Agenda item

Revenue Budget 2016/17 - Medium Term Financial Plan and Capital Programme

Decision:

 

RESOLVED:

That the District Executive recommended to Council:

 

a.

approval of the overall Revenue Budget for 2016/17 of £17,291,300 and the Revenue Account Summary as shown at Appendix A and note future year projections outlined in paragraph 44;

 

b.

approval of the detailed budgets for the District Executive and four Area Committees as shown at Appendix B;

 

c.

approve the increase of 1.95% (£2.88 per annum) in the Council Tax for 2016/17 for South Somerset District Council, which will result in a Band D charge of £150.63;

 

d.

approve a further increase of 1.25% (£1.85 per annum) to cover the precept for the Somerset Rivers Authority, producing an overall increase of 3.2% (£4.73 per annum) in the Council Tax for 2016/17 for South Somerset District Council, which will result in an overall Band D charge of £152.48;

 

e.

approve a further increase of 1.25% (£1.85 per annum) to cover the precept for the Somerset Rivers Authority, producing an overall increase of 3.2% (£4.73 per annum) in the Council Tax for 2016/17 for South Somerset District Council, which will result in an overall Band D charge of £152.48;

 

f.

approval of the savings proposals in Appendix D in conjunction with the Equalities Impact Schedule at Appendix F;

 

g.

approve the once-off items of expenditure as shown in Appendix E;

 

h.

note the current position and future estimation of reserves and balances as shown in paragraphs 69-72;

 

i.

approval of the revised Capital Programme as shown in Appendix H;

 

j.

approval of the new schemes to be included in the Capital Programme as shown in Appendix I;

 

k.

note the scoring of new capital schemes outlined in Appendix K;

 

l.

note the proposed funding of the Capital Programme as shown in paragraph 83;

 

m.

note the detailed Capital Investment appraisal forms for new schemes, as shown at Appendix J;

 

n.

approve the setting aside of £2.5 million from capital reserves for transformation costs to be delegated to District Executive;

 

o.

approval in principle the use of new capital receipts to fund revenue costs pending a detailed report to District Executive.

Reason:

To seek approval for the proposed 2016/17 Revenue Budget, Medium Term Financial Plan (Revenue Budgets for 2016/17 to 2020/21) and the Capital Programme that will be recommended to Full Council. 

 

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Legal Services introduced the report and noted that the overall budget had reduced by 28% in real time cash savings compared to the 2008/09 budget, with no reduction in front line services.  He also drew Members attention to the proposed 1.95% increase in Council Tax and the 1.25% for the Somerset Rivers Authority.

The Assistant Director (Finance and Corporate Services) advised that the impact of recent business rate appeals was affecting the Council’s reserves, however there were still sufficient balances to meet risks. 

In response to questions from the Scrutiny Committee, it was confirmed that:-

·         The Rural Service Delivery Grant was £32,000 in the current financial year and was expected to be £41,000 in the next financial year.

·         Optimising future Council income would form a central part of the new Council Plan which would be finalised following the decision to join with Sedgemoor DC.

·         The risk of business rate appeals coming forward from NHS Trusts was significant.

·         Further information on the money allocated to the transformation project would be presented at the next District Executive meeting on 3rd March 2016.

In response to questions from Members, the Assistant Director (Finance and Corporate Services) and Chairman confirmed that:-

·         The £2.5 million set aside for transformation would be funded from capital reserves.

·         Although the Motion at Council to investigate a free period of up to two hours free parking in SSDC car parks was not taken forward in the budget, the automatic number plate recognition system due to be introduced would allow more intelligent parking systems in the future.

·         There was no restriction to a list of preferred contractors on large SSDC procurement contracts. 

  • SSDC was signed up to the Prompt Payment Code to pay suppliers on time.

At the conclusion of the debate, the Assistant Director (Finance and Corporate Services) agreed to provide a briefing note on the Council’s Procurement Policy and to provide statistics on the Council’s prompt payments to contractors.

RESOLVED:

That the District Executive recommended to Council:

 

a.

approval of the overall Revenue Budget for 2016/17 of £17,291,300 and the Revenue Account Summary as shown at Appendix A and note future year projections outlined in paragraph 44;

 

b.

approval of the detailed budgets for the District Executive and four Area Committees as shown at Appendix B;

 

c.

approve the increase of 1.95% (£2.88 per annum) in the Council Tax for 2016/17 for South Somerset District Council, which will result in a Band D charge of £150.63;

 

d.

approve a further increase of 1.25% (£1.85 per annum) to cover the precept for the Somerset Rivers Authority, producing an overall increase of 3.2% (£4.73 per annum) in the Council Tax for 2016/17 for South Somerset District Council, which will result in an overall Band D charge of £152.48;

 

e.

approve a further increase of 1.25% (£1.85 per annum) to cover the precept for the Somerset Rivers Authority, producing an overall increase of 3.2% (£4.73 per annum) in the Council Tax for 2016/17 for South Somerset District Council, which will result in an overall Band D charge of £152.48;

 

f.

approval of the savings proposals in Appendix D in conjunction with the Equalities Impact Schedule at Appendix F;

 

g.

approve the once-off items of expenditure as shown in Appendix E;

 

h.

note the current position and future estimation of reserves and balances as shown in paragraphs 69-72;

 

i.

approval of the revised Capital Programme as shown in Appendix H;

 

j.

approval of the new schemes to be included in the Capital Programme as shown in Appendix I;

 

k.

note the scoring of new capital schemes outlined in Appendix K;

 

l.

note the proposed funding of the Capital Programme as shown in paragraph 83;

 

m.

note the detailed Capital Investment appraisal forms for new schemes, as shown at Appendix J;

 

n.

approve the setting aside of £2.5 million from capital reserves for transformation costs to be delegated to District Executive;

 

o.

approval in principle the use of new capital receipts to fund revenue costs pending a detailed report to District Executive.

Reason:

To seek approval for the proposed 2016/17 Revenue Budget, Medium Term Financial Plan (Revenue Budgets for 2016/17 to 2020/21) and the Capital Programme that will be recommended to Full Council. 

 

Supporting documents: