Meeting documents

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr A Broom, Cllr H Davies, and Cllr M Keating (Vice Chair).

The Monitoring Officer called for a proposer and a seconder for Vice Chair for this meeting. Cllr Peter Clayton was proposed by Cllr David Fothergill and seconded by Cllr Ann Bown. There  ...  view the full minutes text for item 244.

Details of all Members’ interests in District, Town and Parish Councils can be viewed on the Council Website at

County Councillors membership of Town, City, Parish or District Councils and this will be displayed in the meeting room (Where relevant).

The Statutory Register of Member’s Interests can be inspected via request to the Democratic Service Team.

The Chair reminded the meeting that details of all Members’ interests in District, Town and Parish Councils could be viewed on the Council’s Website and there is no need for members to individually declare these personal interests in those other councils at the meeting.

Members were reminded that the Monitoring  ...  view the full minutes text for item 245.

Council is asked to confirm the minutes are accurate.

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2020 were accepted as a true and accurate record and were signed by the Chair of Council.

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2020 were accepted as a true and accurate record and were signed by the Chair of Council.

(see explanatory notes attached to agenda)

This item includes the presentation of petitions. Details of any public questions / petitions submitted will be included in the Chair’s Schedule which will be made available to the members and to the public at the meeting.

Notice was received of Public Questions/Statements/Petitions (under 5000 signatures) and Elected Member Questions regarding:

  Council tax increases and Debt borrowing

1-3.    From: Alan Debenham

Responses from Cllr Mandy Chilcott, Deputy Leader of the Council

Council tax increase

           4. From: Andrew Pope

Responses from Cllr Mandy Chilcott, Deputy Leader of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 247.

To receive the Chair’s information sheet detailing events attended since the last meeting.

The Council received and noted the Chair’s report. The Chair made a public apology for the inappropriate comments that he had made at the last meeting.

The Council received and noted the Chair’s report. The Chair made a public apology for the inappropriate comments that he had made at the last meeting.

The events the Chair had attended since the last meeting of the County Council in November 2020, as listed in the Chair’s Information Sheet  ...  view the full minutes text for item 248.

To consider a report with recommendations from the Leader of the Council, arising from the Cabinet meeting held on 8 February 2021.

The recommendations relate to:

•         Medium Term Financial Plan – 2021/22 Budget and Council Tax Setting – Paper A.

•         Treasury Management Strategy 2021/22 – Paper B.

The Medium-Term Financial Plan 2021/22 (including the Revenue Budget, the Capital Strategy and Minimum Revenue Provision etc as set out in Paper A and its appendices).

The Council RESOLVED to:

Approve the General Fund net revenue budget for 2021/22 of £356,072,100 and the individual service budgets for 2021/22 as outlined in Appendix 1 including:

a) The transformation, savings and income generation plans outlined in Appendix 2(i), in conjunction with the Equalities Impact Assessments where required in Appendix 2 (ii).

b) The additional funding requirements set out in Appendix 3.

c) An increase in Council Tax of 1.99% in 2021/22 (an increase of £25.66 per Band D property).

d) An increase of 3.00% to Council Tax for the Adult Social Care Precept is approved in recognition of the current demands and financial pressures on this service. This is equivalent to an increase of £38.67 on a Band D property.

e) Agree to continue the Council Tax precept of £12.84 within the base budget for the shadow Somerset Rivers Authority (representing no increase). This results in a Council Tax Requirement of £2,560,700.

f) Agree the precept requirement of £269,934,700 and set the County Council precept for Band D council tax charge at £1,353.53 for 2021/22.

g) The use of reserves for once-off spend and the overall estimated position of Earmarked Reserves outlined in Appendix 4.

h) Note the adequacy of General Reserves at £19.690m within a risk assessed range requirement of £18.70m - £20.67m.

i) The Capital & Investment Strategy attached at Appendix 6.

j) The Capital Programme for 2021/22 of £152.138m including new capital bids of £73.913m outlined in Appendix 7, planned sources of funding, and notes the overall programme of £231.711m for 2022/23 to 2023/24, outlined in Appendix 8.

k) The Minimum Revenue Position Policy attached at Appendix 9.

l) The Capital Prudential Indicators outlined in tables 12-18.

m) Delegate any amendments within the final Government Financial Settlement and the final Business Rates amendments to the Director of Finance in consultation with the Leader of the Council.

n) Approve a grant of up to £400,000 to Citizens Advice Somerset finance from Covid-19 funding with the allocation decisions delegated to the Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources based upon suitable business plans.

(NB – Recommendation (n) was agreed as an amendment at the meeting)

Treasury Management Strategy 2021/22

The Council RESOLVED to:

1. Adopt the Treasury Management Strategy (as shown in section 12 of the report).

2. Approve the Treasury Investment Strategy (as shown in Section 13 of the report) and proposed Lending Counterparty Criteria (attached at Appendix B to Paper B).

3. Adopt the Prudential Indicators (as set out in section 14 of the report).

The Council considered a report by the Leader and Cabinet setting out recommendations arising from Cabinet meetings held on 16 December 2020, 20 January and 8 February 2021 on the Medium-Term Financial Plan and related matters and the Treasury Management Strategy Statement.   

Medium Term Financial Plan 2021/22 Budget and Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 249.

To consider a report with a recommendation relating to the Pay Policy Statement (PPS) for the Council for 2021-22.

The Council RESOLVED to approve the Pay Policy Statement (PPS) for the Council for 2021-22.

The Chair of Council referred to a report by the HR Policy Committee, and he asked Cllr Mandy Chilcott, Chair of the Committee, to present it.

The report covered the Pay Policy Statement 2021/22 and Cllr Chilcott referred to the hourly rate for national living wage and the ratio of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 250.

To consider a report with recommendations relating to:

•         the Member Development Strategy 2021-2025.

•         proposed appointment of an independent member of the Audit Committee.

The Council RESOLVED to:

Member Development Strategy 2021-2025

Approve the Member Development Strategy 2021-25 (as set out in Appendix A to Annex A).

Proposed appointment of Independent Person to the Audit Committee

1. Authorise the Monitoring Officer to proceed with the recruitment process regarding the appointment of an independent person to be a non-voting co-opted member of the Audit Committee for a period of two years.

2. Agree that the Monitoring Officer and Section 151 Officer be given delegated authority to finalise a role description, skills and competencies and person specification for the independent person, advertise this role, complete interviews and agree the appointment of the successful candidate to the Audit Committee.

3. Authorise the Monitoring Officer to amend the Audit Committee functions and membership within the Council’s Constitution to reflect the inclusion of an independent non-voting member of the Committee.

The Council considered a report by the Monitoring Officer on the proposed Member Development Strategy 2021-2025, and the proposed appointment of an independent member of the Audit Committee. 

The Monitoring Officer noted that the proposed Member Development Strategy would help Members to effectively carry out their functions and it included  ...  view the full minutes text for item 251.

To consider a report by the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel. The recommendations relate to the Scheme of Members’ Allowances 2021/22.

The Council RESOLVED to defer consideration of the report until its next meeting on 19 May 2021.

The Council considered a report from the Monitoring Officer and Mr John Thomson (Chair of the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel) to set out the Panel’s report and recommendations.

Following presentation of the report by the Chair of the Panel, the Leader of the Council was invited to respond and he  ...  view the full minutes text for item 252.

To consider a report setting out a requisitioned item submitted for the Council’s consideration.

Universal Basic Income

The Council RESOLVED not to adopt the item regarding Universal Basic Income.

The Chair invited Cllr John Clarke to present and propose the requisitioned item about a pilot study for Universal Basic Income. Cllr Tessa Munt seconded the recommendations and hoped they would receive cross-party support.

The requisitioned item, in recognising the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Somerset’s residents’ incomes, and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 253.

To receive reports by the Leader of Council summarising key decisions taken by him and the Cabinet since the last Council meeting, including at the Cabinet meetings held on 16 December 2020 and 20 January and 8 February 2021 – attached.

(Note: Member Questions to the Leader and Cabinet Members will be taken under this item)

The Council received and noted this report.

The Council received a report by the Leader and Cabinet summarising key decisions which the Leader, other Cabinet Members and Officers had taken since the last Council meeting, including items of business discussed at Cabinet meetings on 16 December 2020 and 20 January and 8 February 2021.

Cllr David Fothergill  ...  view the full minutes text for item 254.

To receive a report by the Chair of the Constitution and Standards Committee.

The Council received and noted this report.

The Council received and noted the report of the Constitution and Standards Committee, which was presented by Cllr William Wallace, Chair of the Committee.

The report covered the Committee’s work between June 2019 and December 2020 and its work to maintain an effective, up to date and legally compliant Constitution.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 255.

To receive a report by the Chair of the Scrutiny for Policies, Adults and Health Committee.

The Council received and noted this report.

The Council received and noted a report by Scrutiny for Policies and Place Committee, which was presented by Cllr Hazel Prior-Sankey, Chair of the Committee.

The report covered the work of the Committee since its last update to Council and Cllr Prior-Sankey thanked all those who worked across the Care  ...  view the full minutes text for item 256.

To receive a report by the Chair of the Scrutiny for Policies and Place Committee.

The Council received and noted this report.

The Council received and noted a report by the Scrutiny for Policies, Adults and Health Committee, which was presented by Cllr Anna Groskop, Chair of the Committee.

The report covered the work of the Committee since its last update to Council and Cllr Groskop welcomed her Committee being able to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 257.

To receive a report by the Chair of the Scrutiny for Policies, Children and Families Committee.

The Council received and noted this report.

The Council received and noted a report by Scrutiny for Policies, Children and Families Committee, which was presented by Cllr Leigh Redman, Chair of the Committee.

The report covered the work of the Committee since its last update to Council and Cllr Redman welcomed and encouraged Member participation in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 258.