Members to give notice of any interest and the nature of that interest relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the adopted Code of Conduct.

No declarations were made by Executive Members.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Transformation and Resources.

The Executive Member for Transformation and Resources submitted a report setting out the approach taken to the budget consultation for 2016/17, providing a summary of the feedback received through the various methods, and setting out a suggested approach to future consultation exercises.

            RESOLVED – That the following be noted:

• The extensive consultation opportunities made available to the public for the budget proposals.
• The methodology and approach used for the consultation process.
• The feedback received from the consultation process
• The next steps to be undertaken.
• The Equality Impact Assessments in relation to the budget proposals and the Public Sector Equality duty.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Finance and Director of Finance, comprising a number of sections (a-e) as follows.

Please note: All these documents are to be published on the Council’s website. With the exception of the Executive’s Response to Scrutiny (Item 4c), they are not being printed in hard copy with this agenda; and Members are asked to refer to the identical reports accompanying the Summons (Item 5) for the Budget Council Meeting on 17/2/16.

Decisions on the five component elements of the Budget report, and recommendations to Council, were made as set out in the following Minutes. In introducing these items, the Leader of the Council led Members in expressing thanks to Ian Duncan, at what would be his last Budget Meeting as the Council’s Director of Finance, for his lengthy service and efforts on the Council’s behalf. It was requested that these thanks, and Members’ welcome to Mr. Duncan’s successor, Ms. N. Bishop, who was also in attendance, be formally placed on record.

The Council received the final government settlement on 8 February 2016 and is assessing what impact this will have on its budget.

It is recommended that Council approve:

• The net Revenue Budget for 2016/17 at £147.320m, a decrease of £(1.594)m, or (1.1)%, when compared to the 2015/16 base budget of £148.914m;
• The calculation of the Council Tax Requirement as summarised in Section 9 of the report and set out in the Formal Council Tax Resolution (Green Sheets to be circulated at Council);
• That the Council Tax level for Trafford related services in 2016/17 be increased by 2% in respect of the social care “precept” (valuation bands are detailed at Annex D to the report);
• No further increase in the general level of council tax over and above the social care precept;
• The Fees and Charges for 2016/17, as set out in the booklet available on the Council’s website:-
• That approval be delegated jointly to each Corporate Director with the Chief Finance Officer to amend fees and charges during 2016/17 in the event of any change in the rate of VAT, as appropriate.
• That the minimum level of General Reserve for 2016/17 be set at £6.0m, the same as in 2015/16 (Section 6 of the report);
• The overall Capital Investment Programme level of £90.7m be approved (as detailed in the Capital Investment Programme 2016/19 report elsewhere on the agenda) of which £43.7m relates to 2016/17.
• The Prudential Borrowing Indicators as set out in Appendix 3, page 14, of the Treasury Management Strategy report elsewhere on the agenda.
• The distribution of Dedicated Schools Grant as recommended by the School Funding Forum and Executive as summarised in Section 7 of the report and detailed in Annex E.

and in approving the above, has taken into consideration :

• The objective assessment by the Director of Finance of the robustness of budget estimates and adequacy of the General Reserve (Section 5 of the report and Annex I).

• The Executive’s response to the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations to the budget proposals, which can be found elsewhere on the agenda for the Executive’s Budget Meeting.

• The detailed report on the outcomes of the Staff and Trade Union Consultation which can be found on the agenda for the Employment Committee on 18 January 2016.

• The Equality Impact Assessments in relation to the budget proposals and the Public Sector Equality duty.

• The comments of the Director of Finance in paras 5.4 to 5.7 of the report regarding Council Tax.

In addition, the Council notes the following :

• The approval on 19 January 2016 under delegated powers by the Director of Finance of the Council Tax Base for 2016/17 at 73,844 Band D equivalents. Along with the calculation of the estimated Council Tax surplus, sufficient to release £(300)k to support the Council’s 2016/17 revenue budget and a distribution of £(41.3)k and £(15.6)k representing the respective shares of the GM Police & Crime Commissioner and GM Fire and Rescue Authority. 
• That the Capital Investment Programme for 2017/18 and 2018/19 is to be set at an indicative £26.9m and £20.1m respectively.
• That the Council Tax figures included in the report for the GM Fire & Rescue  ...  view the full decision text for item 68.

The Executive Member for Finance and Director of Finance submitted a report which set out the Executive’s updated revenue budget proposals for 2016/17, taking account of: movements in Government funding; consultation feedback from stakeholders, staff and Scrutiny and; changes to budget assumptions and estimates. It also set out the approach taken to consultation, the subsequent outcomes and the revised recommendations put forward for Members to consider.

            RESOLVED – That it be recommended that Council approve:

• The net Revenue Budget for 2016/17 at £147.320m, a decrease of £(1.594)m, or (1.1)%, when compared to the 2015/16 base budget of £148.914m;
• The calculation of the Council Tax Requirement as summarised in Section 9 of the report and set out in the Formal Council Tax Resolution (Green Sheets to be circulated at Council);
• That the Council Tax level for Trafford related services in 2016/17 be increased by 2% in respect of the social care “precept” (valuation bands are detailed at Annex D to the report);
• No further increase in the general level of council tax over and above the social care precept;
• The Fees and Charges for 2016/17, as set out in the booklet available on the Council’s website:-
• That approval be delegated jointly to each Corporate Director with the Chief Finance Officer to amend fees and charges during 2016/17 in the event of any change in the rate of VAT, as appropriate.
• That the minimum level of General Reserve for 2016/17 be set at £6.0m, the same as in 2015/16 (Section 6 of the report);
• The overall Capital Investment Programme level of £90.7m be approved (as detailed in the Capital Investment Programme 2016/19 report elsewhere on the agenda) of which £43.7m relates to 2016/17.
• The Prudential Borrowing Indicators as set out in Appendix 3, page 14, of the Treasury Management Strategy report elsewhere on the agenda.
• The distribution of Dedicated Schools Grant as recommended by the School Funding Forum and Executive as summarised in Section 7 of the report and detailed in Annex E.

and in approving the above, has taken into consideration :

• The objective assessment by the Director of Finance of the robustness of budget estimates and adequacy of the General Reserve (Section 5 of the report and Annex I).

• The Executive’s response to the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations to the budget proposals, which can be found elsewhere on the agenda for the Executive’s Budget Meeting.

• The detailed report on the outcomes of the Staff and Trade Union Consultation which can be found on the agenda for the Employment Committee on 18 January 2016.

• The Equality Impact Assessments in relation to the budget proposals and the Public Sector Equality duty.

• The comments of the Director of Finance in paras 5.4 to 5.7 of the report regarding Council Tax.

In addition, the Council notes the following :

• The approval on 19 January 2016 under delegated powers by the Director of Finance of the Council Tax Base for 2016/17 at 73,844 Band D equivalents. Along with the calculation of the estimated Council Tax  ...  view the full minutes text for item 68.

It is recommended to Council that:

·         The Fees and Charges for 2016/17, as set out in the booklet available on the Council’s web site, be approved.

·         Approval be given to Corporate Directors and the Chief Finance Officer with the joint delegation to amend fees and charges during 2016/17 in the event of any change in the rate of VAT, as appropriate.

·         Approval be given to the Corporate Director, Economic Growth, Environment and Infrastructure, and the Chief Finance Officer with joint delegation to amend fees and charges in line with commercial negotiations with Amey under the One Trafford Partnership contract.

The Executive Member for Finance and Director of Finance submitted a report which summarised the salient features of the annual review and pricing of the Council’s main fees and charges, and made reference to the booklet detailing individual fees and charges which can be found on the Council’s website.

            RESOLVED – That it be recommended to Council that:

·         The Fees and Charges for 2016/17, as set out in the booklet available on the Council’s web site, be approved.

·         Approval be given to Corporate Directors and the Chief Finance Officer with the joint delegation to amend fees and charges during 2016/17 in the event of any change in the rate of VAT, as appropriate.

·         Approval be given to the Corporate Director, Economic Growth, Environment and Infrastructure, and the Chief Finance Officer with joint delegation to amend fees and charges in line with commercial negotiations with Amey under the One Trafford Partnership contract.

That the response to Scrutiny be approved and that the Executive welcomes the opportunity to work with Scrutiny during the course of the coming year on their follow up work.

The Executive Member for Finance and Director of Finance submitted a report which responded formally to the recommendations, presented to the Executive’s meeting on 25^th January 2016, of the Scrutiny Committee, in relation to its findings from the review of the Executive’s draft budget proposals for 2016/17.

RESOLVED - That the response to Scrutiny be approved and that the Executive welcomes the opportunity to work with Scrutiny during the course of the coming year on their follow up work.

That the Executive:

1. approves the Capital Programme as detailed in the report.

2. recommends the Council to approve the Capital Programme in the sum of £90.7m for the period 2016/19.

3. recommends the Council to approve the Prudential Indicators as set out at Appendix 3 to the report.

The Executive Member for Finance and Director of Finance submitted a report which requested Members to consider the Council’s investment plans for the next three years taking into account the estimated resources to be made available from Government as well as the Council’s own resources, and the Prudential Indicators which the Council is required to set in accordance with the CIPFA Prudential Code and which are designed to support and record decisions taken on affordability, sustainability and professional good practice.

            RESOLVED - That the Executive:

(1)        approves the Capital Programme as detailed in the report.

(2)        recommends the Council to approve the Capital Programme in the sum of £90.7m for the period 2016/19.

(3)        recommends the Council to approve the Prudential Indicators as set out at Appendix 3 to the report.

That the Executive recommends to Council for approval the:

·           policy on debt strategy for 2016/17 to 2018/19 as set out in section 3 to the report and in the addendum report;

·           investment strategy for 2016/17 to 2018/19 as set out in section 5 to the report and in the addendum report;

·           Prudential Indicators and limits including the Authorised Limit (as required by section 3(1) of the Local Government Act 2003), Operational Boundary, Minimum Revenue Provision Statement and Investment criteria as detailed in Appendix 3 to the report and in the addendum report.

The Executive Member for Finance and Director of Finance submitted a report which outlined the strategy to be followed during this period for investments and borrowing, the outlook for interest rates, management of associated risks, policy to be adopted on Minimum Revenue Provision and Prudential Indicators for 2016/17 – 2018/19. An addendum report was also submitted presenting details of a proposal regarding the timing of the payments of pension contributions to the Greater Manchester Pension Fund, and suggesting an amendment to the proposed debt strategy.

RESOLVED - That the Executive recommends to Council for approval the:

·           policy on debt strategy for 2016/17 to 2018/19 as set out in section 3 to the report and in the addendum report;

·           investment strategy for 2016/17 to 2018/19 as set out in section 5 to the report and in the addendum report;

·           Prudential Indicators and limits including the Authorised Limit (as required by section 3(1) of the Local Government Act 2003), Operational Boundary, Minimum Revenue Provision Statement and Investment criteria as detailed in Appendix 3 to the report and in the addendum report.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Finance and Director of Finance.

That the latest forecast and planned actions be noted and agreed.

The Executive Member for Finance and Director of Finance submitted a report setting out the outcomes of the latest monitoring of the current year’s revenue budget. An opportunity was provided for Members to raise questions on the report’s content.

RESOLVED - That the latest forecast and planned actions be noted and agreed.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Finance and Director of Finance.

1. That the amendments to the 2015/16 Capital Investment Programme be approved.

2. That the monitoring report be noted.

The Executive Member for Finance and Director of Finance submitted a report setting out the key features arising from the latest monitoring of the current year’s capital programme. An opportunity was provided for Members to raise questions on the report’s content.

            RESOLVED -

(1)        That the amendments to the 2015/16 Capital Investment Programme be approved.

(2)        That the monitoring report be noted.