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Agenda item

Budget 2023/24 and Medium Term Financial Plan

Purpose:

This report provides an update on the developing budget for 2023/24. To consider:

1)    The draft base budgets for 2023/24

2)    The Council’s Capital Programme for 2023/24 to 2031/32

3)    The level of Council Tax for 2023/24

4)      The Medium Term Financial Strategy

5)      The response from the statutory budget consultation

 

Recommendations:

That the Executive resolves to:

Recommend the following to Council for approval:

i)             The General Fund revenue budgets as summarised in Annex B

ii)            The updated Medium Term Financial Strategy in Annex E

iii)           The Capital Programme for 2023/24 to 2031/32 as set out in Annex D

iv)           Fees and Charges, as previously circulated and set out in Annex H

v)            The Council’s Pay Policy Statement as set out in Annex J

vi)           The level of District Council Tax for 2023/24 for a Band D property of £119.38 as shown in Annex G

And recommend the following to Council for noting:

vii)          The Parish Precepts and Tax Levels set out in Annex G.

 

 

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Andy Graham, highlighted that an amendment to recommendation ‘ii’, listed within the agenda item report, was subject to agreement by the Executive. The amendment sought agreement that the Council’s Biodiversity Land Management Post, be a permanent post and not a 1-year fixed term contract.

Councillor Levy introduced the report that provided an update on the developing budget for 2023/24. The report was for the Executive to consider the draft base budgets for 2023/24, the Council’s Capital Programme for 2023/24 to 2031/32, the level of Council Tax for 2023/24, the Medium Term Financial Strategy and the response from the statutory budget consultation.

Councillor Levy paid tribute to the work of the Council’s Chief Finance Officer and the wider finance team for the work that they had out into bringing the Budget resolutions together.

Councillor Norman MacRae MBE asked about potential anomalies within the report relating to salaries of individual posts, and funding of play parks within the district. Councillor Levy responded stating that figures contained within the document were total post costs, and that some were shared across the Publica partnership and estimated employment costs. The Chief Finance Officer also highlighted that any funds in the capital programme not spent on play parks within the current financial year, would rollover into the next financial year. If extra funds were desired, this would be recommended for approval by the appropriate committee.

Councillor Duncan Enright, Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Economic Development, highlighted that there was a mixture of shared and non-shared posts within the report, and that some of the project costs were also included within the figures regarding the Leisure Strategy. Councillor Enright also mentioned that the upkeep and maintenance of play parks were largely the responsibility of Town and Parish Councils, although much larger parks, such as Kilkenny in Carterton, were a District Council responsibility.

The Council’s Chief Executive Officer highlighted the work of Tony Galloway, who was overseeing scoping work to address issues surrounding leisure, and the contracted partnership with GLL.

Councillor Alaa Al-Yousuf sought to confirm if the Biodiversity Land Management Post was being funded by additional money received from central Government. The Chief Executive confirmed that this cost was taken into consideration when listing the salary costs for the upcoming budget. Further costs on the post will be added to base budget and included in Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS).

An additional supplementary paper for this item was circulated to Members ahead of the meeting. Within the paper, there was an additional recommendation for the Executive to recommend to Council to approve the level of District Council Tax for 2023/24 for a Band D property of £119.38.

The amendment for agreement was proposed by Councillor Graham, and seconded by Councillor Dan Levy, Executive Member for Finance. This was voted upon and agreed unanimously by the Executive.

Councillor Levy proposed to agree the recommendations to Council, inclusive of the aforementioned amendment, regarding the update on the developing budget. This was seconded by Councillor Graham, was voted on and agreed unanimously by the Executive.

Executive Resolved to recommend the following to Council for approval:

i)             The General Fund revenue budgets as summarised in Annex B;

ii)            The updated Medium Term Financial Strategy in Annex E;

iii)           The Capital Programme for 2023/24 to 2031/32 as set out in Annex D;

iv)           Fees and Charges, as previously circulated and set out in Annex H;

v)            The Council’s Pay Policy Statement as set out in Annex J;

vi)           The level of District Council Tax for 2023/24 for a Band D property of £119.38 as shown in Annex G;

vii)          Approve the level of District Council Tax for 2023/24 for a Band D property of £119.38.

and Resolved to recommend the following to Council for noting:

1.      viii) The Parish Precepts and Tax Levels set out in Annex G.

Supporting documents:

 

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