Decision details

To consider and approve:

·           the Revenue Budget for 2013/14;

·           amendments to the Council’s schedule of Fees and Charges;

·           the Capital Programme for 2013/14 onwards based on the level of resources estimated to be available;

·           the Council’s financial plans and forecasts for the medium term.

The Executive Meeting considered proposals that would form the second phase of the programme to address the need to make significant budget reductions over the next two years and beyond, building on the measures agreed by the Executive in December 2012.

The Executive Meeting then agreed that

(1) in respect of the additional savings proposals set out in section five of the report and summarised at Appendix Three

·         the savings proposals be agreed for consultation;

·         the Chief Executive and Corporate / Service Directors, in consultation with the relevant executive councillors, be requested to undertake the appropriate consultation exercises and to develop implementation plans, including impact and risk assessments, to facilitate the delivery of the proposals set out in this report;

·         the proposals be re-submitted for the Executive’s approval at its meeting in July, together with the outcomes of the consultation exercises;

·         all scrutiny committees receive a report in the next cycle outlining the savings proposals relating to the specific scrutiny committee’s remit.

(2) That approval also be given to:

·         the proposed treatment of NHS Funding for Social Care, Public Health Grant and New Homes Bonus as set out in paragraphs 4.15 to 4.23;

·         the amendments to the schedule of Fees and Charges for 2013/14 as set out in Annex One

(3) That, in respect of the Revenue Budget, Capital Programme and Medium Term Financial Plan, the Council Meeting be recommended to:

·         agree the Budget for 2013/14 set out in Appendix Five;

·         note and comment upon the financial forecasts for 2014/15 to 2016/17 (Appendix Six), and the key issues to be addressed in formulating a response to the continuing financial challenges facing the Council;

·         pass the appropriate Council Tax resolutions which produce a Council Tax increase of 2.5% for Council services as illustrated at Appendix Eleven;

·         approve the 2013/14 to 2015/16 capital programme and the funding arrangements set out at Appendix Nine;

·         approve the prudential indicators set out in Appendix Ten;

·         approve the work being carried out on the development of capital projects to enable the Executive to be able to review revise and extend its capital programme during 2013/14;

·         note the risk assessment of the budget at Appendix Seven and the report of the Corporate Director, Corporate and Support Services on the adequacy of proposed financial reserves and robustness of the estimates included at Appendix Eight.

None

None

Consultation with Scrutiny Committees, Corporate Leadership Team, Senior Officers, partners and other stakeholders to be based on an initial report considered by the Executive Meeting on 7 September 2012.