Agenda item

The Committee considered the Business Planning report and the Addendum report on Council Tax for Care Leavers.

 

The Committee requested that ahead of the budget full council meeting officers check the figures contained in the main report, Appendix G – Fees and Charges, particularly from line S72 onwards, to ensure that the figures are accurate.

 

On recommendations 1-31 in the main report being put to the vote the votes were declared as follows:

 

For	7
Against	0
Abstain	5
Absent	0

 

On the recommendation in the Addendum report on Council Tax for Care Leavers being put to the vote, it was unanimously agreed.

 

RESOLVED –

 

1.    Consider the issues that have emerged from the consultation when making their decisions. The committee make the decisions below also being mindful of the equalities impact assessments including the cumulative equalities impact assessments;

 

2.    Recommend to Council for approval the MTFS attached as Appendix A and the detailed revenue budgets in Appendices C1 and C2. The MTFS sets out all of the budget changes over the period 2017-20, including assumptions around inflation, changes to levies, pressures, savings and grant funding. It is the model around which the council’s financial strategy is based;

 

3.    Recommend to Council that the budget for 2018/19 is prepared on the basis of no increase to general council tax in 2018/19, other than for the increase set out below on recommendation 4;

 

4.    Recommend to Council the applying of a social care precept at 3% in 2018/19 – to help fund care for vulnerable adults and the elderly;

 

5.    Recommend to Council the resolutions relating to Council Tax contained within Appendix B – Council Tax Resolutions;

 

6.    Recommend to Council, on the advice of the Chief Finance Officer, that it determines that the council’s basic amount of Council Tax for 2018/19 as set out in Council Tax resolution (Appendix B) 2(iv) is not excessive in accordance with the principles approved under section 52ZB and 52ZC of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, set out in the Referendums relating to Council Tax increases (Principles)(England) Report 2018/19. Subject to any change to the Report (at the time of publication this report was draft);

 

7.    Recommend to Council for approval the Barnet Council Tax Support Scheme, adopted in January 2015, remain unchanged except for uprating in line with Department for Work and Pension changes for housing benefit (see 1.7.12 below);

 

8.    Notes that the working age non-dependent (ND) charges be uprated as set out in paragraph 1.7.13;

 

9.    Recommend to Council that in accordance with Section 38(2) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 the Chief Executive be instructed to place a notice in the local press of the amounts set under recommendation 5 above within a period of 21 days following the Council’s decision;

 

10.Recommend to Council for approval the capital programme as set out in Appendix E1 and E2, and that the Chief Officers be authorised to take all necessary actions for implementation;

 

11.Approve the addition to the capital programme in relation to the Barnet Trees Policy (as per paragraph 1.8.16);

 

12.Approve the addition to the capital programme in relation to the Gaelic Playing pitch relocation (as per paragraph 1.8.20);

 

13.Approve the addition to the capital programme in relation to the Tranche 3 Affordable Homes Programme (as per paragraph 1.8.25);

 

14.Approve the addition to the capital programme in relation to the Housing Acquisition Programme (as per paragraph 1.8.29);

 

15.Approve the use of institutional investment funds of up to £50m to support the Housing Acquisition Programme (as per paragraph 1.8.29);

 

16.Approves the changes to the existing Capital Programme as set out in section 1.8 and appendix D;

 

17.Recommend to Council that the Chief Finance Officer be authorised to adjust capital project budgets and financing in 2018/19 throughout the capital programme after the 2017/18 accounts are closed and the amount of slippage and budget carry forward required are known;

 

18.Recommend to Council the approval of the Treasury Management Strategy for 2018/19 as set out in Appendix J;

 

19.Recommend to Council the approval of the following in relation to the Housing Revenue Account:

 

                                     I.        The proposed rent decrease by 1% for council dwellings as set out in paragraph 1.10.3 to take effect from 1 April 2018;

                                    II.        The proposed increase to service charges for council dwellings as set out in paragraph 1.10.9 to take effect from 1 April 2018; and,

                                  III.        The proposed rent increase of 3.1% for council garages as set out in paragraph 1.10.9 to take effect from 1 April 2018.

 

20.Recommend to Council the approval of the draft Schools Budget of £327.313m as per paragraph 1.6.8;

 

21.Note the draft Post-16 budget of £5.417m as per paragraph 1.6.8;

 

22.Recommend to Council that any changes to the Schools Budget reasonably required as a result of the final 2018/19 DSG and Post-16 settlement are delegated for decision to the Strategic Director - Children & Young People in consultation with the Director of Finance;

 

23.Note the Adults, Children’s and Environment fees and charges that were approved at their relevant Theme Committee as detailed in Appendix G;

 

24.Note the summary equality impact assessment (EIA) and cumulative assessment set out in section 5.6. Appendix I provides the cumulative impact and individual Delivery Unit assessments where significant changes to service delivery are proposed;

 

25.Recommend to Council approval of the reserves and balances policy as set out in Appendix K and indicative amounts as set out in para 1.12 and the Chief Finance Officer’s assessment of adequacy of reserves in section 1.12. The Committee recommend to Council that the CFO authorised to adjust balances in 2018/19 after 2017/18 accounts are closed and the amount of balances carry forward required are known;

 

26.Approve the changes to the underlying financial strategy of the Council as set out in paragraph 1.4.20;

 

27.Approve budget movements as set out in paragraph 1.15;

 

28.Recommend to Council to approve the write offs as detailed in paragraph 1.16;

 

29.Note the corporate risk register and recommend it to Council as set out in Appendix M;

 

30.Recommend to Council for approval the Corporate Plan – 2018/19 addendum attached as Appendix N; and

 

31.Approve the establishment of a Collection Fund Smoothing Reserve as set out in paragraph 1.12.10.

 

32.That the Policy & Resources Committee authorises the Deputy Chief Executive to consult on a policy for offering council tax relief to care leavers up to age 25 on the basis of automatic relief for their first two years of independent living, and a presumption in favour of granting relief should it be requested by a social worker thereafter; and instructs the Deputy Chief Executive to bring the policy to a future meeting of the committee for approval.