Motion status:Carried
That Council:
1) Adopts the Local Transport Plan 4 (LTP4) (2025 - 2038); and
2) Delegates authority to the Director, Highways and Transport, in consultation with the Director, Legal and Governance, and the Cabinet Member for Transport and Assets, to make any necessary minor changes to the document before it is published.
Amendment status:Rejected
That Council agree:
a) That a net general fund budget of 2025/26 of £527.420m is approved;
b) That the Council Tax requirement for the council be set at £368.818m for 2025/26 with a Band D charge of £1,886.99, an increase of £1.56 per week;
c) That the Wiltshire Council element of the Council Tax be increased in 2025/26 by the following:
i. A 2.5% general increase;
ii. Plus a levy of 2% to be spent solely on Adult Social Care;
d) That the Extended Leadership Team be required to meet the revenue budget targets for each service area as set out in Appendix 1 to this report, for the delivery of council services in 2025/26;
e) That the Extended Leadership Team be required to deliver the revenue savings plans for each service area as set out in Appendix 1 to this report, over the MTFS period 2025/26 to 2027/28;
f) That the changes in the fees and charges as set out in Appendix 4 are approved;
g) That the Capital Programme 2025/26 to 2031/32 is approved;
h) That the Capital Strategy set out in Appendix 2 is approved;
i) That the Schools Capital Programme 2025/26 to 2030/31 in Appendix 3 is approved, including the proposal recommendations included and set out in that appendix;
j) That the DSG budget as approved by Schools Forum is ratified;
k) That the Medium Term Financial Strategy, the forecast balanced budget for 2025/26 financial year and the MTFS 2025/26 to 2027/28 is endorsed.
a) Note the draft budget estimates and proposals.
b) Approve the HRA Annual Revenue Budget for 2025/26 as described in the report and Appendix 1, subject to an in year review.
c) Approve the increase of 2.7% (CPI+1%) to Dwelling Rents and Garage Rents for 2025/26
d) Approve the HRA Capital Programme for 2025/26 as described in thereport and Appendix 2, including the allocation of an additional £99m for the Council House Build Programme.
e) Note the reviewed and updated assumptions in the HRA 30-Year Business Plan as detailed in the report.
f) Approve authority to receive bespoke or targeted grants (if awarded) during the year.
1. It be noted that on 12 December 2024 a Record of Officer Decision was made to approve:
a) the Council Tax Base 2025/26 for the whole Wiltshire Council area as 195,453.54 [Item T in the formula in Section 31B(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the "Act")] and
b) for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates as in the attached Appendix.
2. Calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2025/26 (excluding parish precepts) is £ 368,818,875.44
3. That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2025/26 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:
a) £1,226,625,772.64 (Gross Revenue Expenditure including transfers to reserves, parish precepts and any collection fund deficit) being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act taking into account all precepts issued to it by Parish Councils).
b) £663,791,900.00 (Gross Revenue Income including transfers from reserves, General Government Grants and any collection fund surplus) being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.
c) £562,833,872.64 (Net Revenue Expenditure including parish precepts) being the amount by which the aggregate at 3(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 3(b) above, calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act as its Council Tax requirement for the year. (Item R in the formula in Section 31A(4) of the Act).
d) £2,068.18 (Wiltshire Council band D tax plus average Town & Parish Councils Band D Council Tax) being the amount at 3(c) above (Item R), all divided by Item T (2 above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B(1) of the Act, as the amount of its Council Tax for the year (including Parish precepts), as shown below:
e) 35,413,785.64 (Aggregate of Town & Parish Council Precepts) being the aggregate amount of all special items (Parish Precepts) referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act (as per the attached Appendix C).
f) £1,886.99 (band D Council Tax for Wiltshire Council purposes only) being the amount at 3(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 3(e) above by Item T (2 above), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(2) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which no Parish precept relates, as shown below:
That Council approve the updated pay policy statement set out in Appendix 1 ready for publication on the Wiltshire Council website.
1. That Richard Clewer, the Leader of Wiltshire Council, writes to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and our Wiltshire MPs, in order to outline Wiltshire Council’s dismay at the decision in the Budget to restrict Agricultural Property Relief, and to request the Government puts an immediate stop to the Family Farm Tax.
2. That the council undertakes an analysis of how many of Wiltshire's farms would be affected by the changes in national policy announced in the recent budget and reports this back to members.
Wiltshire Council hereby wishes to express its strong support for the retention of viable and sustainable businesses in rural settlements, recognising the vital contribution that these businesses make to residents’ lives and to the Wiltshire economy, as required by Policy 65 (Existing Employment Land) of the emerging Wiltshire Local Plan, which has been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for examination this year, and existing National Planning Policy Framework paragraphs 88 and 98.
That Full Council supports the intention of the Leader to write to the relevant Minister seeking inclusion in the Devolution Priority Programme on the basis of the attached single Member decision report.
That Full Council, having considered the response from the formal consultation:
1) Approves the submission of the Wiltshire Local Plan Review, Pre-submission Draft Plan at Appendix 1 to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government for independent examination together with relevant associated documentation;
2) Directs that submission is accompanied by a request that the Inspector appointed to carry out the examination recommends any modifications necessary to make the Plan sound and legally compliant in accordance with Section 20(7C) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended); and
3) Authorises the Director of Planning to take or authorise such steps as may be necessary for the independent examination of the Plan to be completed, including:
(a) Make appropriate arrangements for submission of the Plan and the completion and submission of all documents relating to the Plan;
(b) Make all necessary arrangements for examination including - the
(c) appointment of a Programme Officer; the undertaking and/or
(d) commissioning of other work necessary to prepare for and participate at examination; proposing main and/or minor modifications to the Plan and/or modifications to the Policies Map; entering into Memorandums of Understanding and Statements of Common Ground; and the delegation to officers and other commissioned experts to prepare and submit evidence, representations and submissions to the examination and, where necessary, appear at any hearing sessions and represent the council; and
(e) Implement any consequential actions relating to the examination,
(f) including undertaking any consultation that may be necessary, and publishing the recommendations and reasons of the person appointed to carry out the examination.
That Full Council adopt the Enforcement Policy as set out at Appendix 1.
That Full Council approved the Statement of Licensing Policy (2024-2029) (Appendix 1) under the Licensing Act 2003 which will come into effect from 1 November 2024.
That Full Council approves the Gambling Statement of Principles (2025-2027) (Appendix 1) under the Gambling Act 2005 which will come into effect from 1 January 2025.
We therefore request that the Leader of the Council write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves MP, urging a review of Labour's decision to end the Winter Fuel Payment. We also encourage officers to coordinate a social media and press campaign to show Wiltshire residents how to check their eligibility and register for pension credits.
We ask that this Council refuses to support any scheme that seeks to force people out of their private vehicles without a high quality, efficient, reliable and cost-effective alternative. Until every person who stands to be affected by such schemes has a viable alternative means of travel for education, employment, healthcare, and leisure, we request that this Council refuses to incorporate such controls over our residents.
(Proposed Amendment)This Council will pursue all means to increase accessible and affordable walking and cycling opportunities, as well as public transport services, across the county to provide sustainable alternatives to car travel.
That this Council refuses to support any scheme that seeks to force people out of their private vehicles without a high quality, efficient, reliable and cost-effective alternative. Until every person who stands to be affected by such schemes has a viable alternative means of travel for education, employment, healthcare, and leisure, we request that this Council refuses to incorporate such controls over our residents.
This Council calls on the Leader of the Council to write to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the MPs representing Wiltshire to make them aware of the manifest flaws in the Housing Land Supply measure as currently applied and as proposed as part of the government’s planning reform consultation.
(Proposed Amendment) Council also calls on the Leader of the Council to write to the Secretary of State to introduce legislation to compel developers to build consented plots within a set timescale.
1. Council is disappointed by the water industry’s failure to prevent sewage being discharged into Wiltshire's Rivers. We call on water companies operating in Wiltshire; Wessex Water, Thames Water, and Southern Water to make the required investment to protect our Rivers as a priority.
2. Council requests a meeting with executives of Wessex Water, Thames Water and Southern Water to receive greater clarity on future investment in the overdue upgrades to our sewage systems in Wiltshire.
3. Council calls on Wessex Water, Thames Water and Southern Water to join the Council in engaging with the government and Oftwat to discuss how the burden of the necessary investment in Wiltshire is addressed.
That Council approve the following updated sections of the Constitution:
1. Protocol 2A – Terms of Reference of the Wiltshire Pension Fund Committee
2. Protocol 6 – Complaints Procedure
That Full Council note that the contents of the report are in line with the Treasury Management Strategy 2023/24.
1) That the Gypsies and Travellers Plan - Pre-submission Draft Development Plan Document at Appendix 1 (subject to modification in (2) be approved for publication in line with Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended), for a period of at least six weeks public consultation.
2) To authorise the Director for Planning in consultation with the Director for Legal and Governance and Cabinet Member for Finance, Development Management and Strategic Planning: to make any necessary minor changes to the Pre-submission Draft Development Plan Document before it is published; to finalise the associated evidence documents for publication alongside the Plan; and to make arrangement for and undertake statutory consultation.
That Council
1) Adopt the Cultural Strategy.
2) Include the Cultural Strategy at Part 3B Paragraph 1.2 of the Constitution as a Policy Framework item.
3) Delegate authority to the Leader to make a decision to, if appropriate, amend the strategy in response to the resolutions of Environment Select Committee on 18 July 2024.
This Council expects Housing Associations which own homes in Wiltshire to be putting their social purpose first and foremost, as is the case with those homes owned by Wiltshire Council. There is a desperate need for social and affordable properties for rent in Wiltshire and we are concerned by the recent reports of future property sales, poor maintenance, and excessive charges by Green Square Accord as well as a number of cases where Aster tenants have been removed from their homes so that demolition can take place before properties are rebuilt for sale on the open market.
Selling social and affordable homes in our towns and villages will undermine the social fabric of the area. We therefore call on these Housing Associations to invest in their older stock in Wiltshire and not be disposing of it on the housing market in the anticipation of buying cheaper replacements in our towns or in other local authority areas.
We request the Leader of the Council write to all relevant Housing Associations in Wiltshire. Should no acceptable response be received, to write to the Secretary of State, all six Wiltshire MPs, and the Social Housing Regulator setting out this motion.
1) Part 10 - Contract and Procurement Rules
2) Protocol 11 - Arrangements for dealing with Code of Conduct Complaints.
To adjust the schedule of committee places allocated to political groups as follows:
For the Ungrouped Member, Cllr Edward Kirk, to retain a committee place on the Western Area Planning Committee in place of a Member of the Conservative Group.
Whilst not opposed to the principle of the development of solar farms in line with the National Planning Policy Framework this Council is increasingly concerned at the concentration of solar farms, battery storage and associated infrastructure in Wiltshire. Some villages are now completely surrounded by solar farms and their continued concentration represents a significant cumulative impact and industrialisation of the countryside.
Wiltshire Council therefore calls on the Secretary of State for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to define more closely what is meant by ‘cumulative impact’ regarding solar farms battery storage and associated infrastructure and to take clear steps to ensure that solar developments are more evenly spread across the UK and not concentrated in specific areas effectively industrialising the countryside.
We would also ask for clarity of the priority given to ensuring that food production and farming are not destroyed as industries in specific areas through an excessive concentration of solar farms given the massive impact that would have on the rural way of life in villages that have been farmed for time immemorial.
1) Approve the changes to community governance arrangements as set out below as recommended and detailed by the Electoral Review Committee in the Final Recommendations: Recommendation 1 – Mere/Zeals Recommendation 2 – North Bradley/Trowbridge Recommendation 3 – Salisbury (St Francis & Stratford/Milford Divisions) Recommendation 4 – Royal Wootton Bassett/Brinkworth Recommendation 5 – Chippenham (Pewsham/Hardens & Central Divisions) Recommendation 6 – Trowbridge (Grove/Lambrok Divisions) Recommendation 7 – Calne/Calne Without Recommendation 8 – Bradford-on-Avon Recommendation 9 – Melksham (Forest and South Divisions) Recommendation 10 – Westbury/Dilton Marsh Recommendation 11 – Southwick/North Bradley
2) To authorise the Solicitor of the Council to take all necessary measures to make and approve the Community Governance Order(s) to bring into effect for 1 April 2025 all of the changes detailed under resolution 1, subject to any required consents by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England;
3) To authorise the Electoral Registration Officer to make any necessary changes to polling districts to bring them into line with the agreed governance changes at the appropriate time, to be reported to the Electoral Review Committee.
1) Part 11A – Corporate Parenting Panel (Appendix A)
2) Part 5 – Access to Information Procedure Rules (Appendix B)
3) Part 7 – Cabinet Procedure Rules (Appendix C)
4) Part 8 – Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules (Appendix D)