Meeting documents

Council
Wednesday, 25 February 2009

Date: Wednesday 25 February 2009
Time: 7:00 pm
Place: Council Chamber
Contact: Jackie Cansick
Tel: 01438 242216

Agenda

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PART I

  1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
  2. MINUTES - WEDNESDAY 10 DECEMBER 2008
    To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on Wednesday 10 December 2008 at 7.00pm in the Council Chamber, Daneshill House, Danestrete, Stevenage.
    Minutes attached
  3. MINUTES - WEDNESDAY 28 JANUARY 2009
    To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the extraordinary meeting of the Council held on Wednesday 28 January 2009 at 7.00pm in the Council Chamber, Daneshill House, Danestrete, Stevenage.
    Minutes attached
  4. MAYOR'S COMMUNICATIONS
    To receive any communications that the Mayor may wish to put before Council.
  5. MAIN DEBATE - COUNCIL TAX AND GENERAL FUND BUDGET 2009/10
    To consider the Council Tax level and General Fund Budget 2009/10 for recommendation to Council following the Budget Consultation process.
    Report attached
    Appendix A
    Appendix B
    Appendix C
    Appendix D and E
    Appendix F
    Budget Speech
  6. PETITIONS AND DEPUTATIONS
    None received.
  7. QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
    To receive the following questions from members of the public in accordance with Standing Order 13:
    1. Mr A Glanfield - Oakfields Close, Stevenage
       
      "Here in Stevenage we are long overdue some major changes. After viewing the plans back in March 2008 and now update on the revised plans, I feel that, before investing £500m to such vast major changes, it would be less risky to firstly offer a smaller project, to see if a smaller build is successful.

      The important major fact is that the town of Stevenage would lose control of all the new development and not own any of the changes proposed in the regeneration. Also, we could be left with an expensive maintenance headache in a few years' time.

      An example of the above would be the loss of Ridgemount swimming pool, on the old Nobel School ground. We were given short notice of the closure. Our swimming club with a number of other clubs had to fold. Approximately one hundred children were taught to swim there, and as many adults each week from our club alone.

      Why was the pool not replaced?

      The developers must have made a huge profit. So why was it not included with the development to provide Stevenage with a swimming pool to replace the pool we have used for years? Thousands of children and adults have been taught to swim and learn lifesaving skills, also kept in good health. Now we only have one swimming pool for approximately 100,000 people here in the Stevenage area."
  8. LEADER OF THE COUNCIL'S UPDATE
    In accordance with Standing Order 11, the Leader of the Opposition shall be given the opportunity to raise one matter relevant to the Borough that has arisen since the last meeting of the Council. The Leader of the Council shall then have the opportunity to advise the Council of matters relevant to the Borough that have arisen since the last meeting.
  9. NOTICE OF MOTIONS
    None received.
  10. QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS TO COMMITTEE CHAIRS/PORTFOLIO HOLDERS
    None received.
  11. MATTER REFERRED FROM THE EXECUTIVE - CAPITAL STRATEGY UPDATE
    The report attached as item 11 was considered by the Executive on 11 February 2009 when the following recommendations to Council were approved:
    1. That the revised 2008/09 GeneralFund (£12,811,490) and Housing Revenue Account (£12,528,530) Capital Programme totalling £25,340,020, as detailed in Appendix A of the report,including the virement of £300,000 to the Aids and Adaptions budget, be approved.
    2. That the 2009/10 General Fund Forward Plan proposals totalling £362,500, as detailed in Appendix B of the report and as included in the five year Capital Strategy be approved.
    3. That the 2009/10 General Fund (£11,202,130),Housing Revenue Account (HRA) (£7,606,480) Capital Programme and the allowance for emergency works (£127,000), totalling £18,935,610, as detailed in Appendix A of the report, be approved.
    4. That the updated 5 Year Capital Strategy, as detailed in Appendix A of the report be approved, incorporating:
      1. The 2008/09 Revised and 2009/10 General Fund Capital Forward Plan;
      2. The 2008/09 Revised and 2009/10 HRA Capital Programmes;
      3. Updated forecasts of resources estimated to become available for small land sales and Right-to Buy sales; and
      4. Contingency for emergency schemes of £127,000
    5. That the ongoing work of the Corporate Capital Review Group, the Strategic Management Board and the Executive Capital Working Group to bring the 5 year Capital Strategy into balance, be noted.
      Report attached
      Appendix A
      Appendix B
  12. MATTER REFERRED FROM EXECUTIVE - PRUDENTIAL CODE INDICATORS AND TREASURY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
    The attached report concerning the 2009/10 Prudential Indicators and Treasury Management Strategy, was considered by the Executive on 11 February 2009 when the following recommendations to Council were agreed:
    1. That the Prudential Code Indicators, as detailed in Appendix A of the report, and the changes to the investment limits proposed in paragraph 4.2.8 of the report, be adopted.
    2. That the 2009/10 Treasury Management Strategy, as detailed in section 4.2 of the report, be adopted.
    3. That this strategy be submitted to Audit Committee for comment.
      Report attached
      Appendix A
      Appendix B
      Appendix C
      Appendix D
      Appendix E
  13. OFFICER REPORT - MEMBERS' ALLOWANCES SCHEME 2009-2010
    To consider an officer report seeking approval to the Members' Allowances Scheme applicable for the financial year 2009-2010.
    Report attached
    Appendix A
  14. AUDIT COMMITTEE MINUTES - 12 JANUARY 2009
    To note the Minutes of the meeting of the Audit Committee held on 12 January 2009.
    Minutes attached
  15. EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC
    To consider that following Motion:
    "That, under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclose of exempt information as described in paragraphs 1-7 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by SI2006 No. 88"

PART II

  1. PART II AUDIT COMMITTEE MINUTES - 12 JANUARY 2009
    To note the Part II Minutes of the meeting of the Audit Committee held on 12 January 2009.