Agenda item

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance

Councillor Adele Williams, Portfolio Holder for Finance, proposed the report regarding the Council’s budget 2023/24 seeking approval of the Medium Term Financial Plan 2023/24 to 2026/27, Capital Programme and level of council tax for 2023/24.  The report was seconded by Councillor David Mellen.

Councillor Andrew Rule proposed the following amendment, which was seconded by Councillor Kevin Clarke:

In recommendation 2.1 add after “the revenue budget for 2023/24”

“subject to the following being undertaken, in parallel with the budget, within the next six months:-

Section 1

It is recommended that reviews of the following areas be undertaken:

·  Review of relocation from Loxley House to Council House and other council owned property in the community

·  Development of a strategy plan for the utilisation of the monies refunded to the Housing Revenue Account by the Council, with an emphasis on ensuring council tenants will benefit from the same

·  Review of the impact of purpose built student housing on City Council’s tax base and business rates base against demand on council services

·  Assessment of the economic impact on the City in the event the Tram Operator fails and any mitigations that can be put in place

·  Review of alternative financing methods to Work Place Parking Levy in light of falling spaces

·  Audit of availability payments made to operator to ensure they accurately reflect operational performance

·  Review of marketing on bus stops and permanent alternative methods when existing contract ceases at the end of financial year

·  Assessment of inefficiencies arising from Internal Charging within City Council

·  Urgent review of parking charges on economy of City Centre

·  Review of asset transfer and use of community trusts to safeguard community assets – specifically and immediately for Clifton Young People’s Centre in Clifton, in order to prevent the imminent threat of closure

·  Review of voluntary and third sector access to Youth Centres, across the City as a whole, to improve provision of activities for young people.

·  Review of membership of Companies Governance Committee

·  Review of commercialisation opportunities within Tree Services

·  Review of Area Capital allocation formula

·  Develop a strategy for increasing the mix of affordable homes as a means of increasing the City Council’s Council Tax Base

·  Identify and pursue commercialisation and joint service opportunities with other local authorities”

In recommendation 2.4 add after “the capital programme to 2026/27”

“subject to the following being undertaken, in parallel with the capital programme, within the next six months:

It is recommended that a review of the existing capital programme be undertaken to:

• Reprioritise resources to create additional funds to improve pavements. Councillors who use Area Capital Fund to improve pavements on main thoroughfares could seek match funding from this fund.
• Reprioritise to fund repairs to roads across the City”

The meeting was adjourned at 4:35pm to allow time for councillors to consider the proposed amendment.  The meeting resumed at 4:55pm.

Councillors debated and then voted on the proposed amendment.

Resolved to reject the amendment proposed by Councillor Rule.

Councillors debated the budget report.

Councillors voted on the recommendations in the budget report as follows:

Resolved to:

(1)  approve the Medium Term Financial Plan 2023/24 to 2026/27, incorporating the revenue budget for 2023/24 and the recommendations contained therein;

(2)  note the recommendations of the Corporate Director for Finance and Resources/ S151 Officer in respect of the robustness of the estimates made for the purpose of the budget calculations and the adequacy of reserves;

(3)  delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Finance and Resources/ Section 151 Officer to finalise the 2023/24 revenue budget for publication;

(4)  approve the Capital Programme, incorporating the capital budget for 2023/24 to 2026/27, noting the revenue implications of the capital programme;

(5)  note the authority’s council tax base of 68,403 for 2023/24, calculated in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2021, as approved by Executive Board on 17 January 2023;

(6)  approve a council tax requirement of £140,423,835 including the calculations required by Sections 30 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (‘the Act’), as set out below

a.  £1,097,443,652 being the aggregate of the expenditure, allowances, reserves and amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(2) (a) to (f) of the Act;

b.  £957,019,817 being the aggregate of the income and amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in Section 31A(3) (a) to (d) of the Act;

c.  £140,423,835 being the amount by which the aggregate at 6(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 6(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31A(4) of the Act, as its council tax requirement for the year;

(7)  approve a City Council Band D basic amount of council tax for 2023/24 of £2,052.89 being the amount at 6(c) divided by the amount at 5, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 31B(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its council tax for the year (as set out in section 7 of the report);

(8)   note a Nottinghamshire and City of Nottingham Fire and Rescue Authority precept at Band D for 2023/24 of £89.57;

(9)  note a Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner precept at Band D for 2023/24 of £269.19;

(10)  approve the setting of the amounts of council tax for 2023/24 at the levels below

(11)  approve the retention of the Local Council Tax Support scheme currently in operation, amended as required by Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2023; and

(12)  approve the making of the Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2023/24 in the terms of the previously adopted and amended Scheme, except for any further adjustments required to mirror nationally determined rates for pay awards and travel and subsistence (as applicable to officers) and for carers allowances.