Agenda item

Budget and Medium Term Financial Plan Strategy Report

Meeting of Dorset Council, Tuesday, 11th February, 2025 6.30 pm (Item 72.)

To consider a recommendation from Cabinet.

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Capital Strategy presented the Budget Strategy and Medium-term Financial Plan (MTPF).

In presenting the report the Cabinet Member for Finance and Capital Strategy, Cllr S Clifford paid tribute to members and officers for their support in producing the budget for 2025/26. Following his budget speech Cllr Clifford proposed the recommendations (a) to (k) as set out in the report, and these were seconded by Cllr Ireland.

The Chair invited the Group Leaders to present their replies to the budget proposals. Cllrs A Parry, C Sutton, R Hughes and K Wheller presented their budget speeches and some of these are attached at appendix 3 to these minutes.

Cllr G Suttle proposed the following amendment, and this was seconded by Cllr S Flower.

“That:

Council land should be used in conjunction with community land trusts to deliver the priority of building local houses for local people.

As a consequence, the revenue budget summarised in appendix 1 be amended by reallocating up to £1.5M of the housing transformation funding anticipated from dwellings occupied periodically (second homes) to enable the following allocations:

(i) The budget to address the cost-of-living pressures faced by residents to be increased from £500,000 to £1.5M

(ii) Removal of the proposed introduction of evening and nighttime car parking charges at a cost of £235,000

(iii) The budget for youth work to be doubled from £100,000 to £200,000.”

Members debated the amendment proposed and the comments included:

· The proposed budget would support the delivery of the Housing Strategy whereas the amendment would have a significant negative impact on that work.

· Concerns expressed about matters raised that were not set out within the current budget proposals for example charging for nighttime parking. This proposal was not raised or debated during the scrutiny process; however other councillors indicated that it had been discussed.

· This budget was committed to transformation.

· Disagreement regarding the Youth Fund budget line.

· Concerns expressed regarding void properties.

As the seconder to the motion, Cllr S Flower addressed the Council, and the Cabinet Member for Finance and Capital Strategy responded to the amendment before it was put to the vote.

Cllr Suttle confirmed that the amendments (i) to (iv) should be taken as one vote.

In accordance with procedure rule 19.6 (recorded votes at budget meetings) a recorded vote was taken.

Those who voted in favour of the amendment:

Cllrs L Beddow, P Brown, R Bryan, S Christopher, T Coombs, P Dickenson, S Flower, S Gibson, B Goringe, J Haynes, S Jespersen, C Jones, N Lacey-Clarke, C Lugg, C Monks, S Murcer, L O’Leary, E Parker, M Parkes, A Parry, V Pothecary, B Quayle, D Shortell, A Skeats, J Somper, G Suttle, W Trite, J Vitali and K Wheller.

Those who voted against the amendment:

Cllrs Andrews, J Atwal, M Baker, S Bartlett, B Bawden, D Beer, M Bell, R Biggs, B Bolwell, D Bolwell, L Bown, A Brenton, A Canning, W Chakawhata, S Clifford, B Cooper, R Crabb, N Eysenck, B Ezzard, S Florek, A Fuhrmann, H Hobbs-Chell, S Holland, R Holloway, R Hope, R Hughes, N Ireland, J Jeanes, S Jones, P Kimber, C Kippax, R Legg, R Major, D Morgan, D Northam, J Orrell, S Robinson, P Roper, D Sowry-House, A Starr, C Sutton, R Tarr, D Taylor, G Taylor, A Todd, D Tooke, C Webb, B Wilson, C Woode.

Following the recorded vote of 29 for and 49 against, the amendment was LOST.

Members debated the original proposal, continuing to make comments around the charging for nighttime parking proposals and impact that might have on the nighttime economy, second home monies, the youth fund and housing.

The Leader summed up the original motion prior to going to the vote. In accordance with procedure rule 19.6 (recorded votes at budget meetings) a recorded vote was taken.

Those who voted in favour of the substantive motion:

Those who voted against the substantive motion:

Following the recorded vote of 49 for and 29 against, the amendment was CARRIED.

Decision

(a) That the revenue budget summarised in Appendix 1 of the report, be agreed.

(b) That the increase in general Council Tax of 2.9953% and 1.9969% in the Social Care Precept, providing a Band D Council Tax figure for Dorset Council of £2,101.05; an overall increase of 4.9921%, be agreed.

(c) That the Council Tax base of 160,793 Band D equivalents (186,917 households in total) agreed by the S151 Officer earlier in this budget setting process, be noted.

(d) That the continuation of the unchanged scheme of Local Council Tax Support, and the revised income tables following the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) uplift of benefits by 1.7%, be noted.

(e) That the Capital Strategy set out in Appendix 3, of the report and the changes to the programme contained within the appendix, be approved.

(f) That the Treasury Management Strategy set out in Appendix 4, of the report be agreed.

(g) That the assumptions used to develop the Budget Strategy and Medium[1]Term Financial Plan (MTFP), as set out throughout, the report be noted.

(h) That the recommended balances on earmarked reserves and on general funds, including the minimum level of the general fund, be agreed.

(i) That the responses to the recommendations and comments made as part of the budget scrutiny process, as set out in Appendix 6, be agreed.

(j) That the recommendations 1 – 5 from 4 December 2024 Harbour Advisory Committee meeting regarding fees and charges, budget and asset management plans, as set out at Appendix 7 of the report, be agreed.

(k) That a transfer of £5.1m reserves to a ring-fenced reserve to support the Dedicated Schools Grant Safety Value program as reported in section 13.42 of the report, be approved.

Supporting documents: