Resolved:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 4 November 2014 be approved and signed as a correct record.

No further declarations of interest were received. 

It is with great sadness that I have to inform you that Derek Johnson, Clerk of Chevening Parish Council, has passed away.   Those of you that knew him will know that Derek was a much valued colleague and he will be sincerely missed. 

With Council’s agreement the Chairman advised that she would move forward consideration of agenda item 8 (a) and take the debate of agenda item 8 (a) and agenda item 6 (d) together.  There was no dissent.  She also reminded Members that both items would follow recorded voting procedures in pursuance of the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) Regulations 2001 (as amended in 2014).

No questions had been received.

No petitions were received.

a)                   Christmas Parking 2014

Councillor Fleming proposed and Councillor Hogarth seconded the recommendations from Cabinet.  The report sought approval for funding the free parking made available for the Christmas lights evening events in Westerham on 27 November and Sevenoaks on 28 November 2014 from Supplementary Estimates.

A Member requested whether, as this was a decision taken regularly on an annual basis, it could not be factored into the budget.  The Leader agreed that this could be looked at.

Resolved:  That the cost in terms of lost income for free parking which was provided in all car parks and on-street parking areas throughout the district two Saturdays before Christmas 2014, be funded from Supplementary Estimates.

b)                   Calculation of Council Tax Base

Councillor Fleming proposed and Councillor Ramsay seconded that the Cabinet recommendations be approved. 

Resolved: That

a)    the report of the Chief Finance Officer for the calculation of the Council’s tax base for the year 2015/16 be approved;

b)    pursuant to the report of the Chief Finance Officer and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 (as amended) the amount calculated by the Sevenoaks District Council as its council tax base for the whole area for the year 2015/16 shall be 48,209.05;

c)    pursuant to the report of the Chief Finance Officer and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 (as amended) the amount calculated by the Sevenoaks District Council as the council tax base for 2015/16 for the calculation of local precepts shall be:

d)    any expenses incurred by the Council in performing in part of its area a function performed elsewhere in its area by a parish or community council or the chairman of a parish meeting shall not be treated as special expenses for the purposes of section 35 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

c)                   Treasury Management Strategy 2015/16

Councillor Fleming proposed and Councillor Ramsay seconded that the Cabinet recommendations be approved. 

Resolved:  That the Treasury Management Strategy for 2015/16 be approved.

d)                   Revenue Budget and Council Tax 2015/16

(debated and considered with Minute 42)

(Cllr. Firth was no longer present)

As agreed, the Chairman reminded Members that agenda items 6 (d) and 8 (a) would be debated together. 

Councillor Fleming proposed and Councillor Ramsay seconded that the Cabinet recommendations be approved and the recommendations contained in Appendix B (e) to (k) and Appendix C to the report ‘Budget and Council Tax Setting’ (see Minute 42), be approved. 

Councillor Fleming addressed the Council stating that as the country continued on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

a)                 Monitoring Officer’s Annual Report

Councillor Fleming proposed and Councillor Gaywood seconded the Standards Committee’s recommendation and it was

Resolved:  That the Monitoring Officer’s Annual report be noted.

b)                 Gambling Act 2005 and Local Government (Miscellaneous

Provisions) Act 1982: Licence Fees 2015/2016

Councillor Fleming proposed and Councillor Mrs. Morris seconded the Licensing Committee’s recommendation and it was

Resolved:  That the fee levels as set out in Appendix A and paragraph 11 of the report, be approved.

c)                  Licencing – Draft Statement of Licensing Act 2003 Policy

Councillor Fleming proposed and Councillor Mrs. Morris seconded the Licensing Committee’s recommendation and it was

Resolved:  That the draft Statement of Licensing Act 2003 Policy, be approved.

a)                 Budget and Council Tax Setting

See Minute 40 above for the debate.

The vote was taken for Agenda Item 8(a) recommendations (e) to (k):

The motion was carried and it was therefore

Resolved:  That

a)       the Capital Programme 2015/18, and Asset Maintenance 2015/16 budget of £479,000  be approved (Cabinet 5 February 2015 – Capital Programme & Asset Maintenance 2015/18); in addition, a further £3m from the Capital Receipts Reserve be allocated to the Property Investment Strategy;

b)       it be noted that at the Cabinet meeting on 15 January 2015 the Council calculated as its council tax base for the year 2015/16:

(i)    for the whole Council area as 48,209.05 being Item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended, (the “Act”); and

(ii)      for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a parish precept relates as in Appendix A to the report;

c)        the council tax requirement for the Council’s own purpose for 2015/16 (excluding Town and Parish precepts) be calculated as £192.87;

d)       the following amounts be calculated for the year 2015/16 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:

No questions had been received.

No motions had been received.

Members noted the work the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet had undertaken in the period 4 November 2014 to 30 January 2015.