Agenda item

The Mayor advised the meeting that the Assistant Director for Corporate Governance and Monitoring Officer would provide some advice on the voting requirements for budget votes.

 

It was noted that the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, and the Council’s Standing Orders require the Council to record in the minutes how each Councillor voted (including any abstentions) when determining the Council’s Budget and the level of Council Tax to be levied.

 

The only requirement was to record in the minutes of the meeting how each member voted, and given that there were 4 amendments and a substantive motion to be voted on, it could be recorded in the minutes of the meeting how each member voted, including any who have abstained, by a show of hands.

 

Councillor Arthur then MOVED the budget report – Financial Planning 2016/17 and moved the recommendations contained at page 75 to page 76 of the agenda pack, section 3.1, items [a] to[o]. Councillor Kober seconded the MOTION and reserved her right to speak during the debate.

 

Councillor Engert MOVED 4 budget amendments as set out in the tabled papers and to be considered as part of the item 12. Councillor Morris seconded the amendments and reserved her right to speak during the debate.

 

A debate ensued and members contributed to the discussion.

 

Councillor Engert and then Cllr Arthur responded to the proposals.

 

[Councillor Mark Blake arrived at this juncture of the meeting – 8.30pm]

 

Councillor Emine Ibrahim declared a personal interest in the report by virtue of her employment as a UNISON trade union representative at Redbridge Council.

 

 

The 4 amendments to the Motions were then voted on individually.

 

Budget Amendment 1

On being put to a vote:

 

There were 9 in favour of the amendment (Councillors Beacham, Carter, Connor, Elliott, Engert, Hare, Morris, Newton and Ross)

 

And 41 against (Councillors Adje, Ahmet, Akwasi-Ayisi,Amin, Arthur, Basu, Bevan, B Blake, M Blake, C Bull, Carroll, Christophides, Demirci, Diakides, Doron, Gallagher, Goldberg, Griffith, Gunes, Hearn, Ibrahim, Jogee, Kober, Mallett, J Mann, S Mann, McShane, Mitchell, Morton, Ozbek, Patterson, Peacock, Reith, Rice, Ryan, Sahota, Strickland, Vanier, Waters, Weston, and Wright.

and 1 abstention - Councillor Berryman.

Amendment 1 was declared LOST.

Budget amendment 2 - 

On being put to a vote:

 

There were 9 in favour of the amendment (Councillors Beacham, Carter, Connor, Elliott, Engert, Hare, Morris, Newton and Ross)

 

and

 

42 against(Councillors Adje, Ahmet, Akwasi-Ayisi,Amin, Arthur, Basu, Bevan, Berryman, Blake, M Blake, C Bull, Carroll, Christophides, Demirci, Diakides, Doron, Gallagher, Goldberg, Griffith, Gunes, Hearn, Ibrahim, Jogee, Kober, Mallett, J Mann, S Mann, ,McShane, Mitchell, Morton, Ozbek, Patterson, Peacock, Reith, Rice, Ryan, Sahota, Strickland, Vanier, Waters, Weston, and Wright.

 

and no abstentions.

 

Amendment 2 was declared LOST.

 

Budget amendment 3

 

On being put to a vote:

 

There were 9 in favour of the amendment (Councillors Beacham, Carter, Connor, Elliott, Engert, Hare, Morris, Newton and Ross)

 

42 against(Councillors Adje, Ahmet, Akwasi-Ayisi,Amin, Arthur, Basu, Bevan, Berryman, Blake, M Blake, C Bull, Carroll, Christophides, Demirci, Diakides, Doron, Gallagher, Goldberg, Griffith, Gunes, Hearn, Ibrahim, Jogee, Kober, Mallett, J Mann, S Mann, ,McShane, Mitchell, Morton, Ozbek, Patterson, Peacock, Reith, Rice, Ryan, Sahota, Strickland, Vanier, Waters, Weston, and Wright.

 

and no abstentions.

 

Amendment 3 was declared LOST

 

Budget amendment 4

 

On being put to a vote:

 

There were 9 in favour of the amendment (Councillors Beacham, Carter, Connor, Elliott, Engert, Hare, Morris, Newton and Ross)

 

42 against(Councillors Adje, Ahmet, Akwasi-Ayisi,Amin, Arthur, Basu, Bevan, Berryman, Blake, M Blake, C Bull, Carroll, Christophides, Demirci, Diakides, Doron, Gallagher, Goldberg, Griffith, Gunes, Hearn, Ibrahim, Jogee, Kober, Mallett, J Mann, S Mann, ,McShane, Mitchell, Morton, Ozbek, Patterson, Peacock, Reith, Rice, Ryan, Sahota, Strickland, Vanier, Waters, Weston, and Wright.

 

and no abstentions.

 

Amendment 4 was declared LOST.

 

In respect of the substantive recommendations contained at section 3.1 of the Financial Planning 2016/17 report as MOVED by Councillor Arthur:

 

On a vote:

 

There being 42 for (Councillors Adje, Ahmet, Akwasi-Ayisi,Amin, Arthur, Basu, Bevan, Berryman, Blake, M Blake, C Bull, Carroll, Christophides, Demirci, Diakides, Doron, Gallagher, Goldberg, Griffith, Gunes, Hearn, Ibrahim, Jogee, Kober, Mallett, J Mann, S Mann, ,McShane, Mitchell, Morton, Ozbek, Patterson, Peacock, Reith, Rice, Ryan, Sahota, Strickland, Vanier, Waters, Weston, and Wright.

 

and 9 against (Councillors Beacham, Carter, Connor, Elliott, Engert, Hare, Morris, Newton and Ross)

 

and no abstentions it was:

 

RESOLVED

 

1.    To note the proposed Budget package agreed by Cabinet on 9th February 2016, including the outcomes from the budget consultation processes, which is attached as Annex 1.

2.    To note the Budget Scrutiny recommendations made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the response of the Cabinet set out in Appendix 6 to the Cabinet budget report (Annex 1)

3.    To approve the increase in the Haringey Council tax of 2% relating to the Adult Social Care precept;

4.    To approve the Cash Limits 2016/17 as set out in Annex 2;

5.    To approve the General Fund budget requirement for 2016/17 of £255.627m, net of Dedicated Schools Grant, as set out in Appendix 1 to the Cabinet budget report (Annex 1);

6.    To approve the 2016/17 General Fund capital programme set out in Appendix 3 to the Cabinet budget report (Annex 1);

7.    To approve the Housing Revenue Account Budget 2016/17 as set out in Appendix 2 to the Cabinet budget report (Annex 1);

8.    To approve the 2016/17 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital programme set out in Appendix 4 to the Cabinet budget report (Annex 1);

9.    To note the Greater London Authority (GLA) proposed precept (para. 7.8);

10. To delegate authority to the Chief Finance Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources and Culture, to reflect any final changes to the level of the GLA precept in the Council’s Council tax billing information set out in Annex 5;

11. To approve the reserves policy including the Chief Finance Officer’s (CFO) assessment of risk and her assessment of the adequacy of current and projected reserves, as set out in Annex 3 (a – c);

12. To approve the estimated level of un-earmarked General Fund reserves over the medium term financial planning period (2015 – 2018) and the specific and other reserves as set out in Annex 3b;

13. To note the report of the Chief Finance Officer under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003 on the robustness of the estimates and the adequacy of proposed reserves set out in section 9;

14. To approve the Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2016/17 set out in Annex 4; and

15. To pass the budget resolution including the level of Council tax, in the specified format and to determine that the Council’s relevant basic amount of Council tax for the year is not excessive as set out in Annex 5.