Agenda item

To resolve recommendations in respect of:

·         Capital Programme 2018/19 - 2020/21

·         Revenue Budget 2018/19 (including Fees and Charges)

·         Council Tax 2018/19

 

The supporting information has been circulated separately to this agenda and is available with the agenda at http://democratic.bracknell-forest.gov.uk

The Council considered the report by the Borough Treasurer which set out the financial plans and revenue budgets for the financial year 2018/19 and the supporting information which presented the Council’s spending plans for 2018/19 and detailed

budgets for the General Fund and Capital Programme.

 

Councillors Dr Barnard, Mrs McKenzie-Boyle and Virgo had declared an affected interest in this item but this did not preclude them from taking part in the discussion or the vote.

 

Councillor Heydon gave a comprehensive presentation placing a particular focus on:

 

• He thanked the Chief Executive, the Treasurer, the Director of Resources and their senior teams for all their efforts and support.
• 2018/19 would be the third year of the Government’s four year settlement with no further funding changes in the Provisional Finance Settlement issued on 19 December 2017. 
• Bracknell Forest had experienced £4m of increasing cost pressures from adult and children’s social care areas over the previous 12 months. Councils with social care responsibilities had been given additional flexibility to raise council tax by an additional 1% to help fund these additional costs. 
• The Council had received confirmation that the joint bid to form a business rates pool as a pilot area had been approved and as a result at least £35m of additional funding would come into Berkshire next year, of which £25m was for major transport infrastructure investment, to be managed by the Local Enterprise Partnership. The remainder would be retained by the individual local authorities in proportion to the increase they had achieved in business rates income since the current 50% rates retention system was introduced in 2013. Although Bracknell Forest would be the biggest beneficiary in Berkshire he reported that it was not proposed to use the additional money to help balance the 2018/19 budget as this was a one-off benefit but would be helpful to manage the budget position in future years.
• The initial budget plans for 2018/19 were approved by the Executive for consultation on 19 December 2017 but unfortunately there had not been many responses.  He thanked those who have taken the time to do so including Councillor Mrs Temperton on behalf of Labour. 
• In developing the final budget proposals the Council considered:
  • there were increased cost pressures in children’s social care, balanced by reductions in the cost of adult social care; 
  • inflationary pressures were much higher than originally planned for, a result of unexpectedly high cost indices; and
  • a request from the Trustees of South Hill Park to delay the reduction of its grant by a further £100k in order to allow more time for their income generating proposals to be implemented. South Hill Park was recognised as a highly valued facility but the Council looked forward it becoming more self sufficient.
• The capital budget proposals for 2018/19 were relatively modest. The Council would continue to maintain its existing facilities to ensure that they remain fit for purpose and make enhancements to College Town and Wooden Hill schools, as well as the complete projects such as Binfield Learning Village and the demolition of Easthampstead House.
• Two key new schemes which were commencing in 2018/19 were the upgrade to the A322 on Downshire Way removing the only remaining single carriageway part of the M3 / M4 link and the Heathlands development which would provide much needed care home beds to meet local needs and help manage market prices.
• The Council’s final budget plans include unavoidable £6m cost pressures mainly in children’s and adult services plus previous commitments of over £1m. Together with grant reductions of £3.5m and the impact of inflation, mean that the Council has had to find £15m of savings or additional income to achieve a balanced position.
• The Council had previously achieved over £80m of savings and a further £3m of small scale efficiency savings had been proposed for 2018/19 by reviewing every cost line in the budget. 
• The Transformation Programme introduced 18 months ago was contributing £6.5m of savings in 2018-19. 
• The Council was going to use £2.5m of balances to fund services and maintain reserves slightly above the minimum prudent level. 
• It was proposed to increase council tax by 3% specifically to fund adult social care costs and by a further 2.99% for rising costs in general and in support for vulnerable children in particular. Overall the increase equated to £1.38 extra per week for a Band D council tax payer and would raise £3.2m. 
• He stated that none of the Council’s facilities would close and no vulnerable person would be unsupported as a result of the budget.

• Bracknell Forest would continue to be amongst the lowest of any unitary area in England. 

• Members had been provided with updated detailed papers showing the individual council tax figures including other preceptors had been revised to include a minor amendment to roundings (by 1 pence) for the Berkshire Fire Authority’s element of the council tax for some bands however this had no impact on the recommendations. 

 

On the proposition of Councillor Heydon, Executive Member for Transformation and

Finance, seconded by Councillor Bettison OBE the recommendations as set out on the tabled papers were moved.

 

As required by legislation a recorded vote was taken on the substantive motion and the voting was as follows:

 

FOR (36) Councillors Allen, Mrs Angell, Angell, Dr Barnard, Bettison OBE, D Birch, Mrs Birch, G Birch, Brossard, Brunel-Walker, Finch, Ms Gaw, Harrison, Mrs Hayes MBE, Heydon, Dr Hill, Mrs Ingham, Kennedy, Leake, Mrs Mattick, McCracken, Mrs McCracken, Mrs McKenzie, Mrs McKenzie-Boyle, McLean, Ms Merry, Ms Miller, Peacey, Phillips, Porter, Skinner, Tullett, Turrell, Virgo, Wade and Worrall

 

AGAINST (1) Councillor Mrs Temperton

 

It was therefore RESOLVED that:

 

1              Capital Programme 2018/19 - 2020/21

 

i)              General Fund capital funding of £58.221m for 2018/19 in respect of those schemes listed on pages 181 to 185 of the summary report for Council, including £30m previouslyapproved by Council on 29 November 2017 for commercial property investments to be made available in the current financial year, be approved;

ii)             The inclusion of an additional budget of £1m for ‘Invest to Save’ schemes be approved;

iii)            The inclusion of £3.480m of expenditure to be funded from S106 be approved, as outlined in the summary report for Council (page 179) and included on pages 181 to 185 of the summary report for Council;

iv)           those schemes that attract external grant funding be approved for inclusion within the 2018/19 capital programme at the level of funding received;

 

2          Revenue Budget 2018/19

 

i)              The budget proposals set out in Table 1 (page 4) of the summary report for Council, subject to the changes identified in sections 3.2(page 5), 3.3 (pages 6 and 7), 3.5 (pages 8 and 9),3.6 (page 9), 3.9 (pages 10 to 11), 7.2 (page 20) and 7.4 (page 20) of the report, be agreed;

ii)             Fees and charges as set out in Annexe G of the summary report for Council (pages 83 to 165) be approved;

iii)            A provision for inflation of £2.422m be approved;

iv)           The commitment budget as set out in Annexe A of the summary report for Council be approved (pages 23 to 24);

v)         The Schools Budget be funded at the level set out in section 4.1 (page 12) of the summary report for Council, subject to any amendments agreed by the Executive Member for Children, Young People and Learning;

vi)        A contingency of £2.500m be approved to be included, use of which is authorised by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Borough Treasurer in accordance with the delegations included in the Council’s constitution;

vii)        Subject to the above recommendations the revised draft budget proposals be agreed;

viii)       A contribution of £2.515m (after allowing for additional interest from the use of balances of £0.031m) be approved from revenue balances to support revenue expenditure;

ix)        Total net expenditure (after use of balances) of £81.140m, be approved;

x)         The Council’s Council Tax requirement, excluding Parish Council precepts, be set at £57.345m;

xi)        The Council Tax for the Council’s services for each Valuation Band be set as follows:

 

Band	Tax Level Relative to Band D	£
A	6/9	843.96
B	7/9	984.62
C	8/9	1,125.28
D	9/9	1,265.94
E	11/9	1,547.26
F	13/9	1,828.58
G	15/9	2,109.90
H	18/9	2,531.88

 

xii)       The Council approved the following indicators, limits, strategies and policies included in Annexe E of the summary report for Council (pages 55 to 74):

·         The Prudential Indicators and Limits for 2018/19 to 2020/21 contained within Annexe E(i);

·         The Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Policy contained within Annexe E(ii);

·         The Treasury Management Strategy Statement, and the Treasury Prudential Indicators contained in Annexe E(iii);

·         The Authorised Limit Prudential Indicator in Annexe E(iii);

·         The Investment Strategy 2018/19 to 2020/21 and Treasury Management Limits on Activity contained in Annexe E(iv);

 

xiii)      The formal Council Tax Resolution contained in section 3 be approved.

 

3          COUNCIL TAX RESOLUTION

 

3.1       that the recommendations of the Executive outlined in sections 2.1 and 2.2 be agreed.

 

3.2       that it be noted that the amounts calculated for the year 2018/19 in accordance with Section 67 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 are :-

 

(a)        45,298 TAX BASE FOR THE WHOLE COUNCIL AREA

 

being the amount calculated by the Council, in accordance with regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992, as amended, as its council tax base for the year

 

(b)       TAX BASE FOR PART OF THE COUNCIL’S AREA

 

            EACH PARISH AREA

Binfield	3,855
Bracknell	19,209
Crowthorne	2,764
Sandhurst	7,854
Warfield	4,801
Winkfield	6,815

 

being the amounts calculated by the Council, in accordance with regulation 6 of the Regulations, as amended, as the amounts of its council tax base for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which one or more special items relate

 

3.3       That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2018/19 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government and Finance Act 1992 as amended (the Act), noting that Bracknell Town Council’s (BTC) precept is subject to confirmation by BTC on 27 February:

(a)

£294,955,070

TOTAL EXPENDITURE INCLUDING GENERAL FUND, PARISH PRECEPTS AND THE COUNCIL’S SHARE OF ANY DEFICIT ON THE COLLECTION FUND

           

being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) of the Act

 

(b)

£234,355,267

TOTAL INCOME INCLUDING GOVERNMENT SUPPORT AND THE COUNCIL’S SHARE OF ANY SURPLUS ON THE COLLECTION FUND

           

being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) of the Act

 

(c)

£60,599,803

BOROUGH AND PARISH PRECEPTS NET EXPENDITURE TO BE FINANCED FROM COUNCIL TAX

           

being the amount by which the aggregate at 3.3(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 3.3(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act, as its council tax requirement for the year

 

(d)

£1,337.80

AVERAGE BAND "D" COUNCIL TAX FOR WHOLE BOROUGH

           

being the amount at 3.3(c) above, divided by the amount at 3.2(a) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its council tax for the year (including Parish precepts)

 

(e)

£3,255,253

PARISH PRECEPTS

           

being the aggregate amount of all special items referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act

 

(f)

£1,265.94

BOROUGH COUNCIL TAX FOR BAND "D" PROPERTIES

 

being the amount at 3.3(d) above less the result given by dividing the amount at 3.3(e) above by the amount at 3.2(a) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(2) of the Act, as the basic amount of its council tax for the year if there were an area of the Borough to which no special item relates

           

(g)	Part of the Council’s area	BOROUGH AND PARISH COUNCIL TAX FOR EACH PARISH FOR BAND “D”
		Binfield	£1,314.67
		Bracknell	£1,349.60
		Crowthorne	£1,341.01
		Sandhurst	£1,339.23
		Warfield	£1,303.34
		Winkfield	£1,338.97

 

being the amounts given by adding to the amount at 3.3(f) above the amounts of the special item or items relating to dwellings in those parts of the Council's area mentioned above divided in each case by the amount at 3.2(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(3) of the Act, as the basic amounts of its council tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which one or more special items relate

 

(h)	Part of the Council's area			BOROUGH AND PARISH COUNCIL TAX IN EACH PARISH FOR EACH VALUATION BAND
Parish	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Binfield	876.45	1,022.52	1,168.60	1,314.67	1,606.82	1,898.97	2,191.12	2,629.34
Bracknell	899.73	1,049.69	1,199.64	1,349.60	1,649.51	1,949.42	2,249.33	2,699.20
Crowthorne	894.01	1,043.01	1,192.01	1,341.01	1,639.01	1,937.01	2,235.02	2,682.02
Sandhurst	892.82	1,041.62	1,190.43	1,339.23	1,636.84	1,934.44	2,232.05	2,678.46
Warfield	868.89	1,013.71	1,158.52	1,303.34	1,592.97	1,882.60	2,172.23	2,606.68
Winkfield	892.65	1,041.42	1,190.20	1,338.97	1,636.52	1,934.07	2,231.62	2,677.94

being the amounts given by multiplying the amounts at 3.3(g) above by the number which, in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the number which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation band D, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different valuation bands

 

3.4       That it be noted that for the year 2018/19 the Police and Crime Panel have stated the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council regarding the Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley, in accordance with Section 40 of the Act, for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:-

 

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley	121.52	141.77	162.03	182.28	222.79	263.29	303.80	364.56

 

 

3.5       That it be noted that for the year 2018/19 the Royal Berkshire Fire Authority have stated the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council, subject to confirmation by the Fire Authority on 27 February, in accordance with Section 40 of the Act, for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:-

      

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Royal Berkshire Fire Authority	42.90	50.05	57.21	64.36	78.66	92.96	107.26	128.72

 

3.6       That, having calculated the aggregate in each case of the amounts at 3.3(h), 3.4 and 3.5 above, the council, in accordance with section 30(2) of the act, hereby sets the following amounts as the amounts of council tax for the year 2018/19 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:-

 

(a)

Part of the Council's area

TOTAL COUNCIL TAX FOR EACH VALUATION BAND

 

Parish	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Binfield	1,040.87	1,214.34	1,387.84	1,561.31	1,908.27	2,255.22	2,602.18	3,122.62
Bracknell	1,064.15	1,241.51	1,418.88	1,596.24	1,950.96	2,305.67	2,660.39	3,192.48
Crowthorne	1,058.43	1,234.83	1,411.25	1,587.65	1,940.46	2,293.26	2,646.08	3,175.30
Sandhurst	1,057.24	1,233.44	1,409.67	1,585.87	1,938.29	2,290.69	2,643.11	3,171.74
Warfield	1,033.31	1,205.53	1,377.76	1,549.98	1,894.42	2,238.85	2,583.29	3,099.96
Winkfield	1,057.07	1,233.24	1,409.44	1,585.61	1,937.97	2,290.32	2,642.68	3,171.22