Agenda item

To consider and set the Council Tax for 2020/21. The recommendation from the Executive is detailed at item 7b is considered as part of this item.

 

Section 9 of this pack will be distributed separately after publication of the agenda

 

Please note that members will be asked to suspend normal council procedure rules for this item. Use of the Council’s budget procedure rules are followed for this item https://www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/media/media,151697,en.pdf

 

The Leader of the Council introduced the budget and setting of the council tax to members and made the following speech which is summarised as follows:

 

·       The Leader noted the recent Covid pandemic and thanked Public sector workers and the residents and businesses of Adur for pulling together and helping one and other during difficult and uncertain times

·       The Leader thanked the Chief Executive and Staff for their tireless work in supporting the community during the pandemic;

·       The effects of the pandemic would be felt for some time to come;

·       The Administration had responded to the pandemic with boldness and speed;

·       The Council had been nominated for two national awards in the previous year;

·       The budget before members was about delivering quality public services and helping those in need today as well as ensuring prosperity tomorrow;

·       Members were told that the Leader worked tirelessly to ensure there was a focus on economic growth and long term prosperity;

·       The Executive were determined to make the most of each opportunity to help the authority build back better following the pandemic. This would include more investment, jobs, training and opportunities to learn;

·       The Authorities finances were sound and public services well prepared;

·       Help had been received from the Government in such forms as the furlough scheme, benefit increases and helping businesses stay afloat through grants;

·       Housing remained central for the Administration and the budget included plans to improve and increase the housing stock;

·       The budget sought to protect and enhance the environment to secure a better future for residents and the planet;

·       The Leader detailed programmes that would invest and deliver high quality public services, Protect jobs and create opportunity; Build new homes and improve housing; sustainability and protection of the environment and supporting communities

 

The Leader of the opposition introduced proposed amendments and gave a speech in response to the budget

 

·       The Leader of the opposition commended the work of officers of the council;

·       It was noted that the result of Covid would be felt for years to come;

·       Work with community groups and with rough sleepers was commended;

·       There was a need to provide resilience to protect from future shocks;

·       The current year was not the year to raise Council Tax;

·       The authority was plugging gaps in finance with risky ventures;

·       West Sussex County Council was a less than reliable partner, tip closures had caused an increase in fly tipping in Adur and bus services had been removed from villages

·       There had been an increase in recycling rates but there had been an additional 105 tonnes of overall waste, the target should be a reduction of all waste streams;

·       Good progress had been made on carbon neutral projects, doubt was placed upon on expenditure on buying new salts farm;

·       City Fibre was key to renewal, however it was important to recognise that digital exclusion was a problem;

·       There were obvious problems with the Adur Homes Stock, conditions were poor in some properties and often these would only be resolved with the involvement of Members;

·       There was no planned maintenance schedule for Adur Homes Stock

 

The proposed amendments were seconded

 

The Leader of the independent group made a speech in response to the budget and thanked officers and the local community for their response to the pandemic

 

Members debated the budget and the Leader of the opposition and the Leader were given the right of reply.

 

The Council voted on the amendments

 

1st amendment - Fortnightly collections impact on HMOs

 

There's lots of evidence that the move to fortnightly refuse collections for homes of multiple occupancy (HMO) isn't working and has since become a public health issue with overflowing bins, strewn rubbish and stench.

 

The survey which received over 1800 responses revealed general dissatisfaction with the new arrangements. In addition, many residents have made direct contact with councillors and on social media channels to indicate their concerns.

 

We wish to use £20k (which will reduce to £8k for Adur if colleagues in Worthing approve a £12k contribution) out of the 2020/21 underspend for an audit of the general refuse arrangements for the HMOs. We would also wish to see an equality impact assessment carried out.

 

Once this has been carried out we wish to see an action plan to identify the HMOs with continuing problems and to deliver more capacity either through;

 

1) the provision of larger bins,

2) increased bin storage areas,

3) or a return to weekly collections.

 

2nd amendment - Feasibility study into a residential food waste collection

 

Budget for a spend of £20k (which will reduce to £8k for Adur if colleagues in Worthing approve a £12k contribution) from the 2020/21 underspend and commission a feasibility study into a residential food waste collection.

 

The study should be based on a scheme initially using the currently available infrastructure that would provide for the transfer of our food waste to one of the existing companies for digestion and energy generation out of our area. The study should include an outline assessment of the longer-term feasibility of a local digestion and electricity generation facility that might have the potential to produce a revenue stream for the council.

 

Whilst, at present, this council has no statutory duty to provide a food waste collection, the benefits of such a scheme in reducing the contamination of recyclable waste, reducing landfill, and contributing to generating electricity will make a substantial contribution towards meeting the council’s target of carbon neutrality by 2030.

 

Amendment one:

 

For (Cllr)

 

Against

 

Abstain

 

Amendment two

 

For (Cllr)

 

Against

 

Abstain

 

Resolved:

 

1.	It be noted that on 2nd February 2021, the Executive calculated the Council Tax Base 2021/22.
	(a)	for the whole Council area as 21,232.80 [Item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”)]; and
	(b)	for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates as in the attached Appendix C
2.	That the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2021/22 (excluding Parish precepts) is £6,611,890.
3.	That the following amounts be calculated by the Council for the year 2021/22 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:
	(a)	£47,009,838	being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act taking into account all precepts issued to it by Parish Councils
	(b)	£39,963,382	being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.
	(c)	£7,046,456	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)	£331.87	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 (including Parish precepts).
	(e)	£434,566	being the aggregate amount of all special items (Parish precepts) referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act (as per the attached Appendix C).
	(f)	£311.40	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.
	(g)	£364,260	being the aggregate amount of all special expenses (not applicable in the Lancing Parish area)

 

	(h)	£294.21	being the amount at 3(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 3(e) and 3(g) above by Item T (1a 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 for dwellings in those parts of its area to which no Parish precept or Special Expense relates.
4.	That it be noted that for the year 2021/22 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
2021/22	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
West Sussex County Council Total as split below:	1,007.04	1,174.88	1,342.72	1,510.56	1,846.24	2,181.92	2,517.60	3,021.12
West Sussex Council – Core precept	893.91	1,042.90	1,191.88	1,340.87	1,638.84	1,936.81	2,234.78	2,681.74
West Sussex County Council – Adults Social Care Element	113.13	131.98	150.84	169.69	207.40	245.11	282.82	339.38
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex	143.27	167.15	191.03	214.91	262.67	310.43	358.18	429.82

 

 

5. That the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the amounts shown in Appendix B as the amounts of Council Tax for the year 2021/22 for each part of its area and for each of the categories of dwellings.

 

LANCING PARISH COUNCIL AREA

 

Council Tax Schedule	Band A	Band B	Band C	Band D	Band E	Band F	Band G	Band H
2021/22	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
West Sussex County Council Total split as below:	1,007.04	1,174.88	1,342.72	1,510.56	1,846.24	2,181.92	2,517.60	3,021.12
West Sussex County Council Core Precept	893.91	1,042.90	1,191.88	1,340.87	1,638.84	1,936.81	2,234.78	2,681.74
West Sussex County Council Adult Social Care Precept	113.13	131.98	150.84	169.69	207.40	245.11	282.82	339.38
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex	143.27	167.15	191.03	214.91	262.67	310.43	358.18	429.82
Parish of Lancing area total as split below:
Adur District Council Core Precept	196.14	228.83	261.52	294.21	359.59	424.97	490.35	588.42
Lancing Parish Precept	35.10	40.95	46.80	52.65	64.35	76.05	87.75	105.30
TOTAL	1,381.55	1,611.81	1,842.07	2,072.33	2,532.85	2,993.37	3,453.88	4,144.66

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SOMPTING PARISH COUNCIL AREA

Council Tax Schedule	Band A	Band B	Band C	Band D	Band E	Band F	Band G	Band H
2021/22	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
West Sussex County Council Total split as below	1,007.04	1,174.88	1,342.72	1,510.56	1,846.24	2,181.92	2,517.60	3,021.12
West Sussex County Council Core Precept	893.91	1,042.90	1,191.88	1,340.87	1,638.84	1,936.81	2,234.78	2,681.74
West Sussex County Council Adult Social Care Precept	113.13	131.98	150.84	169.69	207.40	245.11	282.82	339.38
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex	143.27	167.15	191.03	214.91	262.67	310.43	358.18	429.82
Parish of Sompting area total as split below:
Adur District Council Core Precept	196.14	228.83	261.52	294.21	359.59	424.97	490.35	588.42
Sompting Parish Precept	24.84	28.98	33.12	37.26	45.54	53.82	62.10	74.52
Special Expenses	16.26	18.97	21.68	24.39	29.81	35.23	40.65	48.78
TOTAL	1,387.55	1,618.81	1,850.07	2,081.33	2,543.85	3,006.37	3,468.88	4,162.66

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL OTHER AREAS INCLUDING SHOREHAM, SOUTHWICK AND COOMBES

Council Tax Schedule	Band A	Band B	Band C	Band D	Band E	Band F	Band G	Band H
2021/22	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
West Sussex County Council total split as below:	1,007.04	1,174.88	1,342.72	1,510.56	1,846.24	2,181.92	2,517.60	3,021.12
West Sussex County Council Core Precept	893.91	1,042.90	1,191.88	1,340.87	1,638.84	1,936.81	2,234.78	2,681.74
West Sussex County Council Adult Social Care Precept	113.13	131.98	150.84	169.69	207.40	245.11	282.82	339.38
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex	143.27	167.15	191.03	214.91	262.67	310.43	358.18	429.82
All other areas including Shoreham, Southwick and Coombes are split below:
Adur District Council Core Precept	196.14	228.83	261.52	294.21	359.59	424.97	490.35	588.42
Special Expenses	16.26	18.97	21.68	24.39	29.81	35.23	40.65	48.78
TOTAL	1,362.71	1,589.83	1,816.95	2,044.07	2,498.31	2,952.55	3,406.78	4,088.14

 

 

 

COUNCIL TAX BASE

 

	2020/21 Tax Base	2021/22 Tax Base
Lancing	6,279.80	6,306.00
Sompting	2,776.60	2,755.40
Other Areas	12,325.00	12,171.40
TOTAL	21,381.40	21,232.80

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PARISH PRECEPTS

 

Parish Precepts	2020/21	2021/22
Lancing Parish Council	£322,200	£331,866
Sompting Parish Council	£92,700	£102,700
TOTAL	£414,900	£434,566