Agenda and minutes

You are welcome to use Welsh at the meeting, a minimum notice period of 3 working days is required should you wish to do so.  A simultaneous translation will be provided if requested.

It was noted that no requests had been received for the simultaneous translation service.

To receive.

Apologies for absence were received from:

Councillors K. Chaplin, J. Morgan, J.P., G. Thomas, D. Wilkshire and L. Winnett.

To consider any declarations of interest and dispensations made.

The following declarations of interest were reported:

Item No. 4: Revenue Budget 2023/2024

-        Councillors J. Gardner, W. Hodgins, E. Jones, D. Rowberry, J. Thomas and H. Trollope.

The above-named Members remained in the meeting whilst this item of business was considered.

To consider the report of the Chief Officer Resources.

Councillors J. Gardner, W. Hodgins, E. Jones, D. Rowberry, J. Thomas and H. Trollope declared an interest in this item but remained in the meeting whilst it was considered.                                                                                   

Consideration was given to the report of the Chief Officer Resources.

The Leader of the Council referred to paragraph 2.2 of the report and advised that the final settlement now included a transfer of funding into the local government settlement, which related to Fire & Rescue Authority Pensions.  The value of this grant amounted to £5.8m nationally across Wales and had increased Blaenau Gwent’s final settlement to £139,730,490.  Members were advised that the Council had previously agreed to passport the increase of £130,000 to the Fire & Rescue Authority, therefore, the Council’s budget requirement had now increased from £178,034,276 to £178,164,692.

Consequently, changes would be required to some of the figures contained in the report, however, it was emphasised that this amendment would not change the Council’s position in respect of the use of reserves or the increase in the council tax level.

Therefore, to reflect the increase in the final settlement the following amounts contained within the report would be amended as follows:

Paragraph 3.1.2 – this figure would now be amended to £178,164,692.

Paragraph 5.1.7 (a) – this figure would now read £178,164,692.

Paragraph 5.1.7 (c) – this figure would now read £139,730,490.

Paragraph 5.1.13 – the figure in the first sentence would be amended to read £178,164,692.  

Paragraph 5.1.14 – the Revenue Support Grant figure would now be amended to read £117,692,418, increasing the total net revenue budget to £182,432,694.

It was, thereupon unanimously,

RESOLVED, subject to the foregoing, that the report be accepted and Option 1 be endorsed, namely that the:

-        Council Tax Resolution detailed below, be approved.

-        Statutory budget requirement of £178,164,692 detailed below, be approved.

-        Use of the specific reserves identified totalling £4.26m (paragraph 5.1.16 of the report) be approved.

5.1.2 The Council agreed at its meeting on 23^rd February 2023, a Council Tax increase of 3.45% for the 2023/2024 financial year.  As a result, the Blaenau Gwent Council element of the full council tax charge would be:-

5.1.3 At its meeting in December 2022 the Council agreed the Council Tax base for tax setting purposes be 20,806.70 for 2023/24, this being the total number of chargeable dwellings in each area adjusted for a number of items e.g., discounts payable, multiplied by the assumed collection rate of 95%.

5.1.4 In addition, in accordance with Regulation 6 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992, the amount of its Council Tax base for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which one or more special items relate were:

5.1.5  The above representing the number of chargeable dwellings to which the Town & Community Council’s precept would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To consider the report of the Chief Officer Resources.

Members considered the report of the Chief Officer Resources.

It was noted that whilst an 8% inflationary increase to some fees and charges were being proposed as a consequence of the increased costs that the Council was experiencing, the Leader of the Council proposed that the following amendments to the fees and charges listed below be endorsed:

Social Services:

-        Non-Residential Services – Home Care – 4% increase.

-        Non-Residential Services – Day  Care – 4% increase.

-        Non-Residential Services – Direct Payments – 4% increase.

-        Non-Residential Services - Part III Accommodation Charge (own provision) – 4% increase.

-        Non-Residential Services – August House (own provision) – 2% increase.

-        Bert Denning Day Centre – Standard Baseline Fee – 4% increase.

-        Bert Denning Hydrotherapy Pool - Fee for OLA and private customers weekdays – 4% increase.

-        Bert Denning Hydrotherapy Pool – Fee for Weekend Use – 4% increase.

-        Flying Start Childcare - Non-Flying Start children childcare fees – 4% increase.

Communications – C2BG Community Alarm & Telecare Service Charges:

-        Monitoring fees- analogue lifeline with pendant- monthly – 5% increase.

-        Monitoring fees- Digital lifeline with sim card and pendant- monthly – 5% increase.

-        Monitoring fees- analogue lifeline with pendant with 5 additional sensors- monthly – 5% increase.

-        Monitoring fees- digital lifeline with pendant with 5 additional sensors- monthly – 5% increase.

-        Safety Package- (analogue) recommended by Social Worker- monthly – 5% increase.

-        Safety Package- (digital) recommended by Social Worker- monthly – 5% increase.

-        Initial Installation fees – 5% increase.

-        Further installation of additional sensors – 5% increase.

-        Installation of non-monitored equipment – 5% increase.

-        Replacement pendant – 5% increase.

Community Meals:

-        Meals on Wheels – Meal and dessert – 2% increase.

Community Services – Waste:

-        Bulky Waste Collection – 4% increase.

Community Services – Cemeteries:

-        Interment - New grave - Double Depth – 2% increase.

-        Interment - Re-open of grave – 2% increase.

-        Interment - Exclusive right of burial  (EROB) – 2% increase.

-        Cremated remains - New Grave (minimum depth) Ashes – 2% increase.

-        Cremated remains - Re-open of grave Ashes – 2% increase.

-        Cremated remains - Scattering of Ashes – 2% increase.

-        Cremated remains - Exclusive right of burial (EROB) – 2% increase.

-        Garden of rest plots - Cremated remains (new grave) Ashes – 2% increase.

-        Garden of rest plots - Cremated remains (re-open) Ashes – 2% increase.

-        Garden of rest plots - Exclusive right of burial (EROB) – 2% increase.

-        Memorials - Erect memorial – 2% increase.

-        Memorials - Additional inscription, replacement memorial – 2% increase.

-        Memorials - Memorial still born baby (exclusive right of burial (EROB) – 2% increase.

-        Memorials - Renovation, clean and re-anchor memorial – 2% increase.

-        Memorials - Small plaque – 2% increase.

-        Memorials - Additional application for surround/memorial – 2% increase.

Grounds – Grounds & Playing Fields - Matches:

-        Grounds & playing fields training  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.