RESOLVED

That the Full Council be recommended to approve the following items regarding the 2023/2024 Budget:

a)        approve the proposed 2023/24 General Fund Budget which includes using £261,970 of general fund reserve and includes savings rolled forward from the current financial year as set out in section 6 of report FIN/606,

b)        approve the proposed 2023/24 Housing Revenue Account Budget as set out in Appendix 3 of the report which includes the savings and growth items as set out in section 10 of report FIN/606,

c)         agree to increase the capital budget for Crawley Homes retrofit schemes by £900,000 to assist with water neutrality, funded from the HRA but reimbursed by developers to carry out further retrofitting works on Council’s housing stock and new-build schemes (para 11.3 of report FIN/606).  In addition that authority be delegated to the Head of Crawley Homes, the Head of Corporate Finance, and the Head of Governance, People & Performance; in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Housing, to enter into the necessary contracts, and complete all relevant legal documentation to achieve the above recommendation

(Generic Delegation 2 and 3 will be used to enact this recommendation).

d)        increase the capital programme by £129,950 funded from Government grant for the Town Centre DHN Phase 2 extended feasibility.  An increase of £184,950 for the DHN and a reduction of £55,000 for the Town Centre Capital programme (para 11.5 of report FIN/606).

e)        approve the 2022/23 and future years Capital Programme and funding as set out in paragraph 11.6 of report FIN/606, 

f)          agree the transfers between reserves as outlined in Section 12 of report FIN/606, this includes creating a Cost of Living reserve.

g)        agree that the Council’s share of Council Tax for 2023/24 be increased by 2.99% (£6.55) from £218.79 to £225.34 for a band D property as set out in paragraph 13.1 of report FIN/606,,

h)        approve the Pay Policy Statement for 2023/2024 as outlined in paragraph 16.3 and Appendix 6 of the of report FIN/606, noting that the pay award has yet to be agreed,

i)          approve that the S151 Officer (in consultation with the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council) be delegated authority to make minor amendments to the Hardship Policy (under Generic Delegation 7).

j)        agree to increase the capital budget for Temporary Accommodation by £1,150,000, funded from grant funding of £474,000 and borrowing of 676,000 as detailed in reportFIN606A.

k)       agree to increase the capital budget for Acquisitions of Land and Dwellings by £10,000,000 funded from 1-4-1 receipts £4,000,000 and borrowing of £6,000,000 as detailed in reportFIN606A

Reasons for the Recommendations

To provide adequate funding for the proposed level of services and to fulfil the statutory requirement to set a Budget and Council Tax and report on the robustness of estimates.