Issue - meetings

The purpose of the report was to consider the proposed 2019/20 Budget, the updated Medium-Term Financial Plan (2019/20 – 2022/23), the 2019/20 Capital Strategy, the updated 30-year HRA Business Plan, proposed Fees and Charges for 2019/20 and the 2019/20 Procurement Forward Plan. The report was considered by the Corporate Select Committee on 11 February 2019.

Options considered:

There were no options to consider at this stage. Options would be need to be developed in order to close the financial deficits highlighted in the updated plan.

RESOLVED:

That the Executive support the following recommendations to Council:

·         General Fund and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget for 2019/20 as detailed in Appendix A (section 8)

·         Revised Medium-Term Financial Plan (2019/20 to 2022/23) as detailed in Appendix A, including the revised Capital Programme (attached at Annex A) for the General Fund and HRA

·         Capital Strategy detailed in Appendix B

·         Updated HRA 30 Year Business Plan detailed in Appendix C

·         Fees and Charges for 2019/20 as detailed in Appendix D

·         Procurement Forward Plan for 2019/20, providing the authority to procure based on procurement activity detailed in Appendix E

·         A Band D Council Tax of £191.76 for 2019/20 (an increase of 2.9% from 2018/19)

·         HRA charges as follows:

-     Dwellings rents to reduce by an average of 1% (over 52 weeks) from £70.00 to £69.40 average per week (over 53 weeks)

-     Garage rents to be increased by 5% (over 53 weeks) from £6.47 to £6.79 average per week

-     Other Charges including service charges to increase by a maximum of 5% for current tenants

-     Fuel charges at individual blocks have been reviewed and the 2019/20 charge is based on 2017/18 actual fuel usage/prices, charged on an individual scheme basis.

·         Note that the Chief Finance Officer's view is that the level of reserves are adequate for the Council based on this budget and the circumstances in place at the time of preparing it (Appendix A section 7)

The Committee considered the proposed 2019/20 Budget, the updated Medium Term Financial Plan (2019/20 – 2022/23), the 2019/20 Capital Strategy, the updated 30 year HRA Business Plan, proposed Fees and Charges for 2019/20 and the 2019/20 Procurement Forward Plan.

In introducing the report, the Executive Councillor (Finance and Operational Services) expressed her appreciation to officers for the amount of work undertaken in preparing the report.  In addition, the Executive Councillor made reference to the positive work of the HRA Working Group over the last 4 years.

Reference was made to the housing revenue account and the predicted decrease in provision for irrecoverable debts in 20/21, which was queried in the light of concerns around universal credit and a potential increase in debt levels.  The Committee were advised that universal credit was under review to establish the impact on rent levels and was an area of risk for review.

Reference was also made around funding for disabled adaptations, the proposed changes to garage and dwellings rents and the review of the CCTV system.

Clarification was sought around the meaning of an immigration housing certificate and whether the content management system was correctly attributed to capital rather than revenue.

RESOLVED:

That the Executive be requested to support the following recommendations to Council:

1.    General Fund and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget for 2019/20 as detailed in Appendix A (section 8);

2.    Revised Medium Term Financial Plan (2019/20 to 2022/23) as detailed in Appendix A, including the revised Capital Programme (attached at Annex A) for the General Fund and HRA;

3.    Capital Strategy as detailed in Appendix B

4.    Update HRA 30 Year Business Plan detailed in Appendix C

5.    Fees and Charges for 2019/20 as detailed in Appendix D

6.    Procurement Forward Plan for 2019/20, providing the authority to procure based on procurement activity detailed in Appendix E

7.    A Band D Council Tax of £191.76 for 2019/20 (an increase of 2.9% from 2018/19)

8.    HRA Charges as follows:

a.    Dwellings rents to reduce by an average of 1% (over 52 weeks) from £70,000 to £69.40 average per week (over 53 weeks)

b.    Garage rents to be increased by 5% (over 53 weeks) from £6.47 to £6.79 average per week

c.    Other charges including service charges to increase by a maximum of 5% for current tenants

d.    Fuel charges at individual blocks have been reviewed and the 2019/20 charge is based on 2017/18 actual fuel useage / prices, charges on an individual scheme basis

9.    Note that the Chief Finance Officer’s View is that the level of reserves are adequate for the Council based on this budget and the circumstances in place at the time of preparing it (Appendix A section 7)