Agenda item

Revenue Budget, Council Tax and Capital Programme

(a)  Report of Councillor Michael Vincent, Leader of the Council and Clare James, Corporate Director Resources (S.151 Officer).

 

Please note: The report of the Resources Portfolio Holder and the Corporate Director Resources (Section 151 Officer) on Revenue Budget, Council Tax and Capital Estimates was considered by the Cabinet on 14 February 2024. The attached report of the Leader of the Council and the Corporate Director Resources (Section 151 Officer), seeks Council agreement to the recommendations of the Cabinet. An extract from the minutes of that meeting, setting out the Cabinet’s recommendations, is attached as item 10(b).

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Vincent, submitted a report on the Revenue Budget, Council Tax, Revised Capital Budget 2023/24, and Capital Programme 2024/25.

 

The Mayor said that, in accordance with the usual convention, Procedure Rule 16.4 would be suspended so that the Leader when proposing the Budget and the Leader of the Opposition when commenting on or proposing any amendments to it, would not be time limited. However, all other speakers in the debate would, as usual, be limited to a maximum of five minutes each.

 

The Mayor also proposed that Procedure Rule 16.6(b) be suspended to allow a single debate to be held on any amendments proposed to the budget as a whole. The Council agreed unanimously.

 

Councillor McKay provided members with a verbal correction to the report, she clarified that the figure at 3.4c ought to read £9,860,830 (£3,000 less than stated in the report published owing to a late change to a Parish Precept). The figure at 3.4d should then read £251.95. She confirmed no other figures were affected.

 

Councillor Vincent introduced his report, he had unlimited time to do so.

 

It was proposed by Councillor Vincent, seconded by Councillor Berry that the recommendations as set out in paragraphs 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4 be approved.

 

Councillors Fail and Rushforth made comments to the proposed budget, they had unlimited time to do so.

 

Councillors Belshaw, Sorensen and McKay made additional comments to the proposed budget.

 

Councillors Berry and Vincent responded to the debate.

 

In response to comments from Councillor Vincent, Councillor Fail raised a personal explanation to clarify his previous comments regarding the spending of council reserves.

 

A recorded vote was taken on the Cabinet’s recommendations on the budget for 2024/25 as set out in paragraphs 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4 of the Leader’s report.

 

The following members voted in support of the proposal: Councillors Amos, Lady D Atkins, Sir D Atkins, Baxter, Berry, Birch, Bolton, Bowen, Bridge, Cartridge, Catterall, Collinson, Ellison, Ibison, Jackson, Kay, Le Marinel, Livesey, McKay, Meekins, Minto, Nicholls, Preston, Rendell, Robinson, Rushforth, Swift and Vincent.

 

The following members voted against the proposal: Councillors Beavers, Belshaw, Duffy, Fail, Fielding, Higginson, Martin, Moliner, Smith, Sorensen, Swatton, A Walker, C Walker and Wells.

 

The proposal was therefore approved (by 28 to 14) and it was agreed:

 

3.1

That the following recommendations of Cabinet on the 14 February 2024 be approved:

 

 

 

 

a.

For the purpose of proposing an indicative Council Tax for 2025/26, 2026/27, 2027/28 and 2028/29 taking into account the Medium Term Financial Plan at Appendix 2 which reflects an increase of 2.99% in 2024/25 and ongoing.

 

 

b.

The Revised Revenue Budget for the year 2023/24 resulting in a draw down from General Balances totalling £5,950 and the Revenue Budget for 2024/25 resulting in a draw down from General Balances totalling £695,000.

 

 

c.

Members’ continuing commitment to the approach being taken regarding the efficiency savings, detailed within the council’s ‘Annual Efficiency Statement’ at Appendix 1.

 

 

d.

The use of all other Reserves and Balances as indicated in Appendices 4 and 5.

 

 

e.

In accordance with the requirements of the Prudential Code for Capital Finance, those indicators included at Appendix 7.

 

 

f.

The Revised Capital Budget for 2023/24 and the Capital Programme for 2024/25 onwards in Appendix 8.

 

3.2

That it be noted that, in accordance with the Council’s Scheme of Delegation, as agreed by Council at their meeting on 24 February 2005:

 

 

a.

 

The amount of 39,138.48 has been calculated as the 2024/25 Council Tax Base for the whole area [(Item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”)]; and

 

 

b.

A Council Tax Base, for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates, has been calculated as indicated in Appendix 6.

 

 

3.3

That the following be approved:-

 

 

The Council Tax requirement for the council’s own purposes for 2024/25 (excluding Parish precepts) is £8,857,429.

 

3.4

That the following be approved:-

 

That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2024/25 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act:-

 

 

a.

£88,351,610

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.

£78,490,780

Being the aggregate of the amounts which the council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act.

 

 

 

 

 

c.

£9,860,830

Being the amount by which the aggregate at 3.4(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 3.4(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 31B of the Act).

 

 

 

 

 

d.

£251.95

Being the amount at 3.4(c) above (Item R) all divided by Item T (3.2(a) above), calculated by the council, in accordance with Section 31B of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year (including Parish precepts).

 

 

 

 

 

e.

£1,003,401

Being the aggregate amount of all special items (Parish precepts) referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act and as detailed in Appendix 6.

 

 

 

 

 

f.

£226.31

Being the amount at 3.4(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 3.4(e) above by Item T (3.2(a) 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.5

 

That it be noted that the Council’s basic amount of Council Tax for 2024/25 is not considered excessive in accordance with principles approved under Section 52ZB of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

 

 

 

 

Supporting documents: