Agenda item

Revenue Budget 2015/16 - Medium Term Financial Plan and Revised Capital Programme

Meeting of South Somerset District Council, Thursday 26th February 2015 7.30 pm (Item 107.)

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Spatial Planning, with the aid of a power point presentation, outlined the financial challenges and successes which had faced the Council over the last 4 years. He referred to the Council’s successful investment programme and the grants of New Homes Bonus funding awarded and the challenge of the reductions in Rate Support Grant. He drew Members attention to paragraph 53 of the report which outlined the Council’s reserves and he proposed an amendment to Recommendation D of the report to reduce Council Tax for the forthcoming financial year to £147.75 for a Band D property, to be funded from New Homes Bonus money representing a reduction of 1.99%. This proposal was seconded.

In response to the proposal, the following comments were made:-

· No increase in the level of Council Tax for the last 5 years has been laudable but taking the number of properties in the district, a modest increase would not have had a tremendous impact upon residents and the Council could have done much with the additional money.

· With the reducing budgets, services had been reorganised over the last 4 years with no reduction in service to the residents.

· Pleased we are in a position to give money back to the electorate.

· The reduced car park income is noted and perhaps it would be better to abolish car parking charges across the district.

· Abolishing car park charges would only benefit people who owned a car and not all of the residents in the district.

· Both officers and members have worked as a team to make a prudent position which allows the proposed reduction in Council Tax.

At the conclusion of the debate, a named vote was requested by more than 10 Members present and the voting was as follows:-

	For	Against	Abstain
CATHY BAKEWELL	x
MIKE BEST	x
DAVE BULMER	x
JOHN CALVERT	x
TONY CAPOZZOLI	x
TIM CARROLL	x
PAULINE CLARKE	x
JOHN DYKE	x
NIGEL GAGE	x
JON GLEESON	x
CAROL GOODALL	x
ANNA GROSKOP			x
PETER GUBBINS	x
HENRY HOBHOUSE	x
ANDY KENDALL	x
JENNY KENTON	x
PAULINE LOCK	x
TONY LOCK	x
IAN MARTIN	x
PAUL MAXWELL	x
NIGEL MERMAGEN	x
ROY MILLS	x
GRAHAM OAKES	x
RIC PALLISTER	x
SHANE PLEDGER	x
WES READ	x
DAVID RECARDO	x
JOHN RICHARDSON	x
SYLVIA SEAL	x
GINA SEATON	x
PETER SEIB	x
ANGIE SINGLETON	x
SUE STEELE	x
ANDREW TURPIN	x
LINDA VIJEH			x
BARRY WALKER			x
LUCY WALLACE			x
WILLIAM WALLACE			x
NICK WEEKS			x
COLIN WINDER			x

RESOLVED:	That Council:-
	a.	noted the report of the Scrutiny Task and Finish Group attached at Appendix A.
	b.	approved the overall Revenue Budget for 2015/16 of £17,389,600 and the General Account Summary as shown at Appendix B and note future year projection:
	c.	approved the detailed budgets for the District Executive and four Area Committees as shown at Appendix C;
	d.	approved that there be a reduction in the Council Tax for 2015/16 for South Somerset District Council, which will result in a Band D charge of £147.75, and further; i. approved that a further £171,000 of New Homes Bonus is utilised in 2015/16 to maintain a balanced budget; ii. noted that the amended budget shortfall in 2016/17 is now estimated to be £1.67 million from £1.49 million;
	e.	approved the additional expenditure for budget pressure bids as shown in Appendix D;
	f.	approved the savings proposals in Appendix E in conjunction with the Equalities Impact Schedule at Appendix G;
	g.	approved the once-off items of expenditure as shown in Appendix F;
	h.	approve the transfer of the NDR surplus (£0.9595 million) to the NDR Volatility Reserve;
	i.	noted the current position and future estimation of reserves and balances as shown in paragraphs 53-56;
	j.	approved the revised Capital Programme as shown in Appendix H;
	k.	approved the new schemes to be included in the Capital Programme as shown in Appendix I;
	l.	noted the scoring of new capital schemes outlined in Appendix K;
	m.	noted the proposed funding of the Capital Programme as shown in paragraph 66.
	n.	noted the detailed Capital Investment appraisal forms for new schemes, as shown at Appendix J.
Reason:	To approve the proposed 2015/16 Revenue Budget, Medium Term Financial Plan (Revenue Budgets for 2015/16 to 2019/20) and the Capital Programme.

(Voting: 33 in favour, 0 against, 7 abstentions)

Supporting documents:

Agenda item

Revenue Budget 2015/16 - Medium Term Financial Plan and Revised Capital Programme

Council and Democracy