Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence, if any.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors J.Broach, A.Chesterman, L.Chesterman, A.Dennis, L.Musk, H.Quenet, A.Rohale and JP.Skoczylas.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 February 2020 (previously circulated).

The Minutes of the meeting held on 3 February 2020 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

To note declarations of Members’ disclosable pecuniary interests, non-disclosable pecuniary interests and non-pecuniary interests in respect of the item on the Agenda.

Councillors S.Boulton and P.Zukowskyj declared non-pecuniary interests in the item on the Agenda as Members of Hertfordshire County Council.

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) on setting the Council Tax for 2020/21.

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) on setting the Council Tax for 2020/21.

The Council was required under the Local Government Finance Act 1992 to set the Council Tax for its area by no later than 11 March and had always aimed to approve the budget and Council Tax by in February in order to ensure the prompt despatch of bills and hence quicker collection of sums due.  The Council approved the 2020/21 budget at its meeting on 3 February 2020 (Minute 43 refers) and the purpose of this report was to set the Council tax for 2020/21.

RESOLVED:

(Unanimous)

VOTING FOR: D.Bell, M.Birleson, E.Boulton, J.Boulton, S.Boulton, H.Bower, L.Brandon, J.Caliskan, M.Cook, M.Cowan, J.Cragg, S.Elam, B.Fitzsimon, G.Hayes, P.Hebden, M.Holloway, T.Jackson-Mynott, C.Juggins, S.Kasumu, T.Kingsbury, M.Larkins, R.Lass, S.Markiewicz, F.Marsh, G.Michaelides, T.Mitchinson, N.Pace, J.Quinton, J.Ranshaw, D.Richardson, B.Sarson, P.Shah, P.Smith, F.Thomson, K.Thorpe, S.Thusu, R.Trigg, J.Weston, S.Wrenn, P.Zukowskyj

(1)   That it be noted that the 2020/21 General Fund budget as approved at the Council meeting on 3 February is shown in Appendix A.

(2)   That it be noted that at the Cabinet, Special Cabinet and Council meetings on 6 January, 21 January and 3 February 2020 respectively, the following amounts for the year 2020/21 were agreed in accordance with regulations made under Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”).

(a)     The gross 2020/21 Tax base for the Borough is 42,847.1 equivalent Band D properties before the application of a collection rate.

(b)     42,590.0 being the amount calculated by the Council, in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012 (the Regulations), as its Council Tax Base for the year 2020/21; including deductions for council tax support and a collection rate of 99.4%.

(c)     Part of the Council's Area 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 special items relate;

(3)   In accordance with the statutory legislation the Council resolved:

(4)   That the following amounts be calculated by the Council for the year 2020/21 in accordance with sections 31 - 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. 

(a)     £140,734,746 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 precepts issued to it by Parish Councils.

(b)     £129,880,048 being  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.