Agenda and minutes

AGREED that that minutes of the meeting held on 13 February 2018 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

NOTED the interests declared as shown in the schedule circulated at the meeting.

Other than the Council recording in accordance with usual practice, there were no declarations of intention to record the meeting.

Councillor R.V. Blaney updated the Council in respect of the appointment process for the new Chief Executive, and reminded all Members of the Special Council Meeting which would take place on Tuesday 10 April 2018 to confirm the appointment.

Councillor R.V. Blaney also advised all Members that a visit to Gladstone House was to be arranged for Tuesday 24 April 2018 ay 2pm. Further details would be sent in due course.

The Council considered the report of the Leader of the Council relating to the Revenue Budget and Council Tax Setting for 2018/2019.

The report indicated that, in setting the level of Council Tax for 2018/2019, it was necessary to consider the requirements of the Council Tax Collection Fund for 2018/2019.  This incorporated the District Council’s Council Tax Requirement, Parish Council Precepts and the Council Tax requirements of Nottinghamshire County Council, the Nottinghamshire Police & Crime Commissioner and the Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service.

The Policy & Finance Committee, at its meeting held on 22 February 2018, recommended that the District Council's Council Tax Requirement for 2018/2019, excluding Parish Council precepts, should be £11,382,210 as detailed in the Council's Budget Book for 2018/2019.  As part of the budget process, the views of the operational committees had been taken into account along with views of the Commercial Ratepayers through the statutory consultation.

It was reported that all Parish Council precepts had been received and these totalled £2,810,467.42 making a total Council Tax Requirement for the District Council of £14,192,677.42. 

Nottinghamshire County Council had set a precept on Newark & Sherwood District Council’s Collection fund for 2018/2019 of £54,392,827.  The Nottinghamshire Police & Crime Commissioner had set a precept on Newark & Sherwood District Council’s Collection fund for 2018/2019 of £7,487,381.92 and the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service had proposed a precept on Newark & Sherwood District Council’s Collection fund for 2018/2019 of £2,970,198.

Councillor R.V. Blaney moved and Councillor D.J. Lloyd seconded the recommendations as detailed in the report.

AGREED (unanimously) that:

1.         the revenue estimates for 2018/2019 and schedule of fees and charges, as submitted in the Council's Budget book be approved;

2.         it be noted that the following amounts have been determined for the year 2018/2019 in accordance with regulations made under Section 31(B) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:-

(a)        £38,320.19  being the amount calculated by the Council in accordance with regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992, as its Council Tax Base for the year;

(b)        £39,031,234  being the net business rate yield after transitional arrangements and rate retention;

(c)        Part of the Council’s Area

The Council considered the report of the Deputy Chief Executive / Director - Resources which set out the proposed Capital Programme for the period 2018/19 – 2021/22.  Following the Policy & Finance Committee’s consideration of the Capital Programme at its meeting on 22 February 2018 and in accordance with Financial Regulation 6.2.3, the final programme was recommended to Council for approval.  Attached as Appendix 1 to the report was the report submitted to Policy & Finance Committee held on 22 February 2018 which detailed the resources available, the Council’s existing committed programme and the priority schemes identified.

The Capital Programme for 2018/19 to 2021/22 proposed investment of £69.9m (Housing Services £54.9m and General Fund £15m).  The expenditure was financed by a combination of Government grants, third party contributions, capital receipts, revenue support (through the Major Repairs Reserve) and internal / external borrowing.

AGREED (unanimously) that:

(a)        the General Fund schemes shown in Appendix A, the housing services programme in Appendix B be approved as committed expenditure in the Capital Programme;

(b)        the Capital Programme be managed in accordance with Financial Regulation 6.2.3;

(c)        in accordance with the delegation to the Section 151 Officer in the Council’s Constitution to arrange financing of the Council’s Capital Programme, the Capital Programme for the financial years 2018/19 to 2021/22 be financed to maximise the resources available, having regard to the provisions of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and subsequent legislation; and

(d)        any changes above the limit delegated to the Section 151 Officer (i.e. £10,000), either in funding or the total cost of the capital scheme, be reported to the Policy & Finance Committee for consideration.

The Council considered the report of the Deputy Chief Executive / Director - Resources which sought approval for the Capital Strategy 2018/19 to 2020/21 which incorporated the Minimum Revenue Provision Policy and Capital Prudential Indicators. The Strategy had been updated in accordance with the latest guidance.

The Capital Strategy outlined the principles and framework that shaped the Council’s capital decisions. The principal aim was to deliver a programme of capital investment that contributed to the achievement of the Council’s priorities and objectives as set out in the Corporate Plan.  The Strategy was attached as Appendix A to the report.

AGREED (unanimously) that:

(a)        the Capital Strategy 2018/19 to 2020/21 be approved;

(b)        the Capital Prudential Indicators and Limits for 2018/19 to 2020/21, contained within Section 5 of the Strategy be approved; and

(c)        the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Policy Statement as contained within Section 6 of the Strategy, which sets out the Council’s policy on MRP, be approved.

The Council considered the report of the Deputy Chief Executive / Director - Resources which sought approval for the Treasury Management Strategy Statement for 2018/19. This Statement incorporated the Borrowing Strategy, Investment Strategy and Treasury Prudential Indicators in accordance with the latest guidance. The Statement was attached as Appendix A to the report.

AGREED (unanimously) that:

(a)        the Treasury Management Strategy 2018/19, incorporating the Borrowing Strategy and the Annual Investment Strategy be approved;

(b)        the Treasury Prudential Indicators and Limits for 2018/19 to 2019/20 be approved; and

(c)        the Authorised Limit Treasury Prudential Indicator be approved.

The Council considered the joint report of the Acting Chief Executive and Business Manager – HR, OD & Legal Services which sought approval of the Pay Policy Statement for 2018/19.  In accordance with Section 38 (1) of the Localism Act 2011 the Council was required to produce a Pay Policy Statement for each financial year.  The Pay Policy Statement must set out the authority’s policies for the financial year relating to:

•          the remuneration of the authority’s lowest-paid employees (together with a definition of “lowest-paid employees”) and the reasons for adopting that definition;

•          the relationship between remuneration of Chief Officers and that of other Officers (pay multiples); and

•          the remuneration of Chief Officers.

A copy of the Pay Policy Statement was attached as an appendix to the report.  It was noted that the Pay Policy Statement included minor revisions to the 2018/19 statement as follows:

•          reflect the recent pay offer tabled by the National Employers to the Trades Unions (TU) for officers engaged on NJC terms. Note:  The employers side have not yet received requests from the Trades Union (TU) representing Chief Officers engaged on JNC terms, although a request has been received from the TU in respect of Chief Executives engaged on JNC terms;

•          reflect revisions to the Living Wage recommended by the Living Wage Foundation during November 2017 (increase from £8.45 to £8.75 per hour);

•          include a statement reflecting the transitional arrangements that have been put in place pending the appointment of a new Chief Executive and replacement of the Director - Communities.

The Policy & Finance Committee, at their meeting held on 22 February 2018, recommended the Pay Policy Statement to the Council for adoption.

AGREED (unanimously) that the Pay Policy Statement for 2018/19 be approved.

(Councillor R.B. Laughton left the meeting following this item).

The Council considered the report of the Acting Chief Executive concerning the term of appointments of Richard Dix and Sharon Jones as the Council’s two Independent Persons. The Council was required, pursuant to Section 28(7) of the Localism Act 2011, to appoint at least one Independent Person. The Monitoring Officer was required to undertake the initial assessment of code of conduct complaints in consultation with an Independent Person. In addition the Council’s Independent Panel, which offer the Council advice, views or recommendations on any proposal for the dismissal of a statutory officer, has the two Independent Persons as members.

AGREED: (with 30 votes for and 2 abstentions) that the appointments of Richard Dix and Sharon Jones as Independent Persons pursuant to Section 28 of the Localism Act 2011, be confirmed until May 2019.