Decision details

This report presents the revenue and capital budgets together with proposals for increases in Council Tax and the Adult Social Care Precept for 2023/24.

Recommended from Cabinet to Council, and approved as set out in the report.

(1)  To recommend Council to approve:

a)  The General Fund net revenue budget for 2023/24 of £131.03m and the individual service cash limits for 2023/24 as outlined in Annex 1 of the report.

b)  The savings and income plans outlined in Annex 2(i), funding requirements 2(ii), in conjunction with the Equalities Impact Assessment Report in Annex 3 of the report.

c)  An increase in Council Tax of 2.99% in 2023/24 (an increase of £47.10 per Band D property or 91p per week).

d)  An increase of 2% to Council Tax for the Adult Social Care Precept in recognition of the current demands and financial pressures on this service. This is equivalent to an increase of £31.50 on a Band D property (61p per week).

e)  The movement in reserves outlined in section 5.6 and the adequacy of Un-earmarked Reserves at £12.58m within a risk assessed range requirement of £11.6m - £12.8m.

f)  To note the Children’s Services management plan set out in section 5.2.7 of the report.

g)  The Efficiency Strategy attached at Annex 4 of the report.

h)  The Capital Programme for 2023/24 of £87.89m including new and emerging capital bids outlined in Annex 5(i), planned sources of funding in 5.8.2, and notes the programme for 2024/25 to 2027/28 and that any wholly funded projects coming forward during the year will be added to the Capital Programme in line with the Budget Management Scheme.

i)  The delegation of implementation, subject to consultation where appropriate, of the capital programmes set out in Annex 5(i) to Annex 5(iv) of the report to the relevant Director in consultation with the appropriate Portfolio Holder.

j)  The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) allocations and amendments outlined in Annex 5(v) of the report.

k)  The Capital & Investment Strategy attached at Annex 6 of the report.

l)   The MRP Policy attached at Annex 7 of the report.

m)  The Capital Prudential Indicators outlined in 5.8.6.

n)  The Annual Pay Policy Statement at Annex 8 of the report.

o)  The Community Contribution Fund pilot 12-month extension outlined section 5.5.

p)  The Council Tax Support Scheme for 2023/24 shown in the following link:  https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2023-01/Proposed%20Council%20Tax%20reduction%20scheme%20April%201%202023%20-%20March%2031%202024.pdf and referred to in 5.3.5

q)  To approve the Fees and Charges schedule for 2023/24 at Annex 11 of the report and to support its publication following approval of the budget.

r)  To agree that the additional Services grant and Levy Surplus grant funding of £236,500 is allocated to fund the introduction of a new Ward Councillor Empowerment Fund Scheme with £177,000 of one-off funding to be used by 2025/26 and to increase the corporate inflation contingency by £59,500.

(2)  To agree that the Council includes in its Council Tax setting, the precepts set and approved by other bodies including the local precepts of Town Councils, Parish Councils and Charter Trustees of the City of Bath and those of the Fire and Police Authorities.

(3)  To note the S151 Officer’s report on the robustness of the proposed budget and the adequacy of the Council’s reserves outlined in paragraph 5.7 of the report.

(4)  To note the budget consultation responses set out in Annex 10 of the report.

(5)  To authorise the Council’s S151 Officer, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Resources, to make any necessary changes to the draft budget proposal for submission to Council.

A local authority has a statutory duty to set an annual budget and Council Tax.

For 2023/24 the savings requirement after planned use of reserves is £14.38m after the inclusion of council tax increases. The assessment of the plans to close the gap do not require additional funds from the Financial Planning Reserve to smooth the delivery of savings in 2023/24 as the amounts proposed have been profiled to consider the delivery timeframe. To recognise risk the revenue budget has provided a £1m budget contingency to mitigate slippage on savings delivery. This will enable a balanced budget without use of reserves and prior years reserve use being fully replenished by 2025/26.

The report and annexes also contain the other options that can be considered in making any recommendations.