Decision details

To agree and set the Council's medium term planning approach and recommend the 2014/15 Council Tax and Budget to Council.

The item will go to Resources PDS Panel on 10-Feb-14, then to Cabinet on 12-Feb-14, then to Council on 18-Feb-14.

1.1  To recommend that the Council approve:

a)  The General Fund net revenue budget for 2014/15 of £119.926m with no increase in Council Tax.

b)  That no Special Expenses be charged other than Town and Parish Council precepts for 2014/15.

c)   The adequacy of reserves at Appendix 1 Table 8 with a risk-assessed level of £10.5m.

d)  The individual service cash limits for 2014/15 summarised at Appendix 1 Table 4 and detailed in Annex 1.

e) That the specific arrangements for the governance and release of reserves, including invest to save proposals, be delegated to the Council’s Section 151 Officer in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Community Resources and the Chief Executive.

1.2  That the Council delegates the sign-off of the Better Care Plan on behalf of the Council to the Health & Wellbeing Board in consultation with the Chief Executive, the Leader and the Cabinet Member for Community Resources.

1.3  That the Council delegates the updating of the council’s discretionary rate relief policy, to reflect the measures announced in the Autumn Budget Statement, to the Council’s Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Chief Executive and the Cabinet Member for Community Resources.

1.4  That the Council include in its Council Tax setting, the precepts set and approved by other bodies including the local precepts of Town Councils, Parish Councils and the Charter Trustees of the City of Bath, and those of the Fire and Police Authorities.

1.5  That the Council notes the Section 151 officer's report on the robustness of the proposed budget and the adequacy of the Council's reserves (Appendix 1, Annex 2) and approves the conditions upon which the recommendations are made as set out throughout Appendix 1.

1.6  That in relation to the capital budget the Council:

a)  approves a capital programme of £65.865m for 2014/15 and notes items for provisional approval in 2014/15 and the programme for 2015/16 to 2018/19 as shown at Appendix 1, Annex 3 including the planned sources of funding .

b)  delegates implementation, subject to consultation where appropriate, of the capital programmes set out in Annex 3i to Annex 3iii to the relevant Strategic Director in Consultation with the appropriate Cabinet Member.

c)  approves the Minimum Revenue Provision Policy as shown at Appendix 1, Annex 4

d)  approves the Capital Prudential Indicators as set out in Appendix  1 Table 6.

1.7  That the Council agree the Council’s proposed pay policy statement, including the arrangements for senior severance practice, as set out at Appendix 4.

1.8  That the Council notes the approach to Community Assets as set out in Appendix 5.

And the Cabinet further agrees

1.9  To authorise the Council’s Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Community Resources, to make any necessary changes and presentational improvements to the draft budget proposal for submission to Council.

The rationale for the recommendations is contained in the supporting papers to the report.

The supporting paper and appendices also contain the other options that can be considered in making any recommendations.