Agenda and minutes

To receive announcements from the Mayor.

The Deputy Mayor reported that the Mayor had been unable to attend the meeting due to ill health.  On behalf of the Council, the Deputy Mayor wished the Mayor a speedy recovery.

The Deputy Mayor further reported that 24 February 2023 would mark a year since Russia invaded Ukraine.  It was stated that there would be a national moment of silence at 11.00 am and the Deputy Mayor invited all members to  join her on the Town Hall steps from 10.30 am to formally recognise the occasion together with members of Stockport Ukrainian Club.

Councillors and officers to declare any interests which they may have in any of the items on the Summons for the meeting.

Councillors and officers were invited to declare any interests which they had in any of the items on the summons for the meeting.

The following interest was declared.

Personal Interest

It was noted that the Standards Committee had approved a wide dispensation to enable any member with a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or a Personal and Prejudicial interest in any item under consideration as part of the budget setting to take part and vote at the meeting.

To receive any questions from and provide answers to the public in relation to matters relevant to the Council’s activities.

Members of the public were invited to put questions to the Mayor and councillors on matters within the powers and duties of the Council.

Three public questions were submitted as follows:-

·         Relating to the response provided to a question at the 17 November 2022 meeting of the Council Meeting regarding reports that members of the Labour Party were part of a WhatsApp group that belittled a woman from the Brinnington community and what progress has been made on the investigation into this; and the candidacy of Councillor Sorton in the forthcoming local election.

Councillor Amanda Peers responded that she had chased up responses in relation to the investigations that were taking place on this matter but had not yet received a response on the outcome.  It was further stated that locally, the party’s group whip had attempted to start an investigation but the members concerned had not cooperated.  Councillor Peers stated that she was unable to continue to be a member of an organisation that did not take bullying, discrimination and inequality seriously., 

Councillor Andy Sorton further responded that he would not support of canvass support on behalf of those members who had been involved in the discriminatory behaviour towards a woman from Brinnington.  He stated that he remained concerned that there had not been an investigation into this matter by the Labour Party.  Councillor Sorton reflected on the achievements that had been made by the previous Labour administration for residents in his ward but that he could not continue when active discrimination was taking place.

·         Relating to the temporary closure of Central Library and a refusal to consult on the results of the review of the future of Central Library.

The Cabinet Member for Highways, Parks & Leisure Services (Councillor Grace Baynham) responded that the current administration announced in July of last year that it would retain a range of library services at Central Library in line with the decision of the Council meeting in January 2022.  It was further stated that this was confirmed in a formal decision taken by the Cabinet in September 2022 and there had been no change to this commitment.

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Mark Hunter) further responded that Central Library would not be closing, but that there would be a refurbishment of the premises that could not take place while the building remained operational. 

·         Relating to whether the time was overdue for a change in the way that Council budgets were determined.

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Mark Hunter) responded that it remained his view that Council Tax was a regressive form of taxation that did not take into account a person’s ability to pay.  It was further stated that the administration continued to campaign for a better financial settlement for Stockport and in the longer-term a fairer system for local government financing.

A further public question was submitted where the questioner was not in attendance at the meeting and in accordance with the Code of Practice, the Chief Executive was requested to respond to the questioner in writing.

To receive petitions, and by prior arrangement, receive delegations and presentations from members of the public, community groups or partnership organisations.

No such arrangements have been made for this meeting.

There were no petitions or presentations.

To consider a joint report of the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources.

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Mark Hunter) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) seeking approval for the draft 2023/24 Council Plan.

RESOLVED – That the Council Plan 2023/24 be approved and adopted.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Communities & Housing.

The Cabinet Member for Communities & Housing (Councillor Helen Foster-Grime) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Council Meeting to set the level of rent and service charges in the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and approve the HRA budget for 2023/24.

RESOLVED - That approved be given to:-

(a) An increase of 7% for social rent and affordable rent.

(b) An increase of 7% for rent of shared ownership properties.

(c) An increase of 9.5% for rent of sheltered properties.

(d) Service charge increases as outlined in section 3.

(e) The Housing Revenue Account Budget for 2023/24 as set out in Appendix 1.

To consider a joint report of the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources (Councillor Malcolm Allan) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update the Council’s 2023/24 to 2025/26 Medium Term Financial Plan forecasts and assumptions taking account of local and national changes.

RESOLVED - That the Medium Term Financial Plan forecasts for the Council’s finances for the period 2023/24 to 2025/26 be noted.

To consider a joint report of the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources (Councillor Malcolm Allan) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the Cabinet’s Revenue Budget Proposals for 2023/24 and outlining the Council’s financial outlook and challenges across the medium term period 2023/24 to 2024/25.

RESOLVED - (56 for, 4 against) (1) That approval be given to the Budget for 2023/24 described in the report and set out in Appendix 2 and 3.

(2) That the risk assessment of the 2023/24 Budget at Appendix 5 and the report of the Deputy Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer on the adequacy of proposed financial reserves and robustness of the estimates also included at Appendix 5 be noted.

(3) That approval be given to the required Council General Fund Balance to reflect the Deputy Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer’s assessment of risks.

(4) That approval be given to the financial forecasts and assumptions for 2023/24 to 2025/26 at Appendix 6, and the key issues to be addressed in

formulating a response to the future financial challenges facing the Council.

(5) That approval be given to the one-off positive investments funded by the available one-off resources.

(6) That the appropriate Council Tax resolutions be passed which produce a Council Tax increase of 3.99% in 2023/24 (1.99% General increase, 2% Adult Social Care Precept increase) as illustrated in Appendix 7.

The names of those councillors voting on this resolution were recorded as follows:-

Those councillors who voted for the resolution were:-

Councillors Shan Alexander, Malcolm Allan, Lou Ankers, Paul Ankers, Grace Baynham, Kate Butler, Christine Carrigan, Anna Charles-Jones, Angie Clark, Laura Clingan, Stuart Corris, Liz Crix, Dickie Davies, Will Dawson, Roy Driver, Dean Fitzpatrick, Colin Foster, Helen Foster-Grime, Sue Glithero, Graham Greenhalgh, Steve Gribbon, Oliver Harrison, Louise Heywood, Keith Holloway, Ian Hunter, Mark Hunter, Jilly Julian, Gary Lawson, Rory Leonard, Georgia Lynott, Colin MacAlister, Carole McCann, Tom McGee, Wendy Meikle, David Meller, Janet Mobbs, Tom Morrison, Amanda Peers, Ian Powney, Mark Roberts, Dena Ryness, David Sedgwick, Becky Senior, Vince Shaw, Frankie Singleton, Lisa Smart, Andy Sorton, Charlie Stewart, Catherine Stuart, John Taylor, Aron Thornley, Sue Thorpe, Wendy Wild, Elise Wilson, Suzanne Wyatt and Matt Wynne.

The councillors who voted against the resolution were:-

The Deputy Mayor (Councillor Linda Holt); Councillors Brian Bagnall, Mike Hurleston and Oliver Johnstone.

To consider a joint report of the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources and to pass the appropriate resolutions setting the Council Tax for 2023/24.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources (Councillor Malcolm Allan) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the Council Tax for 2023/24 and the level of precepts for the Mayoral Police and Crime Commissioner Precept and Mayoral General Precept (including fire services).

RESOLVED - (56 for, 4 against) (1) That it be noted that on 13 January 2022, the Council has calculated the Council Tax Base for the financial year 2022/23 as :

·         97,533.3 for the whole Council area [Item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the "Act")]

(2) That the Council Meeting approve the Council Tax Requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2023/24 as being £183,695,193

(3) That the following amounts be calculated by the Council for the year 2023/24 in accordance with sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

(a)  £774,733,906 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in section 31A(2) of the Act (Appendix Two).

(b)  £591,038,713 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in section  31A(3) of the Act (Appendix Two).

(c)  £183,695,193 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). (Appendix Two).

(d)  £1,883.41 being the amount at 3(c) above, 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 referred to in section 34(1) of the Act

(f)   £1,883.41 being the amount at 3(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 3(e) above by the amount 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 for dwellings in those parts of its area to which no special item relates.

(4) That it be noted that for the year 2023/24 the Mayoral Police and Crime Commissioner precept for Greater Manchester and the Mayoral General precept (including Fire Services) have been issued 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.

(5) That the Council, in accordance with Sections 30 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in the tables below as the amounts of Council Tax for 2023/24 for each part of its area and for each of the categories of dwellings.

(6) That the Council, in accordance with section 52ZB of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 hereby determines that the Council’s relevant basic amount of council tax for 2023/24 is not excessive in accordance with the principles determined by the Secretary of State under section 52ZC of the Act.

The names of those councillors voting on this resolution were recorded as follows:-

Those councillors who voted for the resolution were:-

Councillors Shan Alexander, Malcolm Allan, Lou Ankers, Paul Ankers, Grace Baynham, Kate Butler, Christine Carrigan,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.(v)

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources (Councillor Malcolm Allan) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the 2023/24 Capital Strategy and Capital Programme has been set to support the delivery of outcomes and outputs associated with the priorities of the Council.

RESOLVED - (60 for) That approval be given to:-

·         The Capital Strategy at Appendix One;

·         The 2023/24 to 2025/26 Capital Programme and the funding arrangements as described in the report and set out at Appendix Two; and,

·         The prudential indicators supporting the 2023/24 Capital Programme set out in Appendix Three.

The names of those councillors voting on this resolution were recorded as follows:-

Those councillors who voted for the resolution were:-

The Deputy Mayor (Councillor Linda Holt); Councillors Shan Alexander, Malcolm Allan, Lou Ankers, Paul Ankers, Brian Bagnall, Grace Baynham, Kate Butler, Christine Carrigan, Anna Charles-Jones, Angie Clark, Laura Clingan, Stuart Corris, Liz Crix, Dickie Davies, Will Dawson, Roy Driver, Dean Fitzpatrick, Colin Foster, Helen Foster-Grime, Sue Glithero, Graham Greenhalgh, Steve Gribbon, Oliver Harrison, Louise Heywood, Keith Holloway, Ian Hunter, Mark Hunter, Mike Hurleston, Oliver Johnstone, Jilly Julian, Gary Lawson, Rory Leonard, Georgia Lynott, Colin MacAlister, Carole McCann, Tom McGee, Wendy Meikle, David Meller, Janet Mobbs, Tom Morrison, Amanda Peers, Ian Powney, Mark Roberts, Dena Ryness, David Sedgwick, Becky Senior, Vince Shaw, Frankie Singleton, Lisa Smart, Andy Sorton, Charlie Stewart, Catherine Stuart, John Taylor, Aron Thornley, Sue Thorpe, Wendy Wild, Elise Wilson, Suzanne Wyatt and Matt Wynne.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Resources (Councillor Malcolm Allan) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Council Meeting to consider the Treasury Management Strategy Statement, the Annual Investment Strategy and the Minimum Revenue Provision Policy 2023/24.

RESOLVED – That approval be given to:-

·         The Minimum Revenue Provision Policy for 2023/24.

·         The Capital Expenditure forecasts and Capital Financing Requirement projections.

·         The Treasury Management Strategy 2023/24.

·         The Treasury and Prudential Indicators and limits 2023/24-2025/26.

·         The Annual Investment Strategy 2023/24.