Agenda and draft minutes

Members of the Council are requested to declare any interests which they have in any items or issues before the Council for determination.

There were no declarations of interest made at the meeting.

To receive communications from the Mayor and any announcements by the Leader of the Council or the Chief Executive on matters of interest to the Council.

The Mayor reported to those present, duties undertaken as Bury’s first citizen since the last Council meeting.

Minutes attached.

The minutes of the meeting held on the 17^th January 2024 be approved.

To answer questions from members of the public, notice of which has been given, on any matter relevant to the Council’s Budget. If time permits, further questions will be invited from members of the public present.

Notice had been received of 3 questions in advance of the meeting:

In addition the following questions were asked without notice, at the meeting:

Report attached.

It was moved by Councillor Gold and seconded by Councillor Rafiq and with all members voting in favour and the Mayor abstaining it was agreed that:

1.    The vacant post of Deputy Chief Finance Officer (Band E, £93k - £102k) be redesignated as Director of Finance (Band F, £104k - £113k) and redesignated as the Council’s Statutory Section 151 Officer. The Director of Finance will be a direct report to the Chief Executive with the Finance function becoming part of the Corporate Core Department under the Executive Director (Strategy & Transformation).

2.    The post of Director of People & Inclusion (Band D, £84k - £91k) be re-graded at Chief Officer Band E (£93k - £102k) to reflect the post’s expanded portfolio, as set out in the report. Delegate authority to the Chief Executive and the Cabinet Members for Finance and Communities and HR and Corporate Affairs, in consultation with the Monitoring Officer and S151 Officer, to consider responses received from the consultation and produce a final version of the structure.

Report attached.

Meeting of Cabinet 14^th February 2023 – Housing Revenue Account

It was moved by Councillor Gold and seconded by Councillor Cummins and on being put with all Members voting for and the Mayor abstaining Council agreed to:

·       Approve the 2024/25budget forthe HousingRevenue Account   

·       Agree rents to be increased for 2024/25 by 7.7% which is the Government’s maximum allowable increase being September CPI (Consumer Price Index) 6.7% plus 1% with effect from 1^st April2024.

·       Shared ownership rents to beincreased by 7.7% in line with the provision which is set out within shared ownership agreements with effect from 1^st April 2024.

·       Approve an increase inGarage rents by CPI asat September 2023 CPI 6.7%.

·       Approve an increase inSheltered Management andSupport Charges by CPI 6.7%.

·       Approve an increasein Serviceand AmenityCharges byCPI 6.7%.

·       Approve an increasein Supportand Heating chargesby CPI6.7%.

·       Approve an increasein FurnishedTenancy chargesby CPI6.7%.

Report and appendices attached.

Meeting of Cabinet 15^th February 2023 – Consolidated Budget

At the invitation of the Mayor, Councillor Gold, Cabinet Member for Finance and Communities, made a statement on the Budget for 2024/25.

(i)          It was moved by Councillor Gold and seconded by Councillor O’Brien that the recommendations contained in Minute CA.125 of the Cabinet meeting held on 14th February 2024 be approved and adopt the budget for 2023/24, and Council:

1. Approved the Medium-Term Financial Strategy for 2024/ 2025, 2026 / 2027 and the assumptions regarding resources and spending requirements.
2. Approved the Council Tax base for Bury Council for 2024/ 25 of 57,409 Band D equivalent dwellings, this is the basis on which the Council Tax funding has been calculated.
3. Approved the net revenue budget of £209.608m for 2024/2025.
4. Approved the Council tax requirement of £110.198m and the increase in Council Tax in 2024 – 25 of 2.99% in terms of General Council Tax and a further 2% for the Adult Social Care precept for 2024/2025.
5. Approved the budget assumptions £37.111m in 2024/25.
6. Approved the use of £15.131m of reserves from the budget smoothing reserve and £4.629m from the collection fund smoothing reserves.
7. Noted the forecast position on reserves (paragraph 22.2).
8. Noted the Chief Executive as Director of BMBC Townside Fields Limited will draw down annual dividends from the Company and annual dividends will be reflected in the MTFS.
9. Approved the recommendations set out in the Treasury Management Strategy (Appendix 2):
   • Approved the Treasury Management Strategy including the associated Prudential Indicators and Annual Investment Strategy.
   • Approved the Treasury Management Policy Statement.
   • Approved the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Policy Statement.
10. Approved the Capital Strategy and the Programme for 2024/25 - 2026/27 (Appendix 3).
11. Approved the Dedicated Schools Grant budget for 2024/2025 at £228.326m and approve the allocations between the four funding blocks as set out in appendix 4 to this report:
    • The Schools and Academies 2024/25 funding unit values as recommended by Schools Forum and detailed at Annex 1 to appendix 4.
    • Approved the 2024/25 hourly rates for all early year's providers as follows:
      • £5.28 per hour, for 3- and 4-year-olds.
      • £7.52 per hour, for 2-year-olds; and.
      • £10.00 per hour, for under 2s
12. Noted the position on the Dedicated Schools Grant deficit and Project Safety Valve.
13. Agreed to the following amendments to the treatment of military compensation as set out in Appendix 7:
    • Exclude military compensation for Discretionary Council Tax Support calculations - These are short to mid-term additional credits made to those in receipt of Council Tax Support as a top up towards their Council Tax.
    • Exclude military compensation for Discretionary Housing Payments calculations - These are short to mid-term additional payments made to those in receipt of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit as a top up towards their rent.

(ii)         An amendment was moved by Councillor R Bernstein and seconded by Councillor McBriar that:

The suite of budget reports submitted to the Council should be approved, with the following amendments:

Proposed change in budget allocation:

£6.6 million Real Living Wage  ...  view the full minutes text for item C. 5c

Conservative Amendment

Radcliffe First Amendment

Attached, minutes of:

Budget Overview and Scrutiny

Budget JCC Corporate

Budget JCC Teachers

Budget Cabinet – to follow.

There were no questions on the delegated decision of the Cabinet Committees.