Agenda, decisions and minutes

To sign as a correct record the minutes of the Council meeting held on 26 January 2022.

The minutes of the meeting of Council held on 26 January 2022 were agreed as a correct record.

Councillors/Staff to give notice of any disclosable pecuniary interest, other registrable interest or any other interest and the nature of that interest relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the adopted Code of Conduct.

None declared.

There were no items for which the press and public should be excluded.

To answer questions under Procedural Rule No. 4.16 from members of the public and from Councillors under Procedural Rule No. 4.17 and to receive Petitions under Access to Information Rules.

No questions or petitions had been received.

No Notices of Motion had been received.

To hear speeches (not exceeding 5 minutes each), for up to a specified period of 15 minutes, from individual members on a local issue in the Member’s Ward, of which 24 hours’ notice has been given to the Chief Executive.

There were no speeches from Councillors.

The Mayor gave an update on engagements carried out since the previous meeting.

Cllr M Johnson moved the Portfolio Holders update report.

Questions were raised in connection with:

·  The structure and capacity of the Council’s enforcement team

·  The easing of coronavirus restrictions and the reopening of Allerdale House and Wigton Market Hall to the public

·  Issues in connection with CCTV system in Maryport

·  The current situation around disabled facilities grants backlog

·  Progress with the Empire Yard project in Maryport

·  The member community initiative budget

·  The closure of the Stronger Together project

·  Trade waste contracts in connection with enforcement against flytipping

To note the contents of the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 12 January 2022.

The minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 12 January 2022 were noted.

The Chief Officer – Assets, had submitted a report presenting the draft revenue and capital budget and formal advice on the robustness of the estimates included in the budget and the adequacy of the reserves which supported the Council’s budgetary plans.

The report had been considered by Executive on 9 February 2022. Executive had recommended that Council be requested to approve the recommendations within the report.

Councillor C Sharpe introduced the report and moved the recommendations. This was seconded by Councillor M Johnson.

Councillor M Johnson in supporting the recommendations set out the ambition to go into Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) from a position of financial strength and with a commitment to continue to have an impact during the final year of Allerdale Borough Council.

Councillor M Fitzgerald stated that she was proud to support the budget and noted the remarkable achievement of zero council tax increase, thanking Allerdale Borough Council staff for their efforts and achievements and for maintaining high standards of service throughout the pandemic.

Councillor M Heaslip commented that this was the last opportunity to set a baseline for improving services before the new Cumberland Council came into existence in April 2023, and because there had been a significant amount of discussion around fly tipping, he proposed an amendment to the recommendations, reducing budget line 1041 – contingencies - by £30,000 and increasing budget line 5006 – community safety and resilience – by £30,000 to allow additional resource for Streetscene and enforcement.

Councillor C McCarron-Holmes seconded the amendment to the motion.

Following debate, a recorded vote was held on the amendment to the motion –

In Favour – Councillors Annison, Armstrong, Bell, Campbell-Savours, Cook, Crouch, Daniels, Farebrother, Fitzgerald, Gaston, Gorrill, Grainger, Greaney, Grisdale, Heaslip, Hodgson, Horsley, Johnson, Kemp, Kendall, Lansbury, Lister, Lynch, Markley, Martin, McCarron-Holmes, McGuckin, Pegram, Pitcher, Sandwith, Sansom, Scott, Semple, Sharpe, Thurlow, Tyson  and Wilkinson.

Against – None

Abstentions – None

37 in Favour, 0 Against and 0 Abstentions. The motion was carried and became the substantive motion.

A recorded vote was held on the substantive motion -

In Favour – Councillors Annison, Armstrong, Bell, Campbell-Savours, Cook, Crouch, Daniels, Farebrother, Fitzgerald, Gaston, Gorrill, Grainger, Greaney, Grisdale, Heaslip, Hodgson, Horsley, Johnson, Kemp, Kendall, Lansbury, Lister, Lynch, Markley, Martin, McCarron-Holmes, McGuckin, Pegram, Pitcher, Sandwith, Sansom, Scott, Semple, Sharpe, Thurlow, Tyson and Wilkinson.

Against – None

Abstentions – None

37 in Favour, 0 Against and 0 Abstentions. The motion was carried unanimously.

Resolved

That -

(i)  The total planned revenue expenditure be £15,894,980 including parish precepts of £2,702,794

(ii)  £15,728,915 be approved as the Council’s net budget requirement for 2022-23

(iii)  Allerdale’s share of council tax be frozen at the current (2021-22) level (£179.72 on band D Properties)

(iv)  No changes be made to the Council’s Council Tax Reduction discount scheme and that the current scheme remained in place for 2022-23

(v)  The revenue estimates, as approved, be used in the calculation of the basic amount of tax under Section 31 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992

(vi)  The minimum level of non-earmarked general fund balances be set at £2.7m and that no maximum level be set

(vii)  The three-year capital budget (2022-23 to 2024-25) of £41,738,197 (comprising £19,760,372 in 2022-23, £15,400,055 in 2023-24 and £6,577,770 in 2024-25) be approved

(viii)  The proposed three-year capital budget for 2022-23 to 2024-25 be financed as follows:

a.  grants and contributions ……………………..£35,885,865

b.  borrowing and credit arrangements (leases)...£5,216,480

c.  capital receipts ……………………………………£635,852

The Chief Officer Assets submitted a report which sought members to approve the necessary resolutions for Council Tax setting in accordance with Sections 31-36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

Councillor C Sharpe moved the recommendations contained within the report. Councillor M Johnson seconded the motion.

A recorded vote was taken in respect of the motion:

In Favour - Councillors Annison, Armstrong, Bell, Campbell-Savours, Cook, Crouch, Daniels, Farebrother, Fitzgerald, Gaston, Gorrill, Grainger, Greaney, Grisdale, Heaslip, Hodgson, Horsley, Johnson, Kemp, Kendall, Lansbury, Lister, Lynch, Markley, Martin, McCarron-Holmes, McGuckin, Pegram, Pitcher, Sandwith, Sansom, Scott, Semple, Sharpe, Thurlow and Tyson.

Against - None.

Abstention - Councillors Wilkinson.

36 in Favour, 0 Against and 1 Abstention. The motion was carried.

Resolved

That the resolutions as set out in Appendix A of the report be approved.

The Chief Officer Assets submitted a report which required the Council to approve the proposed Treasury Management Strategy Statement & Investment Strategy for 2022/23, the Minimum Revenue Provision Policy Statement and the prudential and treasury indicators - including the Council’s Authorised Borrowing Limit, as was required by the provisions contained in the Local Government Act 2003, statutory guidance issued by the Department for Communities and Local Government and codes of practice issued by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.

The report had been considered by Audit Committee on 14 February 2022. The Audit Committee had recommended that Council be requested to approve the recommendations within the report.

Councillor A Tyson moved the recommendations within the report. Councillor P Gorrill seconded the motion.

The motion was unanimously agreed.

Resolved

That –

1.  The proposed Treasury Management Strategy Statement an Investment Strategy for 2022-23 as set out in sections 2 and 3 of Appendix 1 of the report be approved;

2.  The MRP Policy Statement for 2022-23 as set out in section 4 of Appendix 1 of the report be approved;

3.  The prudential and treasury indicators, including the Authority’s Authorised Borrowing Limit, as set out in Section 5 of Appendix 1 of the report be approved.

The Assistant Chief Executive had submitted a report presenting the Statement of Community Involvement. The report had been considered by Executive on 9 February 2022. Executive had recommended that Council be requested to approve the recommendations within the report.

The Council had a legal requirement to produce a Statement of Community Involvement under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and to review it every five years, in line with The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2017.

The current SCI had been adopted in 2010 and required updating, not only to be legally compliant, but to accurately reflect the Council’s approach to consultation in relation to planning applications, planning policy documents and neighbourhood planning.

The report outlined the purpose of the SCI and how and when the Council would consult the local community, businesses and statutory consultees when carrying out its planning function. It also outlined how the Council would support Town and Parish Councils in their neighbourhood planning role. The draft SCI had  been published for a four week public consultation ending on 23 December 2021.

Councillor M Fitzgerald moved the recommendations. The motion was seconded by Councillor A Pitcher.

Councillor P Kendall spoke in favour of the recommendation and stated the importance of engagement with towns and parish councils.  

A vote was taken: 37 in favour, 0 against, 0 abstentions.

The motion was carried unanimously.

Resolved –

That the Statement of Community Involvement, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report, be adopted.

The Chief Officer, Place and Governance submitted a report outlining a number of governance updates including amendments to the political balance and allocation of committee seats.

Council was asked to appoint a Vice-Chair of Audit Committee following the resignation of Councillor Bainbridge from the committee.

Councillor C McCarron-Holmes moved that Councillor M Campbell-Savours be appointed Vice-Chair of the Audit Committee.

Councillor M Fitzgerald moved the report; this was seconded by Councillor M Johnson who also seconded the motion to appoint Councillor M Campbell-Savours as Vice-Chair of the Audit Committee.

A vote was taken: 27 in favour; 2 against; 8 abstentions.

The motion was carried.

Resolved -

1.  To note that

(a)  Councillor Elaine Lynch is to be appointed to the Audit Committee for the Labour Group to replace Councillor Mary Bainbridge;

(b)   Councillor Billy Pegram is to be appointed to the Licensing Committee for the Labour Group to replace Councillor Mary Bainbridge;

(c) Councillor Billy Pegram is to be appointed to the Standards Committee for the Labour Group to replace Councillor Mary Bainbridge;

2.  That nominations be sought for a Vice-Chair of Audit Committee

3.  That an extension to the six-month period of non-attendance provided for within section 85(1) of the Local Government Act 1972 be agreed for Councillor Mary Bainbridge on the grounds of ill health and that the period be extended for a further six months, to expire on 27 October 2022

4.  That the provisions as set out under paragraph 4.4 of the report be included in the Council’s Constitution under ‘Section 5 - The Executive’

5.  That the distribution of seats across committees as set out in paragraph 4.9 and 4.11 of the supplementary report be approved, to accord with the rules on proportionality as far as is practicable

6.  To confirm the political groups memberships in line with paragraph 4.12 of the supplementary report

7.  To approve an amendment to the Constitution following a recommendation from the Constitution Working Group in relation to delegation of charitable functions

Councillor C Mc-Carron-Holmes, Co-Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee moved the update report.

This was seconded by Councillor M Heaslip.

Resolved

That the report be noted.