Meeting documents

Council
Tuesday, 23rd January, 2018 6.30 pm

23 January 2018 at 6.30pm in the Council Chamber

Civic Offices, Bridge Street, Reading RG1 2LU

Committee Administrator(s)

Michael Popham & Richard Woodford. Contact committee services

Access Arrangements

All ground floor meeting rooms are accessible to wheelchair and scooter users.

An audio loop induction system is available in the Council Chamber and Committee Rooms 1, 4a and 4b for those with hearing difficulties (a portable induction loop is available for other rooms on request).

Contact the Committee Officer if you have any individual requirements to enable you to attend the meeting as soon as possible before the date of the meeting.

We can provide information in other formats (large print, audio, Braille) or languages on request.

Assistance dogs are welcome.

Please note that you will be able to watch this meeting on our webcasting page​.

Attachments

pdf icon Agenda [119kb]

pdf icon All papers [493kb]

Agenda

ITEMDESCRIPTIONREPORT
 MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS 
1.

To receive Mayor's Announcements

 
 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST 
2.

To receive any declarations of interest

 
 MINUTES 
3.

The Mayor to sign the Minutes of the proceedings of the Council Meeting held on 17 October 2017

pdf icon Minutes [112kb]
 PETITIONS 
4.

To receive petitions in accordance with Standing Order 8

 
 QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC 
5.

Questions in accordance with Standing Order 9

pdf icon Item 5 [76kb]
 QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILLORS 
6.

Questions in accordance with Standing Order 10

pdf icon Item 6 [69kb]
 REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM COMMITTEES 
7.Budget 2018-19: Approval of Council Tax Base, NNDR1 Estimate & Estimated Collection Fund Surplus; and Approval of the Local Council Tax Support Scheme 2018/19
Report by Strategic Finance Director

pdf icon Item 7 [287kb]

pdf icon Item 7 appx [75kb]

 MOTIONS 
8.

Housing Investment

Councillor Pearce to move:
This Council notes:

  • The average monthly rent in Reading is now over 1000 a month (valuation office agency)
  • The average house price in Reading is over 300,000 (according to the Land Registry)
  • The earnings to house price ratio in Reading is now 10:1.
  • The average house deposit in the UK is 33,960 and in Reading this is much higher (Halifax)
  • Reading Council is doing all it can to ease the housing crisis with the Homes for Reading company and the building of new Council houses including at Conwy Close.
This Council resolves to write to Housing Minister Sajid Javid to ask if he will support the Local Government association campaign that asks to enable Councils to:
  • Allow Councils to borrow to invest.
  • To keep all of the money received from the sale of homes on right to buy.
  • To use this and other funding to reinvest in building new homes that are good quality and affordable.
pdf icon Item 8 [15kb]
9.

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service

Councillor Gittings to move:
That the Council:

  • Recognises the new and emerging pressures placed on Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service by the Grenfell Tower fire;
  • Supports the call for flexibility along the lines of that offered to police and crime commissioners for Royal Berkshire Fire Authority in the setting of Council Tax locally for 2018/19;
  • Recognises that this flexibility is critical in ensuring the continuation of critical and life-saving prevention, protection and response services for the people of Berkshire;
  • Reading Borough Council writes to Central Government to express our support for this position and request that this be taken into consideration in the setting of the Council Tax Referendum Principles and Local Government Finance Settlement.
pdf icon Item 9 [14kb]