Agenda item

To consider the Draft General Fund and Council Tax Setting for 2019/20.

The following comments were made by Members:

·           Paragraph 4.3 – Service Pressures – Officers were requested to closely monitor the level of spend on the IT Pressures identified;

·           Paragraph 4.14.4 – A 2.99% Council Tax increase on a Band D property for 2019/20 represented less then 2pence per week, rather than the 2pence per day quoted in the report;

·           Unless controlled by statute, the Portfolio Holders for Resources and Housing, Health & Older People should give consideration to an increase in fees/charges for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licences;

·           Commercial Investments – the Leader highlighted that the Council had made only one commercial investment throughout the past year.  She asked officers to investigate the possibility of expanding the boundaries for future commercial investments; and

·           Co-operative Neighbourhood Management Programme – a report be submitted to the March meeting of the Executive, highlighting amongst other points the projects that were included in the programme, together with a breakdown of the funding (capital and revenue), including expenditure so far and what was proposed going forward.

It was RESOLVED:

1.         That the 2018/19 revised net expenditure on the General Fund of £10,119,580 be approved.

2.         That a draft General Fund Budget for 2019/20 of £9,075,590 be proposed for consultation purposes, with a contribution from balances of £95,345 and a Band D Council Tax of £210.57 (assuming a 2.99% increase).

3.         That the updated position on the General Fund Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), as shown at Appendix A and the Risk Assessments of General Fund Balances, as shown at Appendix B to the report, be approved.

4.         That a minimum level of General Fund reserves of £2,681,537, in line with the 2019/20 risk assessment of balances, as shown at Appendix B to the report, be approved.

5.         That the contingency sum of £400,000 within which the Executive can approve supplementary estimates, be approved for 2019/20 (unchanged from 2018/19).

6.         That the 2019/20 proposed Fees and Charges increase of £219,790 (Appendix C to the report) be included in the draft budget.

7.         That the 2019/20 proposed Financial Security Options of £798,552 (Appendix D to the report and including fees and charges detailed in Appendix C) be included in the draft budget for consideration by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

8.         That the approval of the level of business rates (NNDR1) for 2019/20 be delegated to the Assistant Director (Finance and Estates), following consultation with the Resources Portfolio Holder (Paragraph 4.6.9 of the report refers).

9.         That 2019/20 business rate gains totalling £400,000 above the baseline assessment be ring fenced for town centre regeneration (SG1), Paragraph 4.6.5 of the report refers.

10.      That 2019/20 business rate gains totalling £352,600 above the baseline assessment be used to increase General Fund balances for 2019/20, Paragraph 4.6.5 of the report refers.

11.      That 2019/20 business rate gains totalling £275,000 above the baseline assessment be transferred to the NDR allocated reserve for 2019/20, Paragraph 4.6.8 of the report refers.

12.      That a ICT allocated reserve be created, as set out in Paragraph 4.3.4 of the report.

13.    That the 2019/20 Council Tax Support scheme be approved, as set out in Section 4.8 of the report.

14.    That the decisions taken on recommendations 2 – 13 above be referred to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration, in accordance with the Budget and Policy Framework rules in the Council’s Constitution.

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report.

Other Options considered:  As contained in report.