Venue: Conference Room, Church Square House, Scunthorpe
Time:  2 pm
Email:  Richard.mell@northlincs.gov.uk

1.  Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and Personal or Personal and Prejudicial Interests.
2.  Members’ Allowances - Remuneration Panel - Report of the Director: Governance and Partnerships.
3.  To consider reports by the Director: Governance and Partnerships –

(a)   Financial Strategy, Budget 2020/2021 and Medium Term Financial Plan 2020/2023.
(b)   Capital Investment Strategy and Revised Capital Programme 2019/2023.
(c)   Treasury Management Strategy 2020/2021.
(d)   Implementation of the 2020/2021 Pay Policy Statement.

MINUTES

Present

THE MAYOR – Councillor J Evison

Councillors Ali, Allcock, Armiger, Armitage, Bainbridge, Briggs, Clark, A Davison, J Davison, Ellerby, England, L Foster, T Foster, Gosling, Grant, Hannigan, Kirk, Longcake, Marper, Mitchell, Ogg, O’Sullivan, Poole, Rayner, Reed, Robinson, Rose, Rowson, C Sherwood, N Sherwood, Southern, Swift, K Vickers, P Vickers, Walshe, Waltham MBE, Wells, Wilson and Yeadon,

The council met at Church Square House, Scunthorpe.

2715   MAYOR’S REMARKS - The Mayor welcomed fellow councillors, officers and members of the public to the meeting.  He outlined a number of community events he had attended, and then referred to the recent resignation as a councillor of Holly Mumby-Croft who was now carrying out her duties as the Member of Parliament for Scunthorpe following her election in December 2019. The Mayor paid tribute to the hard work carried out by Holly Mumby-Croft MP as a North Lincolnshire Councillor over the years and on behalf of the council expressed his best wishes the future.

2716   DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTERESTS AND PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS AND SIGNIFICANT LOBBYING - Declarations of personal interests were indicated as follows -

Councillor M Ali
Licence Holder with schools transport contract;  Crosby Community Association - Trustee

Councillor R Allcock
Isle of Axholme and North Nottinghamshire Water Management Board

Councillor M Armiger
Scunthorpe and Gainsborough Water Management Board; Bottesford in Bloom

Councillor J Briggs
Humberside Fire Authority

Councillor P Clark
North East Lindsey Internal Drainage Board

Councillor J Davison
Bottesford in Bloom

Councillor J England
Scunthorpe and Gainsborough Water Management Board.

Councillor T Ellerby
Scunthorpe and Gainsborough Water Management Board.

Councillor T Foster
Scunthorpe and Gainsborough Water Management Board

Councillor R Hannigan
North East Lindsey Drainage Board.

Councillor D Longcake
Bottesford in Bloom

Councillor E Marper
Skippingdale in Bloom;  Winterton Town Council

Councillor T Mitchell
Isle of Axholme and North Nottinghamshire Water Management Board

Councillor R Ogg
Scunthorpe and Gainsborough Water Management Board;  Skippingdale in Bloom

Councillor N Poole
Scunthorpe and Gainsborough Water Management Board

Councillor J Reed
Isle of Axholme and North Nottinghamshire Water Management Board;  The Forge

Councillor D Robinson
Isle of Axholme and North Nottinghamshire Water Management Board

Councillor D Rose
Isle of Axholme and North Nottinghamshire Water Management Board;  CPRE Chairman and North Lincolnshire and Yorkshire and Humber

Councillor H Rowson
Scunthorpe and Gainsborough Water Management Board - Member

Councillor C Sherwood
Ancholme Internal Drainage Board

Councillor N Sherwood
Humberside Fire Authority;  Ancholme Internal Drainage Board

Councillor R Waltham MBE
Humberside Fire Authority

Councillor D Wells
North East Lindsey Internal Drainage Board Council

2717   BUDGET SPEECHES - It was moved by Councillor J England and seconded by Councillor N Poole:-

That in accordance with Procedure Rule D1.19(s) the Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Opposition be allowed up to 20 minutes to deliver their respective budget speeches.

Motion Carried

2718    MEMBERS’ ALLOWANCES – REMUNERATION PANEL - The Director of Governance and Partnerships submitted a report requesting Council to consider the report of the North Lincolnshire Independent Remuneration Panel in order to approve a Scheme of Members’ Allowances for the financial year 2020/2021, in accordance with the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 (the Regulations).  The Panel’s report was attached as an appendix to the Director’s report.

The Council was required to make an annual Scheme of Members’ Allowances or set a scheme for a further period. Previously the Council had approved a scheme for a period of one year for 2019/20 (minute 2636 refers), which was set out in an appendix in the Remuneration Panel’s report. The report explained that the Council could not make or amend a scheme without first having regard to the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel. The Independent Panel comprised three members representing the voluntary and business sectors of the local community.

Moved by Councillor Waltham MBE and seconded by Councillor R Hannigan -

(a) That the Remuneration Panel be thanked for its work and report; (b) that the current Scheme of Allowances for 2019/20 as detailed in Appendix 1 of the Remuneration Panel’s report be retained and approved as the Scheme of Members’ Allowances for a further three financial years – 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23; (c) that the approved scheme be published on the Council’s website in accordance with the Regulations, and (d) that the Council continues to commit to train members in accordance with our ambition to be the best place to live work and invest.

At the request of members and in accordance with Procedure Rule 1.22(d) the names of members voting for, against and abstaining from the motion are as follows -

FOR:    Councillors Allcock, Armiger, Briggs, Clark, J Davison, England, Evison, T Foster, Hannigan, Longcake, Marper, Mitchell, Ogg, Poole, Reed, Robinson, Rose, Rowson, C Sherwood, N Sherwood, K Vickers,  P Vickers, Walshe, Waltham MBE and Wells.     

AGAINST: Councillors Ali, Armitage, Bainbridge, A Davison, Ellerby, L Foster, Gosling, Grant, O’Sullivan, Rayner, Southern, Swift, Wilson and Yeadon

ABSTAINING:   Councillor Kirk.

Motion Carried.

2719   FINANCIAL STRATEGY, BUDGET 2020/2021 AND MEDIUM TERM  FINANCIAL PLAN 2020/23, CAPITAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY AND REVISED CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2019/2023, TREASURY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY 2020/2021 AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2020/2021 PAY POLICY STATEMENT - The Director: Governance and Partnerships submitted reports relating to: -

• Financial Strategy, Budget 2020/21 and Medium Term Financial Plan 2020/23;
• Capital Investment Strategy and Capital Programme 2019/2023;
• Treasury Management Strategy 2020/2021, and
• Implementation of the 2020/2021 Pay Policy Statement.

Each of the above issues were addressed within separate reports. The Council operated within legally defined powers to fulfil a range of duties through its local service offer. These included powers to raise funding to meet the costs of delivery. The Council must decide on its spending power, taking into account how much government grant, business rates it would receive and the level of Council tax it wished to set. The Council also had a legal requirement to set a balanced budget for the next financial year and a robust forecast for the medium term financial planning period.

This year a four year plan had been produced which would support the Council in linking its anticipated resources over the period to its strategic direction, although it was important to note that the numbers were less certain further into the plan due to the potential structural changes to local government finance, which were discussed in the report. and took into consideration potential future structural changes to local government finance which were discussed in the Director’s report.  The Director in her report on the Financial Strategy, Budget 2020/21 and Medium Term Financial Plan 2020/23 addressed key issues and relevant factors with supporting appendices under the following headings: -

• Local Government Finance Settlement 2020/21;
• Future of Local Government Finance;
• Local Strategic Context;
• Financial Strategy, and
• Financial Resilience.

The Council also received a report from the Director of Governance and Partnerships seeking approval of the council’s Capital Investment Strategy and Revised Capital Programme 2019-23, which included a proposed Capital Investment Programme of £131.4m. These were set out in appendices to the report.

The Director’s report explained that capital expenditure was a key enabler for the Council to fulfil its duties and delivery of its ambitions and Council Plan priorities. Investment in the right things could underpin and support the achievement of improved outcomes for people and place of North Lincolnshire.  Capital investment also contributed to efficiencies in the operation of the council and income generation to support long-term financial sustainability. From 2019/20 local authorities were required to publish a Capital Investment Strategy as per the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA): Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities (2017).  The code was updated to introduce more contextual reporting through the requirement to produce a capital strategy, which is intended to allow individual local authorities to give greater weight to local circumstances and explain their approach to borrowing and investment.

Also presented for Council’s consideration and approval was the council’s Treasury Management Strategy for 2020/21. The Treasury Management Strategy Statement was set out in appendix 2 of the report. The report also requested the Council to adopt the Prudential Code 2017, the CIPFA Treasury Management in Public Services Code of Practice and related MHCLG Guidance, and approve the Treasury Management Policy Statement set out in appendix 1 of the report, the proposed Prudential Indicators 2020/23, the policy on Minimum Revenue Provision, and the Investment Counterparties and Limits as referred to in the Strategy Statement.

In addition, the implementation of the 2020/2021 Pay Policy Statement report outlined and sought approval of the council’s Pay Policy Statement for 2020/21 in accordance with Section 38 of the Localism Act 2011. The Council was required by the above Act to prepare an annual Pay Policy Statement for each council financial year, to be approved by Council.  The statement attached as an appendix to the report set out the council’s own policy on a range of issues relating to the pay of its workforce, particularly its senior staff (or ‘chief officers’) and its lowest paid employees.

Moved by Councillor R Waltham MBE and seconded by Councillor J Reed -

The Council is recommended to resolve as follows-

(a)That the recommendations contained within the Director’s report/agenda Item3 (a) be approved and adopted, subject to the following changes:-

(i)    Appendix 1 substituted by Revised Appendix 1 of the report/agenda item 3(a) (see 1 set out below).

(ii)   Appendix 6 substituted by Revised Appendix 6 of report/agenda item 3(a) (see 2 set out below).

(iii)  Inclusion and referencing within Revised Appendix 1 of report/agenda item 3(a) to new Appendix 6A (see 3 set out below).

(iv)  Inclusion and referencing within Revised Appendix 1 of report/agenda   item 3(a) to new Appendix 6B (see 4 set out below).

(b) that the recommendations contained within the Director’s report/agenda item 3(b)  be approved and adopted, subject to the following changes:-

(i) Appendix 2 substituted by Revised Appendix 2 of report/agenda item 3(b) (see 5 below).

(c) That the recommendations contained within the Director’s report/agenda item 3(c) be approved and adopted, and

(d) That the recommendations contained within the Director’s report/agenda item 3(d) be approved and adopted.

1.  Technical Budget Recommendations – Revised Appendix 1 of Report 3(a)

That the following technical recommendations be approved:

1  That the general council tax band D rate be set at £1,382.49, which represents an increase of 1.9% from the total 2019/20 band D rate

2  That the adult social care precept band D rate be set at £134.18, which represents an increase of 2% from the total 2019/20 band D rate.

3  At the meeting held on 27^th January 2020 Council set the following amounts for the year 2020/21:

(a) 49,889.5 as its Council Tax Base for the year [Item T in the formula in Section 31B(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended by the Localism Act 2011 (the “Act”), and

(b) the Council Tax Base for each part of the area as shown in Revised Appendix 6 of report 3(a), column 2

4  That the following amounts for 2020/21, as required by the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended, be approved:

5  That it be noted that for the year 2020/21 the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside and the Humberside Fire Authority have issued precepts to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each category of dwellings in the Council’s area as indicated in Revised Appendix 6 of report 3(a).

6  That having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at 6(i) and 7 above, the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in the tables in Appendix 6B as the amounts of Council Tax for 2020/21 for each part of its area and for each of the categories of dwellings (council tax including police, fire and parish precept for each band and each parish).

7  That the Council’s basic amount of Council Tax for 2020/21 is not excessive in accordance with principles approved under Section 52ZB Local Government Finance Act 1992.

8  That the robustness of the estimates used in setting the level of council tax in accordance with the Local Government Act, 2003 requirements (Part 2 Section 25 (1)(a) of the Act) be confirmed.

9  That the adequacy of reserves included in the budget is in accordance with the Local Government Act, 2003 requirements (Part 2 Section 25 (1) (b) of the Act), and the policy for use of reserves as set out in Section 5 of the report and at Appendix 4 of report 3(a) be confirmed.

10  That the use of capital receipts flexibility be approved enabling spending charged to the revenue budget on service transformation to be capitalised as set out at Appendix 5 of Report 3(a)

2.  Parish and Major Precepting Authority Precepts 2020/21 – Revised Appendix 6 of Report 3(a)

3.  Basic Amount of Council Tax 2020/21 – Appendix 6A

4.  Total Council Tax 2020/21 – Appendix 6B

5.  Capital Investment Programme 2019/23 – Revised Appendix 2 of Report 3(b) 

It was then moved by Councillor L Foster and seconded by Councillor A Davison as an amendment -

The Council is recommended to resolve as follows: –

(a) That the recommendations contained within the Director’s report/item 3(a) be approved and adopted, subject to the following changes:

(i) Appendix 1 substituted by Revised Appendix 1 of report/item 3(a) (see 1 below).

(ii) Table 1 and 2 in Appendix 2 substituted by Table 1 and 2 in Revised Extract of Appendix 2 of report/item 3(a) (see 2 below).

(iii) Appendix 6 substituted by Revised Appendix 6 of report/item 3(a) (see 3 below).

(iv) Inclusion and referencing within Revised Appendix 1 of report/item 3(a) to new Appendix 6A (see 4 below).

(v) Inclusion and referencing within Revised Appendix 1 of report/item 3(a) to new Appendix 6B (see 5 below);

(b) that the recommendations contained within report/item 3(b) be approved and adopted;

(c) that the recommendations contained within report/item 3(c) be approved and adopted, and

(d) That the recommendations contained within report/item 3(d) be approved and  adopted.

1.  Technical Budget Recommendations – Revised Appendix 1 of Report 3(a) 

That the following technical recommendations be approved:

11  That the general council tax band D rate be set at £1,383.94, which represents an increase of 2% from the total 2019/20 band D rate

12  That the adult social care precept band D rate be set at £134.18, which represents an increase of 2% from the total 2019/20 band D rate

13  At the meeting held on 27^th January 2020 Council set the following amounts for the year 2020/21:

(c)  49,889.5 as its Council Tax Base for the year [Item T in the formula in Section 31B(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended by the Localism Act 2011 (the “Act”), and

(d)  the Council Tax Base for each part of the area as shown in Revised Appendix 6 of report 3(a), column 2

14  That the following amounts for 2020/21, as required by the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended, be approved:

15  That it be noted that for the year 2020/21 the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside and the Humberside Fire Authority have issued precepts to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each category of dwellings in the Council’s area as indicated in Revised Appendix 6 of report 3(a).

16  That having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at 6(i) and 7 above, the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in the tables in Appendix 6B as the amounts of Council Tax for 2020/21 for each part of its area and for each of the categories of dwellings (council tax including police, fire and parish precept for each band and each parish).

17  That the Council’s basic amount of Council Tax for 2020/21 is not excessive in accordance with principles approved under Section 52ZB Local Government Finance Act 1992.

18  That the robustness of the estimates used in setting the level of council tax in accordance with the Local Government Act, 2003 requirements (Part 2 Section 25 (1)(a) of the Act) be confirmed.

19  That the adequacy of reserves included in the budget is in accordance with the Local Government Act, 2003 requirements (Part 2 Section 25 (1) (b) of the Act), and the policy for use of reserves as set out in Section 5 of the report and at Appendix 4 of report 3(a) be confirmed.

20  That the use of capital receipts flexibility be approved enabling spending charged to the revenue budget on service transformation to be capitalised as set out at Appendix 5 of report 3(a).

2.  Medium Term Financial Plan – Revised Extract of Appendix 2 of Report 3(a)

3.  Parish and Major Precepting Authority Precepts 2020/21 – Revised Appendix 6 of Report 3(a)

4.  Basic Amount of Council Tax 2020/21 – Appendix 6A

5.  Total Council Tax 2020/21 – Appendix 6B 

Following completion of the debate on the budget the council proceeded to the vote.

Members were reminded that in accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 immediately after any vote was taken at a budget meeting the voting shall be recorded in the minutes to show whether each member present votes for or against a decision or who abstained from voting.

The names of members voting for, against and abstaining from the amendment are as follows: - 

 FOR:     Councillors Ali, Armitage, Bainbridge, A Davison, Ellerby, L Foster, Gosling, Grant, Kirk, O’Sullivan, Rayner, Southern, Swift, Wilson and Yeadon

AGAINST:   Councillors Allcock, Armiger, Briggs, Clark, J Davison, England, Evison, T Foster, Hannigan, Longcake, Marper, Mitchell, Ogg, Poole, Reed, Robinson, Rose, Rowson, C Sherwood, N Sherwood, K Vickers,  P Vickers, Walshe, Waltham MBE and Wells.

ABSTAINING:     Nil

Amendment Lost.

The names of members voting for, against and abstaining from the motion are as follows :-

FOR:  Councillors Allcock, Armiger, Briggs, Clark, J Davison, England Evison, T Foster, Hannigan, Longcake, Marper, Mitchell, Ogg, Poole, Reed, Robinson, Rose, Rowson, C Sherwood, N Sherwood, K Vickers,  P Vickers, Walshe, Waltham MBE and Wells.     

AGAINST:  Councillor Kirk

ABSTAINING:  Councillors Ali, Armitage, Bainbridge, A Davison, Ellerby, L Foster, Gosling, Grant, O’Sullivan, Rayner, Southern, Swift, Wilson andYeadon

Motion Carried.