Agenda item

To consider the Cabinet recommendations in relation to the General Fund Budget Estimates 2023/24 and the Medium Term Financial Strategy 2023/24 to 2027/28; the Council Tax levels for 2023/24; the Capital Programme 2023-2026; and the Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Capital Strategy and Annual Treasury Investment Strategy for 2023/24.

Members considered the General Fund Budget Estimates 2023/24 and the Medium-Term Financial Strategy 2023/24 to 2027/28; and Capital Programme 2023-2026 report presented by Councillor Boden.

Councillor Boden highlighted that there was an item which needed to be amended within the recommendations and he explained that the recommendation at (x) makes reference to section 15 whereas it should read section 16.

Members asked questions, made comments and received responses as follows:

·       Councillor Tierney explained that ever since he became an elected member, he has regularly circulated surveys asking people questions with regards to policy in order that he can ensure that the aspects that he represents reflects what the voters want him to stand up for and he explained that one of the questions that he is often asked about is Council Tax. He stated that it is only a very small proportion of people who respond who are happy with their Council Tax payments increasing, making the point that many of his fellow councillors have stated that they choose to become a councillor because they do not wish to see their residents paying too much Council Tax but then in a short period of time, they appear to accept that there will be a significant increase to Council Tax payments. Councillor Tierney stated that he has often argued for a Council Tax freeze or a cut to payments but that has often been brushed aside and added that there should never just be the presumption that the Council is going to increase peoples bills and there should be the opportunity to look at the money required and then only take the amount which is needed. He made the point that it is not the Council’s money, it is residents money and due to the current economic climate, there has never been a more important time for this reduction to be put in place. Councillor Tierney added that when the last administration came into being four years ago, the aspiration was to freeze Council Tax every year and that has been achieved every year and this year there is a proposal to cut Council Tax, which does not mean that services will be cut as the Council continues to deliver services and, in his opinion, he would like to think that the general consensus of members is that Fenland is quite a successful Council. He stated that it is the right thing to do and he knows people are going to support the proposal as money is better off in people’s pockets in order to give them their own choice on how to spend it.

·       Councillor Booth stated that the report makes the point that it is a political decision, and, in his opinion, it is an election year and that is why the proposal has been brought forward, with the reason that he is sceptical is due to the fact that at a recent Overview and Scrutiny panel meeting there was a budget report put forward which proposed 0% and now there is a -2% figure being proposed. He expressed the opinion that he does not disagree with the cut as it is, in his view, that residents of Fenland are paying in excess as far as District Councils are concerned compared to others, although he feels that the Government have not got the correct funding formula in place for local government, particularly as Fenland suffers from areas of deprivation and is not being given its fair share of Government resources compared to other areas. Councillor Booth stated that Fenland is being poorly served by the Government and that is why the Council Tax is probably twice as it needs to be. He stated that Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council have halved the Council Tax base compared to Fenland and made the point that people should not be overtaxed but the Government not providing enough support to this area is a factor. Councillor Booth added that another failing is the unsuccessful bid in obtaining the levelling up funding, however, he does support the reduction and that other members have stated that services are adequate at the Council but, in his view, there have been aspects highlighted that services are suffering and residents are becoming disgruntled. He added that at Parish Council meetings residents are complaining about the length of time it is taking to get through to the Council and that it is a service area where those residents who do not have access to the internet are suffering. Councillor Booth made the point that the street lighting issues needs to be addressed and the rates for recycling has dropped significantly by 11% since the introduction of the brown bin charge. He expressed the view that the level of service being provided to the residents of Fenland needs to be acceptable and he will support the report because he feels it is a step in the right direction.

·       Councillor Boden thanked members for the points that they raised and agreed with the point made by Councillor Booth that things are not perfect and there is always room for improvement. He stated that the issue concerning the answering of phone calls is a service area which is fundamental in the way in which residents can contact the Council and it forms part of the Transformation projects which are underway and it will be particularly important that the Council can ensure that in the future that the best possible means of listening to its residents and responding to their enquiries and that does not mean just considering the phone system as other means of ways of contact will also need to be considered. Councillor Boden stated that the changes that will need to be made in the next administration are likely to be ones that will last for a generation and there are likely to be fundamental questions and answers that will arise but ultimately it needs to be about the service that is provided to the residents of Fenland and how the Council responds to their needs.

Proposedby Councillor Boden,seconded byCouncillor Booth and AGREED that the following be approved:

(i)              the General Fund revenue budget for 2023/24 as set out in Section 8 and Appendix A;

(ii)            the Medium-Term Financial Strategy as outlined in this report and Appendix B;

(iii)          the Capital Programme and funding statement as set out in Appendix D ;

(iv)          the adoption of the additional Business Rates Relief measures as detailed in Section 6 using Discretionary Relief Powers;

(v)            the expenses detailed in Section 11 to be treated as general expenses for 2023/24;

(vi)          the Port Health levy for 2023/24 as shown in Section 12;

(vii)        the adoption of the Council Tax Support Fund proposals as detailed in paragraphs 13.16 – 13.22 of this report, using discretionary powers;

(viii)       the current working age Council Tax Support Scheme be adopted with effect from 1 April 2023 as set out in Section 14, with appropriate changes to the prescribed pensioner scheme as determined by regulations;

(ix)          that subject to the relevant legislation being passed and as detailed in Section 15:

(a)  to agree to shorten the period that a 100% Council Tax premium on long term empty dwellings is payable from the current 2 years (empty) to 1 year from 1 April 2024.

(b)  to agree to implement the 100% Council Tax premium on all second homes from 1 April 2024 (if legislation passed before 31 March 2023).

(x)            the Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Minimum Revenue Provision, Treasury Investment Strategy, Prudential and Treasury Indicators for 2023/24 and Capital Strategy 2023/24 as set out in Section 16 and Appendix E;

(xi)          the Band D Council Tax level for Fenland District Council Services for 2023/24 be set at £255.24, a decrease of 2% (£5.22) on the current year.

The Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 imposean obligation on Local Authorities (after 25 February 2014) to record all votes on decisionson budget andcouncil tax, with this inmind Membersvoted on thisitem as follows:

Infavour ofthe proposal: Councillors Benney, Mrs Bligh, Boden, Booth, John Clark, Sam Clark, Connor, Cornwell, Count, Mrs Davis, Divine, Kim French, Hay, Hoy, Humphrey, Mrs Laws, Lynn, Marks, Mason, Meekins, Miscandlon, Mockett, Murphy, Patrick, Purser, Rackley, Seaton, Skoulding, Sutton, Tierney, Wallwork, Wicks and Yeulett.

Againstthe proposal:None

Abstentions:None

(Councillors Marks and Rackley left the meeting at 6.00pm following this item and for the remainder of the agenda items)