Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Topping.

No apologies were received from Councillor Haley.

There were no disclosures of interest.  It was noted that Councillors were council taxpayers.

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 November 2015 to be submitted and signed.

Copies of the minutes of this meeting are usually available seven working days following the meeting.

(All minutes are available on the Council’s website.)

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 November 2015 were submitted and signed.

The Chair noted the action allocated to him at the previous meeting.  He explained the role of the Committee, including its requirement to agree the combined Council Tax figure.  The functions delegated to this Committee by Council were set out in the Constitution.

Report of the Director of Finance.

In accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a recorded vote will be taken for this item.

The Committee received the report of the Director of Finance to consolidate the decisions of the Council and the two precepting authorities to give the overall Council Tax for the residents of Watford for the coming Financial Year.

The Director of Finance introduced the report and set out the Committee’s statutory role.  It was noted that the role had been delegated to the Committee by Council.  Members were informed that some authorities, for example Three Rivers District Council set that authority’s Council Tax and then added the precepts, providing the final figure at the one meeting.  As Watford Borough Council had a Mayoral system it had to set the Watford element earlier.

The Head of Revenues and Benefits advised that the total Council Tax had to be set by 16 March to ensure that the Council Tax bills could be issued in time; ensuring those people who paid on the first of the month had sufficient notice.

The Chair moved the recommendation in the report.

In accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a recorded vote was taken for this item.

Those voting for the motion:

Councillors Watkin, Bolton, Mills, Shah and Walford.

The motion was AGREED.

RESOLVED –

that the Committee formally sets the total Council Tax for Watford Borough Council, which includes the precepts for Hertfordshire County Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire, as set out in the report.