Issue - meetings

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Whitehead)

Report of Director of Corporate Services 

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Whitehead)

Cabinet received a report from the Head of Financial Services and Director for Communities and the Environment that requested Members to endorse the Fees and Charges Policy for 2020/21 and consider the freezing of charges in the areas of Car Parking and Garden Waste Collection.

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

The policy attached to the report remains substantively unchanged and it is considered that it remains fit for purpose (at least in the short term) and it adequately covers Cabinet’s budget proposals.  As such, no options are presented and Cabinet is simply requested to endorse the policy, with a review being undertaken next year.

With regard to car parking charges and garden waste charges, Members have proposed to freeze charges for the forthcoming financial year.  Should inflation be applied, further work to determine charging levels would need to take place and be fed into the budget setting process as appropriate.

Councillor Whitehead proposed, seconded by Councillor Reynolds:-

“That the recommendations, as set out in the report, be approved.”

Councillors then voted:-

Resolved unanimously:

(1)          That Cabinet endorses the Fees and Charges Policy as set out at Appendix A to the report, and during 2020/21 as part of the mid-year budget strategy review determines whether any other areas of income generation be explored further for 2021/22 onwards.

(2)          That Cabinet endorses the freezing of car parking charges, as reported as part of the current 2020/21 budget setting process.

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

Director of Communities and the Environment

Director of Corporate Services

Head of Financial Services

Reasons for making the decision:

Fees and charges form an integral part of the budget setting process, which in turn relates to the Council’s priorities.  Under the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) income generation is a specific initiative for helping to balance the budget.  The proposed increases are considered to be fair and reasonable.