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Agenda and minutes

Venue: This meeting will be held remotely; to view the meeting, please click here

Contact: Democratic Services  Email: Democratic.Services@croydon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

13/21

Minutes of Previous Meetings pdf icon PDF 503 KB

To approve the minutes of the meetings held on 19 November 2020, 30 November 2020 and 1 December 2020 as accurate records.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 19 November 2020, 30 November 2020 and 1 December 2020 were agreed as an accurate record.

14/21

Disclosure of Interests

In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct and the statutory provisions of the Localism Act, Members and co-opted Members of the Council are reminded that it is a requirement to register disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) and gifts and hospitality to the value of which exceeds £50 or multiple gifts and/or instances of hospitality with a cumulative value of £50 or more when received from a single donor within a rolling twelve month period. In addition, Members and co-opted Members are reminded that unless their disclosable pecuniary interest is registered on the register of interests or is the subject of a pending notification to the Monitoring Officer, they are required to disclose those disclosable pecuniary interests at the meeting. This should be done by completing the Disclosure of Interest form and handing it to the Democratic Services representative at the start of the meeting. The Chair will then invite Members to make their disclosure orally at the commencement of Agenda item 3. Completed disclosure forms will be provided to the Monitoring Officer for inclusion on the Register of Members’ Interests.

 

Minutes:

There were none.

 

15/21

Urgent Business (if any)

To receive notice of any business not on the agenda which in the opinion of the Chair, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business.

 

16/21

Announcements

To receive Announcements, if any, from the Mayor, the Leader, Head of Paid Service and Returning Officer.

Minutes:

Madame Mayor

 

Madame Mayor, Councillor Maddie Henson, wished the virtual chamber a happy International Women’s Day. In the week prior, Croydon was fortunate to receive a visit from the Duchess of Cornwall who attended a local vaccination centre and received her first dosage, streamed live over Facebook.

 

Madame Mayor explained that she had two remaining fundraisers planned before the end of her role in May; firstly a virtual bingo night hosted by Simon Edmands, and secondly, a virtual murder mystery evening, which would be written and performed by an acting troop who studied at the Brit School. She described another two events planned; firstly an event called Creating Conversations based on ‘coming out’, which was supported by Councillors Wood and Campbell, and the final event would be the Mayor’s Baby and Toddler Festival which was a two day programme of taste sessions presented by toddler groups from around the borough. These sessions were aimed to help organisations start generating bookings as restrictions were eased and to support people who were pregnant or had given birth during the pandemic, particularly to provide spaces for them to start to socialise with other parents.

 

The Leader

 

The Leader, Councillor Hamida Ali, wished Council a happy International Woman’s Day. The Leader highlighted that the council had been successful in its application for a capitalisation direction for a total of £120 million, which covers the current and next financial year. A letter from the Minister of State, Luke Hall MP, had been received which set out the details of the offer and attached conditions. The expectations included; making good progress against the Croydon Renewal Improvement Plan; meeting the expectations of the Improvement and Assurance Panel; and a condition that any additional borrowing to the Public Works Loan Board would result in an increase of an additional percentage point to the loan interest rates. This loan was a significant moment to Croydon’s recovery and brought stability to the budget position. She stated that an enormous amount of work had been contributed to this successful effort from officers across the council, led by the Interim Chief Executive, and she invited Madame Mayor to join in her thanks to everyone - which was granted.

 

Interim Chief Executive

 

The Interim Chief Executive informed Council of three recent appointments: Chris Buss had been appointed as the Council’s Interim Section 151 Officer, Asmat Hussain had been appointed as the Council’s Interim Executive Director of Resources and Interim Deputy Monitoring Officer and Doutimi Aseh had been appointed as the Interim Council Solicitor and Deputy Monitoring Officer.

 

17/21

Scheme of Members' Allowances 2021-22 pdf icon PDF 199 KB

For Members to consider a report on the Scheme of Members’ Allowances 2021-22.

Minutes:

The Leader introduced the item by applauding the productive work the Administration had led on to find a significant level of savings from the members’ allowances budget, particularly in relation to the Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs). She noted there had been a focus on reducing the London average level. Ward Councillor Budgets would remain, as which was decided given the level of financial remuneration and that those carrying more a responsibility should contribute more in this exercise. It was clear that these changes in no way would resolve the council’s financial position, however left a way in which councillors could make a contribution. The Leader moved and Councillor Clive Fraser seconded the recommendations.

 

Madam Deputy Mayor put the recommendations to the vote and they were agreed unanimously.

 

RESOLVED: Council AGREED the recommendations contained in the report:

 

1.1.  To approve changes to the Council’s existing Members’ Allowance Scheme as set out in Appendix 1 to this report with effect from 1 April 2021.

 

1.2       To authorise the Monitoring Officer to comply with the necessary statutory publicity requirements in respect of the on-going annual publicity of the Members’ scheme of allowances which is required, and subject to Members’ approval of recommendation 1.1 of this report, the approval of the revised Members’ Allowance Scheme as detailed in this report.

18/21

Council Tax and Budget pdf icon PDF 162 KB

Please note that the Budget reports have been updated on Sunday 7 March 2021 and only the reports listed in the Supplementary Agenda pack should be used for this item.

 

a)    Questions to the Leader

To last for a total of 15 minutes, the first three minutes available for announcements from the Leader.

 

b)   Questions to the Cabinet Members for Croydon Renewal and Resources & Financial Governance

To last for a total of 15 minutes, the first three minutes available for announcements from the Cabinet Members.

 

c)    Scrutiny Business Report

To last for a total of 10 minutes, the first two minutes available for announcements from the Chair of Scrutiny and Overview Committee.

 

d)   Council Tax Debate

The mover of the budget recommendations shall have 10 minutes to speak, followed by the Leader of the Opposition who shall have 10 minutes to speak. There shall then be five further Members from each group called to speak for no more than three minutes each. The debate shall conclude with a right of reply from the Leader of the Council or other Cabinet Member for not more than five minutes.

 

At the conclusion of the debate the following recommendations will be taken through a recorded vote:

 

The Revenue Budget for 2021/22 and notes the 3 Year Medium Term Financial Plan as detailed within Section 11 which is based upon the:

 

                  i.        Council’s request for a Capitalisation Direction of £150m covering financial years 2020/21 to 2023/24, of which a direction of up to £120m has been granted in respect of 2020/21 and 2021/22.

 

                 ii.        A 1.99% general increase in the Council Tax for Croydon Services (a level of increase Central Government has assumed in all Councils’ spending power calculation).

 

               iii.        A 3.00% increase in the Adult Social Care precept (a charge Central Government has assumed all councils’ will levy in its spending power calculations).

 

               iv.        To note the draft GLA increase of 9.5% on the Council Tax precept for 2021/22.

 

                 v.        With reference to the principles for 2021/22 determined by the Secretary of State under s.52ZC (1) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended) confirm that in accordance with s.52ZB (1) the Council Tax and GLA precept referred to above are not excessive in terms of the most recently issued principles and as such to note that no referendum is required.  This is detailed further in section 3.8 of this report.

 

               vi.        The calculation of budget requirement and council tax as set out in Appendix C and D including the GLA increase. This will result in a total increase of 5.83% in the overall council tax bill for Croydon.

 

              vii.        The revenue budget assumptions as detailed in this report and the associated appendices.

 

             viii.        The programme of revenue savings, income and growth by department for Financial Years 2021/22 to 2023/24 (Appendix A).

 

               ix.        The Capital Programme as set out in Section 18, table 17 and 18 of this report, except where noted for specific programmes, are subject to separate Cabinet reports.

 

                 x.  ...  view the full agenda text for item 18/21

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Questions to the Leader

 

Madam Deputy Mayor explained that the Council Tax and Budget item would commence with questions to the Leader, Councillor Hamida Ali, for a total of 15 minutes.

 

Councillor Jamie Audsley congratulated the Leader on the budget and asked how the budget was shaped in terms of listening to the community.

 

In response, the Leader explained that they ran a public consultation which received a strong 1,800 respondents. The key consideration for that consultation was understanding the impacts on residents of the proposals. There were other processes within the consultation which considered the interest and capacity there might be in the community to discover alternative methods of delivering and continuing to run some of our current services. There was plenty to consider drawn from the consultation, in terms of how savings proposed in the budget could be achieved, and there was a commitment to ongoing important dialogue with the community throughout the challenge ahead.

 

In his supplementary, Councillor Jamie Audsley commended the commitment to listening and involving the community in financial plans to areas of interest to local residents. He asked the Leader if residents and local businesses who were in their own financial struggles, who may be worried about how they would pay their council tax and bill, would be offered any support from the council. In response, the Leader said that there was a number of residents who were receiving support from the council and that to name a primary scheme was that 30,000 residents were part of the council tax support across the borough. There was also a tax hardship fund, a government grant, which was benefitting 20,000 residents. Additionally, she told Council that on the onset of the pandemic, the council offered a two month deferral for council tax payments from which 3,381 residents benefitted from. To support businesses, there was government support to local authorities which played the key role in distributing the payments – where in the borough this totalled £15 million across 1000s of businesses in a 12 month period.

 

Councillor Jason Cummings stated that there were a significant number of recommendations following the government’s rapid review into the council, where a number of those were in progress, and he asked the Leader to confirm if the Administration was committed to delivering all of the recommendations.

 

In response, the Leader stated that many of those recommendations were in train and the Administration was following faithfully through the entire list.

 

In his supplementary, Councillor Jason Cummings asked when arrangements would be made for the chair of the General Purposes and Audit Committee (GPAC) to be appointed outside of the majority group. In response, the Leader stated that there was not currently a timeline in place for this process, however they were bringing plans for the GPAC chair forward and in due course that post would be appointed by Council. The recommendation from the RIPI stated that the chair should be outside the majority group, however the report had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18/21

19/21

Recommendations of Cabinet or Committees to Council for decision pdf icon PDF 160 KB

To consider the recommendations made by Cabinet or Committees since the last ordinary Council meeting relating to the following matters:

 

Cabinet – 1 March 2021

 

      i.        Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Capital Strategy, Minimum Revenue Provision Policy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy 2021/2022;

 

Cabinet – 18 February 2021

 

    ii.        Rent Setting Policy for Council Homes;

   iii.        Review of Brick by Brick Croydon Ltd: Brick by Brick Shareholder decision – the future of the company;

   iv.        Croydon Equalities Strategy;

 

Ethics Committee – 11 February 2021

 

    v.        Succession Planning for and Recruitment and Appointment of Further Independent Persons; and

 

Ethics Committee – 19 February 2021

 

   vi.        Complaint under the Councillor Code of Conduct

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cabinet, 1 March 2021

 

i)     Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Capital Strategy, Minimum Revenue Provision Policy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy 2021/2022;

 

Madam Mayor invited Councillor Stuart King to move the recommendation referred from Cabinet on 1 March 2021 relating to the treasury management objective for the forthcoming year. Councillor Stuart King moved the motion and Councillor Callton Young seconded.

 

Madam Mayor moved the vote and Council agreed the recommendation in the report.

 

Cabinet, 18 February 2021

 

ii)            Rent Setting Policy for Council Homes;

 

Madam Mayor invited Councillor Jane Avis to move the recommendation referred from Cabinet on 18 February 2021 relating to the rent setting policies for council homes. Councillor Jane Avis moved the motion and Councillor Patricia Hay-Justice seconded.

 

Madam Mayor moved the vote and Council unanimously agreed the recommendation in the report.

 

iii)           Review of Brick by Brick Croydon Ltd: Brick by Brick Shareholder decision – the future of the company;

 

Madam Mayor invited Councillor Hamida Ali to move the recommendation referred from Cabinet on 18 February 2021 relating to Brick by Brick. Councillor Hamida Ali moved the motion and Councillor Callton Young seconded.

 

Madam Mayor moved the vote and Council agreed the recommendation in the report.

 

iv)           Croydon Equalities Strategy;

 

Madam Mayor invited Councillor David Wood to move the recommendation referred from Cabinet on 18 February 2021 relating to the Equalities Strategy. Councillor David Wood moved the motion and Councillor Patsy Cummings seconded.

 

Madam Mayor moved the vote and Council unanimously agreed the recommendation in the report.

 

Ethics Committee, 11 February 2021

 

v)    Succession Planning for and Recruitment and Appointment of Further Independent Persons; and

 

Madam Mayor invited Councillor Clive Fraser to move the recommendation referred from Ethics Committee on 11 February 2021 relating to the appointment of independent members to the committee. Councillor Clive Fraser moved the motion and Councillor Pat Clouder seconded.

 

Madam Mayor moved the vote and Council unanimously agreed the recommendation in the report.

 

Ethics Committee, 19 February 2021

 

vi)          Complaint under the Councillor Code of Conduct

 

Madam Mayor invited Councillor Clive Fraser to move the recommendation referred from Ethics Committee on 19 February 2021 relating to the Councillor Code of Conduct. Councillor Clive Fraser moved the motion and Councillor Pat Clouder seconded.

 

Madam Mayor moved the vote and Council unanimously agreed the recommendation in the report.

 

20/21

Exclusion of the Press and Public

The following motion is to be moved and seconded where it is proposed to exclude the press and public from the remainder of a meeting:

 

“That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information falling within those paragraphs indicated in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.”

 

Minutes:

This item was not required.