Decision details

To provide Cabinet with the detail of the draft Budget preparations to date for consideration and approval.

  i.  approves the freezing of Council Tax for 2016/17;

  ii.  approves the removal of the savings proposal to charge a bus departure levy within the District;

  iii.  approves the draft Capital Programme 2016/17 to 2020/21;

  iv.  approves the overall draft Budget 2016/17 and Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2017/18 to 2020/21;

  v.  considered the current MTFS position with regards to the General Fund Reserve and agrees to continue the use of the Zero Based Budgeting principles and commits to continue to develop the actions and programmes as set out in the ‘Plan on a Page’ to find further savings and efficiencies in order to maintain a prudent level of reserves throughout the MTFS;

  vi.  approves the Council Tax Base 2016/17 as detailed in Appendix 2 of the submitted report;

  vii.  considered the offer by Government to all Councils of a four-year financial settlement and agrees that if the deadline for submission of an efficiency plan is before the February Cabinet meeting, that delegated authority is given to the Head of Resources to approve the plan subject to agreement by the Executive Councillor for Resources;

 viii.  that following the resolution regarding Voluntary Sector Grant Funding 2016/17 – 2019/20 (Minute No. 77) changes be reflected in the Voluntary Sector Grants budget for 2016/17 and over the MTFS period.

To enable the Cabinet to approve and understand:

•  the impact of Zero Based Budget Tranche 2 and 3 and other service changes on service budgets;

•  draft Capital Programme 2016/17 to 2020/21;

•  freezing of Council Tax until 2020/21.

None considered.

As detailed within the submitted report.