Decision details

All recommendations were approved as set out in the report.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the Cabinet agreed to recommend:

1.  That the Council approve:

a)  The General Fund net revenue budget for 2017/18 of £112.796m and the associated Council Tax increase of 1.50% plus a further 2% precept for Adult Social Care, as set out in Appendix 2.

b)  That no Special Expenses be charged other than Town and Parish Council precepts for 2017/18.

c)   The adequacy of reserves at Appendix 2 Table 10 with a risk-assessed level of £13.5m.

d)  The individual service cash limits for 2017/18 summarised at Appendix 2 Table 6 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 Finance & Efficiency and the Chief Executive.

2.  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.  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 2, Annex 2) and approves the conditions upon which the recommendations are made as set out throughout Appendix 2.

4.  That in relation to the capital budget the Council:

a)  approves a capital programme of £56.083m for 2017/18 and notes items for provisional approval in 2017/18 and the programme for 2018/19 to 2021/22 (including invest to earn) as shown at Appendix 2, 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 CIL allocations as set out in Appendix 2 and the proposed arrangements for agreeing the use of CIL for the unparished area of Bath.

d)  approves all other delegations as set out in the budget report.

e)  approves the revised Minimum Revenue Provision Policy as shown at Appendix 2, Annex 4 with the changes to become effective immediately.

f)  approves the Capital Prudential Indicators as set out in Appendix  2 Table 8.

5.  That the Council agree the Council’s proposed pay policy statement as set out in Appendix 5.

6.  Authorise the Council’s Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance & Efficiency, to make any necessary changes and presentational improvements to the draft budget proposal for submission to Council.

7.  To reduce by £30k the saving from the review of the Dog Warden Service (page 137) in 2017/18.

8.  To reduce by £50k the savings from the Parks service (page 136), in 2017/18.

9.  To provide £50k of additional funding to the Catering Service Budget to meet the increasing inflationary costs of food faced by Catering Service.

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

The Council’s Section 151 Officer is the Divisional Director – Business Support. As Section 151 Officer his 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 also contain the other options that can be considered in making any recommendations.