Agenda item

Council Tax 2020/21

To consider and set the Council Tax for 2020/21.

 

A separate budget pack, produced by the Director for Digital and Resources, shall be circulated as items 8(a) and 8(b), and the recommendation from Worthing Executive, at item 7C(i), will also be considered as part of this item.

Minutes:

 

The Mayor introduced the item explaining that item 7C(i), the recommendation from the Executive would be considered as part of this discussion with the full proposed recommendation being contained in the papers placed before Councillors in the Chamber.  As required by the Regulations there would be a recorded vote on any amendments to the proposed budget together with the final vote.

 

The Mayor advised that the item would be dealt with under the new budget procedure rules and therefore, ordinary rules of debate did not apply. 

 

The Council was asked to suspend Council Procedure Rules where they conflicted with the budget procedure rules, in accordance with paragraph 7.2 of the budget procedure rules. 

 

The suspension of Council Procedure Rules was proposed by the Mayor and seconded by Councillor Edward Crouch.

 

On a vote:  For 32, Against 0, Abstentions 0

 

The Mayor invited the Leader of the Council to address the Chamber. 

 

The Leader of the Council introduced the budget and setting of the council tax to members and a copy of the Leaders budget speech is appended to these minutes as Appendix A.

 

The proposal was seconded by the Councillor Kevin Jenkins.

 

The Deputy Leader of the Labour Group on the Council, Councillor Deen, addressed the Council, acknowledging the hard work of officers in producing a balanced budget and the difficulties that lay ahead with an even more challenging year to come. 

 

Concerns were raised in regards to the delayed fairer funding deal, the loss of New Homes Bonus,  the Council’s strategy of investing in commercial property, reduced services (including fewer bin collections) and the overall problem of under provision in the local area.

 

The Labour Group had considered putting forward an alternative budget following conversations with over 20,000 local residents but saw little point in putting forward a transformative budget as it was hardly likely that the Council would accept the proposals and it would not be debated sensibly. It was noted that the Labour Group would take its plans to residents on 17 March instead.      

 

The Leader of the Liberal Democrats Group on the Council, Councillor Robert Smytherman, addressed the Council stating his group was committed to getting the people of Worthing what they want. There was much in the budget that the group could support, however, he considered that the budget process was a charade and would therefore abstain from the budget.            

 

Councillor Mark Withers, UKIP, addressed the Council, acknowledging the limited resources available whilst expressing reserved support for the proposals. In addition, concerns were raised about the Council’s investment in Commercial Property. 

 

Members in the Chamber rose to debate the budget with Councillors stating their broad support.  

 

The Leader was given the right of reply. 

 

As no amendments had been put forward, the Mayor put the substantive motion to the Council for a vote. A recorded vote was taken, the results of which, are set out below:-

 

For (20): Councillors Atkins, Baker, Bickers, Crouch, L Harman, High, Humphreys, Jenkins, McDonald, Mercer, Nowak, Sim, Sparkes, Turner, N Waight, S Waight, Westover, S Wills, T Wills and Withers.

 

Against (9): Councillors Barrett, Chowdhury, Deen, Howard, Mulholland, Silman, D Smith, S Smith and Walker.

 

Abstain (3): Councillors McCabe, Smytherman and Thorpe.

 

Resolved that

 

1.

The Council noted that on 3 February 2020, the Executive calculated the Council Tax Base 2020/21 as 39,269.5 [Item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”)]

2.

That the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2020/21 was £9,524,820.

3.

That the following amounts be calculated by the Council for the year 2020/21 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:

 

 

(a)

£77,629,900

being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act.

 

(b)

£68,105,080

being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.

 

(c)

£9,524,820

being the amount by which the aggregate at 3(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 3(b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act, as its Council Tax requirement for the year. (Item R), in the formula in Section 31B of the Act).

 

(d)

£242.55

being the amount at 3(c) above (Item R), all divided by Item T (1(a) above), calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year.

 

(e)

£0.00

being the aggregate amount of all special items (Parish precepts) referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act.

 

(f)

£242.55

being the amount at 3(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 3(e) above by Item T (1(a) above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(2) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year.

 

4.

That it be noted that for the year 2020/21 the West Sussex County Council and The  Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex have issued precepts to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each category of dwellings in the Council’s area as indicated in the table below:-

 

All of the Council’s Area

Band A

Band B

Band C

Band D

Band E

Band F

Band G

Band H

2020/21

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

Worthing Borough Council

161.70

188.65

215.60

242.55

296.45

350.35

404.25

485.10

West Sussex County Council Total as split below:

959.16

1,119.02

1,278.88

1,438.74

1,758.46

2,078.18

2,397.90

2,877.48

West Sussex Council – Core

874.81

1,020.61

1,166.41

1,312.21

1,603.81

1,895.41

2,187.02

2,624.42

West Sussex County Council – Adults Social Care element

84.35

98.41

112.47

126.53

154.65

182.77

210.88

253.06

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex

133.27

155.49

177.70

199.91

244.33

288.76

333.18

399.82




5.

That the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the amounts shown in table shown above, as the amounts of Council Tax for the year 2020/21 for each part of its area and for each of the categories of dwellings.

 

 

Band A

Band B

Band C

Band D

Band E

Band F

Band G

Band H

 

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

All of the Council’s Area

1,254.13

1,463.16

1,672.18

1,881.20

2,299.24

2,717.29

3,135.33

3,762.40

 

Supporting documents: