Agenda item

Report of the Head of Finance / Acting Chief Finance Officer - S151 Officer

The Committee gave consideration to the report and appendices (as set out at pages 40 – 52 of the agenda reports pack and pages 37 – 126 of the agenda update), which gave an update on the General Fund Revenue Budget for 2024/25, the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) revenue budget for 2024/25, the Draft Capital Programmes and the MTFP 2024/25 to 2028/29.

It was moved by Councillor S Z Haq, subject to an amendment that the Health and Wellbeing budget be removed, and seconded by Councillor K J Loydall, and

IT WAS RESOLVED THAT

i)            The General Fund Revenue Budget for 2024/25 as set out in appendix 1, subject to any final adjustments as may be required prior to Full Council (such as NNDR1 final estimates and the Final Local Government Finance Settlement 2024/25), based on no use of the general fund reserve and delivery of the Service Delivery Changes – Financial Sustainability Plan both approved at Full Council meeting on 12 December 2023, be recommended to Full Council.

Votes For             10

Votes Against     4

Abstentions        0

IT WAS RESOLVED THAT

ii)           An increase in Council Tax by the maximum core referendum limit of 2.99% as announced in the Provisional Local Government Settlement, subject to any update announced in the Final Local Government Settlement be recommended to Full Council.

Votes For             10

Votes Against     4

Abstentions        0

IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT

iii)         The HRA budget for 2024/25, as detailed in table 6, based on the rent increase of 7.7% for Housing rents, garages and service charges approved at the Full Council meeting on 12 December 2023, be recommended to Full Council for approval;

iv)         The Scale of Fees and Charges as set out in appendix 4 be recommended to Full Council for approval;

v)           The Capital Schemes for the General Fund and HRA, including an indicative ranking for potential future schemes to be added to the programmes as funding is secured, as detailed in table 9, be recommended to Full Council to note;

vi)         The MTFP for 2024/25 to 2028/29 as set out in appendix 8 be recommended to Full Council to note; and

vii)        The S151 Officer’s statement on the robustness of the budget and the adequacy of reserves as set out in section 13 of the report be recommended to Full Council to note.