Agenda and minutes

Councillor Barkley arrived at the meeting at 5:35pm.

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Bentley, J Bradshaw, Brookes, Capleton, Draycott, Fryer, Grimley, Hadji-Nikolaou, Howe, Mercer, Murphy, Pacey, Paling, Popley, Radford, Rollings, Seaton, Snartt and Smidowicz.

Apologies for absence had also been received from Honorary Aldermen Bush, Day Shields, Stott and Tormey.

Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 requires that a Councillor who owes arrears of Council Tax which have been outstanding for more than two months must declare this at any Council meeting which considers the setting of a budget and the Council Tax, and that they should not vote on those matters. Failing to comply with those requirements if they apply is an offence. If this applies to any Councillors at this meeting, they are therefore advised to make the required declaration and to leave the meeting during consideration of item 3.

It is a requirement of the Council’s Code of Conduct for Members that the existence and nature of all personal interests must be disclosed. Therefore, in the case of item 3 on the agenda, 2022-23 General Fund, HRA Revenue Budgets and Council Tax and Medium Financial Strategy 2022/25 , it is suggested that members of precepting authorities declare such interests. (For example, this would relate to members of Leicestershire County Council, the Combined Fire Authority and Parish and Town Councils).

The following disclosures of pecuniary and personal interests were made:

      i.        by Councillor Barkley - a personal interest in item 3 on the agenda (Council Tax 2022-23) as a member of Leicestershire County Council and Syston Town Council.

    ii.        by Councillor Charles – a personal interest in item 3 on the agenda (Council Tax 2022-23) as a member of Thurcaston and Cropston Parish Council.

   iii.        by Councillor Forrest – a personal interest in item 3 on the agenda (Council Tax 2022-23) as Chair of Barrow upon Soar Parish Council.

   iv.        by Councillor Lowe - a personal interest in item 3 on the agenda (Council Tax 2022-23) as Chairman of Thurmaston Parish Council.

    v.        by Councillor Miah – a personal interest in item 3 on the agenda (Council Tax 2022-23) as a member of Leicestershire County Council.

   vi.        by Councillor Morgan – a personal interest in item 3 on the agenda (Council Tax 2022-23) as a member of Leicestershire County Council.

  vii.        by Councillor Needham - a personal interest in item 3 on the agenda (Council Tax 2022-23) as Chair of East Goscote Parish Council.

 viii.        by Councillor Parton - a personal interest in item 3 on the agenda (Council Tax 2022-23) as a member of Leicestershire County Council.

   ix.        by Councillor Poland – a personal interest in item 3 on the agenda (Council Tax 2022-23) as a member of Leicestershire County Council and as his wife is a member of Thurmaston Parish Council.

    x.        by Councillor Ranson – a personal interest in item 3 on the agenda (Council Tax 2022-23) as a member of Barrow Upon Soar Parish Council.

   xi.        by Councillor Savage - a personal interest in item 3 on the agenda (Council Tax 2022-23) as a member of Shepshed Town Council.

  xii.        by Councillor Shepherd – a personal interest in item 3 on the agenda (Council Tax 2022-23) as a member of Leicestershire County Council.

 xiii.        by Councillor Taylor – a personal interest in item 3 on the agenda (Council Tax 2022-23) as a member of Leicestershire County Council.

xiv.        by Councillor Williams - a personal interest in item 3 on the agenda (Council Tax 2022-23) as a member of Shepshed Town Council.

To approve the final precepts for the major precepting authorities for the purpose of setting the overall Council Tax.   Report to follow

An additional budget report was submitted to enable the Council to complete the adoption of a General Fund Revenue Budget and a Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget for Charnwood Borough Council, including the precept requirements of the major preceptors.

Due to the timings of the Borough Council and County Council meetings it was necessary to defer approval of the Council Tax levy calculations for 2022/23 to ensure that approvals are in line with legislative requirements.

The levy calculations were an arithmetic exercise to aggregate the total council tax billings based on the approved precepts of the County Council, the Police, the Combined Fire Authority and town and parish councils, as well as the Borough Council.

This report was to ask the Council to approve the Council Tax levy calculations for 2022/23 to ensure that the adoption of the complete budget and the associated council tax billing implications were in line with legislative requirements.

Councillors were reminded that it was a legal requirement that all votes taken on this item, including votes on amendments must be recorded votes.

Councillors highlighted that they were unified in their support for Ukraine and its citizens during the current invasion. Leicestershire councils had shown solidarity and were committed to offering support where appropriate.

It was proposed by Councillor Barkley and seconded by Councillor Rollings that recommendations 1 and 2 outlined in the supplementary additional budget report be approved for reasons set out in the report.

For the motion – Councillors Bailey, Baines, Barkley, Bokor, S Bradshaw, Campsall, Charles, Gerrard, Harper-Davies, Lowe, Morgan, Needham, Parsons, Parton, Poland, Ranson, Rattray, Savage, Shepherd, Taylor, Williams.

Against the motion – Councillors Boldrin, A Gray, B Gray, Forrest, Goddard, Hamilton, C Harris, K Harris, Miah, Ward.

Abstentions – Councillor Tillotson.

RESOLVED that the Council adopts recommendations 1 and 2 as set out in the supplementary additional budget report.

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the supplementary additional budget report.