Agenda item

The minutes from the meeting of the Policy & Finance Committee held on 7 March 2024 will be circulated separately and any recommendations will be reported to the meeting.

In the absence of the Leader of the Council and the Chair of the Policy & Finance Committee, Councillor Nash, as Deputy Leader of the Council and Vice-Chair, presented recommendations from the meeting of the Policy & Finance Committee held on 7 March 2024.  The minutes had been circulated separately to the agenda and had been added to the Full Council web page on 11 March 2024 and emailed to Councillors. It was explained that in error the minutes from the Policy & Finance Committee held on 7 March 2023 had formed part of that supplement pack. The correct minutes from the meeting of the Policy & Finance Committee held on 7 March 2024 had therefore been published to the Full Council web site and circulated to Members on 12 March 2024.

Councillor Nash alerted Members to the first of a series of recommendations at Minute 682 [Urgent Matters – Swimming Pool Support Fund Phase 2] which was asking the Council to add the amount of £135,470 from the Swimming Pool Support Fund to the Council’s capital programme for 2024/25.  Councillor Nash formally proposed the recommendations which were then seconded by Councillor Oppler.

The Council

            RESOLVED  - That

(1)          The amount of £135,470 from the Swimming Pool Support Fund is added to the Council’s capital programme for 2024/25; and

(2)          The contents of the report and process of achieving grant funding be noted.

Councillor Nash then presented to Members the next recommendation which was at Minute 688 [The Webcasting of Meetings – Future Options]. Councillor Nash outlined that there had been a good debate at the Committee in examining the Options being presented and so he formally proposed that Options 1 and 2 at a value of £61.5k be added to the Council’s capital programme. This recommendation was seconded by Councillor Oppler.

In debating the recommendation, most Councillors confirmed their support acknowledging that the existing equipment had reached end of life and required replacement. Despite concerns expressed over borrowing the cost of the equipment, the opportunity for members of the public to be able to view meetings live was seen as a way of encouraging democracy and public participation.

The Council

            RESOLVED 

That Options 1 and 2 at a value of £61,500 be added to the Council’s capital programme.

            Councillor Nash then alerted Members to the final recommendation at Minute 691 [Council Tax – Empty and Second Homes] which he formally proposed. The recommendation was then seconded by Councillor Oppler.

In debating the recommendation, various questions that had been asked at the Policy & Finance Committee were repeated. It was confirmed that the responses to the questions raised at the Committee had been answered and emailed to Committee members. The questions raised had been confirmation as to what the definition of a second home was; would the reduction from 2 years to 1 year allow time for more complicated probate cases to be concluded and would flexibility in such instances be applied;  and what would happen with a business property containing domestic accommodation such as a shop or pub that was used occasionally.  The responses to these questions were provided and it was confirmed that the responses provided to the Committee would be circulated to all Members. 

            Following further debate, the Council

            RESOLVED

That a Council Tax premium of up to 100% in respect of second homes be introduced with effect from 1 April 2025.

A recorded vote was required in line with Council Procedure Rule 20.6.

Those voting for the recommendation were Councillors Ayling, Batley, Bicknell, Birch, Blanchard-Cooper, Mrs Bower, Bower, Brooks, Butcher, Mrs Cooper, Cooper, Edwards, Elkins, English, Goodheart, Greenway, Gunner, Haywood, Huntley, Jones, Kelly, Long, Lury, Madeley, May, McDougall, Nash, Needs, Northeast, O’Neill, Oppler, Partridge, Patel, Pendleton, Penycate, Stainton, Tandy, Turner, Wallsgrove, Walsh, Wiltshire, Woodman, Mrs Worne, Miss Worne and Yeates [45]. No Councillor voted against the recommendation. Councillor McAuliffe abstained from voting [1].