Agenda item

Resolved:

That the following be approved:

15 February 2022

 

Item 8.1          CA/07/22        SENIOR OFFICER PAY POLICY

 

Decision

 

(1)  That Cabinet recommends to Council that it adopts the Pay Policy for 2022/23 as set out in appendix 1 to the cabinet report.

 

(2)   That Cabinet recommends to Council that authority be delegated to the Chief Executive in conjunction with the Council’s Monitoring Officer to approve any amendments to the Pay Policy throughout the financial year 2022/2023, which may be required as a result of legislative changes.

 

Item 8.2          CA/10/22        CUSTOMER SERVICE STRATEGY

 

Decision

 

(1)     Approves the outline plan for phase two implementation and recommends to Council the drawdown from reserves of £150,000 to complete the phase 2 work.

(2)     Approves the principle of a new Head of Transformation post to lead the on-going transformational change programme, including the Customer Strategy, and recommends to Council the drawdown from reserves of £180,000 to fund the post.

Item 8.3          CA/11/22        TREASURY MANAGEMENT- MID YEAR REVIEW

 

Decision

 

That Council accepts this report on mid-year treasury management performance and prudential indicators for 2021/22

 

Item 8.4          CA/12/22        BUDGET REPORT

 

Councillor Tindall proposed an amendment to the budget and this was seconded by Councillor England. The amendment was as follows:

 

To use the Negative RSG Contribution of £900,000 as follows –

 

1. To set up a specific reserve to be available to kick-start initiatives for carbon reduction in Council domestic properties - £450,000
2. To set up a specific reserve for the purchase of electric vehicles in and for the Council and facilitate development of propulsion - £450.000

 

A recorded vote was held on the alternate budget:

 

For: 15 (Allen, Claughton, Dhyani, England, Foster, Freedman, Hobson, Hollinghurst, Link, Ransley, Stevens, Symington, Taylor, Tindall and Wilkie)

Against: 17 (Anderson, Banks, Barrett, Beauchamp, Birnie, Douris, Elliot, Griffiths, Guest, Harden, Hearn, Johnson, Riddick (Mayor), Rogers, Timmis, Williams and Wyatt-Lowe)

Abstain: 0

Absent for vote:4 (Adeleke, Arslan, Peter and Silwal)

 

Therefore the amendment failed.

 

A recorded vote was then held on the preliminary budget:

 

For: 20 (Anderson, Arslan, Banks, Barrett, Beauchamp, Birnie, Douris, Elliot, Griffiths, Guest, Harden, Hearn, Johnson, Peter, Riddick (Mayor), Rogers, Silwal, Timmis, Williams and Wyatt-Lowe).      

Against: 1 (Hollinghurst)

Abstain: 14 (Allen, Claughton, Dhyani, England, Foster, Freedman, Hobson, Link, Ransley, Stevens, Symington, Taylor, Tindall and Wilkie)

Absent for vote: 1 (Adeleke)

 

Therefore it was resolved that the following be approved;

 

Decision

 

General Fund Revenue Estimate

 

a) set a Dacorum Borough Council General Fund Council Tax requirement of £12.836m, and a provisional amount of £13.851m for the combined Borough Council and Parish Councils’ requirement for 2022/23;

 

b) approve a Band D Council Tax increase of £5 (2.4%) for Dacorum Borough Council;

 

c) approve the base estimates for 2022/23, as shown in Appendix A1, and the indicative budget forecasts for 2022/23 – 2025/26, as shown in Appendix A2;

 

d) approve the forecast balances of Revenue Reserves as shown in Appendix J, and approve section 11 of this report as the updated Reserves Strategy;

 

e) approve increases in Fees and Charges for 2022/23 as set out in Appendices C3, D3, and E3;

 

f) approve and adopt the Treasury Management Strategy for 2022/23, attached at Appendix K;

 

g) approve and adopt the Capital Strategy for 2022/23, attached at Appendix L;

 

h) note that this budget paper, if approved by Council, will form part of the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

 

Capital Programme

 

i) approve the Capital Programme for 2022/23 to 2026/27, as detailed in Appendix I;

 

j) approve the financing proposals in Appendix I subject to an annual review of the financing options by the Chief Finance Officer, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Resources, during the preparation of the Statement of Accounts.

 

Housing Revenue Account (HRA)

 

k) set dwelling rents according to the new MHCLG Rent Standard, which provides for a rent increase of CPI+1% (4.1% in total). The average dwelling rents is proposed to be £111.23 in 2022/23 (based on 52 weeks);

 

l) approve the HRA estimate for 2022/23 as shown in Appendix F.

 

Employer Terms and Conditions

 

m) note that the hourly rate of all Council employees continues to exceed the rate proposed by the rates of the Living Wage Foundation, for 2022/23 (to be reviewed annually thereafter).

 

Statement by Chief Finance Officer

 

n)     approve the statement by the Chief Finance Officer regarding the robustness of the budget estimates and level of reserves as set out in Appendix M.

 

In addition,Dacorum Borough Council is to set aside £135k towards the Wendover Canal Trust restoration project. This is made up of a £25k initial payment to the trust and £110k that will be set aside to fund the final £110k once all other funding requirements have been achieved.

 

Item 8.5          CA/13/22        Q3 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

 

Decision

 

Approval of the revised capital programme to move £5.78m slippage identified at Quarter 3 into financial year 2022/23 as detailed in Appendix C of the cabinet report.

 

Item 8.6          CA/14/22        MEMBERS CODE OF CONDUCT

 

Decision

 

That Council approves the annexed Code of Conduct for Councillors.

 

Item 8.7          CA/15/22        COMMITTEE TIMETABLE

 

Decision

 

That Council approves the Meeting Timetable for 2022/23 as set out in Appendix A to the cabinet report.

 

 

Resolved:

That the following be approved:

15 February 2022

 

Item 8.1          CA/07/22        SENIOR OFFICER PAY POLICY

 

Decision

 

(1)  That Cabinet recommends to Council that it adopts the Pay Policy for 2022/23 as set out in appendix 1 to the cabinet report.

 

(2)   That Cabinet recommends to Council that authority be delegated to the Chief Executive in conjunction with the Council’s Monitoring Officer to approve any amendments to the Pay Policy throughout the financial year 2022/2023, which may be required as a result of legislative changes.

 

Item 8.2          CA/10/22        CUSTOMER SERVICE STRATEGY

 

Decision

 

(1)     Approves the outline plan for phase two implementation and recommends to Council the drawdown from reserves of £150,000 to complete the phase 2 work.

(2)     Approves the principle of a new Head of Transformation post to lead the on-going transformational change programme, including the Customer Strategy, and recommends to Council the drawdown from reserves of £180,000 to fund the post.

Item 8.3          CA/11/22        TREASURY MANAGEMENT- MID YEAR REVIEW

 

Decision

 

That Council accepts this report on mid-year treasury management performance and prudential indicators for 2021/22

 

Item 8.4          CA/12/22        BUDGET REPORT

 

Councillor Tindall proposed an amendment to the budget and this was seconded by Councillor England. The amendment was as follows:

 

To use the Negative RSG Contribution of £900,000 as follows –

 

1. To set up a specific reserve to be available to kick-start initiatives for carbon reduction in Council domestic properties - £450,000
2. To set up a specific reserve for the purchase of electric vehicles in and for the Council and facilitate development of propulsion - £450.000

 

A recorded vote was held on the alternate budget:

 

For: 15 (Allen, Claughton, Dhyani, England, Foster, Freedman, Hobson, Hollinghurst, Link, Ransley, Stevens, Symington, Taylor, Tindall and Wilkie)

Against: 17 (Anderson, Banks, Barrett, Beauchamp, Birnie, Douris, Elliot, Griffiths, Guest, Harden, Hearn, Johnson, Riddick (Mayor), Rogers, Timmis, Williams and Wyatt-Lowe)

Abstain: 0

Absent for vote:4 (Adeleke, Arslan, Peter and Silwal)

 

Therefore the amendment failed.

 

A recorded vote was then held on the preliminary budget:

 

For: 20 (Anderson, Arslan, Banks, Barrett, Beauchamp, Birnie, Douris, Elliot, Griffiths, Guest, Harden, Hearn, Johnson, Peter, Riddick (Mayor), Rogers, Silwal, Timmis, Williams and Wyatt-Lowe).      

Against: 1 (Hollinghurst)

Abstain: 14 (Allen, Claughton, Dhyani, England, Foster, Freedman, Hobson, Link, Ransley, Stevens, Symington, Taylor, Tindall and Wilkie)

Absent for vote: 1 (Adeleke)

 

Therefore it was resolved that the following be approved;

 

Decision

 

General Fund Revenue Estimate

 

a) set a Dacorum Borough Council General Fund Council Tax requirement of £12.836m, and a provisional amount of £13.851m for the combined Borough Council and Parish Councils’ requirement for 2022/23;

 

b) approve a Band D Council Tax increase of £5 (2.4%) for Dacorum Borough Council;

 

c) approve the base estimates for 2022/23, as shown in Appendix A1, and the indicative budget forecasts for 2022/23 – 2025/26, as shown in Appendix A2;

 

d) approve the forecast balances of Revenue Reserves as shown in Appendix J, and approve section 11 of this report as the updated Reserves Strategy;

 

e) approve increases in Fees and Charges for 2022/23 as set out in Appendices C3, D3, and E3;

 

f) approve and adopt the Treasury Management Strategy for 2022/23, attached at Appendix K;

 

g) approve and adopt the Capital Strategy for 2022/23, attached at Appendix L;

 

h) note that this budget paper, if approved by Council, will form part of the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

 

Capital Programme

 

i) approve the Capital Programme for 2022/23 to 2026/27, as detailed in Appendix I;

 

j) approve the financing proposals in Appendix I subject to an annual review of the financing options by the Chief Finance Officer, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Resources, during the preparation of the Statement of Accounts.

 

Housing Revenue Account (HRA)

 

k) set dwelling rents according to the new MHCLG Rent Standard, which provides for a rent increase of CPI+1% (4.1% in total). The average dwelling rents is proposed to be £111.23 in 2022/23 (based on 52 weeks);

 

l) approve the HRA estimate for 2022/23 as shown in Appendix F.

 

Employer Terms and Conditions

 

m) note that the hourly rate of all Council employees continues to exceed the rate proposed by the rates of the Living Wage Foundation, for 2022/23 (to be reviewed annually thereafter).

 

Statement by Chief Finance Officer

 

n)     approve the statement by the Chief Finance Officer regarding the robustness of the budget estimates and level of reserves as set out in Appendix M.

 

In addition,Dacorum Borough Council is to set aside £135k towards the Wendover Canal Trust restoration project. This is made up of a £25k initial payment to the trust and £110k that will be set aside to fund the final £110k once all other funding requirements have been achieved.

 

Item 8.5          CA/13/22        Q3 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

 

Decision

 

Approval of the revised capital programme to move £5.78m slippage identified at Quarter 3 into financial year 2022/23 as detailed in Appendix C of the cabinet report.

 

Item 8.6          CA/14/22        MEMBERS CODE OF CONDUCT

 

Decision

 

That Council approves the annexed Code of Conduct for Councillors.

 

Item 8.7          CA/15/22        COMMITTEE TIMETABLE

 

Decision

 

That Council approves the Meeting Timetable for 2022/23 as set out in Appendix A to the cabinet report.