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 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 and Police Authority are the recommended provisional amounts pending
their formal approval.
-
The Treasury Management Strategy 2016/19 detailed
elsewhere on the agenda.
- The base budget assumptions as set out in the Medium Term
Financial Outlook as detailed in Annex A to the report.
- That the final decisions with regard to some services will not
be taken until March 2016. As a result, the allocation of resources
set out on pages 65-70 of the report may vary including the use of
reserves. The reports will be presented at the appropriate
time.
- A report on the outcomes of the public consultation is included
elsewhere on the agenda for the Executive’s Budget
Meeting.