Issue - meetings

This report informs the Committee of the Council’s revenue budget targets presented to the Strategy & Resources Committee in July.  The report seeks guidance on the preparation of the Committee’s service estimates for 2024/25.

Following consideration, The Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)          Note the implications of the budget targets presented to Strategy & Resources Committee on 13 July 2023.

(2)          Consider how additional income or savings can be generated to address the projected Council wide funding gap of £1.1m in 2024/25, rising to £2.5m by 2027/28.

(3)          Note that owing to the Council’s projected budget deficit, any additional new revenue growth items (i.e., service enhancements resulting in increased net expenditure) supported by Policy Committees will need to be fully funded from existing budgets.

Resolved (6 for, 1 abstention, and the Chair not voting) to:

(4)          Agree that an additional cost item be added into the Committee’s budget plans for 2024/25 for £40k to cover possible additional independent noise assessment works or other activities that may be required at the Chalk Pit site in Epsom.

The Committee received a report informing the Committee of the Council’s revenue budget targets presented to the Strategy & Resources Committee in July.  The report sought guidance on the preparation of the Committee’s service estimates for 2024/25.

The Committee considered the following matters:

a)            The Chief Accountant explained, in response to a question from a Member, that appendix 1 to the Fees and Charges 2023/24 report, that went to the January 2023 meeting of the Committee, details all of the fees and charges that sit within the Committee. She highlighted to Members the target to increase the Committee’s fees and charges income by 6% in both 2024/25 and 2025/26, as set out in the report at paragraph 3.2.7.

Stating that he believed the matter ought to be included as a consideration point within discussions regarding the Committee’s budget for 2024/25, Councillor Steven McCormick proposed that an additional recommendation be added, as follows:

Agree that an additional cost item be added into this Committee’s budget plans for 2024/25 for £40k to cover possible additional independent noise assessment works or other activities that maybe required at the Chalk Pit site in Epsom.

The proposal was seconded by Councillor Tony Froud.

The Committee agreed (6 for, 1 abstention, and the Chair not voting) to the addition of the proposed recommendation.

Following consideration, The Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)          Note the implications of the budget targets presented to Strategy & Resources Committee on 13 July 2023.

(2)          Consider how additional income or savings can be generated to address the projected Council wide funding gap of £1.1m in 2024/25, rising to £2.5m by 2027/28.

(3)          Note that owing to the Council’s projected budget deficit, any additional new revenue growth items (i.e., service enhancements resulting in increased net expenditure) supported by Policy Committees will need to be fully funded from existing budgets.

Resolved (6 for, 1 abstention, and the Chair not voting) to:

(4)          Agree that an additional cost item be added into the Committee’s budget plans for 2024/25 for £40k to cover possible additional independent noise assessment works or other activities that may be required at the Chalk Pit site in Epsom.