The Council considered the matters, reports and recommendations contained or referred to in the agenda for the meeting and in the additional documents and decided as set out below.  Except insofar as otherwise specified, the reasons for the decisions are contained in the agenda and reports and additional documents, copies of which are attached to the signed Minutes.

18/09         MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING

(Agenda Item 1)

RESOLVED:

(a)          That  the Minutes of the meeting of Council held on 13 January 2009 be approved and signed as a correct record, subject to the following amendments shown in italic type and by strikethrough:

Minute 16/09 “Councillors voting for the amendment motion (58).

(b)     Council noted the written answers/supplementary information, from Cabinet Members in response to supplementary questions, as set out in Annex 1 to these minutes

19/09         APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

(Agenda Item 2)

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Gatehouse, Glass Woodin, Howell and Skolar.

20/09         DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

(Agenda Item 3)

The following declaration of interest was made:

21/09         OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS

(Agenda Item 4)

The Chairman reported as follows:

(1)         The death of Peter Audley-Miller, who was the County Councillor for Wheatley from 1973 – 1993, died on 9 January 2009.

Councillors Brighouse, Mitchell, Purse and Mrs Fulljames paid tribute to him.

(2)    Dr Ian Blair, who was the County Councillor for Abingdon (Central) from 1981-1993, died on 14 January 2009.

Councillors Brighouse, Roaf and Michael Badcock paid tribute to him. 

22/09         APPOINTMENTS

(Agenda Item 5)

RESOLVED:          to appoint Dr Uday Kishore as a Parent Governor Representative (Primary) on the Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee.

23/09         PETITIONS AND PUBLIC ADDRESS

(Agenda Item 6)

(a)          Mr McKenzie addressed Council as a resident of Sutton Courtenay on Agenda Item 8.

(b)          Dr Atkinson addressed Council as a Member of Sutton Courtenay Parish Council on Agenda Item 8.

The addresses were considered with Agenda Item 8.

24/09         MEDIUM TERM CORPORATE PLAN 2009/10-2013/14

(Agenda Item 7)

The Council had before it the Council’s proposed Medium Term Corporate Plan 2009/10-2013/14, which is one of the plans and strategies that forms the policy framework and requires full Council approval. The Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee submitted comments to the Cabinet, who approved the draft on 20 January 2009.

RESOLVED:         (on a motion by Councillor Mitchell and seconded by Councillor Robertson and carried by 42 votes to 3) to approve the Medium Term Corporate Plan 2009/10-2013/14 subject to the inclusion of consequential and editorial changes in the text as agreed by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council.

25/09         SERVICE AND RESOURCE PLANNING 2009/10 TO 2013/14

(Agenda Item 8)

The Council considered the report of the Cabinet (CC8) on Service and Resource Planning 2008/09 to 2012/13, the supplementary report by the Assistant Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer (CC8 Supplementary), and the commentary by the Assistant Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer on the budget proposals (CC8 – Supplementary 2).  The Council also had before it budget proposals from the Labour Group (CC8 Labour) and the Liberal Democrat Group (CC8 Liberal Democrat).

It was noted that reference in line 4 on the agenda should read “Assistant Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer” and not “Head of Finance & Procurement”.

Councillor Mitchell moved and Councillor Shouler seconded the Cabinet’s recommendations on Service and Resource Planning 2009/10 to 2013/14 (CC8).

Councillors Robertson, Hudspeth, Chapman, Waine, Belson, Couchman and Heathcoat spoke in support of the motion.

Councillor Patrick then moved and Councillor Armitage seconded the Liberal Democrat Group’s budget (CC8 Liberal Democrat).

Following debate, the motion was lost by 46 votes to 15.

Councillor Brighouse then moved and Councillor Harris seconded the Labour Group’s budget (CC8 Labour).

Following debate, the motion was lost by 45 votes to 7.

Councillor L Sanders moved and Councillor Simmons seconded an amendment (CC8 Green) to the Cabinet’s budget.

Following debate, the amendment was lost by 42 votes to 4.

The substantive motion was then put to the vote and carried by 43 votes to 15.

RESOLVED:

(a)         (in respect of revenue) to approve:

(1)               a budget for 2009/10 as set out in Annex 4a and a medium term plan to 2013/14 as set out in Annex 1;

(2)               a budget requirement for 2009/10 of £379.170m;

(3)               the Council Tax and Precept calculations for 2009/10 set out in Annex 5 to the report and in particular:

(i)                 a precept of £272.398m; and

(ii)               a Council Tax for Band D equivalent properties of £1,130.62;

(4)               the allocation of £34.674m proposed in paragraph 28 and Annex 4b for the Older Persons Pooled Budget

(5)               the allocation of £5.269m proposed in paragraph 29 and Annex 4c for the Mental Health Commissioning Pooled Budget.

(6)               the creation of a reserve from 2008/09 for LABGI and the use of the LABGI funding as set out in Annex 2c;

(7)               the disposition of Dedicated Schools Grant as set out in Annex 6 to the report;

(8)               virement arrangements for 2009/10 as set out in Annex 7 to the report;

(b)         (in respect of treasury management) to approve:

(1)               the Treasury Management Strategy Statement as at Annex 8 including:

(i)                 the Prudential Indicators;

(ii)               the use of internal funds instead of external borrowing up to a maximum of 25% of the portfolio;

(2)               that in relation to the 2009/10 strategy any further changes required to the credit matrix be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and leaders of the Opposition and other groups.

(c)         to approve the Minimum Revenue Provision Methodology Statement as set out in paragraphs 10 to 13 of Annex 9.

(d)         (in respect of Capital) to approve:

(1)               the Capital Strategy at Annex 10 and Corporate Asset Management Plan at Annex 11

(2)               the Capital Programme for 2009/10 to 2013/14 as set out in the capital programme at Annex 13;

(3)               the prudential indicators for capital set out in Annex 14 to the report.

................................................................................... in the Chair

Date of signing.................................................................. 2009

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