Issue - meetings

To consider the following referrals from Cabinet:

Report to follow after Cabinet meeting of 12/02/19

Resolved:

The following referrals from Cabinet on 12 February were approved.

7.1       CA/018/19 – Budget 2019/20

General Fund Revenue Estimate

a) set a Dacorum Borough Council General Fund Council Tax requirement of £11.532m, and a provisional amount of £12.348m for the combined Borough Council and Parish Councils’ requirement for 2019/20;

b) approve an increase of 2.99% in Council Tax for Dacorum Borough Council;

c) approve the base estimates for 2019/20, as shown in Appendix A1, and the indicative budget forecasts for 2019/20 – 2022/23, 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 2019/20 as set out in Appendices C3, D3, and E3;

f) approve and adopt the Treasury Management Strategy for 2019/20, attached at Appendix K;

g) approve and adopt the Treasury Management Principles and Practices for 2019/20, attached at Appendix L;

h) approve and adopt the Capital Strategy for 2019/20, attached at Appendix M;
 

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

Capital Programme

j) approve the revised Capital Programme and Capital Strategy for 2018/19, and for 2019/20 to 2022/23, as
detailed in Appendix I and Appendix M respectively;

k) 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)

l) reduce dwelling rents by 1% in accordance with government legislation, resulting in an average rent of £100.08 per week (based on 52 weeks);

m) approve the HRA estimate for 2019/20 as shown in Appendix F.

7.2       CA/019/19 – Period 9 Budget Monitoring Report

Cllr Williams mentioned the Period 9 Budget Monitoring Report and resolve to recommend.

Cllr Griffiths seconded the report and this was agreed by Council.

7.3       CA/021/19 – Senior Officer Pay

Cllr Williams put forward the proposals for Senior Officers Pay for 2019/20 to be resolved to recommend.

Cllr Griffiths seconded the report and this was agreed by Council.

7.4       CA/022/19 – Growth and Infrastructure

Cllr Williams asked for the Growth and Infrastructure Strategy to be resolved to recommend.

Cllr Griffiths seconded the proposals and this was agreed by Council.

The following referrals from Cabinet on 12 February were approved.

7.1       CA/018/19 – Budget 2019/20

Cllr Elliot would like to move the budget.  Cllr Williams seconded the budget and reserved his right.

Cllr Elliot set out the budget context.

·         Over the last 8 years, the Council has already faced reductions in its annual government funding of over £7m. This budget sets out plans for Dacorum Borough Council to save a further £900k in 2019/20.

·         In addition to this, local authority finances face a period of review as the current 4-year funding deal is set to end in 2020. Government continues to work on its Fair Funding Review which will determine how funding is allocated among councils beyond 2020.

·         That is why the Council has set the budget for 2019/20 with a strong focus on sustainability and continuing to deliver its corporate priorities into the medium-term. We have made significant strides towards balancing the budget for the next two years, having already identified savings initiatives of around £300k to address future years’ savings targets.

Cllr Elliot put forward the continued investment in the Borough.

·         Dacorum Borough Council is proposing a capital investment programme of over £225m to further enhance the services we provide to our residents over the next 5 years.

·         Some of the areas identified for capital investment include:

­   £90m investment in our existing housing stock

­   £80m investment in our ambitious and successful new build programme

­   £4m investment in facilitating affordable housing developments and the delivery of additional temporary accommodation for some of our most vulnerable residents

­   £4m grant funding to Housing Associations for the delivery of Affordable Housing

­   £11m investment in community facilities including car parks, cemeteries, and leisure

Cllr Elliot advised how front-line services will be maintained.

·         Over the last 8 years Dacorum Borough Council has successfully protected its front-line services in the face of 70% government funding reductions. The council has again taken steps to find the savings required for 2019 without reducing its front-line services.

·         The Council has worked hard to deliver efficiencies required through fostering a culture of innovation and a strong focus on performance and continuous improvement.

·         This has enabled us to deliver savings through a range of initiatives including:

­   more efficient staffing structures;

­   a more commercial approach to contract negotiation; and,

­   The Forum, which has already reduced our annual running costs significantly, but which will offer increased value for money from April 2019 when the Clinical Commissioning Group will take up a tenancy on around 25% of the building.

Cllr Elliot set out the Council Tax proposals.

·         As part of the budget for 2019/20, the Council is proposing to increase Council Tax by 2.99%.

·         This equates to an increase of £5.85 for a Band D property, or around 11p per week.

·         This proposal was strongly endorsed through the Council’s budget consultation process, with over 95% of residents involved supporting the decision to increase Council Tax by the maximum permissible in order to enhance front  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7