Issue - meetings
Motion
Meeting: 26/02/2020 - Council (Item 8)
Additional documents:
- Lib Dem Alternative Budget 202021 Appendices 1, item 8
PDF 87 KB
- Lib Dem Alternative Budget 202021 Appendices 2, item 8
PDF 68 KB
- Lib Dem Alternative Budget 202021 Appendices 3, item 8
PDF 67 KB
Decision:
The following Motion was proposed by Councillor Tindall and seconded by Councillor England:
LIBERAL DEMOCRAT BUDGET PROPOSAL 2020/2021
General Fund
These proposals are intended as a supplement to the council’s budget and we have not proposed any cuts to existing services. We accept that there will be a council tax increase of £5.00 as there is more need for services than there is for a tax freeze. We have also taken note of the Medium Term Financial Strategy and have only proposed new services and initiatives that can be paid from existing resources and reserves in order that the financial stability of the council is not put at risk.
The following tables outline additional, one-off expenditure plans totalling £1.35m for 2020/21 with provision for a further £180k in 2021/22 for the initiatives in Table 2, subject to review at the end of the first year.
The maximum total funding requirement over the two years is £1.53m, which would be funded through the New Homes Bonus receipt of £1.78m currently proposed for the Dacorum Development Reserve. If these initiatives were implemented in full, there would be a residual contribution of £250k to the Dacorum Development Reserve in 2020/21.
Table 1, General Fund one-year expenditure initiatives:
|
|
|
2020/21 £000’s |
2021/22 £000’s |
|
1. |
Increase the Strategic Planning and Environment Budget by £100k to fund new, one-off initiatives to improve air quality, particularly around schools, evaluation on site, and investment in public Electric Charging Points.
|
100
|
0 |
|
2. |
Increase the Strategic Planning and Environment Budget by £50k to fund a trial of 10 solar powered compactor litter bins across the borough, at a cost of c£5k each.
|
50 |
0 |
|
3. |
In recognition of the urgency of the work, increase the Strategic Planning and Environment Budget by £100k to fund the catch-up in outstanding tree work including the assessment of sites for additional planting.
It is also envisaged that this will include an overview of Development in Dacorum in order that the right number and in particular the right species of trees are planted as a contribution towards the work of reducing the Borough’s carbon footprint.
|
100 |
0 |
|
4. |
Addition to the Housing and Communities Budget to fund four additional Enforcement Officers for a trial period of one year.
|
120 |
0 |
|
5. |
Addition to the Finance and Resources Budget to fund a comprehensive study of the present communication methods of the council including improvement of the telephone system.
|
100 |
0 |
|
6. |
Increase the contribution to the Climate Change Reserve by a further £700k, over and above the £300k proposed in the Budget Report to deliver a total reserve contribution of £1m.
These funds would be available to the Strategic Planning and Environment Budget to provide one-off finance for climate change measures to reduce the Council’s carbon footprint, including a Community Climate Change Fund available to residents and community groups. Although the reserve contribution would be made in a single year, it is anticipated that it would fund projects over a two- to three-year period.
|
700 |
|
Minutes:
The Motion was considered under item 7.1.