Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Acomb, Hawkins, Maud, Walker and Woodward.

There were no questions from members of the public.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 12 January 2012.

The minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 12 January 2012 were presented.

Resolved

That the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 12 January 2012 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To receive notice of any urgent business which the Chairman considers should be dealt with at the meeting as a matter of urgency by virtue of Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Chairman reported that there were no items of urgent business.

Members to indicate whether they will be declaring any interests under the Code of Conduct.

Members making a declaration of interest at a meeting of a Committee or Council are required to disclose the existence and nature of that interest.  This requirement is not discharged by merely declaring a personal interest without further explanation.

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman and/or the Head of Paid Service.

There were no announcements.

To appoint a Vice Chairman for the remainder of the municipal year, following the resignation of Councillor Mrs Cowling.

It was moved by Councillor Knaggs and seconded by Councillor Windress that Councillor Hope be appointed Vice Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

Resolved

That Councillor Hope be appointed Vice Chairman of the Council for the remaining part of the Municipal year.

Having first made the Declaration of Acceptance of Office, as Vice Chairman of the Council, Councillor Hope thanked Members for his appointment. The Chairman then invested Councillor Hope with the Vice Chairman’s Chain and Badge of Office. Councillor Hope announced that his consort was to be his wife. The Chairman then invested Mrs Daphne Hope with the Vice Chairman’s consort’s chain and badge of office.

Annex A and Annex B are attached, Annex C is to follow

With reference to Minute No. 43 (Financial Strategy 2012/2013) of the Special Policy & Resources Committee (Budget) held on 2 February 2012 (copy attached), Councillor Acomb, Chairman of the Policy & Resources Committee, will move:-

I           Budget 2012/2013

            That the revised revenue estimates for the year 2011/2012 and the revenue estimates for 2012/2013, as submitted in the Council’s Financial Strategy and Revenue Budget 2012/2013 Book be approved (copy enclosed).

II           Council Tax Base

            That it be noted that, in accordance with Minute No. 363(d)/2005 of the Policy & Resources Committee held on 8 December 2005, which was subsequently approved by Council at its meeting on 12 January 2006, Ryedale District Council has (pursuant to Section 101 of the Local Government Act 1972) delegated responsibility to adopt the Council Tax base to the Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the Chairman of the Policy & Resources Committee. The Council calculated the amounts for the year 2012/13, in accordance with regulations made under Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended, as set out in Annex A.

III          District/Parish Council Tax Rates

            That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2012/13, in accordance with Sections 31A, 31B and 34 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the Act):

            (a)        District/Parish Gross Expenditure

                        £34,602,650 being the aggregate of the amounts, which the Council estimates for the items, set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act.

(b)       Income (including Government Grants and Collection Fund Surpluses)

                        £30,177,954 being the aggregate of the amounts, which the Council estimates for the items, set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.

            (c)        District/Parish Council Tax Requirement

                        £4,424,696 being the amount by which the aggregate at Part III(a) above exceeds the aggregate at Part III(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act, as its Council Tax requirement for the year.

            (d)        Basic amount of Tax (including Parish Precepts)

                        £210.36 being the amount at Part III(c) above, all divided by the amount at Part II above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year.

            (e)        Parish Precept and Special Expenses

                        £707,570 being the aggregate amount of all special items referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act.

            (f)         Basic Amount of Tax (excluding Parish Precepts)

                        £176.72 being the amount at Part III(d) above less the results given by dividing the amount at Part III(e) above by the amount given at Part II above, 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 parts of its area to which no special item relates.

            (g)        Basic Amount of Tax in Parishes/Towns

                        The details for each Parish as shown in Annex B, column headed “Aggregate amount at Band D”, being  ...  view the full agenda text for item 97.

The Chairman of Council reported on the procedure to be adopted in considering the above item.

It was proposed that the item be dealt with in two separate parts:

(a)    Firstly, consideration of the recommendations in Minute 43 of the Policy & Resources Budget Meeting held on 2 February 2012, together with item 9 paragraph roman numeral I relating to the Council’s revenue budget

(b)    Secondly, item 9 paragraphs roman numerals II to V relating to the requisite calculations and the setting of Council Tax.

It was moved by Councillor Knaggs and seconded by Councillor Legard that the recommendations in minute no. 43 (Financial Strategy 2012/2013) of the Budget Policy & Resources Committee meeting held on 2 February 2012 be approved and adopted, together with the adoption of the revenue budget recommendation under paragraph roman numeral 1 of item 9 on the agenda.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Clark and seconded by Councillor Richardson that;

“Council Tax be increased by 2.5%”

Upon being put to the vote the amendment was lost.

The following amendments were moved by Councillor Clark and seconded by Councillor Ward that;

Upon being put to the vote, each of the amendments was lost.

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

It was moved by Councillor Knaggs and seconded by Councillor Legard that item 9 paragraphs roman numerals II to V relating to the requisite calculations and the setting of Council Tax be approved and adopted.

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

Resolved

That Council approves:

(i)            the Council’s Financial Strategy (included as Annex A of the report to the Special Policy and Resources Committee (Budget) meeting held on 2 February 2012 which included the following amendment;

In light of the past year’s experience in the use of the Civic budget, it is proposed for 2012/2013 to reduce it by £7,000 and the saving be allocated £3,000 to Ryecat and £4,000 to pest control to subsidise the charges for dealing with rats; and

a.    The prudential indicators (Financial Strategy Appendix B of the report)

b.    The revised capital programme (Financial Strategy Appendix D of the report)

c.    Growth Pressures totalling £148k (Financial Strategy Appendix A)

d.    Investment in Priorities of £100k (Financial Strategy Appendix A)

e.    Savings/additional income totalling £628k (Financial Strategy Appendix A)

f.      Cuts to Services of £164k; (Financial Strategy Appendix A)

(ii)        a Revenue Budget for 2012/2013 of £6,972,100 which represented no increase in the Ryedale District Council Tax of £176.72 for a Band D property (note that total Council Tax, including the County Council, Fire and Police was covered within the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 97.

The Corporate Director (s151) submitted a report (previously circulated) which considered the Treasury Management and Annual Investment Strategies, the Minimum Revenue Provision Policy and set the Prudential Indicators for 2012/13.

Resolved

 (i)        That the report be received;

(ii)        That the Treasury Management and Investment Strategies be noted and approved; and

(iii)       That the Prudential Indicators in the report be approved

There were no questions pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 10.2 (questions on Notice at Full Council).

To consider the notice of motion moved by Councillor Ives and seconded by Councillor Wainwright on 12 January 2012, which then stood adjourned in line with Council Procedure Rule 23.2:

This council resolves that:

The following amendments are made to Part 4, Council Rules of Procedure, Constitution of the Council:

13.4  Content and length of speeches

The time limit is reduced to a maximum of three minutes without the Chairman’s consent.

13.5  When a member may speak again

Remove section g – ‘if named subsequently in the debate’

13.9  Right of reply

a)  Remove the duplicated last sentence – ‘at the end of the debate on the motion, immediately before it is put to the vote.

b)  Remove the duplicated sentence ‘In addition the mover of the original motion also has a right of reply whether the motion is amended or not, at the close of the debate on the motion immediately before it is put to the vote.’

13.13  Personal explanation

Remove the word ‘misunderstood’ from line three.

The following notice of motion moved by Councillor Ives and seconded by Councillor Wainwright at the meeting of Full Council held on 12 January 2012 and which had then stood adjourned in line with Council Procedure Rule 23.2 was considered.

This council resolves that:

The following amendments are made to Part 4, Council Rules of Procedure, Constitution of the Council:

13.4  Content and length of speeches

The time limit is reduced to a maximum of three minutes without the Chairman’s consent.

13.5  When a member may speak again

Remove section g – ‘if named subsequently in the debate’

13.9  Right of reply

a)  Remove the duplicated last sentence – ‘at the end of the debate on the motion, immediately before it is put to the vote.

b)  Remove the duplicated sentence ‘In addition the mover of the original motion also has a right of reply whether the motion is amended or not, at the close of the debate on the motion immediately before it is put to the vote.’

13.13  Personal explanation

Remove the word ‘misunderstood’ from line three.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Mrs Burr and seconded by Councillor Mrs Shields to;

“Defer this item to the next meeting of Full Council, as this meeting was traditionally known as the Budget Meeting”

Upon being put to the vote the amendment was not carried.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Andrews and seconded by Councillor Mrs Burr to;

“Delete 13.4 Content and Length of Speeches”.

Members requested that a recorded vote be taken on the amendment.

Recorded Vote

For the amendment

Councillors Andrews, Mrs Burr, Clark, Mrs Shields, Richardson and Ward

Against the amendment

Councillors Bailey, Mrs Cowling, Cussons, Mrs Denniss, Mrs Frank, Fraser, Mrs Goodrick, Hicks, Hope, Hopkinson, Ives, Knaggs, Mrs Knaggs, Legard, Raper, Mrs Sanderson and Wainwright

Abstentions

Councillors Arnold and Windress

The amendment was, therefore, not carried.

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

Resolved

That the following amendments be made to Part 4, Council Rules of Procedure, Constitution of the Council:

13.4  Content and length of speeches

The time limit be reduced to a maximum of three minutes without the Chairman’s consent.

13.5  When a member may speak again

That section g – ‘if named subsequently in the debate’ be removed

13.9  Right of reply

a)  That the duplicated last sentence – ‘at the end of the debate on the motion, immediately before it is put to the vote’ be removed

b)  That the duplicated sentence ‘In addition the mover of the original motion also has a right of reply whether the motion is amended or not, at the close of the debate on the motion immediately before it is put to the vote’ be removed.

13.13  Personal explanation

That the word ‘misunderstood’ be removed from line three.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Knaggs, reported that he had no statement to make on this occasion.

The Head of Organisational Development submitted a report (previously circulated) which presented the draft timetable of meetings for 2012-2013 for approval.

Resolved

That the timetable of meetings for 2012-2013, attached as Annex A to the report be approved, with the proviso that the meeting scheduled for 1 August 2012 be rearranged.

To appoint the membership of the Community Investment Fund Panel on the following basis:

4 - Conservatives

1 - Liberal

1 - Independent

1 - Liberal Democrat

Nominations were sought for members of the Community Investment Fund Panel on the following basis:

4 – Conservatives

1 – Liberal

1 – Independent

1 – Liberal Democrat

Resolved

That the following Councillors form the membership of the Community Investment Panel.

There being no items of urgent business, the meeting closed at 9.40 pm.