Time: 7.00 p.m.
Place: Council Chamber
Contact: Jackie Cansick
Tel. 01438 242216
AGENDA
PART I
- APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
- MINUTES - Wednesday, 30TH JANUARY 2008
To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Council meeting held on Wednesday, 30th January 2008 at 7 p.m. in the Council Chamber, Daneshill House, Danestrete, Stevenage.
Minutes attached - MAYOR'S COMMUNICATIONS
To receive any communications that the Mayor may wish to put before Council. - MAIN DEBATE - SETTING THE COUNCIL TAX AND GENERAL FUND BUDGET 2008/09
The subject of the Main Debate is the setting of the Council Tax and General Fund Revenue Budget for 2008/2009.
A report on this matter was considered by the Executive on 13th February and the attached report sets out the decisions of the Executive including a number of recommendations for Council consideration.
The Appendices referred to in the attached report are the same as those circulated for the Executive and Members have been requested to retain copies of these papers. If you require a copy of the appendices they can be found on the Council's website www.stevenage.gov.uk with the agenda for this meeting, alternatively a hard copy can be provided on request to Committee Services, tel. 01438-242992.
Report attached
Appendix Ai attached
Appendix Aii attached
Appendix Aiii attached
Appendix B attached
Appendix C attached
Appendix - PETITIONS AND DEPUTATIONS
None received. - QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
To receive the following questions from members of the public in accordance with Standing Order 13:
(A) Mr. S. Carpenter - Bragbury Lane, Stevenage.
"Could you please tell me what impact on Stevenage Borough Council's Budget and Council Tax the sale of Stevenage Borough Council's Freehold Land Interest at Bragbury Lane was as they only realised £900,000. It was immediately sold on for £8,319,000. This is a substantial loss of revenue towards Stevenage Borough Council Residents' Council Tax."
(B) Mr. D. Jamieson, Wheatlands, Stevenage.
"When will SBC as an organisation and its senior officials review and improve the severe lack of information that is shared with Taxpayers and the Valuation Office Agency?" - 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. - NOTICE OF MOTIONS
None received. - QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS TO COMMITTEE CHAIRS/PORTFOLIO HOLDERS
None received. - BUSINESS REFERRED FROM THE EXECUTIVE - 2008/09 CAPITAL FORWARD PLAN & 5 YEAR CAPITAL STRATEGY UPDATE
At its meeting on 13th February 2008 the Executive considered the attached report concerning the 2008/09 Capital Forward Plan & 5 Year Capital Strategy Update.
The recommendations in the report were agreed by the Executive and accordingly the Council is recommended -
1) That approval be given to the 2008/09 General Fund Forward Plan proposals totalling £2,368,550, as detailed in Appendix A of the report, for incorporation into the 5 year Capital Strategy, subject to no General Fund Schemes within the Strategy, that are not currently contractually committed and are of a value of less than £250,000 (the threshold set in Financial Regulations for Schemes to be approved by the Executive) shall be committed without the approval of the Strategic Director (Resources).
2) That approval be given to the 2008/09 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Programme totalling £6,671,000, as detailed in Appendix B of the report.
3) That approval be given to the Revised 2007/08 Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme totalling £14,253,310, as detailed in Appendix B of the report.
4) That approval be given to the updated 5 Year Capital Strategy, as detailed at Appendix C of the report, incorporating :
i. the 2008/09 General Fund Capital Forward Plan;
ii. the 2007/08 Revised and 2008/09 HRA Capital Programmes;
iii. the addition of £2,700,000 of ICT Capital Schemes;
iv. the incorporation of £6,276,000 of programme and resources in respect of Growth Area Funding 2008;
v. approved Capital supplementary estimates;
vi. the cancellation of Low Priority 5 Schemes totalling £538,000;
vii. updated forecasts of resources estimated to become available from small land sales and Right-to-Buy (RTB) sales; and
viii. the addition to the rolling 5 year Capital Strategy of forecasts in respect of the financial year 2012/13.
5) That the ongoing work of the Corporate Capital Review Group (CCRG) and the Leader's Services Priority Group (LSPG), to bring the 5 year Capital Strategy into balance, be noted.
6) That approval be given to a Contingency Sum in the Budget and Policy Framework for 2008/09 of £2,000,000 for the Capital Programme.
7) That a further report be submitted to the Executive to update the 5 Year Capital Strategy detailing the measures being taken to bring the Strategy into balance over its life.
It was also agreed that the Scrutiny Overview Committee submit any comments it may have direct to Council, accordingly any comments made will be circulated on a supplementary agenda.
Report attached
Appendix A attached
Appendix B attached
Appendix C attached
Appendix D attached - BUSINESS REFERRED FROM THE EXCUTIVE -THE PRUDENTIAL CODE INDICATORS AND TREASURY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
At its meeting on 13th February 2008 the Executive considered that attached report concerning the 2008/09 Prudential Indicators and Treasury Management Strategy.
The recommendations in the report were approved and accordingly Council is recommended -
1. That the Prudential Code Indicators as detailed in Appendix A of the report, be adopted.
2. That the 2008/09 Treasury Management Strategy as detailed in paragraph 4.2 of the report, be adopted.
Report attached
Appendix A attached
Appendix B attached
Appendix C attached
Appendix D attached - OFFICER REPORT - MEMBERS' ALLOWANCES SCHEME
To consider an officer report concerning the Members' Allowances Scheme for 2008/2009.
Report attached
Appendix A attached - OFFICER REPORT - APPOINTMENT OF ELECTORAL REGISTRATION OFFICER AND RETURNING OFFICER
To consider the formal appointment of the Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer.
Report attached - AUDIT COMMITTEE MINUTES - 16th January 2008
To note the minutes of the Audit Committee held on 16th January 2008
Minutes attached - EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC
To consider the 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 disclosure 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
- PART II MINUTES - Wednesday, 30th JANUARY 2008
To approve as a correct record the Part II section of the Minutes of the Council meeting held on Wednesday, 30th January 2008 at 7 p.m. in the Council Chamber, Daneshill House, Danestrete, Stevenage.