Agenda item

The Council considered the report of the Leader of the Council relating to the Revenue Budget and Council Tax Setting for 2025/26.

 

The report indicated that, in setting the level of Council Tax for 2025/2026, it was necessary to consider the requirements of the Council Tax Collection Fund for 2025/2026.  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 Cabinet, at its meeting held on 18 February 2025, recommended that the District Council’s Net Budget Requirement for 2025/26, should be £20,900,860.

 

It was reported that all Parish Council precepts had been received and totalled £4,091,219.49.  The individual Parish Council precepts were set out in the report.

 

Nottinghamshire County Council had set a precept on Newark & Sherwood District Council’s Collection fund for 2025/2026 of £80,936,000. The Nottinghamshire Police & Crime Commissioner had set a precept on Newark & Sherwood District Council's Collection fund for 2025/2026 of £12,649,587.43 and the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service had proposed a precept on Newark & Sherwood District Council’s Collection fund for 2025/2026 of £4,152,875.36.

 

In accordance with Rule 3.4.3 (b) written notice had been received that an amendment would be proposed and seconded. Councillor J Kellas accordingly proposed and Councillor S Michael seconded that:

 

“As outlined in Section 3 of the report, that the revenue estimates for 2025/26 and schedule of fees and charges, as submitted in the Council’s Budget book be approved subject to the following changes as outlined below:

 

1.0         Council reduces the proposed increase in council tax from the maximum increase allowable of 2.99%, to a lower and more conservative increase of 1.94%, whereby:

 

1.1         Proposal 3(g) will change to £8,484,323 being the amount at 3(c) less the amount at 3(d) plus the amount at 3(e) less the amount at 3(f) calculated by the Council as the net Council Tax requirement for the year.

 

1.2         Proposal 3(h) will change to £198.60 being the amount at 3(g) above divided by the amount at 2(a), calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 34(2) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those part of its area which no special item relates.

 

1.3         Proposal 3(j) will change to £294.37 being the amount at 3(g) above plus the amount at 3(i) divided by the amount at 2(a) calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31B(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year.

 

1.4         Proposal 3(f) will change to £316,301 being the original proposal for 3(f) less the difference between the original proposal for 3(g) and the amended 3(g) as above.

 

2.0         The revenue estimates for 2025/2026 and schedule of fees and charges, as submitted in the Council's Budget book be approved subject to removing the requested funding of £45,000 at row 6 of paragraph 3.23 of the Budget Book to ‘support the action plan for Motion for the Ocean’ recognising that:

 

2.1         The discussion during item 11 of the Cabinet agenda paper on Tuesday 21 January 2025 acknowledged that this Council has already completed an impressive amount of work in this area. The discussion included a congratulatory message from an Ocean Expert and Co-founder of motion for the ocean who outlined how incredibly proud they are of all that this Council has achieved with trailblazing work, and as a leading light in this area.

 

2.2         Item 11 of the Cabinet agenda paper on Tuesday 21 January 2025 clarified that other funds are proffered for activities around the commitment to increase ocean literacy.

 

2.3         Item 11 of the Cabinet agenda paper on Tuesday 21 January 2025 clarified that the £45,000 was to finance a touring theatre company to perform an experience of the ocean to all primary schools in the district, without assessing anticipated uptake, desire from local schools, alignment to curriculum, development of life skills, or measurable outcomes to demonstrate value for money.

 

3.0         Council allocates the sum of £39,000, funded by the removal of the £45,000 at paragraph 2.0 of this amendment to establish a pilot Members Ward Fund for the financial year 2025-26, whereby each individual member is allocated a sum of £1,000 to support charities, community groups and public bodies working within their wards for the benefit of residents.

 

4.0         Council allocates the sum of £6,000, funded by the removal of the £45,000 at paragraph 2.0 of this amendment for further tree planting within the district, including tree planting for flood alleviation schemes to assist in preventing future flooding”.

 

Members debated the proposed amendment, during which the Leader of the Council advised that he was supportive to levy a lower Council tax at 1.94%. Therefore, a recorded vote (in accordance with Procedure Rule 5.4) on Paragraphs 1.0 of the amendment was taken as follows:

 

Councillor	Vote
Neil Allen	For
Adrian Amer	For
Alice Brazier	For
Lee Brazier	For
Celia Brooks	For
Irene Brown	For
Rowan Cozens	For
Susan Crosby	Abstain
Linda Dales	For
Simon Forde	For
Andy Freeman	For
Jean Hall	For
Peter Harris	Against
Simon Haynes	For
Rhona Holloway	For
Jack Kellas	For
Johno Lee	For
Keith Melton	Abstain
Sylvia Michael	For
David Moore	For
Emma Oldham	For
Paul Peacock	For
Claire Penny	For
Mike Pringle	For
Penny Rainbow	For
Neil Ross	For
Sue Saddington	For
Maurice Shakeshaft	For
Tom Smith	For
Matthew Spoors	Against
Paul Taylor	For
Tina Thompson	Abstain
Linda Tift	For
Timothy Wendels	For
Tim Wildgust	For

 

The proposed amendments at Paragraph 1.0 were therefore AGREED with 30 votes for, 2 against and three abstentions.

 

A second recorded vote in respect of Paragraph 2.0 of the amendment was taken as follows:

 

Councillor	Vote
Neil Allen	For
Adrian Amer	Against
Alice Brazier	Against
Lee Brazier	Against
Celia Brooks	Against
Irene Brown	For
Rowan Cozens	Against
Susan Crosby	Against
Linda Dales	For
Simon Forde	Against
Andy Freeman	Against
Jean Hall	Against
Peter Harris	Against
Simon Haynes	For
Rhona Holloway	For
Jack Kellas	For
Johno Lee	For
Keith Melton	Against
Sylvia Michael	For
David Moore	Against
Emma Oldham	Against
Paul Peacock	Against
Claire Penny	Against
Mike Pringle	Against
Penny Rainbow	For
Neil Ross	Against
Sue Saddington	For
Maurice Shakeshaft	Against
Tom Smith	For
Matthew Spoors	Against
Paul Taylor	Against
Tina Thompson	Against
Linda Tift	Against
Timothy Wendels	For
Tim Wildgust	For

 

This amendment was therefore declared lost with 13 votes for and 22 against. Given this amendment was lost, the elements contained on Paragraphs 3.0 and 4.0 to the amendment were nullified with no vote being required.

 

In accordance with Rule 3.4.3 (b) written notice had been received that a further amendment would be proposed and seconded. Councillor J Lee accordingly proposed and Councillor M Spoors seconded that:

 

“Council approves the proposals under Section 3 of the report, subject to the addition of £19,500 for the establishment of a Councillor Community Fund. This initiative would provide each elected member with £500 per year over the next two years to support local projects and initiatives within their respective wards. This addition to be funded from the Change Management Reserve.

 

The rationale for the amendment being:

 

1. Direct Community Benefit

- This amendment enables elected members to allocate funds to initiatives that reflect the specific needs of their communities.

- It ensures a fairer and broader investment across the district.

2. Increased Local Engagement

- By distributing funds to councillors, local residents will have a greater say in how public money is spent.

- This strengthens community engagement and ensures investments align with local priorities.

3. Addressing Resident Concerns

- This amendment ensures taxpayer money is spent in alignment with public sentiment and community needs.

4. Long-Term Positive Impact

- The Councillor’s Community Fund supports sustainable, localised investment, allowing each elected member to back projects that benefit their constituents.

- Examples include local sports clubs, community centres, small infrastructure improvements, and grassroots initiatives”.

 

This amendment, on being put to the meeting was declared lost with 15 votes for and 20 against.

 

The Council considered the substantive motion proposed by Councillor P Peacock and seconded by Councillor R Cozens and it was AGREED (with 33 votes for, 1 against and 1 abstention) that Council:

 

(a)    note the proposals under section 2 of the report;

 

(b)   approve the proposals under section 3 of the report, subject to the agreed amendment at paragraphs 1.0 - 1.4 as proposed by Councillor J Kellas, and the consequential amendments to the Council report and budget book;

 

(c)    note section 4, 5 and 6 of the report;

 

(d)   note the proposal in section 7 of the report; and

 

(e)   note the determination in section 8 of the report.

(The full revised recommendations are set out as Appendix B to these minutes).

 

In accordance with Procedure Rule No. 5.6.1, a recorded vote was taken as follows:

 

Councillor	Vote
Neil Allen	For
Adrian Amer	For
Alice Brazier	For
Lee Brazier	For
Celia Brooks	For
Irene Brown	For
Rowan Cozens	For
Susan Crosby	Abstain
Linda Dales	For
Simon Forde	For
Andy Freeman	For
Jean Hall	For
Peter Harris	Against
Simon Haynes	For
Rhona Holloway	For
Jack Kellas	For
Johno Lee	For
Keith Melton	For
Sylvia Michael	For
David Moore	For
Emma Oldham	For
Paul Peacock	For
Claire Penny	For
Mike Pringle	For
Penny Rainbow	For
Neil Ross	For
Sue Saddington	For
Maurice Shakeshaft	For
Tom Smith	For
Matthew Spoors	For
Paul Taylor	For
Tina Thompson	For
Linda Tift	For
Timothy Wendels	For
Tim Wildgust	For