Agenda and minutes

The Council is asked to note any apologies for absence received from Members.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors J A Brown, Callender, Stephenson and Talbot.

The Council is asked to approve, as a correct record, the minutes of the Council Meeting held on Tuesday 24 January 2017.

RESOLVED, that the minutes of the ordinary meeting of the Council, held on Tuesday 24 January 2017, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Councillors are invited to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests, or other interest, and the nature of it, in relation to any item on the agenda.

There were none made at this time.

The Council is asked to note any announcements made by the Chairman of the Council.

The Chairman thanked everyone who had helped at, or attended, the recent Civic Service and the Pride of Tendring Awards.

The Chairman was also pleased to inform Members that Councillor Talbot was recovering very well from his operation that he had had that morning.

The Council is asked to note any announcements made by the Chief Executive.

The Chief Executive announced that a review of the arrangements for security and for filming at meetings of the Council was being undertaken. Consideration would also be given to the formulation of a protocol for public attendance at meetings.

The Council is asked to note any statements made by the Leader of the Council.

Councillors may then ask questions of the Leader on his statements.

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Stock) referred to Members’ anxiety about the behaviour of a member of the public at the previous meeting of the Council, which had led to concerns about the security arrangements at Council meetings.

The Leader of the Council welcomed the Chief Executive’s review and encouraged Members to engage with that review and to put forward their ideas.

Councillors I J Henderson, Scott, Bray, Broderick, Watling and Porter spoke to the Leader’s statement and Councillor Stock responded to those Members, as appropriate.

The Council is asked to note any statements made by Members of the Cabinet (Portfolio Holders).

Councillors may then ask questions of the Portfolio Holders on their statements.

There were no statements by Members of the Cabinet on this occasion.

To present to Council the Cabinet’s General Fund budget proposals including the Council Tax for District and Parish/Town Council Services for 2017/18.

The Council gave consideration to the Cabinet’s General Fund budget proposals for 2017/18 and the amount of Council Tax for District and Town and Parish Council services for the financial year 2017/18, for each category of dwellings within the District of Tendring, to support the proposed level of expenditure.

Members were aware from Minute 135 (A.2) of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 20 January 2017, that the Corporate Director (Corporate Services), in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Interim Finance, Revenues & Benefits Portfolio Holder, had been authorised to submit a report to this meeting in respect of the formal draft resolutions necessary to implement the Cabinet’s budget proposals, together with any late information, or notifications received from the Department for Communities and Local Government, as may necessarily affect the budget.

The Council was advised of all the resolutions made by the Cabinet on 20 January 2017, together with the additional recommendations necessary to set the Council Tax levy. Those resolutions and recommendations were before the Council, as contained within item A.1 of the Report of the Cabinet.

The Council was aware that the Cabinet’s proposed budget had been subject to the Council’s Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules, which had included scrutiny by the Council’s Corporate Management Committee.

Members were also aware that the Town and Parish Councils within the District had met to set their precepts and those precepts were contained within Appendix E to the Report of the Cabinet, which detailed the Precepts on the Collection Fund. The Council was also aware from Appendix F, that the average District and Parish Council Tax for a Band D property would increase to £192.52.

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Stock) made the following statement on the Council’s estimates and financial arrangements for the year ending 31 March 2017:

“When I stood here 12 months ago and introduced the 2016/17 budget I explained how it had been the toughest budget in many recent years. But the budget for 2017/18 has been even tougher and following the Government’s 4 year funding offer there will be no let-up in the need to find savings right through to 2019/20.

And even then, whilst I am sure many people will be hoping that things will start to get better after 2019/20 with the introduction of the 100% business rates retention approach, I think it would be safe for us all to remain cynical and assume that our funding position is not going to get any easier. History would suggest that it is quite likely that Government will be considering devolving further burdens down to Local Authorities but not backing them up with the right level of funding, which was the trick we all remember they did with the Local Council Tax Support Scheme.    

Our underlying principle in past years when making savings has always been to protect front line services. So our focus has been on working more efficiently and reducing our staffing and overhead costs alongside modest  ...  view the full minutes text for item 142.

To consider a recommendation from the Audit Committee that this Council opts in to the appointing person arrangements made by Public Sector Audit Appointments for the appointment of external auditors from 2018/19.

Council was informed that, on 26 January 2017, the Audit Committee had considered a report of the Corporate Director (Corporate Services) which set out the proposal to opt into the appointing person arrangements made by Public Sector Audit Appointments for the appointment of External Auditors from 2018/19.

The Audit Committee had resolved that it recommended to Council that this Council opts in to the appointing person arrangements made by Public Sector Audit Appointments for the appointment of external auditors from 2018/19.

The Audit Committee report referred to above was attached as Appendix A to the Reference from the Audit Committee for the Council’s consideration.

It was moved by Councillor Coley and:

RESOLVED that

(a)       Tendring District Council opts in to the appointing person arrangements made by Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA) for the appointment of external auditors from 2018/19; and

(b)   PSAA be informed of the Council’s decision by PSAA’s deadline for responses of 9 March 2017.

To approve the reason for Councillor Callender’s non-attendance at meetings of the Council etc. if he does not attend before 6 March 2017.

The Chief Executive formally reported that the last meeting which Councillor Callender had attended was that of the full Council on 6 September 2016.  Since then, Members were aware that Councillor Callender, following a period of time in which he had nursed his sick wife in a hospice and who had then sadly passed away, had not been able to attend meetings due to his bereavement.

Council was informed that, if a Councillor did not attend any meeting of the Council (or any of its Committees or Sub-Committees) for a consecutive period of six months, they would be disqualified from office under Section 85 of Part V of the Local Government Act 1972 unless the Full Council had approved their reason for non-attendance before the end of that period.

Members were advised that this was the last scheduled meeting of the Full Council before the six-month period expired in the case of Councillor Callender.

It was moved by Councillor G V Guglielmi, seconded by Councillor Watling and:

RESOLVED that Councillor Callender’s reason (namely bereavement) for non-attendance at meetings of the Council be approved in the event of him not attending a meeting before 6 March 2017.

The Council will consider any urgent matters submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 3(xvi), 11.3(b) and/or 13(q).

There were none on this occasion.