had failed to successfully complete the certificate in Guildford.  The certificate would increase the public’s confidence in drivers and develop the professionalism of the service.

Following the debate, the Council unanimously agreed the proposal to introduce the BTEC certificate qualification for all new drivers.  In respect of the introduction of the certificate for existing drivers, it was agreed to record the names of Members voting for and against the recommendation in accordance with Standing Order 10.8.

In favour:                    Councillors Mrs H J Addison, A Azad, A-M Barker, D J Bittleston, J E Bond, A J Boote, A C L Bowes, K M Davis, , W P Forster, D Harlow, Mrs B A Hunwicks, I Johnson, J Kingsbury, A E Murray, M Pengelly, C Rana, and M A Whitehand.

                                    TOTAL in favour – 17

Against:                       T Aziz , I Eastwood, K Howard and M I Raja

                                    TOTAL against – 4

Present not voting:     Councillor D E Hughes and L M N Morales.

                                    TOTAL present not voting – 2

The recommendation was therefore carried by 17 votes to 4 votes. 

Resolved

That  (i)    the change in requirements for all new drivers to complete the BTEC Level 2 Certificate be approved; and

          (ii)   the change in requirements for all current drivers to complete the BTEC Level 2 Certificate within 3 years be approved. 

Surrey-wide Convictions Policy

Resolved

That  (i)    the Surrey-wide Taxi and Private Hire Convictions Policy at appendix 3 to the report be adopted;

          (ii)   the requirement for all existing taxi and private hire drivers to undertake Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) training by 1 May 2019 be approved; and

          (iii)  the requirement for all new taxi and private hire drivers to undertake CSE training from 11 April 2018 be approved.

executive – 1 February 2018

Domestic Abuse Workforce Policy

Resolved

That the Domestic Abuse Workforce Policy, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be adopted.

Earn your Deposit Scheme

The Council welcomed the proposals for the Earn Your Deposit Scheme, the first such scheme in the Country. 

Resolved

That Thameswey Housing Limited introduces an “Earn your Deposit” scheme, as outlined in the report.

Potential Expansion of the Joint Waste Collection Contract

Resolved

That Tandridge District Council be admitted to the Joint Waste Collection Contract on the basis that no existing partner is financially disadvantaged.