Agenda item

The Assistant Business Manager – Financial Strategy & Performance presented a report which enabled Members to consider spending proposals and recommendations to the Council for the budget in 2018/2019.

The report set out the details of the proposed budget for the Council in 2018/2019. The budget proposals had been formulated in accordance with the framework set out in the Council’s Constitution with the initial report having being presented to the Policy Committee on 21 September 2017.  It was noted that the level of discretionary fees and charges for services provided by the Council were considered as part of the budget process rather than being implemented piecemeal throughout the year. The proposed fees and charges for 2018 were detailed in the report and would be included in the budget book which forms part of the agenda for the full Council Meeting.

The Local Government Finance Settlement provided key figures for Government Grant that formed part of the Council's budget. The draft settlement was announced on 19 December 2017 and was confirmed on 6 February 2018.

It was reported that a projection of resources under Business Rates Retention had been completed. A sum of £1.1m NDR growth had been projected for 2018/19 which was broadly in line with projections for 2017/18. Additional income of £660k from renewable energy sources had been retained 100% by the District Council.  It was anticipated that a £1.14m levy would be payable into the Nottinghamshire pool. The level of appeals provision brought forward on 1/4/2017 was £9m.  It was estimated that by 31 March 2018, £2.6m would be have been charged to this provision due to reductions in rateable values as a result of businesses that had appealed the 2010 list rateable value.  Of the remaining provision (£6.4m) it was forecast that £4m was required for the remaining 2010 list appeals and £2.4m was required for appeals to the first year of the 2017 list.

In presenting the report the Assistant Business Manager – Financial Strategy and Performance advised that an additional post in Development Control for conservation enforcement of £40,000 had been added to the proposed Economic Development Committee budget for 2018/19. This proposal was supported by the Committee.

The report had been prepared by the Resources Directorate in conjunction with the appropriate Committees and relevant budget holders. In accordance with the Constitution, all Members, Directors and Business Unit Managers had been involved with the preparation of the budget.

AGREED (unanimously) that it be recommended to Council on 8 March 2018 that:

            (a)        the Employee Plan shown in Appendix C to the report be noted;

(b)        the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2018/2019 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Localism Act 2011:

(i)         £78,804,460 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for items set out in Section  31A(2)(a) to (f) of the Act (the gross District Council expenditure for 2018/19);

(ii)        £67,422,250 being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3)(a) to (d) of the Act (the gross District Council income for 2018/19); and

(iii)       £11,382,210    being the amount by which the aggregate at (a)(i) above exceeds the aggregate at (a)(ii) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act, as its Council Tax Requirement for the year;

(c)        the figures shown as (b)(i) and (b)(iii) above to be increased only by the amount of Parish Precepts for 2018/2019;

(d)        the budget figures included in the report be the Council’s budget for 2018/2019 and Medium Term Financial Plan for 2018/2019 to 2022/2023; and

(e)        the fees and charges shown in Appendices D to U be implemented with effect from 1st April 2018.

            Reason for Decision

To enable Policy & Finance Committee to make recommendations to full Council of the amounts to be calculated in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Localism Act 2011 for the purposes of setting Council Tax levels for the year 2018/2019.