Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bill Davies, Elizabeth Grey, Dave Mitchell and Adam Sykes.

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.

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 Conservative Groups, and individually by Councillors P Gilchrist and AER Jones.

(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 Directorate were declared by Councillors R Abbey, J Green, AER Jones, C Jones, L Rowlands and M Sullivan.

(3) Councillor C Meaden declared a personal interest in agenda item 8 ‘Council Budget by virtue of her role as a Trustee of the Mayer Hall, Bebington Trust. 

To receive the Civic Mayor's announcements.

The Civic Mayor informed Council that it was a legal requirement that voting on matters relating to the Council Budget be undertaken in the form of a recorded vote. He advised that, at the appropriate time in proceedings, Members would be stating their voting preference orally. He added that the electronic voting system would therefore not be required that evening.

To approve the accuracy of the minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 10 December 2018 (ordinary meeting) and 25 February 2019 (extraordinary meeting).

It was moved by the Civic Mayor, seconded by Councillor Phil Davies, and

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the ordinary meeting of the Council held on 10 December 2018 and of the Extraordinary Meeting of the Council held on 25 February 2019 be approved and signed as correct records.

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.

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

(i)  Councillor Pat Cleary on behalf of 36 signatories regarding a request for traffic calming measures on Park Road, Eastham; and

(ii)  Councillor Anita Leech on behalf of over 800 signatories regarding ‘saving the 106 bus service’, together with a second petition of over 400 signatories regarding retention of the same service.

Council to note the content of the Council’s Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules (standing orders) contained as Part 4(C) of the Constitution (attached). Council Minute 116 (5 March 2018) refers.

The Civic Mayor stated that it was his intention to take consideration of Item 5 (Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules) and Item 6 (Suspension of Standing Orders) together. Therefore:

In conjunction with minute 101 (post), on a motion by moved by the Civic Mayor and seconded by Councillor Phil Davies, on a show of hands it was –

RESOLVED (unanimously):

That the Council’s Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules contained at Part 4(C) of the Council’s Constitution be noted.

(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).

In conjunction with minute 100 (ante), on a motion by moved by the Civic Mayor and seconded by Councillor Phil Davies, it was –

RESOLVED (unanimously):

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).

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 18 February 2019 (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 Director: Governance and Assurance (Monitoring Officer) on or before 12noon on Wednesday, 27 February 2019.

(iii)  Budget Debate shall be conducted in accordance with the Budget Debate Process. Cabinet Minute 73(1), 18 December 2017 refers.  (Pages 7 - 12)

The following minutes of the Cabinet (Budget Meeting) held on 18 February 2019, are attached.   

Supporting Documents:

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 54 (extract) from the meeting of the Cabinet held on 18 February 2019 –

54  COUNCIL BUDGET 2019/20

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

(A)  Revenue Budget 2019/20 and Medium Term Financial Strategy 2019/20 to 2022/23 (Councillor Davies) – the report provided a technical update on the proposals to balance the budget for 2019/20 and the Medium Term Financial Strategy previously reported to Cabinet on 26 November 2018. It described the background to balancing the budget gap and the key elements contributing to the preparation of the budget, and set out the formal recommendations on the 2019/20 budget and council tax for Full Council. The report included the updated Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and Resilience Plan for 2019/20 – 2022/23. This also included the publication of the Corporate Risk Register for 2019/20. These documents were dynamic and subject to change. In light of the Government fair funding review and recent funding consultations there was no certainty of funding past April 2020.  However, the MTFS had been prepared on the best of knowledge available at the time including known future pressures and plans already underway to change the way the Council provided its services.

(B)  Schools Budget and Funding Formula Changes 2019/20 (Councillor Mooney) - the report set out the Schools Budget for 2019/20 having been previously considered by the Schools Forum at their meeting on 16th January 2019. 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. 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. There were also changes proposed to High Needs. The Schools Budget provided resources to support all children and young people pledges, and the proposals within result in an in-year deficit of £2,343,200 on the DSG budget.

(C)  Capital Programme and Financing 2019/23  ...  view the full minutes text for item 102.