Agenda item

Report of Head of Finance

Summary

The Council has to adopt a budget for 2011/12 as the basis for calculating its level of Council Tax and has to base that budget on its plans for service delivery during the year, recognising any changes in service demand that may arise in future years.  This is the first of three opportunities that the Executive has to shape and refine the interaction between the Corporate Plan, the service plans that underpin the corporate plan and financial matters before the final budget is presented to the Council on the 21st February 2011.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)               To endorse the draft Corporate Plan for 2011-12 (detailed in Appendix 2);

(2)               To endorse the proposed service priorities for 2011-12 (detailed in Appendix 3);

(3)               To consider the draft budget (detailed in Appendix 1) in the context of the Council’s service objectives and strategic priorities;

(4)               To note the areas of unavoidable revenue growth as detailed in the body of this report detailed in Appendix 1 – para 1.23;

(5)               To note the areas of additional income or cost reductions that will be considered in order to get to a balanced 2011/12 budget detailed in Appendix 1 – para 1.26 / 1.27;

(6)               To note the proposal on Council Tax for 2011-12 detailed in (para 2.10)

(7)               To note the outcome of the pay negotiations on 2011/12 pay deal (para 2.20);

(8)               To ask officers to prepare a response to the New Homes Consultation and a report detailing the implications;

(9)               To ask officers to give consideration to the impact of the recent planning fees consultation and the implications on income generation

(10)          To agree the approach to the overall capital programme and 2011/12 expenditure profile (detailed in Appendix 4);

(11)          To note the recommendations of the scrutiny reviews of training, fees and charges and capital programme that were considered at the Resources and Performance  Scrutiny Board on 30th November 2010 and approve which should be included in the second draft of the budget: (detailed in Appendix 5 – to follow);

(12)          To advise of any other matters they would like taken into consideration in producing a balanced budget for the meeting of the Executive on 10 January 2011;

(13)          To endorse the draft revenue and capital budget and corporate plan as the basis for consultation.

Approved, including all recommendations from resources and Performance Scrutiny Board as set out in Appendix 5.

The Head of Finance submitted a report, providing the first of three opportunities for the Executive to shape and refine the interaction between the Corporate Plan, the service plans that underpin the corporate plan and financial matters before the final budget is presented to Council on the 21 February 2011.

Resolved

(1)               That the draft Corporate Plan for 2011-12 (annex to these minutes as set out in the minute book) be endorsed.

(2)               That the proposed service priorities for 2011-12 (annex to these minutes as set out in the minute book) be endorsed.

(3)               That the draft budget be noted in the context of the Council’s service objectives and strategic priorities.

(4)               That the areas of unavoidable revenue growth (annex to these minutes as set out in the minute book) be noted.

(5)               That the areas of additional income or cost reductions that will be considered in order to get to a balanced 2011/12 budget (annex to these minutes as set out in the minute book) be noted.

(6)               That the proposal on Council Tax for 2011-12 be noted.

(7)               That the outcome of the pay negotiations on 2011/12 pay deal be noted.

(8)               That officers be requested to prepare a response to the New Homes Consultation and a report detailing the implications.

(9)               That officers be requested to give consideration to the impact of the recent planning fees consultation and the implications on income generation.

(10)          That the approach to the overall capital programme and 2011/12 expenditure profile (annex to these minutes as set out in the minute book) be agreed.

(11)          That it be noted that the recommendations of the scrutiny reviews of training, fees and charges and capital programme that were considered at the Resources and Performance  Scrutiny Board on 30th November 2010 and all the recommendations (annex to these minutes as set out in the minute book) be approved.

(12)          That at this stage no other matters be taken into consideration in producing a balanced budget for the meeting of the Executive on 10 January 2011.

(13)          That the draft revenue and capital budget and corporate plan be approved as the basis for consultation.

Reasons

The budget will form the financial expression of the Council’s strategic priorities and service delivery plans for 2011/12; the allocation of resources against agreed service priorities and is necessary in order to achieve its strategic priorities.

Options