Part 4A, paragraph 3.3 of the Constitution states that the business at the Budget Council meeting shall include the following:

·         receive a presentation of the Budget/Council Tax report from the relevant officers

·         officers to respond to questions from members via the Mayor

·         receive remarks from the Cabinet on the report

·         Council to debate the report and take any motions or Amendments

In accordance with Part 4A, paragraph 10.4 of the Constitution, all decisions relating to either the substantive budget motion/proposal or any amendments to it, will be taken via a recorded vote (roll call).

The Mayor outlined the procedure for this Budget Council meeting. She also reminded the Council that all budget related decisions, including proposed amendments, were required to be recorded within the minutes with a list of the names of those who voted for or against the decision or who abstained from voting. To accommodate that, a roll call vote would be taken for the substantive budget motion or any amendments to it. 

At the invitation of the Mayor, the Director of Corporate Services presented the Business Plan 2018-2022.  The Director then responded to questions from Councillors Brenda Fraser, David Simpson, John Dehaney, Janice Howard, Pauline Cowper, Mary-Jane Jeanes, Adam Bush, Stan Anderson, Najeeb Latif, Laxmi Attawar, Brian Lewis-Lavender, David Williams, Peter Southgate and Jeff Hanna.

The Leader of the Council presented the Business Plan 2018-22 and formally moved the recommendations in the report whilst making his budget speech to Council, a copy of which is appended to the minutes as Appendix A.

Councillor Tobin Byers formally seconded the recommendations, and reserved his right to speak.

The Mayor then invited the opposition Group Leaders in turn to respond to the Budget proposal and the Business Plan.

The Leader of the Conservative Group, Councillor Oonagh Moulton addressed the meeting and her speech is attached to the minutes, as Appendix B. As part of her speech, she presented the proposed amendments to the Business Plan 2018-22.

The Leader of the Merton Park Ward Independent Residents Group, Councillor Peter Southgate, addressed the meeting and his speech is attached to the minutes, as Appendix C.

The following members of the Cabinet addressed the meeting:   Councillors Mark Allison, Katy Neep, Edith Macauley and Nick Draper.

The Mayor then invited members to move proposed amendments to the Business Plan.

Councillor Oonagh Moulton moved the Conservative amendment 1 which was seconded by Councillor David Williams.

Councillor Oonagh Moulton moved the Conservative amendment 2 which was seconded by Councillor David Williams.

The Mayor then opened up the general debate on the proposed amendments and on the proposed substantive Business Plan.  The following members spoke in the debate:  Councillors Kelly Braund, David Williams, Philip Jones, Abdul Latif, Mary Curtin, James Holmes, Andrew Judge, Gilli Lewis-Lavender, Agatha Akyigyina, John Sargeant, Peter McCabe, Mary-Jane Jeanes, Daniel Holden, Abigail Jones, John Bowcott, Sally Kenny, Suzanne Grocott, Dennis Pearce, Michael Bull, Greg Udeh, Stephen Crowe, Ian Munn, Hamish Badenoch, Judy Saunders and, finally, Tobin Byers.

At the conclusion of the debate, the Mayor called for a roll-call vote on the Conservative amendment 1 to the Business Plan 2018-2022.  Voting was as follows:

Votes in favour:  Councillors Hamish Badenoch, John Bowcott, Michael Bull, Adam Bush, Stephen Crowe, David Dean, Edward Foley, Suzanne Grocott, Daniel Holden, James Holmes, Janice Howard, Abdul Latif, Najeeb Latif, Brian Lewis-Lavender, Gilli Lewis-Lavender, Oonagh Moulton, John Sargeant, David Simpson, Peter Southgate, Linda Taylor and David Williams (21)

Votes against:  Councillors Agatha Akyigyina, Stephen Alambritis, Mark Allison, Stan Anderson, Laxmi Attawar, Kelly Braund, Mike Brunt, Tobin Byers,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4