Decision details

To agree and set the Council's medium term planning approach and recommend the 2015/16 Council Tax and Budget to Council

(1) To RECOMMEND to Council that the Council approve:

 a) The General Fund net revenue budget for 2015/16 of £119.914m with no increase in Council Tax;

 b) That no Special Expenses be charged other than Town and Parish Council precepts for 2015/16;

 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 2015/16 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;

(2) To RECOMMEND to Council 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;

(3) To RECOMMEND to Council 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 and approves the conditions upon which the recommendations are made as set out throughout Appendix 1;

(4) To RECOMMEND to Council that in relation to the capital budget the Council:

 a) approves a capital programme of £57.537m for 2015/16 and notes items for provisional approval in 2015/16 and the programme for 2016/17 to 2019/20 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 3iv to the relevant Strategic Director in Consultation with the appropriate Cabinet Member;

 c) approves all other delegations as set out in the budget report;

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

 e) approves the Capital Prudential Indicators as set out in the report;

(5) To RECOMMEND to Council that the Council agree the Council’s proposed pay policy statement, including the provision in respect of minimum pay rates in 2015/16 as set out in the report delegating implementation arrangements to the Employment Committee where appropriate;

(6) To RECOMMEND to Council that the Council increases the “think local” financial limit to provide local businesses with the opportunity to obtain contracts up to £50,000 (increased from the current £25,000);

(7) To RECOMMEND to Council that the Council notes the approach to Community Assets as set out in the report;

(8) To RECOMMEND to Council that the Council notes the approach to tackling poverty as set out in the report; and

(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 Council is obliged to agree a budget each year.

The Council’s Section 151 Officer's duties include ensuring a prudent and balanced budget is set on time which properly takes into account the financial constraints and risks facing the Council.

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