Agenda item

To consider the report of the Chief Officer Financial Services presenting the initial budget proposals for 2019/20, and seeking agreement for them to be submitted to Scrutiny for consideration and used as a basis for wider consultation with stakeholders.

The Chief Officer Financial Services submitted a report presenting the initial budget proposals for 2019/20, and which sought agreement for them to be submitted to Scrutiny for consideration, and also used as a basis for wider consultation with stakeholders.

It was noted that prior to the meeting, an addendum to the report had been submitted to Board Members for consideration, which provided an update on the key features of the provisional Local Government Financial Settlement for 2019/20 as had been recently announced by Government, and which highlighted the implications for the Council. It was noted that this had included confirmation that the Council’s application to pilot 75% business rates retention as an expanded North and West Yorkshire business rates pool in 2019/20 had been successful.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the initial budget proposals be agreed and that agreement also be given for them to be submitted to Scrutiny for consideration, and also be used as a basis for wider consultation with stakeholders;

(b)  That the assumptions contained within the proposals, as detailed within the submitted report, together with the updated information as contained within the addendum to the report (which had been circulated to Board Members following the announcement of the provisional Local Government Financial Settlement for 2019/20), which included confirmation of: the Council’s Settlement Funding Assessment for 2019/20; Leeds’ allocation of Winter Pressure and Social Care Grant; the parameters by which the Authority could raise Council Tax without the need for a referendum and the Authority’s successful application to pilot 75% Business Rate Retention, be noted;

(c)  That given that the bid to pilot 75% Business Rate Retention had been successful, then agreement be given that Leeds becomes a member of the new North and West Yorkshire Business Rates Pool and acts as lead authority for it. With it being noted that notwithstanding this resolution, the establishment of this new Pool will be dependent upon none of the other member authorities choosing to withdraw within the statutory period after designation;

(d)  That approval be given for the Authority to implement the new business rates reliefs, as announced at the Autumn Budget, with it also being noted that Leeds will be compensated in full by Government for any resultant loss of income.

(Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 16.5, Councillor Golton required it to be recorded that he abstained from voting on the decisions referred to within this minute.

Also, it was noted that whilst Councillor B Anderson was attending the Board meeting in a non-voting capacity, were he able to, he would have abstained from voting on the decisions referred to within this minute)

(The resolutions referred to within Minute No. 135 (a) and (b), given that these were decisions being made in accordance with the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules, were not eligible for Call In, as Executive and Decision Making Procedure Rule 5.1.2 states that the power to Call In decisions does not extend to those decisions made in accordance with the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules.

However, the resolutions referred to in Minute No. 135 (c) and (d) were eligible for Call In, given that these were decisions not being taken as part of the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules)