Issue - meetings

Cabinet

Recommended that Council

(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 2023/2024 of £84.868 million, estimated Gross Operating Income of £54.622 million and estimated General Fund Net Operating Expenditure of £30.246 million.

(b)         Acknowledge the key factors which have led to the proposed 2023/2024 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 2023/2024 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 2023/2024 at £11,130,440.

(f)          Approve an increase in the District element of the Council Tax of £5 per annum, giving an average Band D Council Tax of £165.31, 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)         Approve the estimates of the amounts required to be made under the Non-domestic Rating (Rates Retention) Regulations 2013 as set out in paragraphs 38 and 39.

(h)         Approve the use of the additional income from the Business Rate Pool, estimated at £1,000,000 in 2023/2024, for transfer to the established Renewables Reserve for priority projects.

(i)           Subject to any changes to the recommendations above, Council approves:

(i)           The 2023/2024 General Fund Revenue Budget based on known commitments at this time and planned levels of Service/functions resulting in a Budget Requirement of £32.918 million.

(ii)         The District Council Precept on the Collection Fund (Council Tax Requirement) of £11.130 million in 2023/2024 (based on the Provisional Government Settlement) and a Band D Council Tax of £165.31.

Proposed Amendments Submitted

The Conservative Group has submitted its alternative budget proposals, to be proposed as amendments. The proposals were considered by the Scrutiny and Overview Committee at its meeting on 19 January 2023 and are included in the agenda pack for Council, following the report and appendices for this item.

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 2023/2024 of £84.868 million, estimated Gross Operating Income of £54.622 million and estimated General Fund Net Operating Expenditure of £30.246 million.

B)        Acknowledge the key factors which have led to the proposed 2023/2024 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 2023/2024 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 2023/2024 at £11,130,440.

F)        Approve an increase in the District element of the Council Tax of £5 per annum, giving an average Band D Council Tax of £165.31, 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)        Approve the estimates of the amounts required to be made under the Non-domestic Rating (Rates Retention) Regulations 2013 as set out in paragraphs 38 and 39.

H)        Approve the use of the additional income from the Business Rate Pool, estimated at £1,000,000 in 2023/2024, for transfer to the established Renewables Reserve for priority projects.

I)          Council approved:

1)         The 2023/2024 General Fund Revenue Budget based on known commitments at this time and planned levels of Service/functions resulting in a Budget Requirement of £32.918 million.

2)         The District Council Precept on the Collection Fund (Council Tax Requirement) of £11.130 million in 2023/2024 (based on the Provisional Government Settlement) and a Band D Council Tax of £165.31.

The Chair proposed and the Leader seconded the appointment of Councillor Sally Ann Hart as Vice-Chair for this item.

Councillor John Williams presented this item, which proposed that Council approve the 2023/24 General Fund Revenue Budget. He explained that the proposed Council Tax increase equated to a 3.1% increase for a Band D property at a time when inflation was at 10.1% and salary increases were at 6.49% so the Council Tax increase was a reduction in real terms. To decide against an increase would widen the projected deficit in the Medium Term Financial Strategy that Council had just agreed.

Councillor Heather Williams proposed and Councillor Graham Cone seconded the following amendment:

·         Freeze Council Tax

·         Additional funding of £50,000 for fraud prevention and investigation

·         £45,300 be allocated for an additional planning enforcement (compliance) officer

·         Funding these proposals by allowing councillors to receive only one Special Responsibility Allowance, reducing the number of South Cambs Magazines to two a year and meeting the remaining cost from the transformation reserve.

Councillor Heather Williams stated that Council had agreed a recent motion stating that there was a cost of living emergency but this was inconsistent with increasing Council Tax by the maximum amount allowable. It was also clear that the Council would benefit from strengthening its planning enforcement and fraud prevention service. She asserted that councillors did not need to receive up to two Special Responsibility Allowances. Councillor John Williams explained that the Government had reduced its grants to the Council and he reiterated that the Council Tax increase was far less than inflation. Councillor Mark Howell stated that all of Councillor John Williams predecessors would agree that the Government does not provide enough funding to the Council, but at least the authority knew what the rules were before setting its Council Tax. He concluded that due to the cost of living crisis the authority should freeze its Council Tax and show its residents that we are represent them. Councillor Judith Rippeth stated that the average increase in Council Tax was no more than 10p per week but was required to allow the Council to deliver essential services. Councillor Daniel Lentell announced that he would support the amendment as residents were facing an additional tax from the Combined Authority and faced the possibility of a future congestion charge. He asserted that the Council should set a good example by freezing its Council Tax.

The Leader explained that some of the District’s most vulnerable residents relied on South Cambs Magazine and the proposed Council Tax increase would allow the authority to fund initiatives that would assist those on the lowest incomes. Councillor Sally Ann Hart agreed that South Cambs Magazine was important to residents, evidenced by the complaints received if a road did not get their magazine delivered.

Councillor Tom Bygott asserted that the Council’s Planning Enforcement service needed more resources to prevent illegal planning in the District. Councillor Dr Tumi Hawkins explained that the Planning Enforcement team had installed a new ICT system which  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8

Cabinet:

a)    Notedthe detailedbudgets presentedat AppendixB, and summarisedat AppendixA, withan estimatedGeneral FundGross OperatingExpenditure for 2023/2024of £84.597 million, estimated Gross OperatingIncome of£52.285 millionand estimatedGeneral FundNet OperatingExpenditure of £32.312million.

b)    Acknowledgedthe keyfactors whichhave ledto theproposed 2023/2024 GeneralFund RevenueBudget, withservice pressuressummarised at Appendix C and offsetting efficiencysavings/policy options summarised at Appendix D.

c)    Acknowledgedthat the2023/2024 GeneralFund RevenueBudget gross expenditureis coveredby forecastincome sources(assuming nochange in Governmentgrant) and,therefore, anyaddition(s) toexpenditure that are made by the Cabinetor Council will need to be met from the General Fund Balance.

d)    Approved the Council Tax Requirement for 2023/2024 at £11,130,440.

e)    Approvedan increasein theDistrict element ofthe CouncilTax of£5 per annum,giving anaverage BandD CouncilTax of£165.31, plusthe relevant amountsrequired bythe preceptsof theParish Councils, CambridgeshireCounty Council,Cambridgeshire Police& CrimeCommissioner, and theCambridgeshire Fire Authority.

f)     Approvedthe estimatesof theamounts requiredto bemade underthe Non-domesticRating (RatesRetention) Regulations2013 asset outin paragraphs 44 and 45.

g)    Approved theuse ofthe additionalincome fromthe BusinessRate Pool, estimatedat £1,100,000in 2023/2024,for transferto theestablished Renewables Reserve for priorityprojects.

h)    Recommended to Council:

a.    The 2023/2024General FundRevenue Budgetbased onknown commitments at this time and planned levels of Service/functions resultingin a Budget Requirement of £25.720 million.

b.    The DistrictCouncil Precepton theCollection Fund(Council Tax Requirement)of £11.130million in2023/2024 (basedon the Provisional Government Settlement) and a Band D Council Tax of £165.31.

Recommendation h is a recommendation to Council, and not subject to call-in.

Cabinet received the General Fund Budget for 2023/2024. Councillor John Williams, Lead Cabinet Member for Resources, introduced the report and the commented on the supplement published ahead of the meeting with the updated figures for the next financial year and the continued progress with the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

Councillor Bridget Smith, Leader of the Council, invited Councillor Richard Stobart to introduce the comments from the Scrutiny and Overview Committee on Thursday, 19 January, and thanked Officers for their work, but commented on the Section 106 funding for arts and culture. Councillor John Williams responded that funding for was through the Community Chest.

After a short discussion, Councillor Bridget Smith closed the discussion, and Cabinet:

a)    Notedthe detailedbudgets presentedat AppendixB, and summarisedat AppendixA, withan estimatedGeneral FundGross OperatingExpenditure for 2023/2024of £84.597 million, estimated Gross OperatingIncome of£52.285 millionand estimatedGeneral FundNet OperatingExpenditure of £32.312million.

b)    Acknowledgedthe keyfactors whichhave ledto theproposed 2023/2024 GeneralFund RevenueBudget, withservice pressuressummarised at Appendix C and offsetting efficiencysavings/policy options summarised at Appendix D.

c)    Acknowledgedthat the2023/2024 GeneralFund RevenueBudget gross expenditureis coveredby forecastincome sources(assuming nochange in Governmentgrant) and,therefore, anyaddition(s) toexpenditure that are made by the Cabinetor Council will need to be met from the General Fund Balance.

d)    Approved the Council Tax Requirement for 2023/2024 at £11,130,440.

e)    Approvedan increasein theDistrict elementof theCouncil Taxof £5per annum, givingan averageBand DCouncil Taxof £165.31,plus the relevantamounts requiredby theprecepts ofthe ParishCouncils, Cambridgeshire CountyCouncil, CambridgeshirePolice &Crime Commissioner, andthe Cambridgeshire Fire Authority.

f)     Approvedthe estimatesof theamounts requiredto bemade underthe Non-domesticRating (RatesRetention) Regulations2013 asset outin paragraphs 44 and 45.

g)    Approved theuse ofthe additionalincome fromthe BusinessRate Pool, estimatedat £1,100,000in 2023/2024,for transferto theestablished Renewables Reserve for priorityprojects.

h)    Recommended to Council:

a.    The 2023/2024General FundRevenue Budgetbased onknown commitments at this time and planned levels of Service/functions resultingin a Budget Requirement of £25.720 million.

b.    The DistrictCouncil Precepton theCollection Fund(Council Tax Requirement)of £11.130million in2023/2024 (basedon the Provisional Government Settlement) and a Band D Council Tax of £165.31.