Agenda item

To set out the Public Protection Partnership’s (PPP) draft revenue budget for 2025/26 including discretionary fees and charges for 2025/26 and seek approval of the amendments to the Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme.

The Committee considered the report (Agenda Item 10) which set out the Public Protection Partnership’s draft revenue budget for 2025/26, including discretionary fees and charges for 2025/26.

Sean Murphy repeated that it had been necessary to reprofile some of the income received by the PPP. It was unlikely that this would be recouped.

The Committee’s role with this report was to propose a budget to the individual Councils based on a percentage split. The proposed budget for 2025/26, including the percentage split, was outlined in the below table. The split of approximately 60/40 (West Berkshire/Bracknell Forest) was based on a number of different factors.

Mr Murphy clarified that grant funding received from the Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme did not form part of the revenue budget. The purpose of the scheme was primarily to seek compensation to be returned to victims and to reiterate that crime should not pay.  

A 3% uplift was proposed on discretionary fees for 2025/26, but this could be adjusted prior to the fees being set. A consultation process would be undertaken within Bracknell Forest and West Berkshire in relation to these proposals, and would align with the wider budget consultation process of both local authorities.

Damian James (Assistant Director – Contract Services) referred to Appendix A to the report which identified discretionary fees and statutory fees which were set by Government. The statutory fees had not been increased since 2011. 

Councillor Nick Allen queried whether Executive Members on the Committee should write to the Government Minister to lobby for an uplift to these fees.

Councillor Jeremy Cottam (Chairman of West Berkshire Council’s Licensing Committee) advised that he would shortly be proposing a Motion to a West Berkshire Council meeting asking that Central Government be lobbied on this matter. This was a step that could also be taken by Bracknell Forest and indeed local authorities across Berkshire.

Sean Murphy advised that an inflationary calculation had been undertaken which identified a considerable shortfall as a result of no uplift since 2011. An appropriate level of uplift would significantly assist with budgetary pressures.

Councillor Howard Woollaston queried whether economies of scale could be achieved by working with other local authorities. Damian James confirmed that this was being explored and active discussions were ongoing with other local authorities. Councillor Justin Pemberton supported this approach.

Sean Murphy confirmed, in response to a query from Councillor Cottam, that registration fees for hairdressers would be charged in both Bracknell Forest and West Berkshire.

Licence fees for taxi drivers took account of the cost of holding training for drivers. This included safeguarding and disability awareness training. This training was a mandatory requirement before a licence was issued.

The potential to hold in-house training was being explored.

The Committee noted:

·       That the draft revenue budget, including the fees and charges, had been considered.

·       The pressures set out in columns four and five in the table at paragraph 5.27.

Recommendations requiring a decision from the Committee were deferred to the next meeting.