Agenda and draft minutes

The Mayor welcomed fellow councillors, officers and members of the public to the budget meeting of North Lincolnshire Council and on behalf of all members, specifically welcomed Alison Barker, the Council’s new Chief Executive to North Lincolnshire Council.

The Mayor requested that Council pays its respect to two former councillors Donald Stewart MBE and David Whiteley who died recently, and to Sarah Newton, Mayor’s Secretary who also died recently following a brave and dignified fight against illness. On behalf of all councillors, she expressed their thoughts for their families at this sad time. Don Stewart MBE served on North Lincolnshire Council from 1996 to 2011 and was for a time Leader of the Council. Dave Whiteley served from 1996 to 2015 and had a keen knowledgeable interest in local planning, always present even in recent years at meetings of the Planning Committee. Sarah Newton as Mayor’s Secretary was a professional officer who supported the work of mayors and deputy mayors of North Lincolnshire. The council then observed a minute's silence in memory of Don Stewart MBE, Dave Whiteley and Sarah Newton.

Declarations of personal interests were indicated as follows –

It was moved by Councillor R Hannigan and seconded  by Councillor D Rose –

That in accordance with Procedure Rule D1.19(s) the Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Opposition be allowed up to 10 minutes to deliver their respective budget speeches.

                                                                                                   Motion Carried

Report of the Director: Outcomes

The Director: Outcomes 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 2024/2025 (or for a further reasonable period), 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 for each financial year. The Council may set a scheme for a minimum of one year or for a further reasonable period; previously the Council approved a scheme for one-year 2023/24. The Council could not make or amend a scheme without first having regard to recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP).

The Independent Remuneration Panel currently comprised four Independent Members, two who also sat on North East Lincolnshire Councils IRP. The Independent Remuneration Panel had met almost monthly in person since October 2023. Its work had reviewed and considered North Lincolnshire Council’s Scheme whilst comparing and benchmarking with several similar sized unitary and other local principal councils. It also provided the opportunity for members to comment on the Scheme and welcomed agreed suggestions of a cross-party elected member working group which had help shape its report and recommendations. The council’s Chief Finance Officer (S151) had also received a copy of the IRP report.

Moved by Councillor Waltham MBE and seconded by Councillor L Foster as a joint motion-

‘That the council acknowledge that there has been no increase in members allowances for 12 years a 53% RPI saving, also that the Leaders allowance was reduced by 25% in 2011.

(a)That the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) be thanked for its work, report and consultation with the council’s cross-party Working Group on Members’ Allowances; (b) that having taken into consideration the IRP’s recommendations set out in its report that a members’ allowance scheme as set out below be approved and adopted as follows –

(i)that the Basic Allowance for all members be increased by 3.9% for 2024/25 linked to the (CPI) Consumer Price Index (average), and further annual increases up to a maximum of 3% linked to the CPI (average) for 2025/26 and 2026/27 be applied – the percentage increase to be agreed by full Council annually and thereafter also applied for future four year terms of administration, subject to a required first year IRP review at the beginning of each of the four-year term of administration or as required by relevant statutory regulations,

(ii) that the Leader of the Council’s executive portfolio to now include the Ambassador for Inward Investment and Steel, representing a saving of one special responsibility allowance to enable the funding of the proposed scheme,

(iii) that remaining Special Responsibility Allowances increase by 3% for 2024/25 and then further annual increases linked to CPI (average) up to a maximum of 3% for 2025/26 and 2026/27 be applied – the percentage increase to be agreed by full Council annually and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2987.

The Director: Outcomes and Chief Financial Officer (S151)(interim) submitted reports relating to: –

 Financial Strategy, Budget 2024/25 and Medium-Term Financial Plan 2024/27,

Capital Investment Strategy 2024-27,

Treasury Management Strategy 2024/2025, and the Director: Outcomes submitted the following report –

Implementation of the 2023/2024 Pay Policy Statement

Each of the above issues were addressed within separate reports. The first report set out the council’s financial strategy, and sought approval for the budget and Council Tax proposal for 2024/25 and the Medium-Term Financial Plan 2026/27. The Director’s and Chief Financial Officer’s (S151)(interim) report explained that the Council operated within legally defined powers to fulfil a range of duties informed by the agreed ambition and priorities set out in the Council Plan. The powers included the ability to raise funding to invest locally. The Council set an annual budget based on its spending power, which took in to account government grants, business rates it would receive, the level of Council Tax it set and any planned use of strategic reserves. The report provided the basis upon which the council could set a balanced budget for 2024/25 and a robust financial forecast for the medium-term financial planning period 2024/27, as required by legislation.

In determining the budget for 2024/25 the Council was required to set the council tax rate for a Band D property made up of a general rate and an adult social care precept. The maximum increase applied is capped by a referendum limit set by the Department of Levelling up Housing and Communities (DLUHC).

The report stated that framework governing what councils do was based upon legislation. Councils had freedoms and flexibilities to determine many things locally, based upon local circumstances and needs of the population. The Council set it policy framework through two core strategic documents: The Local Plan (place shaping) and Council Plan (ambition, purpose, priorities, and use of resource) and supporting strategies and plans.

           The Council Plan guided activity across the council and setout the priorities, ensuring that people remained at the heart of everything the council does. The financial plan demonstrated how the council invested its resources to maximise impact, improve outcomes and achieve value for money. There was a strong financial management ethos across the council underpinned by the Council’s values. The financial position was monitored, managed, and reported on a regular basis. The Council’s forecast financial outturn in the current year was due to be reported to Cabinet next month. A positive forecast was the result of proactive and stringent financial management measures alongside net underspends across services. An underspend at outturn 2023/24 would enable resources to be transferred into Strategic Reserves to support financial resilience in the early years of the Medium-Term Financial Plan as the detail of transformational proposals were finalised and implementation was commenced.  Further analysis on the impact of the operating environment and transformation progress is detailed in the Medium-Term Financial Plan at appendix 2.

The Council was committed to ensuring value for taxpayers’ money as reaffirmed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2988.

Report of the Director: Outcomes.

The Director: Outcomes submitted a report on the outcome for North Lincolnshire following the 2021- 2023 UK Review of Parliamentary Boundaries in England.

The Director in her report explained that the Boundary Commission for England (BCE) commenced the above review in January 2021 and submitted its final report to Parliament in June 2023.  The final report’s recommendations became law through the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023 on 15 November 2023, with the revised constituencies to be used for the next Parliamentary (General) Elections (for any by-election that may take place beforehand, existing constituencies were to be used)

Through the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, the revised constituencies impacting upon North Lincolnshire were now required in law to be used for the forthcoming Parliamentary (General) Elections. The former constituencies of Brigg and Goole County Constituency and Scunthorpe County Constituency had been replaced with the –

Brigg and Immingham County Constituency,

Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme County Constituency and

Scunthorpe County Constituency

Brigg and Immingham County Constituency included the areas of the North Lincolnshire Council wards used at the time of the review (see paragraph 2.4 of the Director’s report, but will now also include any additional new wards within the constituencies) of Barton, Brigg and Wolds, Broughton and Appleby (now Broughton and Scawby) and Ferry, and North East Lincolnshire Council wards of Humberston and New Waltham, Immingham, Scartho, Waltham and Wolds.

Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme County Constituency included the areas of North Lincolnshire Council wards of Axholme Central, Axholme North and Axholme South and City of Doncaster Council wards of Finningley, Hatfield, Rossington and Bawtry and Thorne and Moorlands.

Scunthorpe County Constituency includes areas of North Lincolnshire Council wards of Ashby, (now Ashby Central and Ashby Lakeside wards) Bottesford, Brumby, Burringham and Gunness, Burton-upon Stather and Winterton, Crosby and Park, Frodingham, Kingsway with Lincoln Gardens, Ridge (now Messingham and Ridge wards) and Town.

Maps of the three new constituency areas were attached as appendices to the report (with more available on the Boundary Commission for England website).

Following enactment of the Review the North Lincolnshire Acting Returning Officer (ARO) for Parliamentary Elections had been informed in law that they would be responsible for elections in the Scunthorpe County Constituency. The ACO for North East Lincolnshire Council being responsible for Brigg and Immingham County Constituency and the ARO for the City of Doncaster Council for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme County Constituency.  (AROs for Parliamentary Elections in county constituencies were usually a named senior officer (Chief Executive) who discharge the functions of Returning Officers whose roles are more ceremonial as the High Sheriff or Sheriff of the county area).

Where a constituency was contained wholly within a single local authority area then electoral law provides that that local authority would provide the Acting Returning Officer for the constituency and deliver parliamentary elections for the constituency. Where a constituency falls within more than one local authority area, the Secretary of State would designate by Order  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2989.