Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

 Audio recording – 19 seconds

There were no apologies for absence.

To take as read and approve as a true record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 28 February 2019.

RESOLVED:That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 28 February 2019 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chairman.

Audio Recording -  25 seconds

RESOLVED:That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 28 February 2019 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chairman.

Members should notify the Chairman of other business which they wish to be discussed at the end of either Part I or Part II business set out in the agenda. They must state the circumstances which they consider justify the business being considered as a matter of urgency.

The Chairman will decide whether any item(s) raised will be considered.

There was no other business notified.

Audio recording – 57 seconds

There was no other business notified.

Members are reminded that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and are required to notify the Chairman of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda.  Members declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest must withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members declaring a Declarable Interest, wishing to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, must declare this at the same time as the interest, move to the public area before speaking to the item and then must leave the room before the debate and vote.

(1)       The Chairman advised that, in accordance with Council Policy, the meeting would be audio recorded;

(2)       Members were reminded to make declarations of interest before an item, the longer reminder about this and speaking rights was set out under Chairman’s Announcements on the agenda.

Audio recording – 1 minute 1 second

(1)       The Chairman advised that, in accordance with Council Policy, the meeting would be audio recorded;

(2)       Members were reminded to make declarations of interest before an item, the longer reminder about this and speaking rights was set out under Chairman’s Announcements on the agenda.

To receive petitions, comments and questions from the public.

There were no presentations by members of the public.

Audio recording – 1 minute 37 seconds

There were no presentations by members of the public.

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – CUSTOMERS

To set the Council Tax Base for 2020/2021 in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992 and the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012 (the Regulations).

RESOLVED:

(1)       That a non-collection rate of 1% be set for 2020/2021;

(2)       That the Council Tax Base for 2020/2021 be set at 49,979.6 and that the individual sums shown in Appendix A for each Parish be agreed.

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To fulfil the statutory requirement to set a Council Tax Base for the District and to enable Major and Local Precepting Authorities to set their levels of Council Tax for 2020/2021.

Audio recording – 1 minute 41 seconds

The Service Director – Customers presented the report entitled Council Tax Base 2020/2021 together with the following appendices:

·                Appendix A – Council Tax Base by Parish 2020/2021;

·                Appendix B – Example of Council Tax Base calculation for Letchworth Garden City.

He drew attention to the following:

·                It was a requirement for this Committee to set the Council Tax Base;

·                This was calculated using a specific formula that took into account the number of properties in the District, the bands and the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS);

·                The Council Tax Base was used for the calculation of Council Tax;

·                Parish Councils and Police were informed of this figure and they used it to calculate their Council Tax figures;

·                Appendix B gave an example calculation.

The following Members asked questions and took part in the debate:

·                Councillor David Levett;

·                Councillor Sam North;

·                Councillor Claire Strong.

In response to questions the Service Director – Customers advised:

·                The calculations used were set in statute;

·                Valuation of properties had to be undertaken by the Valuation Office;

·                Valuations were set as at 1 April 1991.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That a non-collection rate of 1% be set for 2020/2021;

(2)       That the Council Tax Base for 2020/2021 be set at 49,979.6 and that the individual sums shown in Appendix A for each Parish be agreed.

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To fulfil the statutory requirement to set a Council Tax Base for the District and to enable Major and Local Precepting Authorities to set their levels of Council Tax for 2020/2021.

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – CUSTOMERS

To inform Members of the reporting processes for the NNDR1 Return & approve the Draft NNDR1 Return for 2020/2021

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the Draft NNDR1 to be submitted be approved;

(2)       That it be noted that a draft version of the NNDR1 has not been sent to Councils by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and a version has been posted on the MHCLG website on Friday 27 December 2019. The final version of the NNDR1 will need to be returned to MHCLG by Friday 31 January 2020;

(3)       That any amendments to the Return resulting from changes to the form  and any additional guidance, be delegated to the Service Director –Customers in consultation with the Service Director – Resources and the Committee Chairman.

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To comply with statutory requirements.

Audio recording – 8 minute 28 seconds

The Service Director – Customers presented the report entitled National Non-Domestic Rate Return 1 (NNDR1) – 2020/2021 and drew attention to the following:

·                The Council had to provide the NNDR1 by 31 January every year;

·                The Government requires that the form be agreed by the Committee;

·                The NNDR1 cannot be finalised until after the Autumn Budget, therefore this version was based on the best figures possible;

·                We are aware that the Government planned to change the Business Rate legislation therefore the figure will change;

·                It was unclear whether this version of the form would be submitted or whether an amended version would be required following the Budget.

The following Members asked questions and took part in the debate:

·                Councillor David Levett.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the Draft NNDR1 to be submitted be approved;

(2)       That it be noted that a draft version of the NNDR1 has not been sent to Councils by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and a version has been posted on the MHCLG website on Friday 27 December 2019. The final version of the NNDR1 will need to be returned to MHCLG by Friday 31 January 2020;

(3)       That any amendments to the Return resulting from changes to the form  and any additional guidance, be delegated to the Service Director –Customers in consultation with the Service Director – Resources and the Committee Chairman.

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To comply with statutory requirements.