Agenda item

(1)     The Chairman reminded Members that any Member of a Local Authority who is liable to pay Council Tax, and who has any unpaid Council Tax amount overdue for at least two months, even if there is an arrangement to pay off the arrears, must declare the fact that they are in arrears and must not cast their vote on anything related to KCC’s Budget or Council Tax.

(2)     The Chairman moved and the Vice-Chairman seconded that:

(a)          Procedure Rule 1.28 be suspended in order that the Leader and the Cabinet Member for Finance be allowed to speak for a maximum of 12 minutes in total  and the Leaders of the Liberal Democrat, Labour and Independent Groups speak for 6, 5 and 4 minutes respectively.

(b)          Procedure Rule 1.35 (1) be suspended in order to allow Members to speak more than once during the debate, at the discretion of the Chairman, the Cabinet Member for Finance, as seconder of the motion be allowed to speak again at the end of the debate. 

Agreed without a formal vote

(3)       The Chairman then invited Mr Wood, Corporate Director Finance and Procurement, to give a presentation to provide context for this item.

(4)       Mr Carter moved and Mr Simmonds seconded the following motion:

“The County Council is asked to:

a)    AUTHORISE Corporate Directors to make the necessary arrangements to be able to deliver savings once the final budget has been approved in February, and to develop further proposals to resolve the unidentified gap and resolve the uncertainties should these arise. 

b)    AGREE, in principle (not the amount) to the policy savings set out in table 2 (and appendix A) relating to:

(i) KCC’s policy in relation to discretionary subsidies for uneconomic bus routes

(ii) In-house social care services

(iii) Kent Support and Assistance Service

(iv) Housing Related Support for offenders

c)    RECOGNISE the progress made towards setting a balanced budget for 2018-19 based on robust estimates and on reducing the unidentified gap”

(5)       Ms Constantine proposed and Mr Farrell seconded the following amendment:

“The County Council is asked to:

a)    AUTHORISE Corporate Directors to make the necessary arrangements to be able to deliver savings once the final budget has been approved in February, and to develop further proposals to resolve the unidentified gap and resolve the uncertainties should these arise, both in meaningful consultation with trade unions.

b)    Note, in principle (not the amount) to the policy savings set out in table 2 (and appendices 1 and 2) relating to:

(i)            KCC’s policy in relation to discretionary subsidies for uneconomic bus routes

(ii)          In-house social care services

(iii)         Kent Support and Assistance Service

(iv)         Housing Related Support for offenders

c)    RECOGNISE the progress made by officers towards setting a balanced budget for 2018-19 based on robust estimates and on reducing the unidentified gap despite disgracefully inadequate funding from central government.”

(6)       Following the debate the Chairman put the amendment set out in paragraph (5) above to the vote and the voting was as follows:

For (13)

Mr R Bird, Mr I Chittenden, Ms K Constantine  Mr D Daley, Mrs T Dean, Mr T Dhesi,  Mr D Farrell,  Mr A Hook, Mr G Koowaree, Mr B Lewis, Ida Linfield, Dr L Sullivan, Mr  M Whybrow.

Against (58)

Mrs A Allen, Mr M Angell, Mr M Balfour, Mr P Barrington-King, Mr P Bartlett, Mrs C Bell, Mrs P Beresford, Mrs R Binks Mr T Bond, Mr A Booth, Mr D Butler, Miss S Carey,  Mr P Carter,  Mrs S Chandler, Mr N Chard, Mrs P Cole, Mr N Collor, Mr A Cook, Mr G Cooke, Mr P Cooper, Mrs M Crabtree, Mr M Dance, Mrs L Game, Mrs S Gent, Mr G Gibbens, Mr R Gough, Ms S Hamilton, Mr P Harman, Mr M Hill,  Mr T Hills, Mrs S Hohler, Mr S Holden, Mr P Homewood, Mr E Hotson, Mr J Kite, Mr P Lake, Mr R Long, Mr G Lymer, Mr S Manion, Mr A Marsh, Ms  D Marsh, Mr J McInroy, Mr P Messenger, Mr D Monk, Mr D Murphy, Mr M Northey,   Mr P Oakford, Mr J Ozog, Mr D Pascoe, Mr M Payne Mrs S Prendergast, Miss C Rankin, Mr A Ridgers, Mr C Simkins, Mr J Simmonds, Mrs P Stockell, Mr I Thomas, Mr M Whiting.

(7)       Following further debate the Chairman put the motion set out in paragraph (4) above to the vote and the voting was as follows:

For (60)

Mrs A Allen, Mr M Angell, Mr M Balfour, Mr P Barrington-King, Mr P Bartlett, Mrs C Bell, Mrs P Beresford, Mrs R Binks Mr T Bond, Mr A Booth, Mr D Butler, Miss S Carey, Mr P Carter, , Mrs S Chandler, Mr N Chard, Mrs P Cole, Mr N Collor, Mr A Cook, Mr G Cooke, Mr P Cooper, Mrs M Crabtree, Mr M Dance, Mrs L Game, Mrs S Gent, Mr G Gibbens, Mr R Gough, Ms S Hamilton, Mr P Harman, Mr M Hill, Mr T Hills, Mrs S Hohler, Mr S Holden, Mr P Homewood, Mr E Hotson, Mr J Kite, Mr P Lake, Mr R Long, Mr G Lymer, Mr S Manion, Mr A Marsh, Ms  D Marsh, Mr J McInroy, Mr P Messenger, Mr D Monk, Mr D Murphy, Mr M Northey, Mr P Oakford, Mr J Ozog, Mr D Pascoe, Mr M Payne, Mrs S Prendergast, Miss C Rankin, Mr A Ridgers, Mr C Simkins, Mr J Simmonds, Mrs P Stockell, Mr B Sweetland, Mr I Thomas, Mr M Whiting, Mr J Wright.

Against (13)

Mr R Bird, Mr I Chittenden, Ms K Constantine, Mr D Daley,  Mrs T Dean, Mr T Dhesi Mr D Farrell, Mr A Hook, Mr G Koowaree, Mr B Lewis, Ida Linfield, , Dr L Sullivan, Mr  M Whybrow

Motion carried

(8)       RESOLVED that the County Council:

(a)  authorises the Corporate Directors to make the necessary arrangements to be able to deliver savings once the final budget has been approved in February, and to develop further proposals to resolve the unidentified gap and resolve the uncertainties should these arise. 

(b)  agrees, in principle (not the amount) to the policy savings set out in table 2 (and appendix A) relating to:

(i) KCC’s policy in relation to discretionary subsidies for uneconomic bus routes

(ii) In-house social care services

(iii) Kent Support and Assistance Service

(iv) Housing Related Support for offenders

(c)  recognises the progress made towards setting a balanced budget for 2018-19 based on robust estimates and on reducing the unidentified gap.