STIRLING COUNCIL
MINUTES of SPECIAL MEETING of STIRLING COUNCIL held in the COUNCIL
CHAMBERS, VIEWFORTH, STIRLING on THURSDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2017 at 6.00 pm
Present:
Provost Mike ROBBINS (in the Chair)
Councillor Neil BENNY
Councillor Alistair BERRILL
Councillor Johanna BOYD
Councillor Margaret BRISLEY
Depute Convener Callum CAMPBELL
Councillor Martin EARL
Councillor Scott FARMER
Councillor Danny GIBSON
Councillor Alycia HAYES
Councillor John HENDRY
Councillor Graham HOUSTON
Councillor Graham LAMBIE
Councillor Corrie MCCHORD
Councillor Gerry MCLAUGHLAN
Councillor Ian MUIRHEAD
Councillor Christine SIMPSON
Councillor Jim THOMSON
Councillor Violet WEIR
Councillor Fergus WOOD
In Attendance
Carol Beattie, Senior Manager – Economic Development & Regeneration
Jim Boyle, Chief Officer – Finance
Alastair Brown, Director of Localities & Infrastructure
Stacey Burlet, Director of Children, Communities & Enterprise
Stewart Carruth, Chief Executive
Carol Hamilton, Service Manager – Housing, Augmented Care & Support
Kristine Johnston, Chief Officer – HR & OD
Kevin Kelman, Senior Manager – Schools, Learning & Education
David McDougall, Governance Officer
John MacMillan, Service Manager – Integrated Facilities Management
Alan Milliken, Senior Manager – Communities & People
Nicole Paterson, Senior Manager – Environment & Place
Brian Roberts, Senior Manager – Infrastructure
Kirsty Scott, Service Manager – Communications, Events & Public Affairs
Karen Swan, Committee Officer
Marie Valente, Senior Manager – Children & Families
Iain Wynne, Accountancy Assistant
Iain Strachan, Chief Officer – Governance (Clerk)
SC527 APOLOGIES
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Alasdair MacPherson and Councillor Mark Ruskell.
SC528 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest. Information/advice from officers on the Budget Proposals and Amendments had been tabled prior to the meeting in accordance with Standing Order 20, and this is attached as Appendix C to these Minutes.
SC529 REVENUE BUDGET AND DETERMINATION OF COUNCIL TAX 2017/18
The report provided Council with details of the 2017/18 General Fund Revenue
Budget along with indicative financial plans for the following four financial years 2018/19 to 2021/22.
The report also included a full suite of documents that brought together the
budget, the five-year Business Plan and the Strategic Workforce Plan and
provided members with an integrated view of the Council’s position for the
coming five years.
Budget Proposal
“That Council approves the Administration Revenue Budget Proposal published in accordance with Standing Orders 17 – 19.”
Moved by Councillor Johanna Boyd, seconded by Councillor Neil Benny
Amendment
“That Council approves the Opposition Revenue Budget published in accordance with Standing Orders 17 – 19.”
Moved by Councillor Gerry McLaughlan, seconded by Councillor Scott Farmer
On the roll being called the Members present voted as follows:-
For the Amendment (8)
Councillor Scott Farmer
Councillor Alycia Hayes
Councillor Graham Houston
Councillor Graham Lambie
Councillor Gerry McLaughlan
Councillor Ian Muirhead
Councillor Jim Thomson
Councillor Fergus Wood
Against the Amendment (12)
Councillor Neil Benny
Councillor Alistair Berrill
Councillor Johanna Boyd
Councillor Margaret Brisley
Depute Convener Callum Campbell
Councillor Martin Earl
Councillor Danny Gibson
CouncillorJohn Hendry
Councillor Corrie McChord
Provost Mike Robbins
Councillor Christine Simpson
Councillor Violet Weir
The Amendment fell by 12 votes to 8.
For the Motion (12)
Councillor Neil Benny
Councillor Alistair Berrill
Councillor Johanna Boyd
Councillor Margaret Brisley
Depute Convener Callum Campbell
Councillor Martin Earl
Councillor Danny Gibson
Councillor John Hendry
Councillor Corrie McChord
Provost Mike Robbins
Councillor Christine Simpson
Councillor Violet Weir
Against the Motion (8)
Councillor Scott Farmer
Councillor Alycia Hayes
Councillor Graham Houston
Councillor Graham Lambie
Councillor Gerry McLaughlan
Councillor Ian Muirhead
Councillor Jim Thomson
Councillor Fergus Wood
Decision
The Motion was carried by 12 votes to 8, and accordingly the Council agreed to approve the Administration Revenue Budget Proposal as set out at Appendix A to these minutes.
(Reference: Report by Director of Localities & Infrastructure, dated 15 February 2017, submitted)
SC530 GENERAL SERVICES CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2017/18 TO 2021/22
The report provided Council with details of the 2017/18 General Services Capital Programme, along with an indicative programme for the following four years.
The report set out the resource availability for the financial year 2017/18, along with projections for future years. Appendix 2 to the report set out the main capital planning assumptions for 2017/18 to 2021/22.
Following approval of the Administration Revenue Budget Proposal earlier in the meeting, Cllr McLaughlan and Cllr Farmer agreed to withdraw their Capital Budget Proposal. The Administration Capital Budget Proposal was therefore agreed unanimously without the need for a roll call vote.
Decision
That Council agreed to approve the Administration Capital Budget Proposal as set out at Appendix B to these minutes.
(Reference: Report by Director of Localities & Infrastructure, dated 16 February 2017, submitted)
SC531 HOUSING RENTAL STRATEGY 2017/18
This report sought to determine the rent increase for 2017/18.
As part of the 2014/15 rent setting process the Council agreed to move away from ‘inflation plus’ and instead use a ‘cost of service’ approach. This required the service to present Elected Members and tenants with a breakdown of known cost pressures and savings for the forthcoming financial year and consult on the balance of cost savings versus rent increases in order to produce a balanced budget.
This year’s consultation was carried out on the basis of a 0.3% rent increase.
Council was now asked to set the rents for 2017/18 based on the assumptions of the Housing Revenue Account budget as discussed in paragraphs 3.10 and 3.11 of the submitted report.
A full consultation process for rent setting was agreed in consultation with the Housing Advisory Group. Consultation began in October 2016 and had continued through December 2016. The results of the consultation process were set out in the report. The results showed support for a 0.3% rent rise to enable the Council to continue with the 2017/18 investment programme. The results of the tenant consultation were shown in Appendix 2 to the report.
The detailed budget for the Housing Revenue Account 2017/18 was shown in
Appendix 3 to the report.
The recommendations contained in the report were moved by Cllr Weir, seconded by Cllr Earl and were agreed unanimously without the need for a roll call vote.
Decision
The Council agreed to:-
-
approve an increase of 0.3% for house rents in 2017/18;
-
approve an increase of 0.3% for garages and pitch sites; and
-
approve the Housing Revenue Account budget for 2017/18 as detailed in
Appendix 3 to the report.
(Reference: Joint report by Director of Children, Communities & Enterprise and
Director of Localities & Infrastructure, dated 31 January 2017, submitted)
SC532 HOUSING – CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMME 2017/18
The Housing Revenue Account Capital Investment Programme for 2017/18 had been based on the Council’s agreed 30-year housing business plan and set to ensure that we continued to meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard beyond 2015 and achieve the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing by 2020.
Total planned expenditure for the year was £8.798 million.
Funding from revenue was expected to be £5.914 million with prudential borrowing for the year estimated at approximately £1.764 million and income from the strategic housing account projected to be £200,000.
Grant funding from the Scottish Government of up to £920,000 would also be
available to support the construction of new Council housing.
The recommendations contained in the report were moved by Cllr Weir, seconded by Cllr Earl and were agreed unanimously without the need for a roll call vote.
Decision
The Council agreed to approve the 2017/18 Capital Investment Programme as
detailed in the report.
(Reference: Joint report by Director of Localities & Infrastructure, dated 31 January 2017, submitted)
The Convener closed the meeting at 7.25 pm