Decision details

To recommend to council and agree a 2018-19 general fund revenue budget

(See pages 21 - 156 of the main agenda)

 

There were three questions on the report, the written responses to which were circulated on blue paper at the meeting.  There were three supplemental questions.

 

In accordance with council assembly procedure rule 1.14.9, Councillor Fiona Colley, cabinet member for finance, modernisation and performance, moved the report.

 

In accordance with council assembly procedure rule 1.14.9, Councillor David Hubber responded to the cabinet member’s statement.

 

Councillor Michael Mitchell, seconded by Councillor Jane Lyons, moved Amendment A.

 

Councillor Octavia Lamb, seconded by Councillor Kieron Williams, moved Amendment B.

 

Councillor Rosie Shimell, seconded by Councillor James Barber, moved Amendment C.

 

Following debate (Councillors Kath Whittam, Peter John, Eliza Mann, Richard Livingstone, Stephanie Cryan, David Noakes, Johnson Situ, Vikki Mills, Damian O'Brien, Catherine Dale, Jasmine Ali, Hamish McCallum, Barrie Hargrove, Anood Al-Samerai, Mark Williams, Ian Wingfield, Andy Simmons, Paul Fleming and Bill Williams), Councillor Fiona Colley exercised her right of reply.

 

Amendment A – Lost

 

Amendment B – Carried

 

Amendment C – Lost

 

At this juncture the clerk explained that the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, which had come into force on 25 February 2014, required a recorded vote on key budget decisions by local authorities. The regulations required a recorded vote on decisions only.  Therefore in accordance with council assembly procedure rule 1.16(4) (a roll call recorded vote), the bell was rung at the beginning and end of one minute, after which the doors to the room were closed.

 

The substantive motion was put to the vote, and the votes having been recorded, the Mayor declared the result as follows:

 

In favour of the substantive motion (43):

 

Councillors Jasmine Ali, Maisie Anderson, Radha Burgess, Sunil Chopra, James Coldwell, Fiona Colley, Stephanie Cryan, Catherine Dale, Dora Dixon-Fyle, Nick Dolezal, Karl Eastham, Gavin Edwards, Paul Fleming, Tom Flynn, Renata Hamvas, Barrie Hargrove, Jon Hartley, Peter John, Samantha Jury-Dada, Eleanor Kerslake, Sarah King, Octavia Lamb, Sunny Lambe, Lorraine Lauder, Richard Livingstone, Rebecca Lury, Darren Merrill, Victoria Mills, Jamille Mohammed, Leo Pollak, Sandra Rhule, Catherine Rose, Martin Seaton, Andy Simmons, Johnson Situ, Charlie Smith, Cleo Soanes, Kath Whittam, Bill Williams, Kieron Williams, Mark Williams and Ian Wingfield.

 

Against the substantive motion (11):

 

Councillors Anood Al-Samerai, James Barber, David Hubber, Jane Lyons, Eliza Mann, Hamish McCallum, Michael Mitchell, Adele Morris, David Noakes, Damian O’Brien and Rosie Shimell.

 

Absent (8)

 

Councillors Evelyn Akoto, Lucas Green, Ben Johnson, Anne Kirby, Maria Linforth-Hall, Vijay Luthra, James Okosun, Michael Situ and Dan Whitehead.

 

The Mayor declared that the substantive motion was carried.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That council assembly:

 

1.  Agreed to increase the Southwark element of the council tax for 2018-19 by 2.99%.

 

2.  Agreed to use the flexibility offered by the government to support Adult Social Care through a precept equivalent to 3% of council tax on the basis that these additional funds will be used exclusively for adult social care.

 

3.  Agreed the recommendations of the 6 February 2018 cabinet for a general fund budget requirement (after specific grants and use of reserves) for 2018-19 of £294.270m.

 

4.  Noted that the additional Adult Social Care (ASC) Support Grant of £982,000 for 2018-19 is earmarked for the ASC Transformation Fund.

 

Anti social behaviour and crime

 

5.  Council assembly notes that antisocial behaviour, crime, and environmental offences such as fly tipping remain a problem which affects many residents.

 

6.  Council assembly believes that every resident should be able to feel safe and protected from crime.

 

7.  Council assembly notes the excellent work that has been done by the council’s CCTV team in increasing the number of arrests from CCTV footage, and further notes that the CCTV team have been awarded ‘Best Team Award’ at the MET Police CCTV Awards and received two awards for ‘Management and Innovation’ and ‘Best CCTV Team’ at the national CCTV user group in acknowledgement of their efforts to tackle the problems of antisocial behaviour and crime.

 

8.  Council assembly therefore resolves to invest £50,000 in 5 new redeployable CCTV cameras as a one off investment in the 2018/19 budget, and invest £80,000 in two new control room CCTV operators to monitor CCTV cameras at the busiest times, a total spend of £130,000.

 

Single use plastics

 

9.  Council assembly notes that 12m tonnes of plastic enter the ocean each year, killing marine animals and contaminating seafood.

 

10.  Council assembly notes that Southwark Council currently spends around £4,000 annually on disposable plastic cups.

 

11.  Council assembly resolves to cease spending on plastics cups and invest the £4,000 saved on a campaign to encourage businesses across the borough to reduce or eliminate their single use plastics.

 

Digital innovation

 

12.  Council assembly notes that one of the Council’s Fairer Future pledges is to be ‘Fit for the Future’.

 

13.  Council assembly notes that the way in which residents want to interact with the council, and access our services are changing and that the council needs to continue to modernise in order to meet the needs of our residents. 

 

14.  Council assembly believes that in a changing and increasingly digital world, it is vital that Southwark Council has the ability to adapt and innovate.

 

15.  Council assembly therefore resolves to invest £200,000 in a new digital innovation fund to support teams within the council to innovate, modernise and be truly fit for the future.

 

Queens Road 1

 

16.  Council assembly notes that Southwark Council currently spends £693,500 on renting Queens Road 1 office (QR1).

 

17.  Council assembly notes that, following an inquiry from the overview and scrutiny committee, an opportunity has arisen to purchase QR1.

 

18.  Council assembly resolves to request that officers enter into negotiations to buy QR1, with a potential annual revenue benefit of £330,000 per annum.

 

Implications for the 2018/19 budget

 

Item	Budget Impact (£)
Antisocial behaviour and crime	130,000
Single Use Plastics reduction	- 4,000
Campaign on Single Use Plastics	4,000
Digital Innovation Fund	200,000
Savings from acquiring office building	- 330,000
Balance	0