Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Wallasey Town Hall

Items
No. Item

111.

CIVIC MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS

To receive the Civic Mayor's announcements.

 

Minutes:

The Chair reported on the recent death of former Councillor Gordon Lindsay, Mayor of the Borough in 1985-86.

 

The Council observed a minutes silence in his memory.

112.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors J Hale, A Leech and T Pilgrim.

113.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST / RESTRICTIONS ON VOTING

Members of the Council are asked to consider whether they have any disclosable pecuniary interests and/or any other relevant interest, in connection with any matter to be debated or determined at this meeting and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of such interest.

 

Minutes:

In accordance with the Code of Conduct for Members, the following declarations of interest were made:-

 

(1)  Declarations of personal interest in agenda item 8 ‘Council Budget’ insofar as it related to schools budget by virtue of holding positions as school governors were declared on behalf of all members of the Labour and Liberal Democrat Groups and by Councillors B Berry, E Boult, P Cleary, W Clements, J Green, C Jones, L Rennie, A Sykes, GCJ Watt, S Williams.

 

(2)  Declarations of personal interest in agenda item, 8 ‘Council Budget’ insofar as it related to the schools budget by virtue of close family members working in the either in schools and in the Council’s education and Children and Young people’s department were declared by Councillors RL Abbey, G Davies, J Green, A Jones, C Meaden and L Rowlands.

114.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 213 KB

To approve the accuracy of the minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 11 December 2017 (one ordinary meeting and one extraordinary meeting).

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That the minutes of the ordinary meeting of the Council and of the Extraordinary Meeting of the Council held on 11 December 2017 be approved and signed as correct records.

115.

PETITIONS (pursuant to Standing Order 5(2)(g) Council Procedure Rules)

If a petition relates to the setting of the Budget, the Member who presents it shall be given the opportunity during the main debate to speak to it, in order that the Council can take account of it in that context.

Minutes:

In accordance with Standing Orders 5(2)(g) and 21, the Mayor received petitions submitted by:

 

(i)  Councillor L Rennie on behalf of 569 signatories (online copy) regarding proposed promenade parking charges.

 

(ii)  Councillor G Ellis on behalf of 1300 signatories regarding proposal to introduce charges for parking on promenades.

 

(iii)  Councillor G Ellis on behalf of 691 visitors / residents objecting to parking charges on West Kirby, Hoylake, Meols Promenades.

 

(iv)   Councillor G Ellis on behalf of 116 residents objecting to planning application OUT/17/01085.

 

(v)   Councillor W Clements on behalf of 333 signatories (online copy) regarding proposal to introduce charges for parking on promenades.

 

(vi)   Councillor J Green on behalf of 262 visitors / residents (online copy) regarding proposal to introduce charges for parking on promenades.

 

(vii)   Councillor B Berry on behalf of 500 visitors / residents signatories regarding proposal to introduce charges for parking on promenades.

 

(viii)   Councillor B Berry on behalf of 1169 visitors / residents, regarding proposed parking charges on the seafront in New Brighton.

116.

PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET AND POLICY FRAMEWORK PROCEDURE RULES (STANDING ORDERS) pdf icon PDF 117 KB

Council to consider the recommendations referred from Cabinet (Minute 73(3), 18 December 2017 refers) to amend the Council’s Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules (standing orders) contained as Part 4(c) of the Constitution.

 

 

Minutes:

Further to Minute 73(3) of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 5 March 2018, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Phil Davies moved, and the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor George Davies seconded the recommendation to the Council for adoption of changes to the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules at Part 4C of the Council’s Constitution.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the revised Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules be approved and adopted.

117.

SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS OF THE COUNCIL'S CONSTITUTION

(i)  Standing Order 12(1)relates to ‘Motions and Amendments’ and provides that:

 

  “A motion or amendment shall relate to a recommendation of a committee submitted in accordance with Standing Order 5.2(i), or to a matter referred to in Standing Orders 7 and 8. It shall not be discussed unless it has been proposed and seconded.

 

  The terms of any amendment or notice of motion shall not be varied except with the agreement of the Council.”

 

(ii)  Standing Order 12(9) relates to ‘Amendments’ and provides that:

 

  “Subject to Standing Order 7(5) an amendment to a motion or recommendation of the Cabinet or of a Committee shall be relevant to the motion or recommendation under consideration and shall be either

 

(a) to refer or refer back a subject of debate for consideration or reconsideration as the case may be;

(b) to leave out words;

(c) to leave out words and insert or add others;

(d) to insert or add words.

as long as the effect of any amendment is not to negate the motion or recommendation.”

 

(iii)  Standing Order 12(10) relates to ‘Amendments to be dealt with in order’ and provides that:

 

  “Only one amendment may be moved and discussed at a time”.

 

For the purposes of the Budget Debate, Council is requested to suspend:

 

(a)  Standing Orders 12(1) insofar as it relates to amendments;

(b)  Standing Order 12(9); and

(c)  Standing Order 12(10).

 

Minutes:

On a motion by Councillor Phil Davies and seconded by Councillor George Davies, it was –

 

RESOLVED: 

 

That, for the purposes of the Budget Debate, the following Standing Orders be suspended –

 

(a) Standing Order 12(1) insofar as it related to amendments;


(b) Standing Order 12(9); and


(c) Standing Order 12(10).

118.

COUNCIL BUDGET pdf icon PDF 86 KB

The Budget Debate will only consider:

 

(i)  the Cabinet’s Budget Recommendations/Minutes, which shall include any additional paragraphs /  recommendations (e.g. those relating to precepts), together with any other recommendation(s) / minute(s) from the Cabinet meeting held on 19 February 2018 (and/or any other relevant Cabinet meeting) that require approval by the Council; and

 

(ii)  any objections to the recommendations and those Alternative Budget Proposal(s) or Amendment(s) to the Cabinet’s Budget Recommendations / Minutes referred to at (i) above that are duly lodged with the Assistant Director: Law and Governance (Monitoring Officer) on or before 12noon on Wednesday, 28 February 2018.

 

(iii)  Budget Debate shall be conducted in accordance with the Budget Debate Process. Cabinet Minute 73(1), 18 December 2017 refers.  (Pages 43 - 48)

 

The following minutes of the Cabinet (Budget Meeting) held on 19 February 2018, are attached. 

 

Minute 81 – Capital Monitoring 2017/18 Quarter 3 (revised Capital Plan), (Cabinet Report attached).    (Pages 49 - 66)

 

Minute 82 - The 2018/19 Budget Proposals Scrutiny, copies of the Overview and Scrutiny Reports may be found here:

http://democracy.wirral.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=121&MId=5962

   (Pages 67 - 68)

 

Minute 83 - Cabinet Budget Resolution 2018/19    (Pages 69 - 82)

 

Supporting Documents

 

A  Revenue Budget and Council Tax Levels 2018/19

    (Pages 83 - 142)

 

B  Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2018/21

    (Pages 143 - 178)

 

C  Capital Programme and Financing 2018/21

    (Pages 179 - 208)

 

D  Schools Budget and Funding Formula Changes 2018/19

    (Pages 209 - 225)

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

In accordance with the agreed Budget Council Procedure, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Phil Davies moved and the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor George Davies seconded the Cabinet’s recommended Budget to Council set out in Minute 83 from the meeting of the Cabinet held on 19 February 2018 –

 

Minute 83

 

MINUTE EXTRACT - BUDGET CABINET

 

19 February 2018

 

83  COUNCIL BUDGET 2018/19

 

PhilDavies

Councillor Phil Davies (Leader of the Council), said:

 

“We have a responsibility to set a fair, sustainable and balanced budget.  This is a challenge which gets more difficult every year, as austerity policies continue to bite.

 

We have committed to 20 Pledges in our Wirral Plan and, despite the continued reductions in our budget, we are determined we will deliver on what we promised”.

 

Councillors Phil Davies, Janette Williamson and Bernie Mooney introduced reports on the following budgetary matters:

 

(A)Revenue Budget and Council Tax Levels 2018/19 (Councillor Davies) – that provided an update on the Medium Term Financial Strategy and Council Budget 2018/19 reported to Cabinet on 18 December 2017. It set out the background and the key elements contributing to the preparation of the Budget for 2018/19.

 

(B)Treasury Management Strategy Statement (Councillor Williamson) – that provided the Authority’s treasury management activity as underpinned by CIPFA’s Code of Practice on Treasury Management (“the Code”), which required the production of annual Prudential Indicators and a Treasury Management Strategy Statement on likely financing and investment activity. The Code also recommended that Members were informed of treasury management activities at least twice a year. The report fulfilled the Authority’s legal obligation under the Local Government Act 2003 to have regard to both the CIPFA Code and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) Investment Guidance.

 

(C)Capital Programme and Financing (Councillor Davies) – the report provided Cabinet with the draft Capital Programme 2018/21 for consideration and referral to Council for approval. It also included information regarding the revenue implications of the Programme and an update on the latest forecast for capital receipts. The 2018/21 Capital Programme represented a combination of schemes originally approved as part of the 2017/20 Programme, updated through the Capital Monitoring reports in 2017/18 and new bids for inclusion as detailed in the report.

 

(D)Schools Budget and Formula Funding Changes 2018/19 (Councillor Mooney) – the report set out the Schools Budget for 2018/19 having been previously considered by the Schools Forum at their meeting on 17 January 2018. The Schools Budget covered education provision for all Wirral Pupils aged up to 18 in Early Years, Primary, Secondary and academy schools and for some pupils up to the age of 25 in Special Schools and High Needs providers. The report informed that most budgets were delegated to schools with some central provision for support services including school admissions and High Needs. The report proposed a number of changes to the local funding formula for Schools to allow a transitional transfer to the National Funding Formula.

 

Councillor Phil Davies informed that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 118.

119.

APPOINTMENTS

Council shall consider any recommendations referred for appointment, approval and/or designation (as appropriate).

Minutes:

The Civic Mayor advised that there were no matters to consider under this item.

120.

VACANCIES

Council shall consider any appointments to be approved or any changes proposed to existing appointments.

 

Committees

 

Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee

Councillor Steve Foulkes to replace Councillor Tony Norbury as a deputy.

 

Outside Bodies

 

Liverpool City Region - Employment and Skills Board:

Councillor Pat Hackett to replace Councillor Phil Davies.

 

Merseyside Society for the Deaf:

Councillor Irene Williams to replace Councillor Louise Reecejones.

 

Minutes:

Further to the notification of proposed changes to appointments to Committees and to outside bodies as detailed on the agenda, on the motion of Councillor Phil Davies and seconded by Councillor Bernie Mooney, it was –

 

RESOLVED: –

 

That the following changes to appointments to Committees and to outside bodies be approved:-

 

Committees

 

Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee:  Councillor Steve Foulkes to replace Councillor Tony Norbury as a deputy.

 

Outside Bodies

 

Liverpool City Region - Employment and Skills Board:  Councillor Pat Hackett to replace Councillor Phil Davies.

 

Merseyside Society for the Deaf:  Councillor Irene Williams to replace Councillor Louise Reecejones