DONCASTER METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL COUNCIL MEETING 8TH MARCH, 2012 A MEETING of the COUNCIL was held at the MANSION HOUSE, DONCASTER, on THURSDAY, 8TH MARCH, 2012, at 2.00 p.m. PRESENT: Chair - Councillor Eva Hughes Vice-Chair - Councillor Chris Mills Mayor - Peter Davies Deputy Mayor - Councillor Patricia Schofield Councillors Patricia Bartlett, Joe Blackham, Susan Bolton, Andrew Bosmans, Elsie Butler, Paul Coddington, Richard Cooper-Holmes, Tony Corden, Linda Curran, Eddie Dobbs, Bob Ford, Marilyn Green, Stuart Hardy, Barbara Hedley, Rachel Hodson, Charlie Hogarth, David Holland, Sandra Holland, Moira Hood, Barbara Hoyle, Mick Jameson, Bob Johnson, Alan Jones, Glyn Jones, R. Allan Jones, Ros Jones, Ken Keegan, Ted Kitchen, Pat Knight, Sue Knowles, Chris McGuinness, John McHale, Hilary McNamee, Bill Mordue, John Mounsey, Ray Mullis, David Nevett, Susan Phillips, Pat Porritt, Cynthia Ransome, Tony Revill, Kevin Rodgers, John Sheppard, Mark Thompson, Sue Wilkinson, Jonathan Wood, Yvonne Woodcock and Doreen Woodhouse. APOLOGIES Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Jill Arkley-Jevons, Joe Blackham, Marilyn Green, Cliff Hampson, Karen Hampson, Stuart Hardy, Beryl Harrison, Barbara Hedley, Deborah Hutchinson, Barry Johnson J.P., Jane Kidd, Margaret Pinkney, Craig Sahman, Eric Tatton-Kelly, Austen White and Martin Williams. 109. DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTEREST Councillor Andrew Bosmans declared a Personal interest in Agenda Item No. 12, ‘Appointments of Outside Bodies – Robin Hood Airport Consultative Committee Noise Monitoring and Environment Sub-Committee’, by virtue of being the Chair and member of the Friends of Doncaster Sheffield Airport. Councillor Glyn Jones declared a Personal Interest in Agenda Item No. 6, ‘Corporate Plan 2012/13’, by virtue of working for an organisation which was funded the ‘Big Lottery’ which assisted people with personalisation in Doncaster and Rotherham. A.1 110. TO RECEIVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE CHAIR OF COUNCIL, THE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CABINET OR THE HEAD OF THE PAID SERVICE The Chair of Council, Councillor Eva Hughes, announced that a Doncaster Council tenant, who had worked tirelessly for her local community, had won a prestigious award. Mavis Williams who is 86 years old from Wheatley, had been awarded the title ‘Tenant of the Year’ for the Northern Region in the awards run by the Tenant Participation Advisory Service. Mavis would now go into the national finals to try and clinch the national title. Despite periods of ill health, much of Mavis’ retired life had been dedicated to working for the benefit of tenants and residents in Doncaster. Therefore, on behalf of the Council, the Chair of Council congratulated Mavis on her recent achievement and sent her the Council’s best wishes for success in the national final. In addition, the Chair announced that at her Charity Ball on the 24th February, 2012 at Scarborough Barracks, over £3,500 was raised. She thanked all of those that came to the Ball, who gave donations and paid for Auction Items. The Chair of Council also drew Members attention to the presence at today’s meeting of one of the Independent Standards Committee Members, Gary Swann, who was sat at the back of the Chamber. 111. COUNCIL TAX AND STATUTORY RESOLUTIONS 2011/12 Councillor Mark Thompson, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, Environment and Sustainability, Waste Disposal and Recycling, presented a report which sought approval of a total level of Council Tax for 2012/13 for Doncaster residents and to approve statutory resolutions in respect of the Revenue Budget and Council Tax for 2012/13, in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992. Members noted that the Localism Act 2011, had made significant changes to the Local Government Finance Act 1992, and now required the Council to set a Council Tax requirement for 2012/13. It was reported that at its meeting on 23rd February, 2012, the Council considered amendments to the Executive’s Revenue Budget proposals for 2012/13. Subsequently, a Reconvened Council meeting was held on 5th March, 2012, to consider the Executive’s amended Revenue Budget proposals for 2012/13. The report set out the statutory resolutions for approval based on the original budget proposals put forward by the Executive. An addendum to the report with revised figures, was issued to all Elected Members prior to this meeting. Members were informed that the Executive’s original Revenue Budget proposals were based on a revenue expenditure budget of £485.7m covering all funding sources including Formula Grant, Council Tax, Collection Fund surplus, Specific Grants, Fees and Charges, Uncommitted Reserves and Other Income. A.2 The precepts and Council Tax set by the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority and the South Yorkshire Police Authority, were outlined in paragraph 8 of the report, which represented a 3.95% increase from 2011/12 for a Band D property. When the Joint Authority Council Tax increases were combined with the tax freeze for Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council, this represented a 0.59% increase from the 2011/12 Council Tax for Doncaster Residents for a Band D property of £1,301.80. A vote was taken on the recommendations contained in the report, which was declared as follows:- For - 48 Against - 0 Abstain - 0 On being put to the meeting, the recommendations contained in the report were CARRIED by 48 votes to 0 (0 Abstentions). RESOLVED that the level of the Council Tax for 2012/13 and the appropriate statutory resolutions, as set out below, be approved:- (1) that it be noted that the Council has calculated the amount of 85,505 as its Council Tax Base for the year 2012/2013 in accordance with Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended, and Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992, as amended:- (a) 85,505 being the amount calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended, and Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992, as amended, as its Council Tax Base for the 2012/2013 year. A.3 (b) Part of the Council’s Area Tax Base Adwick on Dearne 112 Armthorpe 4,088 Askern 1,397 Auckley 1,133 Austerfield 205 Barnburgh and 654 Harlington Barnby Dun with Kirk 2,733 Sandall Bawtry 1,338 Blaxton 403 Braithwell with 426 Micklebring Brodsworth 824 Burghwallis 127 Cantley with Branton 1,025 Clayton with Frickley 96 Conisbrough Parks 124 Denaby 125 Edenthorpe 1,425 Edlington 1,928 Finningley 581 Fishlake 247 Hampole and 84 Skelbrooke Hatfield 4,392 Hickleton 106 High Melton 106 Hooton Pagnell 91 Loversall 57 Moss and District 287 Norton 1,446 Owston 58 Rossington 3,667 Sprotbrough and 3,885 Cusworth Stainforth 1,532 Stainton 102 Sykehouse 181 Thorne - Moorends 4,649 Thorpe in Balne 78 Tickhill 2,083 Wadworth 403 Warmsworth 1,168 A.4 being the amounts calculated by the Council, in accordance with Regulation 6 of the Regulations, as the amounts of its Council Tax Base for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which one or more parish precepts relate. (2) Calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2012/13 (excluding parish precepts) is £94,201,583; (3) that the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2012/2013 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:- (a) £707,174,924 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act taking into account all Parish Precepts; (Gross expenditure of the Council, including Schools, the Housing Revenue Account and Parishes). (b) £611,029,417 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act; (Total Income including Formula Grant). (c) £96,145,507 being the amount by which the aggregate at 3(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 3(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act, as its Council Tax requirement for the year; (Council Tax requirement including Parishes). (d) £1,124.44 being the amount at 3(c) above divided by the amount at 1(a) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year; (including Parish Precepts). (e) £1,943,924 being the aggregate amount of Parish Precepts referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act. (f) £1,101.71 being the amount at 3(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 3(e) above by the amount at 1(a) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 34(2) of the Act as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in A.5 those parts of its area to which no Parish Precept relates; (Council Tax at Band D for Doncaster M.B.C. services). (g) Part of the Council’s Area £ Adwick on Dearne 1132.07 Armthorpe 1152.71 Askern 1166.18 Auckley 1126.42 Austerfield 1142.60 Barnburgh and Harlington 1147.58 Barnby Dun with Kirk Sandall 1136.84 Bawtry 1121.14 Blaxton 1153.22 Braithwell with Micklebring 1113.45 Brodsworth 1135.63 Burghwallis 1133.21 Cantley with Branton 1127.47 Clayton with Frickley 1138.17 Conisbrough Parks 1127.92 Denaby 1114.46 Edenthorpe 1130.48 Edlington 1163.43 Finningley 1139.43 Fishlake 1242.60 Hampole and Skelbrooke 1105.83 Hatfield 1140.14 Hickleton 1154.77 High Melton 1124.35 Hooton Pagnell 1140.17 Loversall 1117.50 Moss and District 1121.92 Norton 1139.75 Owston 1114.64 Rossington 1133.73 Sprotbrough and Cusworth 1142.31 Stainforth 1203.86 Stainton 1125.19 Sykehouse 1143.15 Thorne - Moorends 1180.38 Thorpe in Balne 1120.94 Tickhill 1121.87 Wadworth 1127.76 Warmsworth 1135.96 A.6 being the amounts given by adding to the amount at 3(f) above the amounts of the parish precepts relating to dwellings in those parts of the Council's area mentioned above divided in each case by the amount at 1(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(3) of the Act, as the basic amounts of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which Parish Precepts relate.