Issue - meetings

Budget, Capital Programme and Council Tax for 2009/10

 

 

Meeting: 04/03/2009 - Council (Item 80)

80 Budget, Capital Programme and Council Tax for 2009/10 - KEY DECISION pdf icon PDF 328 KB

The Executive Board considered the attached report.  Please note that at the time of writing the report the Cheshire Police and Cheshire Fire precepts were still awaited. When both of these have been received, a revised report will be circulated.

 

RECOMMENDED: That the resolution set out in Appendix A be adopted, which includes setting the budget at £105.467m and the Band D Council Tax for Halton (before, Parish, Police and Fire Precepts) of £1,116.69.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

            The Executive Board had considered a report setting out a recommendation to Council in respect of the Budget, Capital Programme and Council Tax for 2009/10.  Since then the Cheshire Police and Fire Authorities had set their budgets and council tax precepts and an updated report had been circulated for Members’ attention providing information in respect of:

 

  • medium term financial strategy;
  • the Budget consultation;
  • review of the 2008/09 Budget;
  • the Budget 2009/10;
  • the Budget outlook;
  • the Local Government Financial Settlement;
  • Halton’s Council Tax;
  • Parish Precepts;
  • Average Council Tax;
  • Police Precept;
  • Fire Precept;
  • Total Council Tax;
  • Capital Programme;
  • the Prudential Code; and
  • School Budgets.

 

The Executive Board had recommended that Council adopt the resolution set out in Appendix A of the report, which included setting the budget at £105.467m and the Band D for Council Tax for Halton (before Parish, Police and Fire precepts) of £1,116.69.

 

The Corporate Services Portfolio Holder thanked Officers and Members for all their support in producing this budget.

 

The following motion was moved and seconded by Councillors Wharton and McDermott respectively:

 

That:

 

1.         The policies outlined in this paper be adopted, including the Budget for 2009/10, the growth and savings set out in Appendix B, the Capital Programme set out in Appendix C, and Prudential Indicators set out in Appendix D.

 

2.         That it be noted that at the meeting on 17th December 2008 the Council agreed the following:

 

(a)       For 2009/10, in accordance with the Local Government Act 2003 and with regulations made under Section 33(5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, a Council Tax Base of 38,200 being the amount calculated by the Council, in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992, as its Council Tax Base for the year, and

 

(b)       For the Parishes, the Council Tax base for each Parish for the year 2009/10 be set as follows:

 

Parish

Tax Base

 

 

Hale

729

Daresbury

141

Moore

345

Preston Brook

347

Halebank

569

Sandymoor

913

 

            being the amounts calculated by the Council, in accordance with Regulation 6 of the Regulations, as the amounts of its Council Tax Base for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which special items relate.

 

3.         In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (Sections 32 to 36), the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2009/10 and agreed as follows:

 

(a)       £309,420,856 – being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 32(2)(a) to (e) of the said Act.

 

(b)       £204,260,250 – being the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 32(3)(a) to (c) of the said Act.

 

(c)        £105,160,606 – being the amount calculated by the Council for the year 2008/09 in accordance with Section 32(4) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as its budget requirement for the year.

 

(d)       £62,459,271 – being the aggregate of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 80

Meeting: 12/02/2009 - Executive Board (Item 103)

103 Draft Budget 2009/10 - KEY DECISION pdf icon PDF 328 KB

Minutes:

The Board considered a report of the Operational Director – Financial Services, which outlined a recommendation to Council in respect of the Budget, Capital Programme and Council Tax for 2009/10.

 

It was noted that, at the time of writing the report, the Cheshire Police and Fire Authorities had not set their budgets and Council Tax precepts.  However the Board were informed that the Fire Authority had now confirmed that its precept was 2.9% and it was advised that the Police Authority was to meet on 24th February to make a decision on its precepts.

 

The Board was advised that the Medium Term Financial Strategy, approved on 20th November 2008, had identified a funding gap of around £6m in each of the next three years. The Strategy had the following objectives:

 

·               to prioritise investments in the five priority areas;

·               to avoid excessive Council Tax rises;

·               to deliver a balanced and sustainable budget; and

·               to achieve significant cashable efficiency savings to enable this to happen.

 

As part of the Budget Strategy each Directorate had managed its budget to generate underspend of £500,000 each. This had generated £2m to be transferred to the Invest to Save Fund.  The Board noted that it was anticipated that balances at 31st March 2009 would be around £6.6m broadly as planned when the budget had been set the previous year.

 

In order to close the £6 m funding gap a number of proposed savings had been identified.  A list of the proposed savings was outlined in Appendix C to the report. The Policy and Performance Boards had been consulted on these proposals, and comments made in relation to the following items were noted:

 

  • relocating Murdishaw and Woodlands Play Centre Services;
  • Transport Services for Children’s Services – it was noted that this saving was a reflection of the lower demand for the service;
  • reorganise litter picking in Neighbourhood areas – it was reported that the current standard would be maintained by deploying staff in a more flexible way;
  • revised arrangements for pest control;
  • street lighting pilot – the proposal related to turning off lights on the Daresbury Expressway, A56 and Watkinson Way. However, an alternative for making equivalent savings within the Highways Department had been found from Street Lighting Efficiencies and following consideration of the feedback received this proposal was withdrawn; and
  • delete attendants’ posts at Widnes Town Centre toilets – it was noted that the toilets would still be cleaned but would no longer be staffed, and the situation would be monitored.

 

In relation to the item headed “Cease Trade Waste” it was noted that, although the Council was to cease providing this service directly, trade waste would continue to be collected by the private sector.

 

In addition, the Board noted that the Area Forums had been provided with the opportunity to feed into the consultation process and a list of comments made at the recent Area Forum meetings was provided for Members’ consideration.

 

The Departmental analysis of the budget was shown in Appendix  ...  view the full minutes text for item 103