Issue - meetings

The Executive presented its budget recommendations as set out in the Council agenda and information pack.

Matter for Decision

To recommend a budget for consideration by the Executive with any amendments.

Decision of the Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources

General Fund Revenue Budgets: [Section 5, page 28 of the Officer’s report refers]

The Executive Councillor resolved to:

a) Agree any recommendations for submission to the Executive in respect of:

·        Revenue Pressures shown in Appendix C of the Officer’s report (a) and Savings shown in Appendix C of the Officer’s report (b).

·        Bids to be funded from External or Earmarked Funds as shown in Appendix C of the Officer’s report (c).

·        Non-Cash Limit items as shown in Appendix C of the Officer’s report (d).

b) Recommend to Council formally confirming delegation to the Chief Financial Officer (Head of Finance) of the calculation and determination of the Council Tax taxbase (including submission of the National Non-Domestic Rates Forecast Form, NNDR1, for each financial year) which will be set out in Appendix B of the Officer’s report (a).

c) Recommend to Council the level of Council Tax for 2017/18 as set out in Section 4 of the Officer’s report [page 25 refers].

Note that the Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Panel will meet on 1 February 2017 to consider the precept proposed by the Police and Crime Commissioner, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Fire Authority will meet on 9 February 2017 and Cambridgeshire County Council will meet on 14 February 2017 to consider the amounts in precepts to be issued to the City Council for the year 2017/18.

Other Revenue:

d) Recommend to Council delegation to the Head of Finance authority to finalise changes relating to any corporate and/or departmental restructuring and any reallocation of support service and central costs, in accordance with the CIPFA Service Reporting Code of Practice for Local Authorities (SeRCOP).

e) Recommend to Council delegation to the Head of Finance, as Section 151 Officer, to make the necessary detailed budgetary adjustments in the GF, to reflect the impact of the triennial valuation of the Cambridgeshire Local Government Pension Scheme.

f) Recommend to Council approval of a temporary earmarked fund to be set up to accumulate surplus NHB contributions to meet the requirement for funding of projects to mitigate the impacts in Cambridge of the A14 upgrade – the “A14 Mitigation Fund” [page 25 of the Officer’s report refers].

Capital: [Section 7, page 33 of the Officer’s report refers]

Capital Plan:

g) Recommend to Council the proposals outlined in Appendix E of the Officer’s report (a) for inclusion in the Capital Plan, or put on the Projects Under Development List, including any additional use of revenue resources required.

h) Recommend to Council the revised Capital Plan for the General Fund as set out in Appendix E of the Officer’s report (d), the Funding as set out in Section 7, page 36 of the Officer’s report and note the Projects Under Development list set out in Appendix E of the Officer’s report (e).

General Fund Reserves:

i) Noted the impact of revenue and capital budget approvals and approve the resulting level of reserves to be used to support the budget proposals as set out in the table [Section 8, page 38 of the Officer’s report refers].

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Head of Finance.  The committee was advised that an amendment would be presented to the Executive on 26 January covering an update on New Homes Bonus (pgs 244-245), information on the receipt of a homelessness grant of £390k for outreach work and the s25 report from the s151 Officer.

It was noted that Cllrs Bick and Cantrill would ask questions at the Executive on 26 January

The Committee resolved by 3 votes to 0 to endorse the recommendation.

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.