64.1           Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs K J Berry, J H Evetts, Mrs H C McLain and M G Sztymiak.  

65.1           The Committee’s attention was drawn to the Tewkesbury Borough Council Code of Conduct which was adopted by the Council on 26 June 2012 and took effect from 1 July 2012.

65.2           There were no declarations of interest made on this occasion.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2016.

66.1           The Minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2016, copies of which had been circulated, were approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.  

67.1           The evacuation procedure, as noted on the Agenda, was advised to those present.

67.2           The Mayor referred to the recent loss of two of the Council’s Honorary Aldermen; Mark Calway and Bill Whelan. He invited the Leader and Deputy Leader to say a few words prior to holding a minute’s silence as a mark of respect.

67.3           The Leader of the Council, Councillor Robert Vines, indicated that it was with great sadness that he was speaking about the recent passing of Honorary Alderman Bill Whelan. He explained that he had known Bill for a number of years and had seen him fighting illness courageously and without complaint for quite a few months. Bill had always had an enormous passion for life and especially, Churchdown, Innsworth and Down Hatherley, the areas he represented as a Parish, County and, until recently, a Borough Councillor; it was often commented that he was the unseen King of Churchdown. He explained that Bill would always take on any issue that he felt was worthwhile and was never parochial in how he came to decisions made at any of the places at which he was a representative. He was tenacious in the way he dealt with issues and would never give up on a cause if there was a fight to be won. He noted that, whilst they had different political views, and those had often resulted in an agreement to differ, they had never had cross words and he had regarded Bill as a close friend. Councillor Vines felt that the GL3 Hub in Churchdown was a memorial to Bill who had worked tirelessly to help make it the incredible success that it was – he suggested that it should be renamed ‘Bill’s Place – Legend’.

67.4           The Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Dave Waters, advised that it was with a heavy heart that he was speaking about the recent death of Honorary Alderman Mark Calway. He explained that he sometimes wondered if Mark had been born wearing a rosette as he had been a young conservative since he was 16 years old. Such was his passion for politics that he had become a Borough Councillor at the age of just 22 years old and had been the youngest Borough Mayor during the time he served on the Council. Following his time on the Council, Mark had taken up the position of Personal Assistant to Laurence Robertson MP a role he had undertaken for the last 16 years. In Councillor Waters’ view, Mark had been a great role model for dealing with casework given his passion and work rate and the amount of cases that he had fought and won over the years. He explained that politics had run in the family as Mark’s father, Brian Calway, had also been a Borough Councillor, and had recently been made an Honorary Alderman, and his mother, Maureen, had served as Mayoress to two Borough Mayor’s as Brian had also been Mayor whilst on the Council.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.

a)   To receive any questions, deputations or petitions submitted under Council Rule of Procedure.12.

(The deadline for public participation submissions for this meeting is 12 February 2016).

b)   To receive any petitions submitted under the Council’s Petitions Scheme.

68.1           There were no items from members of the public on this occasion.  

To receive any questions submitted under Rule of Procedure 13. Any items received will be circulated on 18 February 2016.

(Any questions must be submitted in writing to Democratic Services by, not later than, 10.00am on the working day immediately preceding the date of the meeting).

69.1           There were no Member questions on this occasion.  

At its meeting on 3 February 2016 the Executive Committee considered a report detailing the outcome of a waste review and RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL:

a)      That the findings of the Waste Service Review be ENDORSED.

b)      That the comingled recycling service, with separate food waste collections (Option 2), be adopted as the preferred option for implementation in 2017.

c)      That it be RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL that £3.25million be allocated from capital resources to fund the vehicle replacement programme.

d)    That authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the Lead Members for Clean and Green Environment and Finance and Asset Management, to procure the new and replacement vehicles. 

70.1           At its meeting on 3 February 2016 the Executive Committee had considered a report which detailed the outcome of a waste review and had resolved a) that the findings of the Waste Service Review be endorsed; b) that the comingled recycling service, with separate food waste collections (Option 2), be adopted as the preferred option for implementation in 2017; c) that it be recommended to Council that £3.25million be allocated from capital resources to fund the vehicle replacement programme; and d) that authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the Lead Members for Clean and Green Environment and Finance and Asset Management, to procure the new and replacement vehicles. 

70.2           The report that had been considered by the Executive Committee had been circulated at Pages No. 11-25.

70.3           The recommendation from the Executive Committee was proposed by the Chairman of the Committee and seconded by the Lead Member. In seconding the proposal, the Member indicated that an extensive review had been undertaken which had resulted in the recommendations which had been made. He had been heartened that the Council would still be able to offer the same service to residents that they already had and which they liked. He was also pleased that the Council would be ready to embrace the new residual waste disposal unit at Javelin Park which the County Council was committed to delivering.

70.4              The Leader of the Council expressed his appreciation to the representatives from the Joint Waste Team who had attended the Council’s meetings and seminars on the subject and presented the case extremely efficiently. He felt it was that approach which had resulted in there being no further questions from Members at the current meeting.

70.5              Accordingly, it was

                  RESOLVED          a)  That the findings of the Waste Service Review be                                                    ENDORSED.

                                                b)  That the comingled recycling service, with separate food                                         waste collections (Option 2), be ADOPTED as the preferred                                  option for implementation in 2017.

                                                c)  That £3.25million be allocated from capital resources to fund                                   the vehicle replacement programme.

                                                d)  That authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive,                                      in consultation with the Lead Members for Clean and Green                                    Environment and Finance and Asset Management, to                                                   procure the new and replacement vehicles. 

At its meeting on 3 February 2016 the Executive Committee considered the 2016/17 budget and RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL:

i.       That a net budget of £9,663,342 be APPROVED.

ii.      That a Band D Council Tax of £104.36, an increase of £5.00 per annum, be             APPROVED.

iii.     That the use of New Homes Bonus, as proposed in Paragraph 3.5 of the report, be APPROVED.

iv.     That the capital programme, as proposed in Appendix A to the report, be APPROVED.

v.      That the capital prudential indicators, as proposed in Appendix B to the report, be     APPROVED.

vi.     That the annual Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) statement, as contained in      Appendix B to the report, be APPROVED.

vii.    That the mid-year 2015/16 Treasury Management update, as contained in Appendix C        to the report, be APPROVED.

viii.   That the 2016/17 Treasury Management Strategy, as proposed in Appendix D to the           report, be APPROVED.

ix.     That authority be delegated to the Finance and Asset Management Group Manager, in consultation with the Lead Member for Finance and Asset Management, to apply to the Government for a four year Settlement if he believes it to be in the best interests of the Council. 

(If a Councillor intends to move a Motion or Amendment in relation to the Council’s annual budget, the text of the proposed Motion or Amendment must be submitted in writing to the Borough Solicitor by 9.00am on the working day preceding the day of the Council meeting).

(NB: Please remember that, in line with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, decisions on the budget MUST be a recorded vote).

70.6           At its meeting on 3 February 2016 the Executive Committee considered the 2016/17 budget and recommended to Council i) that a net budget of £9,663,342 be approved; ii) that a Band D Council Tax of £104.36, an increase of £5.00 per annum, be approved; iii) that the use of New Homes Bonus, as proposed in Paragraph 3.5 of the report, be approved; iv) that the capital programme, as proposed in Appendix A to the report, be approved; v) that the capital prudential indicators, as proposed in Appendix B to the report, be approved; vi) that the annual Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) statement, as contained in Appendix B to the report, be approved; vii) that the mid-year 2015/16 Treasury Management update, as contained in Appendix C to the report, be approved; viii) that the 2016/17 Treasury Management Strategy, as proposed in Appendix D to the report, be approved; ix) that authority be delegated to the Finance and Asset Management Group Manager, in consultation with the Lead Member for Finance and Asset Management, to apply to the Government for a four year Settlement if he believes it to be in the best interests of the Council. 

70.7           The report that had been considered by the Executive Committee had been circulated with the Agenda for the current meeting at Pages No. 26-69.

70.8           The recommendation from the Executive Committee was proposed and seconded and the Lead Member expressed his thanks to the Transform Working Group and the Finance Team for their hard work in putting together a balanced budget in such difficult circumstances.

70.9           In accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, voting on the proposal was recorded as follows:

70.10            Accordingly, it was

                  RESOLVED          i.  That a net budget of £9,663,342 be APPROVED.

                                                ii. That a Band D Council Tax of £104.36, an increase of £5.00                                   per annum, be APPROVED.

                                                iii. That the use of New Homes Bonus, as proposed in                                                   Paragraph 3.5 of the report, be APPROVED.

                                                iv. That the capital programme, as proposed in Appendix A to                                      the report, be APPROVED.

                                                v.  That the capital prudential indicators, as proposed in                                                 Appendix B  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70b

The Council is asked to formally set the Council Tax for 2016/17.

(A report will be circulated at the meeting).

(NB: Please remember that, in line with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, decisions on the budget MUST be a recorded vote).

71.1           Having agreed the Council’s 2016/17 budget earlier in the meeting, attention was drawn to a report, circulated around the table, which asked Members to approve and set a Council Tax requirement for 2016/17.  

71.2           In proposing the recommended Council Tax level, a Member advised that the recommendation would see the Council Tax for a Band D property rising by £5 per year. For Tewkesbury Borough this would make the Band D Council Tax £104.36 for 2016/17 which compared to £1,134.01 for Gloucestershire County Council; £210.31 for the Police and Crime Commissioner; and an average of £53.51 for Parish and Town Councils. This was the first time in five years that a Council Tax increase was proposed by the Borough Council and, whilst it was unfortunate, it seemed to be the only way that the Council could continue to provide its services against a backdrop of reductions in central government funding. The Member indicated that he wished to publically offer his thanks to the Finance and Asset Management Group Manager and his Team for their hard work.

71.3           In accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, voting was recorded as follows:

71.4              Accordingly, it was

                  RESOLVED         1.   That it be NOTED that on 18 February 2016 the Council                                         calculated:

a)  the Council Tax base 2016/17 for the whole Council area as £31,814.95 (Item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”)); and

b)  for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish Precept relates as attached in Appendix C to the report.

                                                2.   That the Council Tax requirement calculated for the                                                             Council’s own purposes for 2016/17 (excluding Parish                                                         Precepts) is £3,320,196.

                                                3.   That the following amounts be calculated for the year                                                          2016/17 in accordance with Sections 30 to 36 of the Act:

                                                       a) £35,704,269 being the aggregate of the amounts                                                                  which the Council estimates for the items set out in                                                              Section 31A(2) of the Act taking into account all                                                                   Precepts issued to it by Parish Councils.

                                                       b) £30,681,570 being the aggregate of the amounts                                                                  which the Council estimates for the items set out in                                                              Section 31A(3) of the Act.

                                                       c) £5,022,699 being  ...  view the full minutes text for item 71.