Agenda item

General Fund Revenue Budget 2024-25, and Medium Term Financial Strategy 24/25 to 27/28

Meeting of Budget, Council, Thursday, 7th March, 2024 7.00 pm (Item 57.)

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor Smith,

Seconded by Councillor Chahal,

1. “Note the section 25 Report of the Executive Director of Finance and Commercial at Appendix A that confirms in particular the robustness of the estimates and the adequacy of the proposed financial reserves.

2. Approve the 2024/25 budget on the basis of an increase in the general element of Council Tax of 7.99% and an increase in the Adult Social Care Precept element of 0.51%.

3. Approve the Council Tax Resolution 2024/25 as set out in Appendix B on the basis that it is not excessive in accordance with the principles approved under section 52ZB and 52ZC of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and as permitted by the proposed The Referendums Relating to Council Tax Increases (Principles) (England) Report 2024/25.

4. Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Finance and Commercial, to place a notice in the local press of the amounts set under recommendation 3 within a period of 21 days following the Council's decision.

5. Approve the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) as set out in Appendix C, based on the estimated financial deficit in the Capitalisation Direction and to be funded by capitalisation of:

a. £23.078m for 2024/25

b. NOTE that the remaining years of the MTFS imply an estimated financial deficit totalling £27.460m, approval of which will be subject to annual approval to DLUHC

6. Approve the overall General Fund revenue budget for 2024/25, as set out in Appendix D1 of £162.1m to include:

a. Growth for pressures of £13.855m

b. Inflationary pressures of £4.472m including pay and contract inflation

c. Proposed savings by Directorates of £12.206m in 2024/25, with further savings of £6.836m in 2025/26 and £1.796m in 2026/27

7. Approve measures to control spending and improve the finances of the Council at Appendix F.

8. Note the impact of a change in legislation to implement a 100% premium on Council Tax for properties left unoccupied for 1 year as opposed to 2 years as set out in Appendix G1, such change to take effect on 1 April 2024

9. Determine that Council Tax will be increased for furnished properties periodically occupied from 1 April 2025 in accordance with the Scheme for Properties Occupied Periodically at Appendix G2 and s.11C of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

10.Agree that the Council Tax Support Scheme approved on March 9^th 2023 should remain in place, with the exception of minor amendments for clarification purposes as set out in Appendix B1.

11.Delegate to Cabinet the authority to approve an increase in funding for the new Transformation project on receipt of a report and robust Business Plan.

Council is asked to note that at its meeting on 26^th February 2024 the Cabinet agreed to:

1. Write-off of individual debts over £15,000, with a total value of £646,000, as set out in Appendix H.

2. Approve the proposed fees and charges for 2024/25 as set out in Appendix J (where these relate to executive functions);

3. Approve the Contract Sum for Slough Children First Limited for 2024/25 as £39,044,000”

It was moved by Councillor Mann, as an amendment,

Seconded by Councillor Anderson,

“Local Plan (Net nil)

· Increase Local Plan expenditure by £330k on progressing evidence base.

Funded by:

· Securing £150k additional funding from relevant external bodies (spend above reduced if not fully achieved).

· £180k to be funded from the councils earmarked (but not specifically allocated to projects) transformation fund.”

The amendment was put and, in accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a record of the vote was taken as follows:-

There voted for the amendment:-

Councillors Ajaib, Akram, Anderson, Carter, Dar, Escott, Gahir, Gill, Instone, Mann, Matloob, Mohammad, Nazir, Parmar, Qaseem and W.Sabah ……. 16

There voted against the amendment:-

Councillors E.Ahmed, I.Ahmed, Bedi, Chahal, Dauti, Dhillon, Iftakhar, Kelly, Khawar, Manku, Mohindra, Muvvala, Naveed, O’Kelly, Rana, Satti, Shaik, Smith, Stedmond, Tomar, Wright and Zarait …………………………..…… 22

There abstained from voting:-

The Worshipful, The Mayor Councillor Abbasi ………………………...……. 1

Resolved - That the amendment in relation to the Local Plan not be agreed.

It was moved by Councillor Mann, as an amendment,

Seconded by Councillor Anderson,

“Enforcement officer (Net nil)

· Additional enforcement officer £55k

Funded by

· Identifying equivalent POCA funding of £55k (spend above reduced if not fully achieved).”

The amendment was put and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a record of the vote was taken as follows:-

There voted for the amendment:-

Councillors Ajaib, Akram, Anderson, Carter, Dar, Escott, Gahir, Gill, Instone, Mann, Matloob, Mohammad, Nazir, Parmar, Qaseem and W.Sabah ……. 16

There voted against the amendment:-

There abstained from voting:-

The Worshipful, The Mayor Councillor Abbasi ………………………...……. 1

Resolved - That the amendment in relation to Enforcement Officer not be agreed.

It was moved by Councillor Mann, as an amendment,

Seconded by Councillor Anderson,

“Planning Service

· Reverse the proposed £218k of the savings in planning and earmarked budget to specifically target commercialisation work in the planning service (for example - growth in PPA income, pre-application fee income and growth in building control income).

Funded by:

· £218k from the councils earmarked (but not specifically allocated to projects) transformation fund.”

The amendment was put and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a record of the vote was taken as follows:-

There voted for the amendment:-

Councillors Ajaib, Akram, Anderson, Carter, Dar, Escott, Gahir, Gill, Instone, Mann, Matloob, Mohammad, Nazir, Parmar, Qaseem and W.Sabah ……. 16

There voted against the amendment:-

There abstained from voting:-

The Worshipful, The Mayor Councillor Abbasi ………………………...……. 1

Resolved - That the amendment in relation to Planning Service not be agreed.

It was moved by Councillor Mann, as an amendment,

Seconded by Councillor Anderson,

“Street cleaning

· Conversion of street cleaning saving £71k to new ward-based street cleaning pot.

Funded by:

· £71k from corporate contingency sum held for non-delivery of savings.”

The amendment was put and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a record of the vote was taken as follows:-

There voted for the amendment:-

Councillors Ajaib, Akram, Anderson, Carter, Dar, Escott, Gahir, Gill, Instone, Mann, Matloob, Mohammad, Nazir, Parmar, Qaseem and W.Sabah ……. 16

There voted against the amendment:-

There abstained from voting:-

The Worshipful, The Mayor Councillor Abbasi ………………………...……. 1

Resolved - That the amendment in relation to Street Cleaning not be agreed.

It was moved by Councillor Mann, as an amendment,

Seconded by Councillor Anderson,

“The Curve

· Stopping the planned closure of the Curve in 2024/25 and savings of £175k in this financial year and £50k to conduct feasibility study and new management options of the Curve (for example its retention as a central library), which will seek to realise savings in line with the 2025/26 savings target.

Funded by:

· £225k to be funded from the councils earmarked (but not specifically allocated to projects) transformation fund.”

The amendment was put and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a record of the vote was taken as follows:-

There voted for the amendment:-

Councillors Ajaib, Akram, Anderson, Carter, Dar, Escott, Gahir, Gill, Instone, Mann, Matloob, Mohammad, Nazir, Parmar, Qaseem and W.Sabah ……. 16

There voted against the amendment:-

There abstained from voting:-

The Worshipful, The Mayor Councillor Abbasi ………………………...……. 1

Resolved - That the amendment in relation to The Curve not be agreed.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 8.2 the Mayor moved that the meeting continues past 10.30pm to complete all of the remainder of business. The meeting signified its consent.

It was moved by Councillor Mann, as an amendment,

Seconded by Councillor Anderson,

“Service Growth

· £476k to replenish the councils earmarked (but not specifically allocated to projects) transformation fund.

Funded by:

· Reduction in the net budget allocations for both temporary accommodation by £100k and adult social care by £376k. To be achieved through improved demand management and prevention strategies or delivering increased savings or income generation (for example - increase ASC collection rate by an additional 1%).”

The amendment was put and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a record of the vote was taken as follows:-

There voted for the amendment:-

Councillors Ajaib, Akram, Anderson, Carter, Dar, Escott, Gahir, Gill, Instone, Mann, Matloob, Mohammad, Nazir, Parmar, Qaseem and W.Sabah ……. 16

There voted against the amendment:-

There abstained from voting:-

The Worshipful, The Mayor Councillor Abbasi ………………………...……. 1

Resolved - That the amendment in relation to Service Growth not be agreed.

The original recommendations were put to the vote and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, a record of the vote was taken as follows:-

There voted for the recommendations:-

There voted against the recommendations:-

Councillors Ajaib, Akram, Anderson, Carter, Dar, Escott, Gahir, Gill, Instone, Mann, Matloob, Mohammad, Nazir, Parmar, Qaseem and W.Sabah ……. 16

There abstained from voting:-

The Worshipful, The Mayor Councillor Abbasi ………………………...……. 1

Resolved -

1. Note the section 25 Report of the Executive Director of Finance and Commercial at Appendix A that confirms in particular the robustness of the estimates and the adequacy of the proposed financial reserves.

2. Approve the 2024/25 budget on the basis of an increase in the general element of Council Tax of 7.99% and an increase in the Adult Social Care Precept element of 0.51%.

5. Approve the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) as set out in Appendix C, based on the estimated financial deficit in the Capitalisation Direction and to be funded by capitalisation of:

a. £23.078m for 2024/25

b. NOTE that the remaining years of the MTFS imply an estimated financial deficit totalling £27.460m, approval of which will be subject to annual approval to DLUHC

6. Approve the overall General Fund revenue budget for 2024/25, as set out in Appendix D1 of £162.1m to include:

a. Growth for pressures of £13.855m

b. Inflationary pressures of £4.472m including pay and contract inflation

c. Proposed savings by Directorates of £12.206m in 2024/25, with further savings of £6.836m in 2025/26 and £1.796m in 2026/27

7. Approve measures to control spending and improve the finances of the Council at Appendix F.

10.Agree that the Council Tax Support Scheme approved on March 9^th 2023 should remain in place, with the exception of minor amendments for clarification purposes as set out in Appendix B1.

11.Delegate to Cabinet the authority to approve an increase in funding for the new Transformation project on receipt of a report and robust Business Plan.

That Council notes that at its meeting on 26^th February 2024 the Cabinet agreed to:

1. Write-off of individual debts over £15,000, with a total value of £646,000, as set out in Appendix H.

2. Approve the proposed fees and charges for 2024/25 as set out in Appendix J (where these relate to executive functions);

3. Approve the Contract Sum for Slough Children First Limited for 2024/25 as £39,044,000.

Supporting documents: