Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Executive Councillor (Finance)

The report contains the Executive’s Revenue Budget Proposals for 2012/13 and Capital Programme Investment Plans. The report also outlines the prospects for the Council’s finances for the medium term up to 2014/15.

The report has been prepared in conjunction with the Corporate Director, Corporate and Support Services in order to:

·           Update the revenue budget forecasts for 2012/13 to 2014/15 presented to the Executive Meeting on 16 December 2011;

·           Update the capital programme position to take account of the 2011/12 quarter three monitoring position and the Executive’s capital investment plans for the medium term;

·           Reflect the impact of the Executive’s budget proposals and spending plans in the schedule of Fees and Charges.

Additionally, the Corporate Director, Corporate and Support Services has prepared a risk assessment of the Executive’s 2012/13 revenue budget proposals and a Statement on the Adequacy of Proposed Financial Reserves and the Robustness of the Estimates; both of which are included at Appendix Seven and Eight respectively.

The report also considers longer term risks and potential variations which could have a significant impact on the Council’s medium term financial position.

The issues discussed and proposals contained in this report have also informed deliberations around priorities and outcomes for the update of the Council Plan (see agenda item 9).

The Executive is asked to recommend that the Council Meeting:

•   agrees the Budget for 2012/13 set out in Appendix Four, including the adjustments set out in section five of this report (detailed at Appendix Five);

•   Notes and comments upon the financial forecasts for 2013/14 and 2014/15, and the key issues to be addressed in formulating a response to the continuing financial challenges facing the Council;

•   passes the appropriate Council Tax resolutions which produce a Council Tax freeze for Council services as illustrated at Appendix Eleven;

•   approves the 2012/13 to 2014/15 capital programme and the funding arrangements set out at Appendix Nine;

•   approves the prudential indicators set out in Appendix Ten;

•   approves 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 2012/13; and

•   notes 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.

In respect of 2012/13 Fees and Charges, the Executive is recommended to approve the amendments set out in Annex One.

Officer contact: Steve Houston/ Andy Moran, 0161 474 4000/ 4086, steve.houston@stockport.gov.uk / Andrew.moran@stockport.gov.uk

The Executive Councillor (Finance) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Executive Meeting to consider the Executive’s Revenue Budget Proposals for 2012/13 and Capital Programme Investment Plans. The report also outlined the prospects for the Council’s finances for the medium term up to 2014/15.

The report has been prepared in conjunction with the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services in order to:

·           update the revenue budget forecasts for 2012/13 to 2014/15 presented to the Executive Meeting on 16 December 2011;

·           update the capital programme position to take account of the 2011/12 quarter three monitoring position and the Executive’s capital investment plans for the medium term;

·           reflect the impact of the Executive’s budget proposals and spending plans in the schedule of Fees and Charges (proposed amendments detailed at Annex 1 of the report).

Additionally, the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services had prepared a risk assessment of the Executive’s 2012/13 revenue budget proposals and a Statement on the Adequacy of Proposed Financial Reserves and the Robustness of the Estimates, included in the report at Appendix Seven and Eight respectively.

The report also outlined longer term risks and potential variations which could have a significant impact on the Council’s medium term financial position.

The Executive Meeting expressed their gratitude to Council officers who had been involved in the preparation of the report for their hard work and contribution, in particular Heather Edwards, formerly Service Director (Finance) who had since left the Council.

The Leader of the Council also expressed the gratitude of the Executive to the Executive Councillor (Finance) for her hard work during the development of the budget.

The Executive Councillor (Environment) reported that due to an expected reduction in the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority Levy it was proposed to remove the charge for the removal of discarded syringes on private property to bring this in line with the Council policy in respect of removals from public places.

RESOLVED – (1) That the Council Meeting be recommended to:

•   agree the Budget for 2012/13 set out in Appendix Four of the report, including the adjustments set out in section five of this report (detailed at Appendix Five);

•   note the financial forecasts for 2013/14 and 2014/15, 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 freeze for Council services as illustrated at Appendix Eleven of the report;

•   approve the 2012/13 to 2014/15 capital programme and the funding arrangements set out at Appendix Nine of the report;

•   approve the prudential indicators set out in Appendix Ten of the report;

•   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 2012/13; and

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

(2) That the amendments to the schedule of Fees and Charges for 2012/13 (as set out at Annex One) be approved, subject to the removal of the £54 charge for the removal of sharps/needles from occupied domestic premises where they have been illegally dumped (not including the collection of sharps/needles that have been used by the occupiers of the household nor house clearances nor commercial premises).