Agenda item

“RESOLVED: That Cabinet:-

(a)       notes the forecast position for the next 5 years;

(b)       agrees the approach to business planning targets;

(c)       agrees to give consideration to reviewing the Council Tax Support Scheme for 2014/15 with decisions based on an assessment of the impact of the reductions made in 2013/14 and the other welfare reforms that have/are being introduced;

(d)       agrees that as part of the business planning process, any increases in specific grant are to be held corporately to assist in balancing the overall budget; and

(e)       refers the report to Full Council for consideration.”

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Andrew Sangar, seconded by Councillor Colin Ross, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

1.         the insertion of “(a)” after the words “That this Council”; and

2.         the addition of new paragraphs (b) to (e) as follows:-

(b)       therefore struggles to understand why the current Administration insists on wasting taxpayers’ money on costly pet projects;

(c)        notes the comments of the Leader of the Opposition in his Conference speech that “We are going to have to stick to strict spending limits to get the deficit down”;

(d)       notes research by the Institute of Fiscal Studies that the spending commitments and unfunded tax cuts already set by Labour politicians would add an estimated £201bn to the national debt; and

(e)       therefore, assumes that a Labour Government would not reverse reductions in funding to Sheffield City Council and criticises the rank hypocrisy of the current Administration.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was negatived.

After a Right of Reply by Councillor Bryan Lodge, the original Motion was put to the vote and carried, as follows:-

RESOLVED: That this Council notes the following resolution passed by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 18th September, 2013, following its consideration of a report of the Executive Director, Resources on the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy 2014/15 to 2018/19 -

“RESOLVED: That Cabinet:-

(a)       notes the forecast position for the next 5 years;

(b)       agrees the approach to business planning targets;

(c)        agrees to give consideration to reviewing the Council Tax Support Scheme for 2014/15 with decisions based on an assessment of the impact of the reductions made in 2013/14 and the other welfare reforms that have/are being introduced;

(d)       agrees that as part of the business planning process, any increases in specific grant are to be held corporately to assist in balancing the overall budget; and

(e)       refers the report to Full Council for consideration.”

(Note: Councillors Jillian Creasy and Robert Murphy indicated that they voted for paragraphs (a), (c), (d) and (e) and abstained on paragraph (b) of the resolution of the Cabinet and asked for this to be recorded.)