CB23/61 – DRAFT REVENUE BUDGET 2024/25

It was moved by Councillor Oliver, seconded and agreed that Council Procedure Rules 15.4 (content and length of speeches) and 15.5 (when a Member may speak again) be waived for the duration of this item.

It was moved by Councillor Oliver and seconded by Councillor Bayliss that the formal Council Tax Resolution at Appendix A to the report and Minute CB23/61 from the Cabinet meeting held on 5 February 2024 be approved and adopted.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.5(b) a vote by roll call in respect of recommendation 5) of CB23/61 regarding the Council Tax Reduction Scheme was taken, as follows:

FOR the Motion (22): Bayliss, Burton, Byrne, Coleman, Mrs Cook, Coupar, Creaser, Delany, Drayson, Gray, Hayward, Killeen, Legg, McCourt, McGurk, Mier, Oliver, Pearce, Rathbone Ariel, Stanger, Thomas and Timpe.

AGAINST the Motion (9): J. Barnes, Mrs. Barnes, Biggs, Ganly, Gordon, Grohne, Hacking, Osborne and Winter.

The Motion being put forward was declared CARRIED.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.5(b) a vote by roll call in respect of recommendations 1) to 7), excluding 5) of CB23/61 was taken, as follows:

FOR the Motion (24): Bayliss, Burton, Byrne, Clark, Coleman, Mrs Cook, Coupar, Creaser, Delany, Drayson, Field, Gray, Hayward, Killeen, Legg, McCourt, McGurk, Mier, Oliver, Pearce, Rathbone Ariel, Stanger, Thomas and Timpe.

AGAINST the Motion (10): J. Barnes, Mrs. Barnes, Biggs, Ganly, Gordon, Grohne, Hacking, Maynard, Osborne and Winter.

The Motion being put forward was declared CARRIED.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.5(b) a vote by roll call in respect of recommendations 1) to 3) of the Budget 2024/25 report which included the formal Council Tax Resolution set out Appendix B was taken, as follows:

FOR the Motion (24): Bayliss, Burton, Byrne, Clark, Coleman, Mrs Cook, Coupar, Creaser, Delany, Drayson, Field, Gray, Hayward, Killeen, Legg, McCourt, McGurk, Mier, Oliver, Pearce, Rathbone Ariel, Stanger, Thomas and Timpe.

AGAINST the Motion (10): J. Barnes, Mrs. Barnes, Biggs, Ganly, Gordon, Grohne, Hacking, Maynard, Osborne and Winter.

The Motion being put forward was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED: That CB23/61 from the Cabinet meeting held on 5 February 2024 be approved and adopted; and

1)     the updated General Fund Summary and movement in reserves be approved as submitted (Appendix A);

2)     the formal Council Tax Resolution as set out below be approved; and

3)     the Optimum Level of the General Fund Reserve for 2024/25 to 2027/28 be approved as submitted (Appendix D).

1.   (a)   That Council approves the Rother District Council General Fund Council Tax Requirement of £8,017,457 for 2024/25 and the resultant Band D tax of £204.54 as set out in this report.

(b)     As per the delegation included within the budget report to Cabinet, the special expenses position has now been reviewed and a provision of £786,630 has been made as detailed within Appendix C. The expenses incurred by the Council, in the sum of £711,556 in respect of Bexhill and £75,074 in respect of Rye, should now be approved as the Special Expenses chargeable to residents of Bexhill and Rye respectively. All other expenses incurred by the Council (excluding Parish Precepts) be approved as general expenditure for the purposes of section 35 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.  (This resolution will be reviewed annually).

2.     That it be noted, the following amounts for the year 2024/25 in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) Regulations 1992, made under section 33 (5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:-

(a)     39,197.50 being the amount calculated by the Council in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 2012, as its Council Tax base for the year.

(b)

being the amounts calculated by the Council in accordance with Regulation 6 of the Regulations, as the amounts of its Council Tax base for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which one or more special items relate.

3.                  That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year  2024/25 in accordance with sections 32 to 38 of the Local Government and Finance Act 1992 as amended: -

g.