Issue - meetings

Option 1

To approve the increase in fees as recommended in the report

Option 2

To approve a different increase (either in percentage or £ income terms).

Option 3

To do nothing and retain the existing fees and charges.

Advantages

This option makes a small additional contribution to the 2012/13 budget process, whilst retaining fees at competitive levels.

This option potentially allows for a greater increase in revenue, therefore making a greater contribution to the 2012/13 budget process.

This option would mean no price increases for customers (and so the ‘subsidy’ of associated services by all council tax payers would increase, irrespective of whether they use those services or not).

This option could, potentially, have a positive effect on income generation should throughput increase significantly as a result of no increases, but there is no strong evidence to support this.

Disadvantages

Any increase in fees is likely to be unpopular with customers.

Alternatively, if an increase less than the 2.6% general inflation assumption is approved, it would not meet the current budget requirements, and revenue raising opportunities would be lost.

An increase in fees above the recommended amount is likely to meet with customer resistance.

This could result in reduction in income generation and as such customer dissatisfaction that may be difficult to respond to.

Lost opportunity to raise additional revenue through fees and charges in areas that may stand an increase.

This option will not meet the current budget requirements, requiring additional income or savings to be generated from other activities / services undertaken by the council.

Risks

There is always a risk that customers will choose not to access services especially with any increase in charges.

There is always a risk that customers will choose not to access services if fees are too high or move to one of the key competitors in the district.

There is a risk that even current income levels will fail to be achieved if fees are perceived to be too high.

This option increases the difficulties of securing a viable budget at a time when additional income and savings are required.

There is no compensating increase in throughput and the Council suffers loss of income.

Perceived greater unfairness by tax payers generally.