Agenda and decisions

The Mayor announced that in light of the current Covid situation, including the spread of the Omicron variant, the meeting was being held with reduced numbers of Councillors present.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Myla Arceno, Julie Ashley-Wren, Doug Bainbridge, Stephen Booth, Rob Broom, Adrian Brown, Matt Creasey, Michael Downing, John Duncan, Alex Farquharson, John Gardner, Jody Hanafin, Liz Harrington, Richard Henry, Jackie Hollywell, Chris Howells, Lizzy Kelly, Wendy Kerby, Sarah Mead, Margaret Notley, Loraine Rossati, Graham Snell, Simon Speller and Tom Wren.

There were no declarations of interest.

At this juncture, the Mayor paid tribute to the late former County Councillor Mona Warren and the recently deceased former Borough Councillor Carol Latif (a past SBC Mayor).

A number of further tributes to both former councillors were given by other Members and the Council stood to observe a minute’s silence.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 15 December 2021.

It was RESOLVED that, subject to the deletion of Councillor Stephen Booth from the list of those present at the meeting, the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 15 December 2021 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

The officer report (attached as Item 3) on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget Setting and Rent Report 2022/23 is to be considered by the Executive on 19 January 2022.  The Executive’s recommendations to Council will be circulated on a supplementary agenda.

The Council considered a report seeking approval to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget and Rent Setting for 2022/23.  The recommendations of the Executive, made at its meeting held on 19 January 2022, had been circulated to Members on a supplementary agenda.

The Executive’s recommendations contained in the supplementary agenda, together with an amended Appendix A to the report contained in a second supplementary agenda, were moved and seconded.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That HRA rent on dwellings be increased, week commencing 4 April 2022, by 4.1% which is an average increase of £4.06 for social rents, £6.60 for affordable rents and £4.74 for Low Start Shared Ownership homes per week (based on a 52-week year).  This has been calculated using the rent formula, CPI + 1% in line with the Government’s rent policy, as set out in Paragraph 4.1.1 of the report.

2.          That the 2022/23 HRA Budget, as set out in the amended Appendix A to the report, be approved.

3.          That the 2022/23 growth options, as set out in Section 4.8 of the report, with supporting impact assessments in Appendix B, be approved.  This includes new match funding for a Decarbonisation Grant application of £950,000.

4.          That the 2022/23 Fees and Charges, as set out in Appendix C to the report, be approved.

5.          That the 2022/23 service charges be approved.

6.          That the minimum level of reserves for 2022/23, as shown in Appendix D to the report, be approved.

7.          That the Rent Increase Equalities Impact Assessments set out in Appendix E to the report be noted.

8.          That the contingency sum of £250,000 within which the Executive can approve supplementary estimates be approved for 2022/23 (unchanged from 2021/22).

9.          That the comments from the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Portfolio Holder Advisory Group, as set out in Paragraph 4.10 of the report, be noted.

To seek Council’s approval, in accordance with section 85(1) of the Local Government Act 1972 for Councillor non-attendance at in person meetings of the Council for reasons related to the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic.

The Council consider a report seeking approval, in accordance with section 85(1) of the Local Government Act 1972, for Councillor non-attendance at in- person meetings of the Council for reasons related to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. 

It was RESOLVED that, in accordance with Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972, non-attendance for any Councillor unable to attend meetings in person due to the ongoing impact of the Coronavirus pandemic be approved, the period of approval to commence from 15 December 2021 and will expire on 24 May 2022 (the day immediately before Annual Council).

To consider the following motions –

1.  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 paragraphs1 – 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

2.  That Members consider the reasons for the following reports being in Part II and determine whether or not maintaining the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in Paragraphs 1 – 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

2.          That the reasons for the following report being in Part II were accepted, and that the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

To approve as a correct record the Part II Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 15 December 2021.

It was RESOLVED that the Part II Minutes of the Council meeting held on 15 December 2021 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.