Issue - meetings

Medium Term Financial Strategy & Budget Proposals 2017/18

Meeting: 17/01/2017 - Communities, Housing and Environment Committee (Item 13)

13 Report of the Director of Finance and Business Improvement - Medium Term Financial Strategy & Budget Proposals 2017/18 pdf icon PDF 126 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

That:

 

1.  The budget proposals for services within the remit of the Committee, as set out in Appendix B to the report of the Director of Finance and Business Improvement, be agreed for submission to Policy and Resources Committee.

2.  The extension of the existing Parish Services Scheme for one further year to 31 March 2018 be agreed.

 

Minutes:

The Director of Finance and Business Improvement presented a report on the Medium Term Financial Strategy and Budget Proposals 2017/18. The report set out details of the revenue budget proposals for the Committee for the year 2017/18 and the remainder of the five year medium term strategy planning period.

 

It also provided details of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement and the Local Government Finance Settlement 2017/18.

 

Members were advised that New Homes Bonus would be reduced from 2017/18 it would only be paid for five years after a new home is built and from 2018/19 for four years.  However, the committee noted that this change would not affect the Council’s revenue position as New Homes Bonus had always been used to fund revenue projects.

 

Members’ attention was drawn to Appendix ‘B’ which detailed the Budget Proposals. It was noted that when changes to voluntary sector grants were originally proposes, the voluntary sector grants were first drawn up, the recommendation was to phase out the grants altogether.  However, Members had decided against that particular course of action.  Therefore the proposal that was considered by the committee in the Director of Finance and Business Improvement’s report was to reduce grants by 25% each year. 

Members were asked to take into account that Sports & Recreation and Culture & Tourism had been ranked low in terms of importance by members of the public when considering the budget proposals.

 

In response to questions by Members, the Director of Finance and Business Improvement advised that:-

 

·  The Parish Services Scheme did not form part of the budget proposals under the voluntary sector grants. The scheme would be dealt with in a separate report when it was reviewed next year.

·  Although no decision had been made yet on CCTV options, Officers were confident that savings would be made.

·  The figure quoted for Disabled Facilities Grants was related to  the staff time associated with processing of the applications.

·  Savings identified for the Recycling Collection were as a result of taking out a vacant post and using the Kent Resources Partnership for marketing purposes.

RESOLVED That:

 

1.  The budget proposals for services within the remit of the Committee, as set out in Appendix B to the report of the Director of Finance and Business Improvement, be agreed for submission to Policy and Resources Committee.

2.  The extension of the existing Parish Services Scheme for one further year to 31 March 2018 be agreed.

Voting:  For:  9  Against:  0  Abstentions:  0