Agenda item

To resolve recommendations in respect of:

• Capital Programme 2020/21 – 2022/23
• Revenue Budget 2020/21
• Council Tax 2020/21

 

The supporting information has been circulated as a separate document and is available with this agenda on the Council website.

The Council considered the report by the Borough Treasurer which set out the financial plans and revenue budgets for the financial year 2020/21 and the supporting information which presented the Council’s spending plans for 2020/21 and detailed budgets for the General Fund and Capital Programme.

 

Councillor Heydon gave a comprehensive budget speech placing particular focus on the following matters:

•                  He observed that Climate Change had become a global and local topic and although the Council had decided not to declare an emergency it had agreed to identify a range of actions that would meet the target of eradicating the Council’s contribution to climate change by 2050. He stated that significant actions had already been taken such as replacing old street lighting, introducing new food waste collection arrangements and further detailed proposals would be brought forward in the months ahead.

•                  He reported that the Council had faced its most challenging 12 months since the Council became a unitary authority in 1998. 

•                  He stated that authorities in all parts of the country were facing significant and complex pressures in social care services, both children’s and adults.  The Council’s focus had been on investing in the right services to reach the vulnerable at the right time. In the past year the Council had seen the costs of providing social care services to vulnerable children and adults increase to £6m above the budgeted levels due the rising number of people requiring support and the high costs of providing complex care services to meet individual needs. 

•                  He stated that the Council was facing £8m of pressures. There was £7m pressure for social care services alone which was significantly higher than the additional grant funding for Social Care announced in the September Spending Review. £1m of pressures were from other service areas.

•                  He explained the Council had pared back capital spending proposals with only the highest priority schemes being included such as vehicles to deliver the new food waste service, improvements to Sandy Lane and Harmans Water schools as well as maintenance works across our property estate. The Council would continue to make full use of the external funding received for Highways schemes for example. 

•                  He reflected that it was becoming increasingly difficult to identify savings that have little or no impact on service users. Savings of almost £5m had been sought to help balance the budget and the Council would work closely with the small number of service users potentially affected by the proposals, to ensure any impact on them was minimised.

•                  The budget consultation had received 19 responses and though higher than previous years was still disappointing. Councillor Heydon thanked those that had, including colleagues in the Labour and Liberal Democrat parties, and the Overview and Scrutiny Commission.

•                  He explained that the local government finance settlement had included one further year of the New Homes Bonus grant which was an incentive for housing growth in 2020/21. As a consequence, the Council would receive an additional £1m of grant above what was expected. 

•                  Bracknell Forest Schools were set to receive almost £5m of additional mainstream funding plus £1.5m for high needs pupils. Set against the increased costs being faced this would mean a deficit budget for schools in 2020/21.

•                  Council Tax increase of 3.99% was proposed at the maximum permitted level. This would equate to an additional £1 per week for an average Band D property, and would raise an additional £2.4m. Bracknell Forest residents would continue to have one of the lowest tax levels of any unitary authority in the country. 

•                  In conclusion even with an increase to Council Tax, savings of £5m and the additional one-off Government grant, the Council would still need to use £0.4m from the Council’s reserves to balance the budget and maintain services. 

 

On the proposition of Councillor Heydon, Executive Member for Transformation and Finance, seconded by Councillor Bettison OBE the recommendation as set out in the agenda was moved.

 

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

 

FOR (33): Councillors Allen, Angell, Atkinson, Dr Barnard, Bettison OBE, D Birch, Mrs Birch, Brossard, Brunel-Walker, Finch, Ms Gaw, Gbadebo, Mrs Gibson, M J Gibson, Green, Mrs Hamilton, Harrison, Mrs Hayes MBE, Ms Hayes, Heydon, Mrs Ingham, Kirke, Leake, Mrs Mattick, Mrs McKenzie, Mrs McKenzie-Boyle, McLean, Ms Merry, Mossom, Porter, Skinner, Turrell, Wade

 

ABSTAIN (3): Brown, Neil and Temperton

 

It was therefore RESOLVED that:

 

2.1       Capital Programme 2020/21 - 2022/23

 

i)                 General Fund capital funding of £19.225m for 2020/21 in respect of those schemes listed on pages 150 to 152 be agreed;

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

iii)              The inclusion of  £3.970m of expenditure to be funded from S106 and SANGS as outlined in the summary report for Council (page 147) and included on pages 150 to 152 be agreed;

iv)              That those schemes that attract external grant funding be agreed for inclusion within the 2020/21 capital programme at the level of funding received.

         

2.2       Revenue Budget 2020/21

 

i)                 The budget proposals set out in Table 1 (page 3) of the summary report for Council, subject to the changes identified in sections 3.2 (page 4), 3.3 (pages 5 to 6), 3.5 (page 7), 3.8 (pages 8 to 9), 4.3 (pages 11 to 13), 7.2 (page 19) and 7.3 (page 19) of the report, be agreed;

ii)                Fees and charges as set out in Annexe G (pages 101 to 135) be approved;

iii)              A provision for inflation of £1.998m be approved;

iv)              The commitment budget as set out in Annexe A be approved (pages 21 to 22);

v)               That the Council should make additional funding available for distribution to schools through the local funding formula at the level set out in section 4.1 (pages 10 to 11) of the summary report for Council subject to any minor amendments made by the Executive Member for Children, Young People and Learning following the receipt of definitive funding allocations for Early Years and High Needs;

vi)              A contingency of £2.250m be included, use of which is authorised by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Director: Finance in accordance with the delegations included in the Council’s constitution;

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

viii)           A contribution of £0.379m (after allowing for additional interest from the use of balances of £0.004m) be made from revenue balances to support revenue expenditure;

ix)              Total net expenditure (after use of balances) of £90.828m, be approved;

x)               The Council’s Council Tax requirement, excluding Parish Council precepts, be set at £63.475m;

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	903.90
B	7/9	1,054.55
C	8/9	1,205.20
D	9/9	1,355.85
E	11/9	1,657.15
F	13/9	1,958.45
G	15/9	2,259.75
H	18/9	2,711.70

 

                       

At the meeting on 11 February 2020 the Executive recommended the 2020/21 Treasury Management Strategy Statement and noted that strategy together with the Prudential Indicators and the Minimum Revenue Provision Policy Statement were matters which the Council approved.

 

xii)       The Council approves the following indicators, limits, strategies and policies included in Annexe E (pages 67 to 92):

•                  The Prudential Indicators and Limits for 2020/21 to 2022/23 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 2020/21 to 2022/23 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 2020/21 in accordance with Section 67 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 are:

 

 

(a)        46,816 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	4,190
Bracknell	19,846
Crowthorne	2,916
Sandhurst	7,932
Warfield	5,051
Winkfield	6,881

           

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 2020/21 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government and Finance Act 1992 as amended (the Act):

 

(a)

£295,729,909

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)

£228,682,173

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)

£67,047,736

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)

£1,432.15

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)

£3,572,262

PARISH PRECEPTS

           

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

 

(f)

£1,355.85

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	£1,409.18
	Bracknell	£1,444.51
	Crowthorne	£1,436.30
	Sandhurst	£1,430.61
	Warfield	£1,397.95
	Winkfield	£1,435.63

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	939.45	1,096.03	1,252.60	1,409.18	1,722.33	2,035.48	2,348.63	2,818.36
Bracknell	963.01	1,123.51	1,284.01	1,444.51	1,765.51	2,086.51	2,407.52	2,889.02
Crowthorne	957.53	1,117.12	1,276.71	1,436.30	1,755.48	2,074.66	2,393.83	2,872.60
Sandhurst	953.74	1,112.70	1,271.65	1,430.61	1,748.52	2,066.44	2,384.35	2,861.22
Warfield	931.97	1,087.29	1,242.62	1,397.95	1,708.61	2,019.26	2,329.92	2,795.90
Winkfield	957.09	1,116.60	1,276.12	1,435.63	1,754.66	2,073.69	2,392.72	2,871.26

 

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 2020/21 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	144.19	168.22	192.25	216.28	264.34	312.40	360.47	432.56

 

 

3.5       That it be noted that for the year 2020/21 the Royal Berkshire Fire Authority have stated the following amounts in precepts issued to the Council, subject to confirmation by the Fire Authority on 25 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	45.07	52.58	60.09	67.60	82.62	97.64	112.67	135.20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 2020/21 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	1,128.71	1,316.83	1,504.94	1,693.06	2,069.29	2,445.52	2,821.77	3,386.12
Bracknell	1,152.27	1,344.31	1,536.35	1,728.39	2,112.47	2,496.55	2,880.66	3,456.78
Crowthorne	1,146.79	1,337.92	1,529.05	1,720.18	2,102.44	2,484.70	2,866.97	3,440.36
Sandhurst	1,143.00	1,333.50	1,523.99	1,714.49	2,095.48	2,476.48	2,857.49	3,428.98
Warfield	1,121.23	1,308.09	1,494.96	1,681.83	2,055.57	2,429.30	2,803.06	3,363.66
Winkfield	1,146.35	1,337.40	1,528.46	1,719.51	2,101.62	2,483.73	2,865.86	3,439.02