A.  Budget Council Procedure

Cabinet – 16 January, 2014

Minute 134 is attached together with appendix 1 to the report.

(Pages 19 - 26)

B.  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(l), 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).

C.  Council Budget 2014/15

On a motion by the Leader of the Council, to approve recommendations from the Cabinet meeting held on 12 February, 2014, subject to consideration of any amendments received in accordance with the approved Budget Council Procedure.

If the proposed budget is amended or an alternative budget proposal(s) carried, whether whole or in part, that will be regarded as an in-principle decision, which will automatically come into effect five working days from the date of that decision, unless the Leader of the Council informs the Head of Legal and Member Services in writing within that time that he objects to the decision becoming effective and provides reasons why.

In such circumstances, the Head of Legal and Member Services will call another meeting of the Council within seven working days. The Council will then be required to reconsider its decision, and the Leader of the Council’s written submission, at this further Council meeting. (A reserve date of Tuesday, 4 March 2014 has been set aside for considering any written submission by the Leader of the Council, should that be necessary). 

At that second meeting the Council can:

(i).  accept the Cabinet’s recommendation without amendment; or

(ii).approve a different decision which does not accord with the Cabinet’s recommendation, by a simple majority of votes cast at the meeting.

The minutes of the Cabinet (Budget Meeting) held on 12 February, 2014 are attached (pages 27 - 43) together with the following documents:

·  Revenue Budget 2014/17 (Pages 45 - 88)

[Cabinet minute 143 refers]

·  Capital Programme and Financing 2014/17 (Pages 89 - 106)

[Cabinet minute 144 refers]

·  Medium Term Financial Strategy 2014/17 (Pages 107 - 184)

[Cabinet minute 146 refers]

·  Schools Budget 2014/15 (Pages 185 - 196)

[Cabinet minute 147 refers]

·  Carbon Budget (Pages 197 - 206)

[Cabinet minute 148 refers]

In accordance with the Budget Council procedure, agreed with the three Party Leaders, the following Budget amendments were submitted to the Head of Legal and Member Services by 12.00noon on Friday, 21 February 2014.

1.  Proposed Conservative Group Budget Amendment 2014/15

Proposed by Councillor Jeff Green

Seconded by Councillor Lesley Rennie

2.  Proposed Liberal Democrat Group Budget Amendment 2014/15

Proposed by Councillor Phil Gilchrist

Seconded by Councillor Pat Williams

D.  Council Tax 2014/15

Report of the Director of Resources on the statutory calculations in respect of setting the Council Tax.

E.  Policy and Performance Coordinating Committee – Membership

On a recommendation by the Policy and Performance Coordinating Committee made at its meeting on 5 February, 2014, the Council is recommended to:

(1)  extend the Membership of the Policy and Performance Co-ordinating Committee to include:

(a)  Two Parent Governor Representatives; and

(b)  A representative of each of the appropriate Diocesan Authorities;

With voting rights, for the purpose of dealing with educational matters

(2)  in order to meet legal requirements when considering educational matters the Council be recommended to co-opt onto the Policy and Performance Co-ordinating Committee:

(a)  the following two Parent Governor Representatives, elected to sit on the Council’s scrutiny committees that deal with education (with voting rights, in respect of educational matters only)

·  Mrs H Shoebridge (until 28 October 2015); and

·  Mrs Nicola Smith (until 8 February 2017)

  and,

(b)  the following two Diocesan Authority representatives (with voting right in respect of educational matters only)

·  Damien Cunningham (representing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury); and

·  A representative of the Church of England Diocese of Chester (currently a nomination has not yet been made).