Agenda and minutes

          The minutes of the meetings of Council held on 14 October 2015 and 19 November 2015, having been circulated, were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

          The Mayor made the following announcements:-

 

·       She thanked everyone for their support at the Town Hall Open Day, which was  a great success and raised money for her chosen charities; and

·       Reminded everyone that there were still raffle tickets available for the Grand Prize Draw to take place in April 2016.

 

 

          The Leader made the following announcements:-

 

·       He commented on the content of the Chancellor’s recent Spending Review announcement and its effect on Halton’s budget; and

·       Sent good wishes to Councillor Cole who had been in hospital.

 

          The Council considered the minutes of the Executive Board meetings on 15 October 2015, 5 November 2015 and 19 November 2015.

 

          RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

(N.B. Councillor Peter Lloyd Jones declared a Disclosable Other Interest in the minutes of the Health and Wellbeing Board as he was a Governor of Bridgewater Primary Healthcare Trust and a Governor of Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

The Council considered the minutes of the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting on 4 November 2015.

 

          RESOLVED: That the minutes be received.

 

          It was noted that no questions had been submitted under Standing Order No.8.

Executive Board had considered the attached report.

 

RECOMMENDED: That Council approve

 

1)    The Council Tax Base for 2016/17 be set at 32,948 for the Borough, and that the Cheshire Fire Authority, the Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner and the Environment Agency be so notified; and

 

2)    The Council Tax Base for each of the Parishes be as follows:

 

 

Parish	Tax Base
Hale	659
Halebank	499
Daresbury	159
Moore	326
Preston Brook	336
Sandymoor	966

 

          Executive Board had considered the report of the Operational Director, Finance, on the determination of the Council Tax Base for 2016/17.

 

In accordance with Standing Order 16 (3), a recorded vote was taken.

 

          The following Members voted FOR the motion:

 

Councillors S. Baker, J. Bradshaw, M.Bradshaw, D. Cargill, E. Cargill, Cassidy, Dennett, Edge, Fry, C.Gerrard, J. Gerrard, Gilligan, 

P.Harris, P. Hignett, R. Hignett, S. Hill, V. Hill, Horabin, Howard, Jones, D.Lea, M.Lloyd Jones, P.Lloyd Jones, C. Loftus, K. Loftus, Logan,

A. Lowe, J. Lowe, MacManus, McDermott, A. McInerney, T.McInerney, Morley, Nelson, Nolan,  Parker, Philbin, C. Plumpton Walsh,

N. Plumpton Walsh, Polhill, Joe Roberts, June Roberts, Rowe, Sinnott, G. Stockton, J.Stockton, Wainwright, Wall, Wallace, Wharton, Woolfall, Wright and Zygadllo.

 

          There were no votes against the motion.

 

          There were no abstentions.

 

 

          RESOLVED: That

 

1)    the Council Tax Base for 2016/17 be set at 32,948 for the Borough, and that the Cheshire Fire Authority, the Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner and the Environment Agency be so notified; and

 

2)    the Council Tax Base for 2016/17 for each of the Parishes be set as follows:-

 

 

Parish	Tax Base
Hale	659
Halebank	499
Daresbury	159
Moore	326
Preston Brook	336
Sandymoor	966

 

Executive Board had considered the attached report.

 

RECOMMENDED: That the revisions to the Council’s 2015/16 Capital Programme set out in paragraph 3.2 of the report, be approved.

          Executive Board had considered the report of the Operational Director, Finance, on the 2015/16 Revised Capital Programme.

 

          RESOLVED: That the revisions to the Council’s 2015/16 Capital Programme, as set out in paragraph 3.2 of the report, be approved.

Executive Board had considered the attached report.

 

RECOMMENDED: That Council approve the budget proposals for 2016/17 as set out in Appendix 1, attached to the report.

          Executive Board had considered the report of the Operational Director, Finance, on a second set of budget proposals for 2016/17.

 

          A first set of proposals had been approved by Council at its meeting on 14 October 2015. Attached to the report at Appendix 1, were a second set of proposals, which would be implemented immediately to achieve a part-year saving in 2015/16.

 

          In accordance with Standing Order 16 (3), a recorded vote was taken.

 

          The following Members voted FOR the motion:

 

Councillors S. Baker, J. Bradshaw, M. Bradshaw, D. Cargill, E. Cargill, Cassidy, Dennett, Edge, Fry, C. Gerrard, J. Gerrard, Gilligan, 

P.Harris, P. Hignett, R. Hignett, S. Hill, V. Hill, Horabin, Howard, Jones, D.Lea, M.Lloyd Jones, P.Lloyd Jones, C. Loftus, K. Loftus, Logan,

A. Lowe, J. Lowe, MacManus, McDermott, A. McInerney, T.McInerney, Morley, Nelson, Nolan, Parker, Philbin, C. Plumpton Walsh,

N. Plumpton Walsh, Polhill, Joe Roberts, June Roberts, Rowe, Sinnott, G. Stockton, J.Stockton, Wainwright, Wall, Wallace, Wharton, Woolfall, Wright and Zygadllo.

 

          There were no votes against the motion.

 

          There were no abstentions.

 

          RESOLVED: That the budget proposals for 2016/17, as set out in Appendix 1 attached to the report, be approved.

RECOMMENDED: That Council consider the report and recommendations of the Independent Review Panel.

          Council considered a report of the Chief Executive which contained proposals by the Independent Members’ Allowances Panel on a Scheme of Allowances for Members.

 

          Under the Local Authority (Members’ Allowances) Regulations 2003, the Scheme of Members’ Allowances must be reviewed tri-annually. Three independent private sector representatives were invited to sit as an Independent Panel to review the Council’s Scheme of Members’ Allowances and to make recommendations to Council.

 

          The Panel were provided with, and appraised of, the Council’s current Scheme of Allowances, as set out in the report. The Panel met on two occasions with further correspondence on a number of occasions and also received a briefing by the Chief Executive. In addition, the Panel met with the Leaders of the three political groups and considered written representations from three Councillors. The Panel’s conclusions and recommendations were set out in the report for information.

 

It was moved by Councillor McDermott and seconded by Councillor Gilligan:-

 

That

 

1)    the current Members’ Allowance Scheme was fit for purpose and should remain unaltered, subject to the following amendment:-

 

2)    that the current Members’ Allowance Scheme be amended as follows:-

 

(i)              the Allowance for the Leader of the Principal Opposition, where there is parity in the Opposition Groups, be split equally between the respective Group Leaders for such period as this parity remains; and

 

3)    the revised Members’ Allowance Scheme be effective from 1 April 2016 for a period of three years.

 

          An amendment to the motion was moved by Councillor Rowe and seconded by Councillor Gareth Stockton:-

 

That any saving made by reducing the Special Responsibility Allowance paid to Vice Chair’s be retained as a budget saving.

 

The amendment was put to the vote by a show of hands as follows:

 

For the amendment – 2

Against the amendment – 51

Abstentions – None

 

The amendment was lost.

 

A vote on the substantive motion was put and carried and it was therefore

 

          RESOLVED: That

 

1)    the current Members’ Allowance Scheme is fit for purpose and should remain unaltered, subject to the following amendment:-

 

2)    that the current Members’ Allowance Scheme be amended as follows:-

 

(ii)             the Allowance for the Leader of the Principal Opposition, where there is parity in the Opposition Groups, be split equally between the respective Group Leaders for such period as this parity remains; and

 

3)    the revised Members’ Allowance Scheme be effective from 1 April 2016 for a period of three years.

(N.B. Councillor Peter Lloyd Jones declared a Disclosable Other Interest in the minutes of the Health Policy and Performance Board (Minutes HEA 22 and 23 refers) as he was a Governor of Bridgewater Primary Healthcare Trust and a Governor of Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

 

          The Council considered the reports of the following Boards in the period since the meeting of Council on 14 October 2015:-

 

·       Children, Young People and Families;

·       Employment, Learning and Skills and Community;

·       Health;

·       Safer;

·       Environment and Urban Renewal;

·       Corporate; and

·       Business Efficiency.

The Council considered the reports of the Development Control Committee in the period since the meeting of Council on 14 October 2015.