The Cabinet considered the forecast Collection Fund outturn position for 2020/21, the setting of the Council Tax Taxbase for 2021/22 and a forecast for Business Rates income for 2021/22 and agreed:-
(1) That the Cabinet:
· Declare a provisional forecast outturn Collection Fund deficit of £48.543m in 2020/21 relating to a Council Tax deficit of £5.603m and Business Rates deficit of £42.940m;
· Declare a provisional forecast outturn Collection Fund deficit to be reimbursed to the Council’s General Fund in 2021/22 of £47.271m relating to a Council Tax deficit of £4.760m and Business Rates deficit of £42.511m;
· Note the 2021/22 Council Tax Taxbase for budget setting purposes of 95,945.1 Band D equivalent dwellings. The Council’s final 2021/22 Council Tax Taxbase will be presented for approval to the Council meeting on 21 January 2021;
· Provisionally approve the 2021/22 forecast for Business Rates income of £77.055m; and
· Note the forecast 100% Pilot benefit from the 2020/21 Pilot of £2.966m.
(2) That the following decisions be delegated to the Corporate Director (Corporate and Support Services) and Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources, Commissioning and Governance:-
· the decision to change the in-year provisional forecast outturn Collection Fund position in 2020/21 prior to declaring the position by 31 January 2021;
· the decision to continue in the Greater Manchester and Cheshire Business Rates pooling arrangement; and
· the decision to vary the Business Rates forecast presented in Table 7 and Table 8.