Agenda item

To consider and recommend the revenue budget for 2015-16 and the Council tax.

 

The Deputy Leader invited the Executive Director, Finance and Resources to introduce the report and highlight a number of changes which had taken place since the report was originally received by the Executive Committee at its 3^rd February meeting.

 

The Executive Director, Finance and Resources highlighted changes which had been included within the updated report.  These referred to recommendation 3, the savings detailed in appendix 2 in the report and the inclusion of Capital Bids at recommendation 5.  The areas covered by the Capital Bids included Storage Area Network (SAN), Vehicle replacement program, Disabled Facility Grant and replacement Dial a Ride Bus.  It was believed that the costs for the new minibus could be met from income generated by the increased Hopper service.

 

Members were reminded that there was a proposed increase to Council Tax of 1.9% the details of which were included in Additional Papers 2 of the agenda.  

 

The Executive Director, Finance and Resources responded to a query in respect of SAN and it was confirmed that this referred to IT servers and “hardware”.  It was also confirmed that a rolling 3 year programme relating to public buildings.

 

Following further discussion it was

 

RECOMMENDED that

 

1)    the bids of £91k for 2015/16 as detailed within the report in relation to Essential Living Fund, Small Business Support and the spend to save funds for energy management be approved;

 

2)    the unavoidable pressures be approved as detailed in Appendix 1 of;

 

2015/16 £238k

2016/17 £230k

2017/18 £241k

  

3)    the savings be approved as detailed at Appendix 2 of ;

 

2015/16 £986k

2016/17 £1.476m

2017/18 £1.516m

 

4)    the increase in Council Tax of 1.9% for 2015/16 be approved;

 

5)    the Capital Bids be approved as detailed in Appendix 3 of;

 

2015/16 £2.574m

2016/17 £1.395m

2017/18 £1.385m

 

6)    it be noted that at its Executive Committee meeting on the 20th of January 2015 Council calculated the following amounts for the year 2015/16 in accordance with regulations made under Section 33 (5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

 

a)                  24,846.71

 

Being the amount calculated by the Council, in accordance with regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992, as its Council Tax Base for the year (item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government  Finance Act 1992 as amended (the ‘Act’));

 

b)                  Feckenham Parish – 363.06

 

                                                     being the amount calculated by the Council, in accordance with regulation 6 of the regulations, as the amount of its Council Tax Base for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which one or more special items relate (item TP in the formula in Section 34(3) of the Act);

 

7)         the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2015/16 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

 

a)           £88,806,436

 

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 the precept issued by Feckenham Parish Council.

 

(2015/16 Gross General Fund Expenditure)

 

b)           £83,401,248

 

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

 

(2015/16 Gross General Fund Income)

 

c)               £5,405,188

being the amount by which the aggregate at 2(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 2(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).

 

(2015/16 Council Tax Requirement)

 

d)              £217.54

being the amount at 2 (c) above (item R) divided by the

amount at 1 (a) above (item T), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B (1) of the Act, as the basic amount of Council Tax for the year (including parish precept).

 

(The average amount Band D properties pay for Redditch Borough Council services)

 

e)        £8,300

being the aggregate amount of all special items(Parish precepts) referred to in Section 34 (1) of the Act;

                

(Feckenham Parish Precept)

 

f)        £217.21

being the amount at 2(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 2(e) above by the amount at 1(a) (item T) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section34 (2) of the Act, as the basic amount of Council Tax for dwellings in those parts of the area to which no special item relates.

 

(The amount Band D properties pay (except within the Parish of Feckenham) for Borough Council Services)

 

g)        £240.07

 

being the amount given by adding to the amount at 2(f) above, the amount of the special item relating to the Parish of Feckenham, divided by the amount in 1(b) above (item TP), calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34 (3) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in the Parish of Feckenham;

 

(The amount Band D properties pay within the Parish of Feckenham for Borough Council Services including the Parish Precept)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

h)

Valuation Band	Proportion of Band D tax paid	Part of Council’s area
		Parish of Feckenham   £	All other parts of the Councils area                 £
A	6/9	160.05	144.80
B	7/9	186.72	168.94
C	8/9	213.39	193.07
D	1	240.07	217.21
E	11/9	293.42	265.48
F	13/9	346.77	313.74
G	15/9	400.11	362.01
H	18/9	480.14	434.41

 

                                                                 being the amounts given by multiplying the amounts at 2(f) and 2(g) above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band, divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in Valuation Band D, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwelling listed in different valuation bands;

 

8)    it be noted that, for the year 2015/16, Worcestershire County Council, West Mercia Police & Crime Commissioner and Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service have stated the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council, in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:

 

9)    having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at 2(h) and 3 above, the Council, in accordance with Section 30 (2) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the following amounts as the amounts of Council Tax for the year 2015/16 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valuation Band	Proportion of Band D tax paid	Part of Council’s area
		Parish of Feckenham             £	All other parts of the Council’s area   £
A	6/9	1,054.84	1,039.59
B	7/9	1,230.63	1,212.85
C	8/9	1,406.43	1,386.11
D	1	1,582.24	1,559.38
E	11/9	1,933.85	1,905.91
F	13/9	2,285.49	2,252.46
G	15/9	2,637.07	2,598.97
H	18/9	3,164.47	3,118.74

 

 

 

10)the level of General Fund balances to be utilised in 2015/16 be zero.

 

11)the Council’s relevant basic amount of Council Tax for 2015/16 is not excessive in accordance with the principles determined for the year by the Secretary of State under Section 52ZB Local Government Act 1992.

As the billing authority, the Council has not been notified by a major precepting authority that its relevant basic amount of Council Tax for 2015/16 is excessive and the billing authority is not required to hold a referendum in accordance with Section 52ZK Local Government Act 1992.

 

 

Overview and Scrutiny Committee 17^th February 2015 Minute Extract

 

The Committee considered the minute extract form the meeting of Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 17^th February, which considered the Medium Term Financial Plan.

 

In respect of the recommendation concerning Grants funding, Councillor Brunner proposed that the recommendation be approved.  This was seconded by Councillor Clayton.  Councillor Brunner expressed the view that it was important that the voluntary sector continued to be supported by the Council and that the funds which had not been allocated following the meeting of the Grants panel should be made available for a further round of applications.

 

During debate on this item, the importance of the grants received by the voluntary sector in Redditch was highlighted and the view expressed that the Council should support those organisations at every opportunity.  It was also suggested that staff absence had prevented some groups from applying for grants as they had been unable to receive assistance.  The Task Group which had looked at the voluntary sector had recommended the appointment of an apprentice post and it was suggested that this could have eased the pressure on staff resources.    

 

It was noted that when the allocation of grants funds had been discussed at Executive Committee, officers had assured the Committee that staff absence had not impacted on the applications process.  The apprentice post would not be solely for work with the voluntary sector but would be a corporate resource.

 

The Deputy Leader clarified that due to the difficult financial background it was not proposed to invite applications for the unallocated funds, however, the grants budget for the future was remaining unchanged and was not being reduced.    

 

Following further discussion the Executive Committee took a formal vote in respect of the Grants Panel recommendation made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and refused the recommendation.

 

RESOLVED that

 

The minute extract of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 17^th February 2015 be received and noted subject to the pre-amble above.