Issue - meetings

Budget 2020/21

 

 

Meeting: 04/03/2020 - Council (Item 65)

65 Budget 2020/21 - KEY DECISION (Minute EXB 81 refers) pdf icon PDF 193 KB

Executive Board considered the attached report.

 

RECOMMENDED: That Council be recommended to

 

1)    adopt the resolution set out in Appendix A, which includes setting the budget at £115.770m, the Council Tax requirement of £52.179m (before Parish, Police, Fire and LCR Combined Authority precepts) and the Band D Council Tax for Halton of £1,475.70;

 

2)    approve the revenue budget proposals for 2020/21 set out in Appendix B and Capital Programme set out in Appendix F; and

 

3)    approve that from 1 April 2020 the level of Empty Homes Premium on dwellings that have been unoccupied for between 2 and 5 years remain at 100%. The level of Premium on dwellings unoccupied for more than 5 years be increased to 200%.

 

Minutes:

            The Executive Board had considered a report setting out a recommendation to Council in respect of the Budget, Capital Programme and Council Tax for 2020/21. Since then, Cheshire Fire Authority had set its budget and Council Tax precept and this had been included in the full report to Council.

 

            The Executive Board had recommended that Council adopt the resolution set out in Appendix A of the report, which included setting the budget at £115.70m, the Council Tax requirement of £52,179m (before Parish, Police, Fire and LCR Combined Authority precepts) and the Band D Council Tax for Halton of £1,475.70.

 

            Councillor Wharton, Resources Portfolio holder,  thanked all Officers involved, for their support in producing this budget and wished to record his thanks to the Members of executive Board, the Budget Working Group and the Chairs of the Policy and performance Boards for their contribution.  In addition, he thanked the Leader for his help and support in delivering this budget.

 

            In accordance with Standing Order 16 (3), a recorded vote was taken.

 

            The following Members voted FOR the motion:-

 

Councillors Horabin, Abbott, Baker, J. Bradshaw, M. Bradshaw, D. Cargill, E. Cargill, Carlin, Cassidy, Dennett, Dourley, Fry, Gilligan, Harris, P. Hignett, R. Hignett, S. Hill, V. Hill, Howard, Jones, Leck, M. Lloyd Jones, P. Lloyd Jones, C. Loftus, K. Loftus, Logan, A. Lowe, J. Lowe, MacManus, A. McInerney, T. McInerney, Morley, Nelson, Philbin, Polhill, C. Plumpton Walsh, N. Plumpton Walsh, Ratcliffe, Joe Roberts, June Roberts, Rowe, Sinnott, G. Stockton, J. Stockton, Teeling, Thompson, Wainwright, Wall, Wallace, Wharton, Whitley, Woolfall, Wright and Zygadllo

 

            There were no votes against the motion.

 

            There were no abstentions.

 

            RESOLVED: That Council adopt the following resolution:-

 

1)    The policies outlined in this paper be adopted, including the budget and Council Tax for 2020/21, the savings set out in Appendix B and the Capital Programme set out in Appendix F.

 

2)    That it be noted that at the meeting on 18 December 2019 the Council agreed the following:

 

(a)       The Council Tax Base 2020/21 for the whole Council area is 35,359 (item T in the formula in Section 31B(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended) (the Act); and

 

(b)       For dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates, be set out as follows:

 

Parish

Tax Base

 

 

Hale

663

Daresbury

179

Moore

327

Preston Brook

368

Halebank

523

Sandymoor

1,265

 

            being the amounts calculated by the Council, in accordance with Regulation 6 of the Regulations, as the amounts of its Council Tax Base for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which special items relate.

 

3)    Calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2020/21 (excluding Parish precepts) is £52,179,276.

 

4)    In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (Sections 31 to 36), the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2020/21 and agreed as follows:

 

(a)       £395,341,557 – being the aggregate of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65

Meeting: 27/02/2020 - Executive Board (Item 81)

81 Budget 2020/21 - KEY DECISION pdf icon PDF 193 KB

Minutes:

The Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, which outlined a recommendation to Council in respect of the Budget, Capital Programme and Council Tax for 2020/21.

 

            It was noted that at the time of writing, the Cheshire Fire Authority and the Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner had not set their budget and Council Tax precept. However, final figures would be reported to Council when the information was available.

 

            The Board was advised that the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), approved at its meeting on 14 November 2019, had identified funding gaps of around £7.9m in 2020/21, £15.1m in 2021/22 and £4.4m in 2022/23. The Strategy had the following objectives:

 

·           Deliver a balanced and sustainable budget;

·           Prioritise spending towards the Council’s priority areas;

·           Avoid excessive Council Tax rises;

·           Achieve significant cashable efficiency gains;

·           Protect essential front line services and vulnerable members of the community; and

·           Deliver improved procurement.

In terms of consultation, it was noted that the Council used various methods to listen to the views of the public, and Members’ own experiences through their Ward work was an important part of that process. Individual consultations had taken place in respect of specific budget proposals and equality impact assessments would be completed where necessary.

 

Appendix B outlined proposed budget savings for 2020/21, totalling £4.230m. The departmental analysis was shown in Appendix C  and the major reasons for change from the current budget were shown in Appendix D.

 

The Board was advised the final Local Government Finance Settlement figures were awaited, along with confirmation on some 2020/21 grant allocations including the Public Health grant. It was confirmed that the Council would continue to participate in the pilot of the 100% Business Rates Retention Scheme, as part of the Liverpool City Region (LCR).

 

Further information was provided on the budget outlook, Halton’s Council Tax, Precepts for Parishes, Police, Fire and Liverpool City Region Mayor, the Capital Programme, Prudential Code and School Budgets.

 

Reason(s) for Decision

 

To seek approval for the Council’s Revenue Budget, Capital Programme and Council Tax for 2020/21.

 

 

 

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

 

In arriving at the budget saving proposals set out in Appendix B, numerous proposals had been considered, some of which had been deferred pending further information, or rejected.

 

Implementation Date

 

4 March 2020.

 

RESOLVED: That

 

1)    Council be recommended to adopt the resolution set out in Appendix A attached to the report, which includes setting the budget at £115,770m, the Council Tax requirement of £52.179m (before Parish, Police, Fire and LCR Combined Authority precepts) and the Band D Council Tax for Halton of £1,475.70;

 

2)    Council be recommended to approve the revenue budget proposals for 2020/21 set out in Appendix B and Capital Programme set out in Appendix F, both attached to the report; and

 

3)    from 1 April 2020 the level of Empty Homes Premium on dwellings that have been unoccupied for between 2 and 5 years remain at 100%. The level of Premium on dwellings unoccupied for more than 5 years be increased  ...  view the full minutes text for item 81