Agenda item

BUDGET 2015/2016

Meeting of Council, Tuesday, 17th February, 2015 7.00 pm (Item 51/14)

To receive the report of the Executive in respect of the 2015/2016 budget, set out as follows, incorporating:-

Appendix A.1 - General Fund Revenue Estimates 2015/2016

Appendix A.2 - General Fund Capital Programme 2015/2016

Appendix A.3 - Housing Revenue Account Business Plan 2015/2041 and Revenue Budget 2015/2016

Appendix A.4 - Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme 2015/2016, New Affordable Homes Programme, Stock Improvement Programme

Appendix A.5 - Council Tax Setting 2015/2016 (including any information received since the meeting of the Executive) – To Follow.

The recommendations included within each report are set out below:

Recommendation

The Executive, having considered the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees, RECOMMENDS that

1. the Council Tax Freeze Grant offered for 2015/16 be accepted and therefore a 0% increase for Waverley’s element of Council Tax for 2015/16 be agreed;

2. the proposals included on the List of Reductions as shown at Annexe 4 to Appendix A.1 be implemented, including any staffing changes;

3. the proposals included on the List of Growth Items as shown at Annexe 5 to Appendix A.1 be implemented, including any staffing changes;

4. the changes to Fees and Charges as shown at Annexe 6 to Appendix A.1 be approved;

5. the staff Pay Award of 1.6% from 1 April 2015 be agreed;

6. the General Fund Budget for 2015/16 be approved, as amended by the above changes;

7. the Executive carries out a mid-year review of the General Fund Budget and takes any appropriate action in the light of the position at that time; and

8. the list of Revenue Projects totalling £569,775 be approved, as shown at Annexe 1 to Appendix A.2, to be included within the Revenue Estimates;

9. the 2015/16 General Fund Capital Programme totalling £3,346,400 be approved, as shown at Annexe 3 to Appendix A.2;

10. the financing proposals for 2014/2015 in Annexe 3 of Appendix A.2 be agreed;

11. the budgets for schemes marked with an asterisk on the schedules be approved, but spending on these projects be subject to the agreement of the Director of Finance and Resources and Finance Portfolio Holder or the Executive if appropriate;

12. the rent level of Council dwellings be increased by 2.8% from 6 April 2015, with an addition of up to £2/week for those properties below their historic target rent;

13. the weekly charge for garages rented by both Council and non-Council tenants be increased by 2.8% from 6 April 2015;

14. the service charge in sheltered accommodation be increased by 50p/week from 6 April 2015;

15. the recharge for energy costs (as appropriate) be increased by 50p/week from 6 April 2015 with a review being carried out in 2015/16 to assess changing energy prices;

16. the fees and charges be increased in line with the proposals at Annexe 6 to Appendix A.3;

17. the proposals included on the List of Growth Items be implemented as shown at Annexe 3 to Appendix A.3, including any staffing changes;

18. the resultant HRA Revenue Budget and Business Plan updated for 2015/16, which incorporate the above changes, be approved;

19. for 2015/16 and 2016/17, 100% of the Business Plan Capital investment contributions be allocated to the New Affordable Homes provision;

20. the total spend proposed in the 2015/16 Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme, as shown at Annexe 1 to Appendix A.4, be approved;

21. the indicative 2015/16 New Affordable Homes Programme be approved with specific scheme approvals to be sought when detailed costs are available;

22. the indicative 2015/16 Stock Improvement Programme be approved with specific scheme approvals to be sought when detailed costs are available;

23. the financing of these programmes be approved in line with the resources shown; and

24. the Financial Strategy be updated to take account of the decisions taken.

Minutes:

The Chairman of the Executive presented the reports at Appendices A.1 – A.5 to the agenda, and following this, both the Chairman of the Executive and the Portfolio Holder for Finance delivered Budget Statements to the Council, copies of which are attached as Annexe 1 to these minutes.

General Fund Revenue Estimates 2015/16 (Appendix A.1)