Agenda

Council - Wednesday, 19th February, 2025 6.00 pm

Venue: Council Chamber - Council Offices. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services  Email: democraticservices@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

To receive apologies for absence, if any.

2.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 421 KB

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 18 December 2024 and the Extraordinary Meeting held on 29th January 2025.

Additional documents:

3.

TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS FROM MEMBERS pdf icon PDF 721 KB

Members are asked at this stage to declare any interests that they may have in any of the following items on the agenda.  The Code of Conduct for Members requires that declarations include the nature of the interest and whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest (see attached guidance and flowchart)

4.

Items of Urgent Business

To determine any other items of business which the Chairman decides should be considered as a matter of urgency pursuant to Section 100B (4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

5.

Chairman's Communications

To receive the Chairman’s communications, if any.

6.

Leader's Announcements

7.

Public Questions and Statements

To consider any questions or statements received from members of the public.

8.

Pay Policy Statement 2025 - 2026 pdf icon PDF 147 KB

Executive Summary

Section 38 of the Localism Act 2011 (“The Act”) required the Council to produce an annual pay policy statement (“the statement”)for the start of each financial year. The attached statement is drawn up in compliance with the Act to cover the period 2025/2026. It is a legal requirement the Full Council formally signs off this statement and the responsibility cannot be devolved to any other person or committee.

 

Options considered

 

There are no other options to consider as part of this paper.

 

Consultation(s)

No consultation is required.

 

Recommendations

 

To adopt the attached Pay Policy Statement and to publish the statement for 2025/2026 on the NNDC Website.

Reasons for recommendations

 

To comply with the requirements of the Localism Act.

 

Background papers

 

Pay Policy Statement 2025/2026

 

 

Wards affected

N/A

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr Tim Adams

Contact Officer

Susan Sidell, HR Manager, susan.sidell@north-norfolk.gov.uk

 

Additional documents:

9.

Car Park order 2025 pdf icon PDF 154 KB

Executive Summary

The proposed car parking charges for 2025 were agreed at Full Council on 20 November 2024. A new car parking order, consolidating the existing orders as well as introducing new charges has been advertised. The closing date for objections was 22 January 2025. In all 1 objections/comments was received.

 

Options considered

 
  1. Introduce the car parking order 2025.
  2. Continue with the current car parking order

 

Consultation(s)

The period for public objections ran from 19 December 24 to 22 January 2025. The order was made available via our website with hard copies at the Cromer and Fakenham offices. The notice of proposals was advertised in the North Norfolk News on 19 December 2024 and also displayed on every car park.

 

Recommendations

 
  1. That the Council introduces the car parking order 2025 (as advertised) on Monday 07 April 2025.
  2. That the Council considers it is appropriate to make the order without modification.

.

Reasons for recommendations

 

Car parking income represents a significant income source to the Council and as such has a substantial contribution to make to the Council’s long term financial sustainability.

The objections do not constitute substantive reasons for not bringing the order into force.

 

Background papers

 

Report to Full Council on 20 November 2024

 

 

Wards affected

All

Cabinet member(s)

Cllr Shires

PFH Finance

Contact Officer

Glenn Durrant

Glenn.durrant@north-norfolk.gov.uk

 

10.

Recommendations from Cabinet 3rd February 2025 pdf icon PDF 648 KB

The following recommendations were made by Cabinet to Full Council at the meeting held on 3rd February:

 

1.     Recommendation 1

Cabinet Agenda Item 9 - Medium Term Financial Strategy 2025 - 2026

 

RESOLVED

 

To recommend that Full Council approves the Medium Term Financial Strategy 2024/25 to 2027/2028

 

2.     Recommendation 2:

Cabinet Agenda Item 10 - Treasury Management Strategy Report 2025/26

 

RESOLVED

 

To recommend to Full Council that the Treasury Management Strategy 2025/26 is approved.

 

3.     Recommendation 3:

Cabinet Agenda item 11 - Capital Strategy 2025 - 2026

 

RESOLVED

 

To recommend to Full Council that the Capital Strategy 2025/2026 is approved.

 

4.     Recommendation 4:

Cabinet Agenda Item 12 - Council Tax Discounts & Premiums Determination 2025-26

 

RESOLVED to

 

Recommend to Full Council that under Section 11A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Finance Act 2012 and other enabling powers that:

 

1)    The discounts for the year 2025-26 and beyond are set at the levels indicated in the table at paragraph 3.1.

2)    To continue to award a local discount of 100% in 2025-26 for eligible cases of hardship under Section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended). See the associated policy in Appendix B.

3)    That an exception to the empty property levy charges may continue to be made by the Revenues Manager in the circumstances laid out in section 4.2 of this report.

4)    The long-term empty-property premiums for the year 2025-26 (subject to the empty premium exceptions shown in Appendix C) are set at the levels indicated in the table at paragraph 4.2

5)    To continue to award a local discount of 100% in 2025-26 for eligible cases of care leavers under Section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended).

6)    Those dwellings that are specifically identified under regulation 6 of the Council Tax (Prescribed Classes of Dwellings) (England) Regulations 2003 will retain the 50% discount as set out in paragraph 2.1 of this report.

7)    Those dwellings described or geographically defined at Appendix A which in the reasonable opinion of the Revenues Manager are judged not to be structurally capable of occupation all year round and were built before the restrictions of seasonal usage were introduced by the Town and Country Planning Act 1947, will be entitled to a 35% discount.

8)    A new second homes premium of 100% as detailed in paragraph 4.3 (subject to the second home premium exceptions shown in Appendix C) is applied from 1 April 2025.

 

5.     Recommendation 5:

Cabinet Agenda Item 15 - Non-Domestic (Business) Rates Policy 2025-26

 

RESOLVED

 

1. It is agreed by Full Council that the Revenues Manager continues to have delegated authority to make decisions up to the NNDC cost value of £4k as indicated in Appendix A.

 

2. It is agreed by Full Council that the Revenues Manager continues to has delegated authority to make Hardship Relief decisions up to the NNDC cost value of £4k as indicated in Appendix  ...  view the full agenda text for item 10.

Additional documents:

11.

Recommendations from the Overview & Scrutiny Committee 12th February 2025

To consider any recommendations from the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 12th February 2025.

 

Please note that the Full Council agenda was published before the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting took place. The Chairman will provide a verbal update at the meeting.

12.

Budget and Council Tax 2025 - 2026 pdf icon PDF 782 KB

Executive Summary

This report presents for approval the budget for 2025/26 and to make statutory calculations in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992 to set the Council Tax for 2025/26. The report also includes the Chief Finance Officer’s report on the robustness of the estimates and adequacy of reserves.

 

Options considered

 

It is a statutory requirement to set the budget each year, whilst there are options around the content of the budget presented for approval, the budget now recommended reflects the recommendations made by Cabinet at its meeting on 3 February 2025.

 

Consultation(s)

The proposed budget has been presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for pre-scrutiny at its meeting on 22 January 2025. Public and business consultations have also taken place on the Council’s website and on all the Council’s other social media platforms.

 

Recommendations

 

That having considered the Chief Finance Officer’s report on the robustness of the estimates and the adequacy of the proposed financial reserves, the following be approved:

 

1)             The 2025/26 revenue budget as outlined at Appendix A;

 

2)             The service budgets detailed in Appendix B;

 

3)             The statement of the movement in reserves as detailed at Appendix C;

 

4)             The updated Capital Programme and financing for 2024/25 to 2027/28 as shown in Appendix D;

 

 

5)             The new capital bids recommended for approval as detailed at Appendix E;

 

6)             The statement of identified savings as detailed in Appendix F;

 

7)             That Members note the current financial projections for the period 2026/27 to 2028/29 that form the Medium Term Financial Strategy as presented as a Cabinet recommendation from its meeting on 3 February 2025;

 

8)             The the Optimum Level of the General Fund Reserve of £2.1m for 2025/26 to 2027/28;

 

9)             The Local Council Tax Support Scheme (LCTS) for 2025/26 as recommended for approval by Cabinet at its meeting on 3 February 2025;

 

10)          That Members undertake the Council Tax and statutory calculations set out at Appendix F, and set the Council Tax for 2025/26;

 

11)          The demand on the Collection Fund for 2025/26 is as follows:

a.         £7,812,584 for District purposes which reflects the recommended Council Tax increase of £4.95 for the district element for a Band D equivalent property

b.         £3,755,203 for Parish/Town Precepts;

 

to approve the 2025/26 budget for revenue and capital and to make the statutory calculations in respect of the 2025/26 Council Tax.

 

To note the two capital schemes that will come forward in due course as detailed in paragraphs 5.5 and 5.6 relating to Overstrand and the Watch House.

 

Reasons for recommendations

 

It is a statutory requirement to set the budget each year. To enable the Council to set a balanced budget.

Background papers

 

Budget reports and briefings, precepts (NCC, Police and Parishes)

Draft Revenue Budget Report for 2025/26 presented to Cabinet on 3 February 2025

 

 

Wards affected

All

Cabinet member(s)

All

Contact Officer

Tina Stankley

Director of Resources and s151 Officer

tina.stankley@north-norfolk.gov.uk

 

Additional documents:

13.

Portfolio Reports pdf icon PDF 141 KB

To receive reports from Cabinet Members on their portfolios.

 

Cllr T Adams - Executive Support & Legal Services

Cllr H Blathwayt – Coast

Cllr A Brown – Planning & Enforcement

Cllr W Fredericks – Housing and People Services

Cllr C Ringer – IT, Environmental & Waste Services

Cllr L Shires – Finance, Estates & Assets

Cllr J Toye – Sustainable Growth

Cllr A Varley – Climate Change & Net Zero

Cllr L Withington – Community, Leisure & Outreach (Including Health & Wellbeing)

 

 

Members are reminded that they may ask questions of the Cabinet Member on their reports and portfolio areas but should note that it is not a debate.

 

No member may ask more than one question plus a supplementary question, unless the time taken by members’ questions does not exceed 30 minutes in total, in which case, second questions will be taken in the order that they are received (Constitution, Chapter 2, part 2, section 12.2)

 

Additional documents:

14.

Questions Received from Members

None Received.

15.

Opposition Business

None Received.

16.

Notice(s) of Motion

None Received.

17.

Exclusion of Press and Public

To pass the following resolution – if necessary:

 

“That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph(s) _ of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) to the Act.”

18.

Private Business