Agenda item

To receive a report from the Executive Director (Finance and Transformation).

Full Council received a report of the Executive Director (Finance and Transformation) setting out the 2024/25 budget proposals for approval specifically Revenue Budgets 2024/25, Capital Programme 2024/25 – 2028/29,  Use of Reserves 2024/25, Fees and Charges for 2024/25, Medium Term Strategy and Governance Framework 2024/25 – 2027/28.

 

It was moved and seconded by Councillors Jones and Councillor Chesterman that the recommendations in the report be approved.

 

Amendment 1

It was moved and seconded by Councillors S Boulton and Kingsbury that the budget proposal recommendations in the report be amended as follows:

 

“The reduction on planning income of £350k in Appendix D seems to be overly pessimistic given the general reduction in inflation, expected interest rate reductions and adoption of a Local Plan which is likely to result in additional planning applications. Additionally planning fees increased in December last year by 35% for major applications and 25% for household applications. Indeed, officers at a recent DMC meeting highlighted that they expected more major planning application to be submitted. 

 

Enforcement can often be a concern of residents when development happens without consent, and when plans are not adhered to. Planning enforcement is often stretched to deal with the complexity and number of enforcements requested. 

 

Therefore, we propose to reduce the assumption of loss of planning income by £112k to fund the recruitment of two full time enforcement officers to increase the speed and number of enforcement cases undertaken and support residents in their valid concerns.”

 

On being put to the vote the meeting voted:

 

RESOLVED

 

(17 FOR, 25 AGAINST)

 

Voting FOR Councillors:

Hellyer, Stanbury, Thomson, Ganney, Michaelides, Bond, Lake, J Boulton, Cragg, Smith, Trigg, Kasumu, Tunstall, J Boulton, McNamara, Thusu and Kingsbury

 

Voting AGAINST Councillors:

Nix, Scott, Watson, Panter, Jones, Marsh, Moore, H Goldwater, Broach, Quinton, Skoczylas, Weston, Thorpe, Crofton, Chesterman, Birleson, Holloway, Siewniak, Shah, Zukowskyj, Grewal, Platt, Bonfante, S Goldwater, Rowse.

 

And the amendment was declared LOST.

 

Amendment 2

 

It was moved and seconded by Councillors S Boulton and Kingsbury that the budget proposal recommendations in the report be amended as follows:

 

“Reduce the planned social rent increase from 7.7% to 5.0%.”

 

On being put to the vote the meeting voted:

 

RESOLVED

(17 FOR, 25 AGAINST)

 

Voting FOR Councillors:

Hellyer, Stanbury, Thomson, Ganney, Michaelides, Bond, Lake, J Boulton, Cragg, Smith, Trigg, Kasumu, Tunstall, J Boulton, McNamara, Thusu and Kingsbury

 

Voting AGAINST Councillors:

Nix, Scott, Watson, Panter, Jones, Marsh, Moore, H Goldwater, Broach, Quinton, Skoczylas, Weston, Thorpe, Crofton, Chesterman, Birleson, Holloway, Siewniak, Shah, Zukowskyj, Grewal, Platt, Bonfante, S Goldwater, Rowse.

 

And the amendment was declared LOST.

 

Councillor H Goldwater left at prior to the vote.

 

Recommendations

 

The recommendations in the report were put to the meeting and it was

 

RESOLVED

 

(24 FOR, 17 AGAINST)

 

Voting FOR Councillors:

Nix, Scott, Watson, Panter, Jones, Marsh, Moore, Broach, Quinton, Skoczylas, Weston, Thorpe, Crofton, Chesterman, Birleson, Holloway, Siewniak, Shah, Zukowskyj, Grewal, Platt, Bonfante, S Goldwater, Rowse.

 

Voting AGAINST Councillors:

Hellyer, Stanbury, Thomson, Ganney, Michaelides, Bond, Lake, J Boulton, Cragg, Smith, Trigg, Kasumu, Tunstall, J Boulton, McNamara, Thusu and Kingsbury

 

 

That Council note the recommendations from Cabinet, and the Statement of the Chief Financial Officer onthe robustness of budgets andadequacy of reserves (appendix N).

 

ThatCouncil alsonote thatthe followingamounts forthe year2024/25 havebeen setin accordance withregulations madeunder Sections31A and31B ofthe LocalGovernment Finance Act 1992:

 

	100% TAXBASE	99.40% TAXBASE
WelwynGarden City	17,944.0	17,836.3
Hatfield	12,547.1	12,471.8
Welwyn	4,792.6	4,763.8
AyotSt Lawrence	68.3	67.9
AyotSt Peter	112.4	111.7
NorthMymms	4,478.1	4,451.2
Essendon	441.4	438.8
Northaw& Cuffley	3,148.6	3,129.7
WoolmerGreen	607.6	604.0
Total	44,140.1	43,875.2

 

That Council approve thefollowing budgetproposals:

 

1.    GeneralFund

 

The proposed General Fund Budget as summarised in Appendix A, and detailed in appendix B.

The inclusion of the savings and growth proposals into the budget as detailed in appendices C and D.

The fees and charges which have been incorporated into the budget proposals, as set out in appendix E, including a summary of recommendations where fees have not increased in line with our fees and charges policy.

 

Theincrease inthe Council’sBand DTax of£6.84 (2.96%),taking theaverage BandD Tax to £237.60 for 2024/25.

 

Thatthe SpecialExpenses Schemeas setout insection 3.5continue into2024/25, and the Special Expenses detailed in Appendix M be approved for inclusion in the Council Tax for 2024/25.

 

2.    HousingRevenue Account(HRA)

 

That dwelling rents are increased by 7.7% in accordance with Government legislation, resulting in an average rent of £132.47 per week.

Tocontinue thepolicy ofcharging formularent when vacantproperties arere-let.

 

TheHousing RevenueAccount budgetas shownin appendixF.

 

The fees and chargeswhich have been incorporated into the budget proposals, as set out in appendix H

The Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) to maintain HRA working balances to a minimum of 5% of rental income.

 

3.    CapitalProgramme

 

TheCapital Programmefor 2024/25to 2028/29as setout inAppendix I.

 

The Capital Financing for the Capital Programme, for 2024/25 to 2028/29 as set out in Appendix J, and note the forecast capital balances in Appendix K.

 

4.    MediumTerm FinancialStrategy

 

The Medium-Term Financial Strategy and FinancialGovernance Framework, including all annexes, policies,delegations andprudential indicatorsfor 2024/25– 2026/27as set out in appendix L