Agenda item

Capital and Revenue Budgets 2015/2016

Minutes:

Background:

 

This report presented proposals for the capital and revenue budgets for 2015/2016.

 

It was noted that the Cabinet had considered initial budget proposals on 2 December 2014, which had been developed in accordance with the principles set out in the Medium Term Financial Plan 2014/2018. It was noted that considerable effort had been made to achieve a balanced budget without seriously impacting on direct services to the public and that the proposed revenue budget of £318.069 million was based on a Council Tax increase of 1.994%.

 

The Cabinet report noted that the budget build assumed a nil increase in pay costs for staff, however, a provision of £800,000 had been identified for increases in pay, equivalent to about 1% of the overall paybill cost.

 

The proposed capital programme for 2015/2016, incorporating existing schemes and anticipated grant allocations, was £53.144 million. An overall summary and a summary by directorate of the proposed capital programme were attached at Appendix 2 to the report.

 

It was noted that budget proposals had been referred to all the Overview and Scrutiny Committees for consideration. The Overview and Scrutiny Committees’ views were detailed in the report, with the recommendations of the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee set out for Cabinet consideration within an addendum report (Supplementary Agenda No.2).

 

The summarised Housing Revenue Account was set out in Appendix 6 to the report with the capital component in Appendix 2 to the report.

 

The schedule of fees and charges was set out in Appendix 7 to the report (Supplementary Agenda No.1).

 

The report set out the requirements under equality legislation and a Diversity Impact Assessment, that aggregated the impact of reductions in funding to services, was tabled at the meeting.

 

During discussion, the Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance, Councillor Jarrett, made reference to some typographical errors in the report which would be corrected in the report to be submitted to Full Council on 26 February 2015, in relation to funding for highway maintenance and integrated transport (paragraph 5.3.1 and table 9 of the report refers) and the revenue budget gap.

 

Decision number:

Decision:

 

The Cabinet noted the recommendations from overview and scrutiny committees as summarised in section 8 of the report and detailed in Appendix 1 to the report and in particular the recommendation at paragraph 8.4(b) requesting the reinstatement of 2 FTE administrative posts.

30/2015

The Cabinet recommended to Council the capital budget proposals, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report.

31/2015

The Cabinet recommended to Council that the net revenue budget summarised at Table 10 in the report, amounting to £318.069 million, should be adopted and that this be funded by a 1.994% increase in Council Tax for 2015/16 with the equivalent Band D figure at £1,187.46. The £247,000 gap would be met as follows:

£220,000 – The additional monies from the final settlement re: Local Welfare Provision

£20,000 – Public Rights of Way budget

£7,000 – Additional parking income.

32/2015

The Cabinet recommended to Council the fees and charges set out at Appendix 7 to the report.

33/2015

The Cabinet agreed that the Chief Finance Officer be requested to calculate the formal requirements under Sections 30 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for resolution by Special Council on 26 February 2015.

34/2015

The Cabinet recommended that Council approve a delegation to the Chief Finance Officer, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, to make adjustments to budgets as the identification of the Corporate savings targets occur.

35/2015

The Cabinet authorised the recruitment to the 2 WTE vacant administrative posts in the Mental Health Social Work Team that remain funded.

 

Reasons:

 

The Constitution requires that Cabinet’s budget proposals must be forwarded to Council for consideration and approval. 

 

The Council is required by statute to set a budget and council tax levels by 11 March each year.

Supporting documents: