Agenda item

(Copy attached (a) Draft Revenue and Capital Plan and (b) list of Fees & Charges.)

There had been circulated copies of the Administration’s Draft Financial Plan which included the Draft revenue Financial Plan 2016/17 to 2020/21 and the Draft Capital Financial Plan 2016/17 to 2025/26. A copy of the list of Fees and Charges 2016/17 was also attached.  Councillor Parker presented the budget.  This had been a challenging year following the Government’s comprehensive spending review and final figures had been received much later than usual.  The new budget process had now been in place for 5 years and this had served the Council well in the current climate.  It was acknowledged that staff were the Council’s greatest asset and every effort had been made to minimise job losses. Councillor Parker paid tribute to the Corporate Management Team and the Finance staff for their efforts in pulling this budget together.  Significant sums of money would continue to be spent by the Council and the closure of any facilities had been avoided.  Councillor Parker highlighted many of the schemes and projects included in the budget.  He also commented on the recent winter storms and flooding and paid tribute to the work of the Hawick Volunteer Flood Group.  In light of the impact of these weather events he proposed two amendments to the draft budget as follows:-

(a)     to invest an additional £0,5m of revenue expenditure, £2.5m over the next 5 years, directly in works to improve the condition of the Borders road network.  This would equate to a 14% increase over and above the inflation provided in the budget for roads materials; and

(b)     that in recognition of the damage to Borders homes, towns and businesses caused by recent winter storms and as the Council placed the safety of its resident above all else it was proposed to honour the commitment to the people of Hawick by advancing £0.4m of capital funding to 2017/18 to deliver the Hawick Flood Prevention Scheme 6 months earlier than originally planned.

Both of these amendments were unanimously approved.  Councillor Ballantyne spoke on behalf of the Opposition and advised that they were in agreement with all the budget proposals except the proposed capital funding of £5.8m in respect of the Great Tapestry of Scotland Building.  She did not consider that the business case was sufficiently robust and that it needed to be re-examined.  Members discussed the budget in detail.

Vote

Councillor Parker, seconded by Councillor Mitchell, moved approval of the draft Financial Plan for Revenue and Capital as amended.

Councillor Ballantyne, seconded by Councillor Marshall, moved as an amendment that the allocation of £5.8m for the Great Tapestry of Scotland Building be removed from the Capital Plan.

Prior to the taking of the vote Councillor Logan, seconded by Councillor Turnbull, moved that Standing Order 41 be suspended to allow the vote to be taken by roll call.

On a show of hands Members voted as follows:-

For suspension           -           13 votes

Against suspension    -           17 votes

As the required majority had not been achieved the motion fell and voting then proceeded by a show of hands as follows:-

Motion             -           21 votes

Amendment     -           10 votes

The Motion was accordingly approved.

DECISION

DECIDED to approve the Revenue Financial Plan 2016/17 to 2020/21 and the Capital Financial Plan 2016/17 to 2025/26, as contained in the appendix to this Minute.