Agenda item

(CSP:  BEC, BEC1, BEC2, SLE, SLE1, SLE2, P&S, P&S1, HQL, HQL1, MEC, MEC1)

Purpose: To consider and recommend to Council the 2017-18 Revenue Budget, which proposes a Council Tax requirement of £88.4m requiring a Council Tax increase of 1.99% in 2017/18 with a 3% precept ring-fenced for Adult Social Care. The Council Tax increase and Adult Social Care precept will raise £4.2m, leaving a gap of £4.7m to be met from savings and income in 2017/18.

The report also proposes the Fees and Charges for 2017/18 as set out in Appendix H and the Special Expenses as set out in Appendix I, and recommends the level of General Reserves as set out in Appendix F and Appendix G.

Resolved that the following be recommended to Council:

1.    The 2017-18 Council Tax requirement of £88.4 million, requiring a Council Tax increase of 1.99% with a 3% precept ring-fenced for Adult Social Care, be approved.

2.    The Fees and Charges as set out in Appendix H be approved and the appropriate statutory notices be placed where required.

3.    The Special Expenses set out in Appendix I be approved.

4.    The responses received to each of the public facing savings proposals in the public consultation exercise undertaken on the 2017-18 budget be acknowledged and noted, and that the Transition Grant of £1.37m be allocated as follows:

a.    £140k to Short Breaks

b.    £30k to Citizens Advice Bureau

c.    £200k to Libraries

d.    £1m to be put into a Transformation Fund, to assist West Berkshire Council to transform and improve the way it delivers its services.

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·      the item is due to be referred to Council for final approval.

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

The Executive considered a report (Agenda Item 9) concerning the 2017/18 Revenue Budget to be recommended to Full Council. The Revenue Budget contained a proposal for a Council Tax requirement of £88.4m which would be formed by a proposed Council Tax increase of 1.99% in 2017/18 with an additional 3% precept ring-fenced for Adult Social Care (ASC). The Council Tax increase and ASC precept would raise £4.2m, leaving a gap of £4.7m to be met from savings and income in 2017/18.

The report also proposed the Fees and Charges for 2017/18 as set out in Appendix H and the Special Expenses set out in Appendix I. The report also recommended the level of General Reserves as set out in Appendix F and Appendix G.

RESOLVED to recommend to Council that:

(1)       Council approve the 2017/18 Council Tax requirement of £88.4m, requiring a Council Tax increase of 1.99% with a 3% precept ring-fenced for Adult Social Care.

(2)       The Fees and Charges are approved as set out in Appendix H and the appropriate statutory notices be placed where required.

(3)       The Special Expenses are approved as set out in Appendix I.

(4)       The responses received to each of the public facing savings proposals in the public consultation exercise undertaken on the 2017/18 budget be acknowledged and noted, and that the Transition Grant of £1.37m be allocated as follows:

(a)  £140k to Short Breaks

(b)  £30k to Citizens Advice Bureau

(c)  £200k to Libraries

(d)  £1m to be put into a Transformation Fund, to assist West Berkshire Council to transform and improve the way it delivers its services.

Other options considered: It is proposed to increase Council Tax by 1.99% with a 3% precept ring-fenced for Adult Social Care. If these options were not taken, the savings requirement would be £4.2m higher. All available options have been considered in order to keep the savings requirement to the level it is.