Issue - meetings

This report sets out budget estimates for income and expenditure for Environment & Safe Communities services in 2023/24.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)          Recommend the 2023/24 service estimates for approval at the budget meeting of full Council in February 2023.

The Committee received a report setting out budget estimates for income and expenditure for Environment & Safe Communities services in 2023/24.

The following matters were considered by the Committee:

a)            Impounded Domestic Waste Vehicle: In relation to paragraph 3.6 of the report, the Chair explained that the insurance policy does not cover the costs associated with the impoundment of the domestic waste vehicle in question, given the circumstances under which it was impounded. He confirmed it was unknown as to when the vehicle would be returned to the Council.

b)            Staffing Budget: The Chief Accountant explained a budget is set aside yearly to fund staff pay increments and inflationary increase to salaries and distributed amongst service areas at the end of the year.

c)            Covid Rebasing Exercise: The Chief Accountant explained that following changes to service usage as a result of the pandemic, an exercise was carried out at the start of 2022 to determine the new level of service usage in order to amend the base budget accordingly.

d)            Increase in Tree Maintenance Contract: In response to a question from a Member, the Chair explained that the increase was the result of a variation to the contract held with the supplier that maintains Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s trees.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)          Recommend the 2023/24 service estimates for approval at the budget meeting of full Council in February 2023.