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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Guildhall, Swansea

Contact: Democratic Services - Tel: (01792) 636923 

Items
No. Item

141.

Disclosures of Personal and Prejudicial Interests.

Minutes:

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, the following interests were declared:

 

1)              Councillor E J King declared a Personal and Prejudicial Interest in Minute 148 “Medium Term Financial Planning 2020/21 - 2022/23” and Minute 149 “Revenue Budget 2019-2020” and stated that he had dispensation from the Standards Committee to Stay, Speak (but not in relation to his husband’s employment) but not Vote when considering the Authority’s budget.

142.

Minutes. pdf icon PDF 118 KB

To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

Minutes:

Resolved that the Minutes of the meeting(s) listed below be approved and signed as a correct record:

 

1)              Cabinet held on 17 January 2019.

143.

Announcements of the Leader of the Council.

Minutes:

1)              Webcasting of Council Meeting

 

The Leader of the Council stated that as part of the ongoing works to enable Webcasting of Council, Cabinet, Planning Committee and the Scrutiny Programme Committee; this Meeting is being recorded for Webcasting purposes.  The meeting will not be streamed live as we are still in the testing period; however it will recorded. If the trial is successful, the meeting will be published online at a later date as a Podcast.

144.

Public Question Time.

Questions must relate to matters on the open part of the Agenda of the meeting and will be dealt with in a 10 minute period.

Minutes:

A number of questions were asked by Members of the Public relating to the budget.  The relevant Cabinet Member responded accordingly.  No questions required a written response.

145.

Councillors' Question Time.

Minutes:

A number of questions were asked by Councillors relating to the budget.  The relevant Cabinet Member responded accordingly.  No questions required a written response.

146.

Pre-decision Scrutiny Feedback on the Annual Budget. (Verbal)

Minutes:

Councillor C A Holley, presented the pre decision scrutiny feedback.

147.

Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring 3rd Quarter 2018/19. * pdf icon PDF 224 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Call In Procedure - Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

 

The Cabinet Member for Business Transformation & Performance submitted a report which outlined the financial monitoring of the 2018-2019 revenue and capital budgets, including the delivery of budget savings.

 

Resolved that:

 

1)              The comments and variations in the report, and the actions in hand to address them be noted.

148.

Medium Term Financial Planning 2020/21 – 2022/23. * pdf icon PDF 303 KB

Minutes:

Call In Procedure - Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

 

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which set out the rationale and purpose of the Medium Term Financial Plan and detailed the major funding assumptions for the period and proposed a strategy to maintain a balanced budget.

 

Resolved that:

 

1)       The Medium Term Financial Plan 2020-2021 to 2022-2023 be recommended to Council as the basis for future service financial planning.

149.

Revenue Budget 2019/20. * pdf icon PDF 594 KB

Minutes:

Call In Procedure - Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

 

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which set out the current position with regard to the Revenue Budget for 2019-2020.  It detailed:

 

·                 Financial Monitoring 2018-2019;

·                 The Local Government Finance Settlement 2019-2020;

·                 Budget Forecast 2019-2020;

·                 Specific Saving Proposals;

·                 Outcome of Budget Consultation;

·                 Staffing Implications;

·                 Reserves and Contingency Fund Requirements;

·                 The Budget Requirement and Council Tax 2019-2020;

·                 Summary of funding proposals;

·                 Risks and uncertainties.

 

The Leader of the Council, Business Transformation & Performance Cabinet Member and the Environment & Infrastructure Management Cabinet Member proposed the following amendments.

 

 

£

£

Further changes to proposals as a result of consultation responses

 

 

 

 

 

Remove - Library Community Service

67,000

 

Remove - Professional Fees

49,000

 

Remove - Charging for Free Car Parks

23,000

 

 

139,000

 

Funded as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

Reduction in Mid & West Wales Fire & Rescue Service Precept

-60,000

 

Reduce contingency fund by £79k to £7.072M

 

79,000

 

Resolved that:

 

1)       The outcome of the formal consultation exercise be noted and changes to the Budget Proposals in Appendix D of the report as amended above be agreed, together with the position regarding delegated budgets as set out in Section 4.10 and 4.11 of the report;

 

2)       The current Resource Gap identified in Section 4.5 of the report be noted, and in line with the potential actions identified in Sections 9 and 10 of the report agreed a course of action to achieve a balanced Revenue Budget for 2019-2020;

 

3)       In addition to a review of current savings proposals Cabinet will need to:

 

a)       Review and Approve the Reserve Transfers recommended in the report;

 

b)       Agree a level of Council Tax for 2019-2020 to be recommended to Council.

 

4)       Subject to the changes identified and listed above, Cabinet recommends to Council for approval:

 

a)       A Revenue Budget for 2019-2020;

 

b)       A Budget Requirement and Council Tax levy for 2019-2020.

150.

Housing Revenue Account (HRA) – Revenue Budget 2019/20. * pdf icon PDF 224 KB

Minutes:

Call In Procedure - Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

 

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which proposed a Revenue Budget for 2019-2020 and a rent increase for properties within the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

 

Resolved that the following budget proposals be recommended to Council for approval:

 

1)       Rents be increased in line with the Welsh Government interim policy as detailed in Section 3 of the report;

 

2)       Fees, charges and allowances be approved as outlined in Section 3 of the report;

 

3)       The Revenue Budget Proposals as detailed in Section 3 of the report.

151.

Housing Revenue Account (HRA) – Capital Budget and Programme 2018/19 – 2022/23. * pdf icon PDF 179 KB

Minutes:

Call In Procedure - Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

 

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which proposed a revised Capital Budget for 2018-2019 and a Capital Budget for 2019-2020 – 2022-2023.

 

Resolved that the following be recommended to Council for approval:

 

1)         The transfers between schemes and the revised budgets for schemes in 2018-2019 be approved;

 

2)         The budget proposals for 2019-2020 – 20202-2023 be approved;

 

3)         Where individual schemes as shown in Appendix B are programmed over the 4 year period described in the report, then these be committed and approved and their financial implications for funding over subsequent years also be approved.

152.

Capital Budget & Programme 2018/19- 2023/25. * pdf icon PDF 157 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Call In Procedure - Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

 

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which proposed a revised Capital Budget for 2018-2019 and a Capital Budget for 2019-2020 to 2022-2023 (2023-2025 for Band B Schools).

 

Resolved that:

 

1)       The revised Capital Budget for 2018-2019 and a Capital Budget for 2019-2020 – 2023-2025 as detailed in Appendices A, B, C, D, E and F of the report be approved.

153.

The Capital Strategy 2018/19 - 2023/24. * pdf icon PDF 279 KB

Minutes:

Call In Procedure - Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

 

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which sought approval of the Capital Strategy which informs the 4 year Capital Programme.

 

Resolved that:

 

1)       The Capital Strategy be approved.

154.

Council Tax Premiums in Wales. * pdf icon PDF 148 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Call In Procedure - Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

 

The Chief Finance Officer (Section 151 Officer) submitted a report which provided information and sought consideration of whether to continue to allow 50% Council Tax discounts on unoccupied and unfurnished properties after any statutory period of exemption expires.

 

Resolved that:

 

1)              The details of the discretionary powers relating to Council Tax premiums, discretionary discounts for unoccupied and unfurnished dwellings and the related issues outlined in this report be noted;

 

2)              A consultation exercise be undertaken in respect of the following:

 

i)            Whether to cease to allow a 50% Council Tax discount on dwellings that remain unoccupied and unfurnished after any statutory period of exemption has expired;

 

ii)           Whether to charge a Council Tax Premium of up to 100% for dwellings that have been unoccupied and unfurnished for more than 12 months (long term empty properties);

 

iii)             Whether to charge a Council Tax Premium of up to 100% for dwellings occupied periodically, commonly referred to as “second homes”.