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Her Worship, The Mayor, reminded Council that in line with Council Procedure Rule 26.4.3 any vote (including procedural and on amendments) relating to Budget setting and Council Tax decisions made by full Council must be undertaken by a recorded named vote.
The Leader reported that this report presents the 2025/26 budget for the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account for approval including the capital programme for both. The report will be considered by Scrutiny on 11 February 2025 and recommendations will be made to Council on 20 February 2025 to inform the setting of the council tax for 2025/26.
The 2025/26 medium term financial strategy was presented to Members in December 2024 and at that time set a savings/income target of £1.5million for the 2025/26 financial year, with a further £1.5million target in 2026/27 and £1 million in 2027/28. This along with a reducing reliance on the use of reserves over the short term was part of the financial strategy to produce a balanced budget for 2025/26. This was ahead of the detailed work on the service budgets and the outcome of the finance settlement. As part of the approval of the MTFS members approved savings and additional income totalling £583,500 which had been considered as part of cross party budget meetings to inform the budget.
The provisional Local Government Financial Settlement for 2025/26 was announced on 18 December 2024. The final settlement is due to be confirmed in early February and any changes will be updated as part of the budget reports to Members in February. The provisional settlement followed the publication of the Local Government Finance Policy Statement 2025/26 announced at the end of November.
The Council must present for approval a balanced budget each year. Despite the slightly improved finance settlement for 2025/26 above the level previously forecast the budget is reliant on the use of reserves as it would be in the medium term. This is not a sustainable position for the long term and when the outcomes of the future funding review are known this will assist Local Authorities with the longer-term financial planning for the provision of services and the MTFS will be updated accordingly.
The budget report will be considered by the Scrutiny Committee ahead of approval by Council on 20 February 2025 to inform the setting of the council tax for 2025/26.
The report and appendices present the detailed budget considerations for 2025/26.
Whilst the report presents a budget for 2025/26 for approval only it does flag a funding gap of £1.1 million in 2026/27 for which early work will commence on addressing this gap in 2025/26 and be informed by the funding reforms for local government.
Cabinet at their meeting on Tuesday 11 February 2025 had proposed two additions to the Budget for consideration by Council, as included on the Cabinet Decision Notice, these being, the reintroduction of the Councillor Ward Budgets to the amount of £2000 per Councillor and that the funding for the Lifeguard provision continues to be reviewed in order for this service to be retained.
The Leader proposed that Council :-
1) Approve the General Fund revenue budget as detailed at Appendix A;
2) Approve the Council Tax for 2025/26 for the Borough Council tax be £192.49 (for an average Band D);
3) Approve that the demand on the Collection Fund for 2025/26 be:
a. £6,076,332 for the Borough Council purposes;
b. £850,000 for Parish Precepts (to be updated for final precepts when confirmed);
4) Approve the amendment to the fees and charges as outlined at paragraph 3.6 in relation to the provision of six free parking spaces limited to 30 minutes in the Great Yarmouth Marketplace Car Park be approved;
5) Approve the reserves statement and movement on the reserves as detailed at Appendix E and within section 4 of the report;
6) Approve the Policy framework for reserves as detailed at Appendix F;
7) Approve the updated Capital Programme and financing for 2024/25 to 2025/26 as detailed at Appendix G and within section 6.4;
8) Approve the new capital bid proposals at Appendix H;
9) Approve the Minimum Revenue Provision Statement 2025/26 as included at Appendix I.
10) Approve the housing revenue account budget as detailed at Appendix J.
11) Approve the housing revenue account capital programme and financing for the revised 2024/25 position and 2025/26 – 2029/30 as detailed at Appendix K.
12) Approve an increase to all housing rents of 2.7%, new Affordable Rents to be set at the lower of 80% of the applicable Open Market Rent or 130% of Local Housing Allowance, new social rents where supported to include 10% premium and service charges and other charges at Appendix L and M.
13) Approve the reintroduction of the Councillor Ward Budgets to the amount of £2000 per Councillor.
14) Approve that the funding for the Lifeguard provision continues to be reviewed in order for this service to be retained.
The motion was seconded by Councillor Plant.
Councillor Wainwright asked for clarification as to why the amendments had not formed part of the report to Council as this prevented him from making his proposed amendments to the budget.
The Leader reported that the amendments should be debated separately, as was the case at Norfolk County Council. He reported that he had sought the advice of the Monitoring Officer and that if the amendments were passed they would form part of the sub-budget.
The Monitoring Officer reported that she had misunderstood the advice sought by The Leader, therefore, Councillor Wainwright should be allowed to respond to the budget and then the amendments would be voted on one at a time.
Councillor Wainwright reported that, firstly, he would like to thank the Executive Director - Resources and the Finance Team for all their hard work in the production of the budget under difficult circumstances.
Councillor Wainwright reported that year-on-year, Great Yarmouth has seen their core spending power cut, leading to a deterioration in services provided to local residents. With a new Labour Government and after only 8 months in power, funding to Local Authorities had now at last turned a corner, after 14 years of Conservative austerity.
Areas such as Great Yarmouth with a Low Tax Base and high levels of deprivation are at last being recognised with an increase of £693K in our core spending power, including a recovery grant of £417K. Even with this increased funding, the call on reserves 2025/26 will be approximately £720,330, which now included £78K for Ward Budgets, of which his group were opposed to, and £29K for RNLI Lifeguards which his party supported and always had done. Councillor Wainwright commented that he was disappointed to have seen this provision being cut in the first place.
Councillor Wainwright reminded Members that both the amendments proposed were added in by Cabinet on the 11 February 2025, and further commented that the Ward Budget proposals were a surprise to everyone, including the Section 151 Officer and the CEO, who knew nothing about them. He advised that this had never been discussed at the Cross Party Budget Working Group, where the 2025/26 budget savings and income proposals totalling £584K were discussed in detail.
Councillor Wainwright further referred to matters that had been discussed at the Cross Party Budget meeting and advised that the budget savings and income proposals discussed included £306K for various structural proposals i.e. job losses, and commented that he felt that, in his opinion, giving these Ward Budgets to Councillors meant less protection for Council jobs. Ward Budgets were last utilised in 2022/23, then they were discontinued to save money. The Ward Budgets proposed now are unaffordable and the money could be used for other purposes.
Councillor Wainwright reported that he would like to move the following amendments: –
Amendment (3) That the Ward Budget allocation of £78K be used to fund up to 4 Community Marshalls for a period of 12 months whilst other funding opportunities are explored. These posts have always been funded externally, but their loss would have a huge impact on the local community; and
Amendment (4) That Car Parking Charges are introduced on the Gorleston Cliff-Top Car Park raising an income of £69K, a conservative estimate, and used to fund up to 4 Community Marshalls for a period of 12 months whilst other funding opportunities are explored.
Councillor Wainwright reported that if the amendment relating to Ward Budgets was lost, his Group Members would not spend their allocation of Ward Budgets totalling £36K. In his opinion, this saving could then be used to support the employment of the Community Marshalls, the Community Hub or another post which may become vacant under the various restructure proposals.
Councillor Wainwright urged all Members to support these amendments, to support jobs.
Councillor Thompson reported that he wished to propose an amendment to the budget.
Councillor A Wright asked for clarification, if Members spoke to an amendment, would this be excluded from the three minutes they were allocated to speak on the budget. Councillor A Wright reported that it was imperative that the Council protected jobs and not charities in the borough.
Councillor Wells reported that although a Cross Party Working Party had agree the budget, both parties were entitled to make amendments.
Councillor Candon reported that the Council was not a company or a Trade Union with the express focus on preserving jobs. The Council was focussed on the health & prosperity of its local communities.
Councillor Martin reported that the re-introduction of Ward Budgets and increasing them to £2k per Member was in her opinion, financially irresponsible.
Councillor Wainwright reported that he had still not been able to formally propose his two amendments.
The meeting was adjourned at 20:00 for advice from the Monitoring Officer.
The meeting reconvened at 20:07.
The Monitoring Officer referred to the Constitution, paragraph 26.18, which laid out how amendments at Budget Council should be dealt with.
Councillor Wainwright reported that if Council voted on Amendment 1 and it was lost, he would not be able to move his amendment as it would, in effect, be voided, so Council would therefore be unable to vote on this amendment. He reiterated that the two amendments should have formed part of the budget report to allow him to move his amendments. Councillor Wainwright reported that he was confused with the proceedings.
The Chief Executive Officer reported that the two amendments made at Cabinet should have been included in the sub-report of the agenda papers. However, the same issues could be debated in different ways.
Council was hereby adjourned at 20:13 to take legal advice from the Monitoring Officer.
The meeting reconvened at 20:18.
Her Worship reported that Amendment 1, followed by Amendment 2, and so on, would need to be voted on one by one.
Councillor Robinson-Payne reported that the Cross Party Working Party had taken tough decisions and she was shocked that the Conservative Party had reintroduced Ward Budgets and was prepared to support job losses to the amount of £300k. It was unethical that the Council was not supporting and securing the posts of our hard working employees. Councillor Robinson-Payne questioned what the point of having a Cross Party Working Party in the first place. The Council should support and protect the posts of the Community Marshalls who promote and protect community resilience.
Councillor Williamson highlighted that the Council was facing challenging financial times as finances had been cut to the bone in the last 14 years. The most deprived residents of the borough would be severely affected and suffer when the Community Marshalls were disbanded. Several Members struggled to spend their £2k ward budget and Members should vote to save our communities not pet projects in individual wards.
Councillor Murray-Smith reported that, in regard to Amendment 1, there would be no decision until the sub-amendment had been voted on. He commented that any party was entitled to move amendments. Councillor Murray-Smith further commented that ,in his opinion, the role of a Councillor was to ensure the best possible use of public funds.
Councillor Capewell reported that the reintroduction of Ward Budgets would be a terrible misuse of council funds.
Councillor Newcombe reported that the Council should support areas of high deprivation. Although it was controversial, she supported the introduction of car parking charges for parking at the top of the cliffs, as at the moment ,it was one rule for the residents at the bottom and another for those at the top of the cliffs.
Councillor Plant reported that having a Ward Budget would allow Ward Councillors to support what their community needed in their ward.
Councillor Cordiner-Achenbach commented that in her experience, the funding given from Ward Budgets to community organisations and the work that could be done with the donation amounted to very little, and therefore she agreed with her fellow Councillors in that this funding allocation could be spent more wisely and protect jobs.
Councillor Flaxman-Taylor reported that she was the Chair of the GY Health & Wellbeing Board and that they provided £220k per year to fund the Community Marshalls. All the Marshalls had been consulted and offered alternative roles if possible. It had been hoped that other organisations or further funding could be secured to extend the Community Marshall's positions but this had proved to be unsuccessful. The £78k allocated to Ward Budgets would not be able to be diverted to fund these posts or to retain other staff as it would have to be returned to the General Fund.
Councillor Grant asked that Council move to vote on Amendment 1.
The Leader summed up and proposed Amendment 1. This amendment was seconded by Councillor Plant.
Council hereby were reminded that a recorded vote would be taken on the amendment proposed and the vote was as follows:-
FOR: Councillors Annison, Bensly, Bird, Boyd, Candon, G Carpenter, P Carpenter, Flaxman-Taylor, Freeman, Galer, Grant, Hammond, Lawn, Mogford, Murray- Smith, Plant, Smith, Stenhouse, Thompson and Wells.
AGAINST: Councillors Borg, Capewell, Cordiner-Achenbach, Dwyer-McCluskey, Green, Jeal, Martin, McMullen, Pilkington, Newcombe, Robinson-Payne, Sharp, Upton, Wainwright, Waters-Bunn, Williamson, T Wright and B Wright.
ABSTENSIONS: None
This amendment was CARRIED.
The Leader summed up and proposed Amendment 2. This amendment was seconded by Councillor Candon.
Council hereby were reminded that a recorded vote would be taken on the amendment proposed and the vote was as follows:-
FOR: Councillors Annison, Bensly, Bird, Borg, Boyd, Candon, G Carpenter, P Carpenter, Capewell, Cordiner-Achenbach, Dwyer-McCluskey, Flaxman-Taylor, Freeman, Galer, Grant, Green, Jeal, Hammond, Lawn, Martin, McMullen, Mogford, Murray-Smith, Pilkington, Newcombe, Robinson-Payne, Plant, Sharp, Smith, Stenhouse, Thompson, Upton, Wainwright, Waters-Bunn, Wells, Williamson, T Wright and B Wright.
AGAINST: None
ABSTENSIONS: None
This amendment was CARRIED.
Councillor Wainwright summed up and proposed Amendment 4. This amendment was seconded by Councillor Jeal.
The Leader of the Council reported that he did not support Amendment 4, as Gorleston was unique and did not have as much free residential parking as was available in Great Yarmouth. If parking charges were introduced at the Cliff Top car park, this would force car parking on to the narrow streets behind the seafront which would cause a massive inconvenience for local residents.
Councillor Dwyer-McCluskey reported that car parking charges at the Cliff Top should be trialled at the very least and most houses along the seafront had large driveways to accommodate resident parking.
Councillor Wells reported that he opposed Amendment 4 and he was a firm advocate to keep car parking at the Cliff Top car park free of charge. He also questioned the validity of the revenue figures quoted by Councillor Wainwright.
Councillor Jeal reported that there was no free car parking along the Golden Mile in Great Yarmouth. Local residents had to pay to park at Brush Quay, Gorleston and they had no alternative but to pay so what was the difference between Brush Quay & Gorleston Cliff Top.
Councillor McMullen reported that she wholeheartedly agreed with Councillor Jeal's remarks.
Councillor Upton reported that the residents at Brush Quay faced a dreadful parking scenario and highlighted that there was one rule for one and one rule for the other in regard to parking in Gorleston which was deplorable.
Councillor Flaxman-Taylor reported that as a Ward Councillor for Gorleston Ward she was totally against car parking charges at The Cliffs which would penalise residents and tourists alike and would lead to illegal parking on the surrounding grass verges. This would also mean that car parking charges would be need to be paid by visitors visiting friends and relatives in the care homes situated along the seafront which was unethical.
Councillor Martin reported that in her opinion this was hypocritical as there were care homes situated along GY seafront and people were expected to pay to park to visit relatives there.
Councillor Candon reported that in his opinion the figures cited for Amendment 4 did not stack up financially.
Councillor A Wright reported that it was proposed to implement charges for a maximum of 60 cars and that this would not lead to parking chaos. The public car park at Caister Beach was pay and display, as were those at Hemsby, the only free seaside car park in the Borough was at Gorleston Cliff Top.
Councillor Plant reminded Council that Great Yarmouth, Norwich & Kings Lynn subsidised the CPE and that NNDC & SNDC needed to step up to the plate and start to contribute to the CPE as the Council had been subsidising them for over 10 years.
Councillor B Wright reported that one of the residents at Brush Quay was frightened to use her car in case she lost her parking space outside of her home as she could not afford to pay to park in the Brush Quay car park.
Councillor Boyd reported that parking in Caister in the summer was a nightmare for local residents and visitors alike.
Councillor Pilkington reported that he visited other seaside resorts with his family and he took it for granted that he would have to pay for parking.
Councillor Grant highlighted that people would park wherever it was free to do so as it was human nature.
Her Worship reported that an amendment was made at last years' Council in respect of parking at Brush Quay which had been lost.
Councillor Thompson reported that Gapton Hall was always busy as it had free car parking for 3 hours whereas the Town Centre was empty as you had to pay to park.
Councillor Wainwright summed up and proposed Amendment 4, this amendment was seconded by Councillor Jeal.
Council hereby were reminded that a recorded vote would be taken on the amendment proposed and the vote was as follows:-
FOR: Councillors Borg, Capewell, Cordiner-Achenbach, Dwyer-McCluskey, Green, Jeal, Martin, McMullen, Pilkington, Newcombe, Robinson-Payne, Sharp, Upton, Wainwright, Waters-Bunn, Williamson, T Wright and B Wright.
AGAINST: Councillors Councillors Annison, Bensly, Bird, Boyd, Candon, G Carpenter, P Carpenter, Flaxman-Taylor, Freeman, Galer, Grant, Hammond, Lawn, Mogford, Murray- Smith, Plant, Smith, Stenhouse, Thompson and Wells
ABSTENSIONS: None
This amendment was LOST.
Councillor Thompson proposed Amendment 5, that in regard to Item 4, Fees & Charges - paragraphs 3.6 to 3.8, To offer free parking in the Market Place for 30 minutes for 6 spaces be revised to an hour and be revisited by Council in 12 months time.
The Leader reported that he seconded Councillor Thompson's amendment. Councillor Candon reported that he fully supported the amendment too, as this was also supported by the Market Traders.
Councillor Wainwright reported that he too supported this amendment but it must not be allowed to creep up in time year on year.
Councillor Thompson summed up and proposed Amendment 5. This was seconded by Councillor Smith.
Council hereby were reminded that a recorded vote would be taken on the amendment proposed and the vote was as follows:-
FOR: Councillors Annison, Bensly, Bird, Borg, Boyd, Candon, G Carpenter, P Carpenter, Capewell, Cordiner-Achenbach, Dwyer-McCluskey, Flaxman-Taylor, Freeman, Galer, Grant, Green, Jeal, Hammond, Lawn, Martin, McMullen, Mogford, Murray-Smith, Pilkington, Newcombe, Robinson-Payne, Plant, Sharp, Smith, Stenhouse, Thompson, Upton, Wainwright, Waters-Bunn, Wells, Williamson, T Wright and B Wright.
AGAINST: None
ABSTENSIONS: None
This amendment was CARRIED.
Her Worship opened the floor to discuss the Budget.
Councillor Wainwright referred to page 90, Crematorium Tea Rooms, which had made a huge loss. He asked if this should be put out to tender as it was loosing the Council £113k a year in employee costs.
Councillor Wainwright referred to page 95, Beach Huts, and asked if all 19 huts at Great Yarmouth were let and if there was an active waiting list. The Council expected income of £82k and he asked whether all the huts would be let for this financial year.
Councillor Wainwright referred to page 69, Easter Fair, which with on-costs costs the Council £20k to stage the 4-day event as the Council had to pay for the security which to him, was somewhat of an anomaly.
Councillor Wainwright referred to page 97, The Waterways, the premise increase is 50%, giving an overall increase of 400%, but he applauded the gardeners and volunteers as it was a Jewel in the Crown for the Town.
Councillor Wainwright referred to page 84, CCTV, which he had raised with Councillor G Carpenter. A budget meeting was held twice a year and £187k had been spent on navigational aids which concerned him as surely this should be the responsibility of the Port Authority.
The Leader reported that Cabinet was looking at the Tearooms. The Beach Huts had been cost checked and there were 29 beach huts included in the budget. The Easter Fair charges related to road closures and H & S issues. The Police & Crime Commissioner had been approached to support revenue being returned from the second homes Council Tax scheme to support CCTV in Great Yarmouth, but this request had been refused.
Councillor Jeal asked for a point of order that Council had exceeded 2 hours. The Monitoring Officer reported that Standing Orders were suspended for Budget Council.
Councillor G Carpenter reported that he was happy to provide Council with a report following the AGM of the GYTCP in December 2025 in regard to CCTV provision.
Councillor Wainwright thanked the Executive Director & her team for the production of the budget. However, he felt that the Cross Party MWG had resulted in an undemocratic process following the two amendments proposed at Cabinet and now passed at Council.
The Leader summed up and proposed the budget 2025 to 2026. The Leader thanked the Executive Director and her team for all their hard work. The budget was seconded by Councillor Plant.
Proposer: Councillor Smith
Seconder: Councillor Plant
That Council:-
1) Approve the General Fund Revenue Budget as detailed at Appendix A;
2) Approve the Council Tax for 2025/26 for the Borough Council Tax be £192.49 (for an average Band D);
3) Approve that the demand on the Collection Fund for 2025/26 be:-
a. £6,076,332 for the Borough Council purposes;
b. £850,000 for Parish Precepts (to be updated for final precepts when confirmed);
4) Approve the amendment to the Fees and Charges, as outlined at paragraph 3.6 in relation to the provision of six free parking spaces limited to 30 minutes in the Great Yarmouth Marketplace Car Park be approved;
5) Approve the reserves statement and movement on the reserves as detailed at Appendix E and within section 4 of the report;
6) Approve the Policy framework for reserves as detailed at Appendix F;
7) Approve the updated Capital Programme and financing for 2024/25 to 2025/26 as detailed at Appendix G and within section 6.4;
8) Approve the new capital bid proposals at Appendix H;
9) Approve the Minimum Revenue Provision Statement 2025/26 as included at Appendix I;
10) Approve the housing revenue account budget as detailed at Appendix J;
11) Approve the housing revenue account capital programme and financing for the revised 2024/25 position and 2025/26 – 2029/30 as detailed at Appendix K;
12) Approve an increase to all housing rents of 2.7%, new Affordable Rents to be set at the lower of 80% of the applicable Open Market Rent or 130% of Local Housing Allowance, new social rents where supported to include 10% premium and service charges and other charges at Appendix L and M;
13) Approve the reintroduction of the Councillor Ward Budgets to the amount of £2000 per Councillor,
14) Approve that the funding for the Lifeguard provision continues to be reviewed in order for this service to be retained; and
15) Approve that the free parking in the 6 bays at the Market Place be increased to 1 hour from 30 minutes to be reviewed in 12 months time.
Council hereby were reminded that a recorded vote would be taken on the amendment proposed and the vote was as follows:-
FOR: Councillors Annison, Bensly, Bird, Boyd, Candon, G Carpenter, P Carpenter, Flaxman-Taylor, Freeman, Galer, Grant, Hammond, Lawn, Mogford, Murray-Smith, Plant, Smith, Stenhouse, Thompson and Wells.
AGAINST: Councillors Borg, Capewell, Cordiner-Achenbach, Dwyer-McCluskey, Green, Jeal, Martin, McMullen, Pilkington, Newcombe, Robinson-Payne, Sharp, Upton, Wainwright, Waters-Bunn, Williamson, T Wright and B Wright.
ABSTENSIONS: None
This amendment was CARRIED.