Council - Thursday, 22nd February, 2024 7.00 pm - Agenda

To confirm the Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Council held on 7th December 2023 (copy attached).

To receive any questions by Members submitted in pursuance of Standing Order 8 (3).

(1)      Financial Resilience

To consider the following Notice of Motion, which has been submitted by Cllr Gareth Williams pursuant to Standing Order 9 (1):

“This Council notes that, facing heightened risk from debt levels of over ten times its annual income, the historic failure to fix interest costs at a manageable level will cost taxpayers over £15m and has plunged the Council into financial crisis.   This failure was completely contrary to best practice financial management and despite clear warnings signs as interest rates rose in 2022.

The Budget report states that without significant mitigation in 2024-25 the Council will not be able to set a balanced budget in 2025-26.  The implications of the report are that the Cabinet has been forced into actions it was unwilling to make voluntarily, to address serious financial shortcomings that would have led to the issuing of a Section 114 Notice.

These actions include the sale of £40m of as-yet unspecified assets and a review of the funding plans for the Civic Hub.

Residents deserve a full account of the Council’s mismanagement of its debt and whether these actions will be enough to prevent financial disaster for Rushmoor.  We call on Rushmoor Borough Council to publish the financial resilience review commissioned from CIPFA, in full, as soon as it is available, so that residents can judge for themselves.”

(2)          Community Safety

To consider the following Notice of Motion, which has been submitted by Cllr David Clifford pursuant to Standing Order 9 (1):

"Rushmoor Borough Council welcomes the Government's Safer Streets Fund support secured by Donna Jones, Hampshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, for a youth outreach project to engage with 60 young people involved in ASB in Hart and Rushmoor, and improvements to CCTV in key areas of Rushmoor to improve public safety.

This Council supports the Police and Crime Commissioner's projects to tackle violence against women and girls in Hampshire and will work with her to ensure the streets of Aldershot and Farnborough are safe for all in our community. 

Furthermore, this Council believes that the increased roll out of CCTV will help change the attitudes and behaviours that will prevent crimes from happening in the first place.

This Council also commits to supporting newly recruited police officers in Rushmoor through providing forums in Aldershot and Farnborough for them to meet with local residents.”

At its meeting on 31st January 2024, the Corporate Governance, Audit and Standards Committee considered the nominations for Mayor-Elect and the Deputy Mayor-Elect for 2024/25 and made the following recommendations:

(i)        That Cllr Mara Makunura be selected as Mayor-Elect for the Municipal Year 2024/25; and

(ii)       That Cllr Gaynor Austin be selected as Deputy Mayor-Elect for the Municipal Year 2024/25.

To consider the recommendations of the Cabinet and the Corporate Governance, Audit and Standards Committee in relation to the following items:

To receive a report from the Corporate Governance, Audit and Standards Committee (copy attached – Annex 1) which recommends the approval of the Council’s Annual Capital Strategy for 2024/25 to 2026/27 and Prudential Indicators for 2024/25. Cllr Peter Cullum, Chairman of the Corporate Governance, Audit and Standards Committee will introduce this item.

To receive a report from the Corporate Governance, Audit and Standards Committee (copy attached – Annex 2) which recommends the approval of the Treasury Management Strategy and Non-Treasury Investment Strategy for 2024/25. Cllr Peter Cullum, Chairman of the Corporate Governance, Audit and Standards Committee will introduce this item.

To receive a report from the Cabinet (copy attached – Annex 3) which recommends the approval of the Revenue Budget, Capital Programme, Medium Term Financial Strategy and Council Tax Level, including a recommendation on the Capital Tax Support Scheme for 2024/25. Cllr G.B. Lyon, Leader of the Council will introduce this item.

To receive a report from the Corporate Governance, Audit and Standards Committee (copy attached – Annex 4), which recommends approval of the Pay Policy Statement. Cllr Peter Cullum, Chairman of the Corporate Governance, Audit and Standards Committee will introduce this item.

To receive a report from the Cabinet (copy attached – Annex 5) which seeks approval for an amendment to the Capital Programme 2023/24 to enable the next steps in the regeneration of Farnborough. Cllr M.J. Tennant, Major Projects and Property Portfolio Holder, will introduce this item.

To fix the level of Council Tax for the financial year 2024/25 taking into account precepts of Hampshire County Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority. (A copy of the appropriate draft resolution is attached – Annex 6).

To receive any questions by Members to Cabinet Members submitted in accordance with the Procedure Note.

To receive and ask questions on the Reports of the following Meetings (copy reports attached):

To note the Reports of the following meetings (copy reports attached):