Issue - meetings

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Roger Mace)

The Corporate Director (Finance and Performance) and Head of Financial Services presented a joint report that provided information on the latest budget position for current and future years, to allow Cabinet to make recommendations to Council on Council Tax levels for 2008/09. 

A revised Appendix F was circulated at the meeting for Members’ consideration. 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment, were set out in the report as follows: 

Options were dependent very much on Members’ views on spending priorities balanced against Council Tax levels.  As such, a full options analysis could only be undertaken once any alternative proposals were known and it should be noted that Officers may require more time in order to do this.  Outline options were highlighted within the report, however.

–        With regard to the Revised Budget and resulting underspending, Cabinet could consider other proposals that may influence the Revised Budget for the year, or it could consider leaving the underspent resources in General Fund Balances.

–        In terms of surplus balances generally, it could consider retaining balances at a higher level than the minimum or a different phased use of balances.

–        Regarding Council Tax increases, various options were set out at section 6 of the report.  In considering these, Members should have regard to the impact on service delivery, the need to make savings or provide for growth, the impact on future years and the likelihood of capping.

–        With regard to special expenses and other items for noting, no options were presented. 

With regard to options to produce a budget in line with preferred Council Tax levels, any proposals put forward by Cabinet should be considered alongside the development of Cabinet priorities, and emphasis should be very much on achieving recurring reductions to the revenue budget, and avoiding any “unidentified” savings targets that undermine the robustness of the budget and financial planning arrangements generally. 

Under the Constitution, Cabinet was required to put forward budget proposals for Council’s consideration, in time for them to be referred back as appropriate.  This is why recommendations were required to feed into the Council meeting on 6^th  February, 2008 prior to the actual Budget Council. 

The Officer Preferred options were as reflected in the report’s recommendations. 

It was moved by Councillor Roger Mace and seconded by Councillor Evelyn Archer: -

“That the recommendations (1) to (8), as set out in the report, together with the following additional recommendations, be approved. 

9 (a)  That Cabinet approve the savings and growth proposals set out in the revised Appendix F to be included in the revenue budget recommendations to Council on February 6^th 2008. 

9 (b)  That Cabinet recommend to Council that the City Council Tax increase for 2008/09 be 4.5% for the non-parished areas of the district. 

9 (c)  That, in the event that there be a net budgetary impact arising from the issues referred to in paragraph 3.4 of the report, or the actual revenue finance settlement, it  ...  view the full minutes text for item 114