Issue - meetings

The report outlines the latest General Fund Budget position for 2018/19.  Members are reminded of the need to achieve savings throughout the three-year period covered by the Medium Term Financial Plan.  Information is provided on the details of the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2018/19 and the Council’s financial position following this.

Each Overview and Scrutiny Committee was requested, in the light of the significant budget shortfall in the medium term, to consider all of the proposals identified in this report and their observations are set out in the report.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Executive, after considering comments from the four Overview and Scrutiny Committees, makes the following recommendations to Council, to:

1.            agree a 2.99% increase in Waverley’s element of Council Tax for 2018/2019;

2.            Waverley’s council tax premium for long term empty properties be increased to 100% at the earliest opportunity;

3.            agree to make no change to the Council’s existing Council tax support scheme;

4.            implement the income and cost saving proposals as shown at Annexe 2, including any staffing changes;

5.            implement the growth proposals as shown at Annexe 2, including any staffing changes;

6.            approve the changes to Fees and Charges as shown at Annexe 3;

7.            approve the delegation for agreeing Building Control fees to the Strategic Director/Chief Finance Officer and Portfolio Holder for Planning;

8.            approve the General Fund Budget for 2018/19, incorporating the above changes and the staff pay award;

9.            agree that the Executive carries out a review of the Medium Term Financial Plan and General Fund Budget in the Summer 2018 and takes any appropriate action in the light of the position at that time;

10.         approve the 2018/19 General Fund Capital Programme and financing proposals as shown at Annexe 5; and

11.         agree that the budgets for capital schemes marked with an asterisk on the schedules be approved, but spending on these projects to be subject to the agreement of the Strategic Director (S.151 Officer) and Finance Portfolio Holder or the Executive, if appropriate.

The reports from the Executive in respect of the 2018/19 budget are set out at Agenda Item 9 to the Council agenda, incorporating:-

9a.       General Fund Budget Revenue and Capital – 2018/19

9b.       Housing Revenue Account Business Plan, Revenue Budget and Capital Programme 2018/19

9c.       Council Tax Setting 2018/19.

These reports have been dealt with at Agenda Item 9 of the Council agenda.