Issue - meetings

This report sets out estimates for income and expenditure on services in 2024/25 and recommends fees and charges for which this Committee is responsible, with the new charges being effective from 1 April 2024. The report also details council tax discount bands for 2024/25, a capital scheme proposal and seeks approval to include the project in the capital programme to be submitted to Full Council in February 2024.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved to;

(5 for, 2 abstaining, and Chair not voting)

(1)      Recommend the 2024/25 service estimates for approval at the budget meeting of Full Council in February 2024;

(2)      Recommend the 2024/25 fees and charges, as set-out in Appendix 1, for approval at the budget meeting of Full Council in February 2024;

(3)      Agree the Council Tax Discount bands for 2024/25, as set-out in section 9;

(4)      Support the future savings options as set out in 5.2 for inclusion in the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

(5)      Submit the capital programme for 2024/25 as identified in section 8 of this report to the Full Council for approval in February 2024;

(6)      Note the provisional forecast of schemes for the capital programme for 2025/26 to 2028/29.

The Committee received a report setting out estimates for income and expenditure on services in 2024/25 and recommending fees and charges for which the Committee is responsible, with the new charges being effective from 1 April 2024. The report also detailed council tax discount bands for 2024/25, a capital scheme proposal and seeks approval to include the project in the capital programme to be submitted to Full Council in February 2024.

The following matters were considered:

a)             Pay inflation. In response to a question from a member, the Head of Finance informed the Committee that over the long term, it was anticipated that progression-related pay inflation would eventually become neutral due to staff who had achieved progression leaving the Council and new staff joining on lower pay points.

b)             Hire of the Town Hall. In response to a question from a member, the Chair informed the Committee that charges for hire of the Town Hall rooms were included in the report, but that external hire was rarely undertaken. The Chair informed the Committee that the charges were present in case an enquiry for hire was received.

c)             Cost of Homelessness services. The Committee noted the cost of homelessness services to the Council and the work of the Council’s Housing department to reduce the impact of homelessness in the Borough. The Council was considering a number of initiatives to reduce homelessness.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved with 5 votes for, 2 abstaining and the Chair not voting to:

(1)       Recommend the 2024/25 service estimates for approval at the budget meeting of Full Council in February 2024;

(2)       Recommend the 2024/25 fees and charges, as set-out in Appendix 1 of the report, for approval at the budget meeting of Full Council in February 2024;

(3)       Agree the Council Tax Discount bands for 2024/25, as set-out in section 9 of the report;

(4)       Support the future savings options as set out in 5.2 of the report for inclusion in the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

(5)       Submit the capital programme for 2024/25 as identified in section 8 of the report to the Full Council for approval in February 2024;

(6)       Note the provisional forecast of schemes for the capital programme for 2025/26 to 2028/29.