Decision details

To approve the recommended budget for 2020/21.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND:

General Fund Revenue Estimate

a)         set a Dacorum Borough Council General Fund Council Tax  requirement of £12.086m, and a provisional amount of £13.058m for the combined Borough Council and Parish Councils’ requirement for 2020/21;

b)         approve a Band D Council Tax increase of £5 (2.48%) for Dacorum Borough Council;

c)         approve the base estimates for 2020/21, as shown in Appendix A1, and the indicative budget forecasts for 2020/21 – 2023/24, as shown in Appendix A2;

d)         approve the forecast balances of Revenue Reserves as shown in Appendix J, and approve section 10 of this report as the updated Reserves Strategy;

e)         approve increases in Fees and Charges for 2020/21 as set out in Appendices C3, D3, and E3;

f)          approve and adopt the Treasury Management Strategy for 2020/21, attached at Appendix K;

g)         approve and adopt the Capital Strategy for 2020/21, attached at Appendix L;

h)         note that this budget paper, if approved by Council, will form part of the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

Capital Programme

i)          approve the Capital Programme for 2020/21 to 2024/25, as detailed in Appendix I and Appendix M respectively;

j)          approve the financing proposals in Appendix I subject to an annual review of the financing options by the Corporate Director (Finance & Operations), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Resources, during the preparation of the Statement of Accounts.

Housing Revenue Account (HRA)

k)         set dwelling rents according to the new MHCLG Rent Standard, which provides for a rent increase of CPI+1% (2.7% in total).  The average dwelling rents is proposed to increase to £103.12 in 202/21, from its current level of £100.47(based on 52 weeks); 

l)          approve the HRA estimate for 2020/21 as shown in Appendix F.

Employer Terms & Conditions

m)        note that the hourly rate of all Council employees continues to exceed the rate proposed by the rates of the Living Wage Foundation, for 2019/20 (to be reviewed annually thereafter).

Statement by Chief Finance Officer

n)         approve the statement by the Chief Finance Officer regarding the robustness of the budget estimates and level of reserves as set out in Appendix M.