Agenda item

Budget and Council Tax 2019/20

This report fulfils the statutory requirement to agree a budget for 2019/20, comprising both revenue and capital expenditure plans, and to set a Council Tax for the year. The council tax recommendation is for an increase of 2.99%. Financial Policy Panel made no recommendation to Council but requested that the report include options for a Council Tax freeze and an increase of 2.99%.

Minutes:

The Council gave consideration to its 2019/20 budget, comprising both revenue and capital expenditure plans and Council Tax amounts for each band of dwelling.  The report took account of the recommendations of the Community & Wellbeing, Environment & Safe Communities and Strategy & Resources Committees (appertaining to fees and charges, the revenue budget and capital programme).

In moving the recommendations of the Chief Finance Officer, the Chairman of the Strategy and Resources Committee, Councillor Eber Kington, made a statement to the Council on the budget for 2019/20 to which Councillors Alexander Clarke and Kate Chinn responded.

Upon being put, the MOTION was CARRIED, there being 29 members in favour and 6 against and 1 abstention as follows:

 

For the Motion (29)

Against the Motion (6)

Not voting (1)

Michael Arthur

Kate Chinn

The Mayor

Tony Axelrod

Alex Clarke

 

Richard Baker

Rob Geleit

 

Rekha Bansil

Omer Kokou-Tchri

 

The Deputy Mayor

Tina Mountain

 

Steve Bridger

Vince Romagnuolo

 

Alex Coley

 

 

George Crawford

 

 

Hannah Dalton

 

 

Graham Dudley

 

 

Robert Foote

 

 

Chris Frost

 

 

Liz Frost

 

 

Colin Keane

 

 

Eber Kington

 

 

Jan Mason

 

 

Barry Nash

 

 

Peter O’Donovan

 

 

Martin Olney

 

 

David Reeve

 

 

Humphrey Reynolds

 

 

Guy Robbins

 

 

Clive Smitheram

 

 

Jean Steer

 

 

Alan Sursham

 

 

Mike Teasdale

 

 

Peter Webb

 

 

Clive Woodbridge

 

 

Tella Wormington

 

 

Accordingly, it was resolved that:

 

1.         That it be noted that, under delegated powers, the Chief Finance Officer calculated the Council Tax Base as 32,895.63 (Band ‘D’ equivalent properties) for the year 2019/20 calculated in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”).

2.         That the following estimates recommended by the policy committees be approved:-

a)    The revised revenue estimates for the year 2018/19 and the revenue estimates for 2019/20.

b)   The capital programme for 2019/20 and the provisional programme for 2020 to 2022, as summarised in the capital strategy statement.

3.         That the fees and charges recommended by the policy committees be approved for 2019/20.

4.         That the Council Tax Requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2019/20 is £6,525,177.

5.         That the Council receives the budget risk assessment at Annexe 6 and notes the conclusion of the Chief Finance Officer that these budget proposals are robust and sustainable as concluded in this report.

6.         That the Council receives the Chief Finance Officer Statement on the Reserves as attached at Annexe 8.

7.         That the Council agrees the Treasury Management Strategy, Prudential Indicators and Authorised Limits for 2019/20 as set out in Annexe 11 including:-

a)    Affordability Prudential Indicators

b)   The actual and estimated Capital Financing Requirement

c)    The estimated levels of borrowing and investment

d)   The authorised and operational limits for external debt

e)    The treasury management prudential indicators

8.         That the following amounts be now calculated for the year 2019/20 in accordance with sections 31 to 36 of the Act:

a)    £55,822,364 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in section 31A(2) of the Act

b)   £49,297,187 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in section 31(A)3 of the Act

c)    £6,525,177 being the amount by which the aggregate at 8(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 8(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with section 31A(4) of the Act, as its council tax requirement for the year.

d)   £198.36 being the amount at 8(c) above divided by the amount at 1. above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with section 31(B) of the Act, as the basic amount of its council tax for the year

9.         To note that Surrey County Council and Surrey Police Authority have issued precepts to the Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each category of dwellings in the Council’s area as indicated in the table below:-

SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL

Band:

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

 

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

Amount

969.00

1,130.50

1,292.00

1,453.50

1,776.50

2,099.50

2,422.50

2,907.00

SURREY POLICE AUTHORITY

Band:

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

 

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

Amount:

173.71

202.67

231.62

260.57

318.47

376.38

434.28

521.14

10.      That the Council, in accordance with Section 30 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, hereby sets the aggregate amounts shown in the tables below as the amounts of Council Tax for 2019/20 for each of the categories of dwellings.

EPSOM AND EWELL BOROUGH COUNCIL

Band:

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

 

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

Amount:

132.24

154.28

176.32

198.36

242.44

286.52

330.60

396.72

AGGREGATE OF COUNCIL TAX REQUIREMENTS

Band:

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

 

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

£

Amount:

1,274.95

1,487.45

1,699.94

1,912.43

2,337.41

2,762.40

3,187.38

3,824.86

 

Supporting documents: