Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Stephen Boyd  01597 826374

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

To receive apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from County Councillors J Charlton, M Mackenzie, G Morgan and GIS Williams.

2.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of interest from Members relating to items to be considered on the agenda.

Minutes:

The Solicitor to the Council advised that if particular lines of the budget were discussed, members should declare any interests at that point and complete the relevant form.

3.

Budget for 2019-20, Medium Term Financial Strategy 2019-2024 and Capital Programme for 2019-2024 pdf icon PDF 249 KB

To consider the budget for 2019-20, Medium Term Financial Strategy 2019-2024 and Capital Programme for 2019-2024.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council considered the budget for 2019/20, the Medium Term Financial Strategy 2019 - 2024 and Capital Programme 2019 – 2024 (copy filed with the signed minutes).

 

The Portfolio Holder for Finance outlined the Cabinet’s budget.  He advised that the development of the budget and achieving a balanced budget was extremely challenging.  Delivering services in the same way, as in the past, was no longer viable.  He advised that the proposed budget protected a range of budgets including £1m investment in schools which had been added to their delegated budgets, the investment in children and adult services and protects funding for developing key priorities in Vision 2025 such as the Mid Wales Growth Deal.   12 months ago there was a significant gap in the budget and to bridge that gap transformational changes commenced.  He also advised that the budget did not rely on reserves.

 

The Section 151 Officer advised that it was for officers to advise and support Members but it was for Members to decide on the budget.  He reiterated that there was a legal requirement to agree a balanced budget and so any changes to the proposed budget must be funded.  He advised that this was a very difficult budget, starting with a gap or £17m but the recommended budget was robust and reserves were adequate.  He advised that CIPFA had advised that the appropriate procedures had been followed in developing the budget.

 

The Finance Scrutiny Panel [FSP] Chair referred to the FSP’s report on the budget and highlighted that it had considered that the proposed budget was a high risk and reactive budget.  The Panel questioned the lack of fiscal responsibility of the Children Improvement Board and commented on the lack of pace of transformation and welcomed the Welsh Government’s relaxation of rules so enabling capital receipts for projects, which they hoped would be used in full.  The Portfolio Holder for Finance welcomed the FSP’s comments and indicated that under the new arrangements he would be a member of the new Finance Panel. 

 

County Councillor Gareth Jones proposed an amendment to the recommendations, seconded by County Councillor Lucy Roberts:

“Following feedback from discussions about the potential impact on communities of the proposed reductions to Libraries of £200K LRP08. We propose that this reduction is removed from the 2019/20 budget to allow further discussions to take place with our communities and the saving replaced by reducing the proposed contribution to the General Fund Reserve from £500k to £300k as set out in paragraph 7.10 of the budget proposal report.”

 

We propose that the implementation of charging for blue badge holders in saving HTP02 is removed and that the £50k is added to the HTR Transformation Programme saving, HTP10, increasing this to £1.150m.”

 

The Section 151 Officer advised that the projected financial position had continued to improve, since the report had been produced and so the proposed amendment could be accommodated within the budget.

Comment was made that if there was now flexibility in the budget the debate on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

Budget Virements

To consider budget virements.

4.1

Virement for North Powys Recycling Bulking Facility pdf icon PDF 62 KB

Minutes:

Council considered the capital virement for the North Powys Recycling Bulking Facility transferred from 2018/19 to 2019/20.

 

Councillors Emily Durrant and John Morris left the meeting.

 

County Councillor Gary Price proposed an amendment to the recommendation, seconded by County Councillor Liam Fitzpatrick:

1. That £2,723,482.33 of the budget be rolled over to 2019/20 for the delivery of a North Powys Recycling Bulking Facility as referenced in the original virement.

2. That ongoing discussions continue to be held with the local community to ensure that the most suitable site for a North Powys Recycling Bulking Facility is obtained and progressed.

3. That Council receives a detailed progress report, including recommendations following the ongoing discussions held with the local community, and before works start on the provision of a North Powys Recycling Bulking Facility.

 

Council debated the amendment which was carried upon being put to the vote by 42 votes to 11 with 1 abstention.

 

The recommendation as amended was subsequently put to the vote and approved by 42 votes to 5 and 0 abstentions.

 

RESOLVED

Reason for decision

1. That £2,723,482.33 of the budget be rolled over to 2019/20 for the delivery of a North Powys Recycling Bulking Facility as referenced in the original virement.

2. That ongoing discussions continue to be held with the local community to ensure that the most suitable site for a North Powys Recycling Bulking Facility is obtained and progressed.

3. That Council receives a detailed progress report, including recommendations following the ongoing discussions held with the local community, and before works start on the provision of a North Powys Recycling Bulking Facility.

 

To ensure appropriate virements are carried out that reflect the forecasted capital spend.

 

 

4.2

Virement for 21st Century School Projects pdf icon PDF 63 KB

Minutes:

Council considered the capital virement in respect of the Schools 21st Century School Projects.

 

It was moved by County Councillor Aled Davies and duly seconded and by 50 votes to 0 it was

 

RESOLVED

Reason for decision

To approve the following virements:

Brecon High School -£2,393,803

Gwernyfed High School

-£5,150,733

Bro Hyddgen School  -£3,116,160

 

To ensure appropriate virements are carried out that reflect the forecasted capital spend.

 

 

4.3

Virement for Capitalisation Direction pdf icon PDF 63 KB

Minutes:

Council considered the virement to create a Capitalisation Directions to use capital receipts, from the sale of land and building assets, to fund the identified costs of Service Reform and Transformation by using the powers given to the authority under the Local Government Act 2003 sections 16(2)(b) and 20 Treatment of Certain Costs as Capital Expenditure.

 

The Council noted that the full details of the costs capitalised will be included in a Disclosure Note in the Statement of Accounts and will need to be approved by the Audit Committee, when approving the Statement of Accounts.  The amount to be used in 2018/19 is £3.104m.

 

It was moved by County Councillor Aled Davies and duly seconded and by 50 votes to 0 it was

 

RESOLVED

Reason for decision

To approve the virement of £3.104m as set out in paragraph 1.1 of the report.

To ensure appropriate virements are carried out that reflect the forecasted capital spend.

 

 

In response to a question the Solicitor to the Council advised how, under the Constitution, a notice of motion could be moved.

 

The Leader thanked David Powell, Deputy Chief Executive and Mohamed Mehmet, Acting Chief Executive for their work during the recent difficult times.

 

 

 

5.

Banw C.P. School and Llanerfyl C. in W. (Foundation) School

To consider a report by County Councillor Aled Davies, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Countryside and Transport.

Minutes:

It was noted that this item had been withdrawn and would be considered at the meeting on 7 March, 2019.  The Council was advised that the officers were not available for the meeting.

 

6.

Exempt Items

The Monitoring Officer has determined that category 1 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules applies to the following item. His view on the public interest test (having taken account of the provisions of Rule 14.8 of the Council’s Access to Information Rules) was that to make this information public would disclose personal data relating to an individual in contravention of the principles of the Data Protection Act. Because of this and since there did not appear to be an overwhelming public interest requiring the disclosure of personal data he felt that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. Members are asked to consider these factors when determining the public interest test, which they must decide when considering excluding the public from this part of the meeting.

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED to exclude the public for the following item of business on the grounds that there would be disclosure to them of exempt information under category 1 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007).

 

 

7.

Senior Management Team Reorganisation

To consider the confidential report.

Minutes:

Council considered the report from the Acting Chief Executive.

 

It was moved by County Councillor Phil Pritchard and seconded by County Councillor Michael Williams and by 44 votes to 0 it was

 

RESOLVED

Reason for decision

1.    That the redundancy and pension payments are in line with Council policy and not enhanced.

2.    That there is a clear business case for the redundancy, in each case.