Issue - meetings

Budget 2017/18

Meeting: 16/02/2017 - Council (Item 56)

56 Revenue Budget 2017/18 and Capital Programme to 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 219 KB

Cabinet, at its meeting on 1 February 2017, considered a report on the council’s revenue budget to 2017/18 and capital programme to 2021/22.

 

The budget report presented to Cabinet on 1 February 2017 recommended a revenue budget for 2017/18 that included a proposed £5 increase to the current band “D” council tax of £111.24, resulting in a band “D” council tax for 2017/18 of £116.24.  However, at the meeting, Cabinet agreed to recommend a budget with no increase in council tax.

 

This decision changes some of the numbers quoted in the Cabinet report, and also Appendix A.1, Appendix C and Appendix F.  Revised copies of these appendices are attached to the Council agenda. These should be read in conjunction with the original report.  The addendum, also attached to the Council agenda, sets out the impact of the change on the report considered by Cabinet at its meeting on 1 February 2017.

 

Cabinet resolved to agree that the Cabinet member for finance, in conjunction with the head of finance, may make minor adjustments to the report and prudential indicators should they prove necessary prior to submission to Council. Any adjustments will be reported to Council.

 

The report of the head of finance, which Cabinet considered on 1 February 2017, and the revised appendices A1, C and F are attached.

 

The Scrutiny Committee will consider this report at its meeting on 9 February 2017. Any views or recommendations will be reported to Council.

 

RECOMMENDATION: to

 

1.         set the revenue budget for 2017/18, as set out in the revised appendix A.1 attached to the Council agenda; 

 

2.         agree that the capital schemes listed in paragraph 33 to the report remain in the capital programme; 

 

3.         approve the capital programme for 2017/18 to 2021/22, as set out in appendix D.1 to the report, together with the capital growth bids, set out in appendix D.2 of the report; 

 

4.         set the council’s prudential limits, as listed in appendix E to the report; 

 

5.         approve the medium term financial plan to 2021/22, as set out in the revised appendix F attached to the Council agenda;  

 

6.         allocate £1,000,000 to fund the Communities Capital and Revenue Grant Scheme. 

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman referred to regulations that require councils to record the names of those councillors voting in favour, against or abstaining from any vote on the budget, including amendments, and the council tax. In accordance with the regulations he would call for a named vote on each of these matters at this meeting.

 

The Chairman reminded councillors that they were not entitled to vote on any issue affecting the level or administration of the council tax or other decisions which might affect the making of any such calculation such as the budget, if they were over two months in arrears with their council tax payments. Where such circumstances applied, councillors were under a statutory obligation to disclose the restriction placed on them and refrain from voting at the relevant meeting. No councillor made any such declaration.

 

Council noted the report of the chief finance officeron the robustness of the budget estimates and the adequacy of the reserves.

 

Mrs Murphy, Cabinet member for finance, presented the Cabinet’s proposals for the revenue budget 2017/18 and capital programme to 2021/22. On behalf of the council she thanked officers for their part in continuing to control costs and in preparing the draft budget.

Mrs Murphy moved and Mr Hall seconded a motion to approve Cabinet’s recommendations as follows:

That Council:

 

1.    sets the revenue budget for 2017/18 as set out in appendix A.1 to the head of finance's report to Cabinet on 1 February 2017;

2.    agrees that the capital schemes listed in paragraph 33 of the head of finance’s report remain in the capital programme

3.    approves the capital programme for 2017/18 to 2021/22 as set out in appendix D.1, together with the capital growth bids set out in appendix D.2 to the head of finance’s report;

4.    sets the council’s prudential limits as listed in appendix E to the head of finance's report;

5.    approves the medium term financial plan to 2021/22 as set out in appendix F to the head of finance's report;

6.    allocates £1,000,000 to fund the Communities Capital and Revenue Grant Scheme.

 

Mr Turner moved and Mr Gawrysiak seconded an amendment to the above budget in the following terms:

“That the ongoing revenue savings proposal “Reduction in funding to Thames Valley Police” of £99,190 shown in Appendix B.2 on page 99 not be taken”.

Those councillors who spoke in support of the amendment stated that if Thames Valley Police (TVP) were unable to bridge the gap in funding there could be a reduction in the number of Police Community Support Officers (PCSO). This could have an adverse impact on the feelings of safety for elderly and vulnerable people particularly in rural areas where the PCSOs have had a positive impact particularly on youth crime and disturbance.

 

However, the majority of councillors were of the view that responsibility for funding PCSOs was a matter for TVP. In addition the nature of policing was changing with resources diverted to other means of tackling crime.

The Chairman called for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56


Meeting: 01/02/2017 - Cabinet (Item 83)

83 Revenue budget 2017/18 capital programme to 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 219 KB

To consider the head of finance’s report.  REPORT TO FOLLOW

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the head of finance’s report.  This brought together all relevant information to allow Cabinet to recommend to Council a revenue budget for 2017/18 and a capital programme for 2017/18 to 2021/22.  The Medium Term Financial Plan was included, which provided details of the forward budget model for the next five years.  The report also recommended the prudential indicators to be set by the Council in accordance with ‘the Prudential Code’, introduced as part of the Local Government Act 2003. 

 

The Cabinet member for finance reported that there had been a number of challenges that had delayed the budget setting process, particularly around understanding the impact of changes to the calculation of new homes bonus, and around the new operating environment within the council.  However, the Cabinet member thanked the officers for their work in producing the draft budget. 

 

The report included growth proposals to deliver the corporate plan priorities.  There were some savings proposals too. 

 

The medium term financial plan included an increase in council tax of £5 in 2017/18 for Band D properties.  However, due to the late confirmation of figures such as the new homes bonus and a re-assessment of the capital programme, the council’s financial position was better than expected.  As a result, the Cabinet member for finance proposed that there should be no increase in council tax in 2017/18, the first year of the medium term financial plan.  During Cabinet’s debate, an amendment was proposed that there should be no council tax increase shown throughout the five-year medium term financial plan period.  However, this amendment found no seconder and therefore fell.  Cabinet concluded that by including provisional council tax increases for years two to five of the medium term financial plan period, it retained greater flexibility for the council to manage its revenue budget and council tax during those years.  This did not set any precedent; the provisional council tax increases in years two to five of the medium term financial plan could be reduced to zero in future years if the council so wished. 

 

RECOMMENDED: to Council to

 

(a)       set the revenue budget for 2017/18, as set out in appendix A.1 to the head of finance’s report to Cabinet on 1 February 2017, subject to there being no council tax increase in 2017/18; 

 

(b)       agree that the capital schemes listed in paragraph 33 to the head of finance’s report remain in the capital programme; 

 

(c)       approve the capital programme for 2017/18 to 2021/22, as set out in appendix D.1 to the head of finance’s report, together with the capital growth bids, set out in appendix D.2 of the head of finance’s report; 

 

(d)       set the council’s prudential limits, as listed in appendix E to the head of finance’s report; 

 

(e)       approve the medium term financial plan to 2021/22, as set out in appendix F to the head of finance’s report, subject to there being no council tax increase in 2017/18; 

 

(f)        allocate £1,000,000 to fund the Communities Capital and Revenue Grant Scheme.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 83


 

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