Decision details

General Fund Budget 2022/2023 (Cabinet/7 February 2022)

Decision Maker: Cabinet, Council

Decision status: Recommendations approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

Consider the General Fund Revenue Budget for 2022/23.

Decision:

Council Agreed to

 

A)        Take into account the detailed budgets presented at Appendix B, and summarised at Appendix A, with an estimated General Fund Gross Operating Expenditure for 2022/2023 of £78.807 million, estimated Gross Operating Income of £52.728 million and estimated General Fund Net Operating Expenditure of £26.079 million.

 

B)        Acknowledge the key factors which have led to the proposed 2022/2023 General Fund Revenue Budget, with service pressures summarised at Appendix C and offsetting efficiency savings/policy options summarised at Appendix D.

 

C)        Acknowledge that the 2022/2023 General Fund Revenue Budget gross expenditure is covered by forecast income sources (assuming no change in Government grant) and, therefore, any addition(s) to expenditure that are made by the Cabinet or Council will need to be met from the General Fund Balance.

 

D)        Approve the 2022/2023 General Fund Revenue Budget taking into account the statement by the Chief Finance Officer on the risks and robustness of the estimates as required under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003 (reproduced at Appendix F).

 

E)        Set the Council Tax Requirement for 2022/2023 at £10,489,403.

 

F)        Approve an increase in the District element of the Council Tax of £5 per annum, giving an average Band D Council Tax of £160.31, plus the relevant amounts required by the precepts of the Parish Councils, Cambridgeshire County Council, Cambridgeshire Police & Crime Commissioner, and the Cambridgeshire Fire Authority.

 

G)        Authorise the Head of Finance, on the basis of the proposals set out in the report, to prepare the formal Council Tax Resolution for presentation to Council at its scheduled meeting on 22 February 2022.

 

H)        Approve the estimates of the amounts required to be made under the Non-domestic Rating (Rates Retention) Regulations 2013 as set out in paragraphs 44 and 45.

 

I)          Approve the acceptance of any grants made during 2022/2023 by the Government under Section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003 in respect of Business Rates. 

 

J)         Approve the use of the additional income from the Business Rate Pool, estimated at £1,100,000 in 2022/2023, for transfer to the established Renewables Reserve for priority projects.

 

K)        Subject to any changes to the recommendations above, Full Council approves:

 

(i)        The 2022/2023 General Fund Revenue Budget based on known commitments at this time and planned levels of Service/functions resulting in a Budget Requirement of £22.668 million.

 

(ii)       The District Council Precept on the Collection Fund (Council Tax Requirement) of £10.489 million in 2022/2023 (based on the Local Government Settlement) and a Band D Council Tax of £160.31.

 

L)        The Council agrees that when appointing the auditor for the next appointment period starting in 2023/24, it accepts the invitation to take part in public sector audit appointments (PSAA) process.

Report author: Peter Maddock

Publication date: 23/02/2022

Date of decision: 22/02/2022

Decided at meeting: 22/02/2022 - Council

Accompanying Documents: