Agenda item - 2023-2024 Budget and Council Tax

The Leader’s Portfolio

To consider FIN/606 of the Chief Executive and Chief Accountant (s151 officer), which was referred to the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission on 30 January 2023.

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.

The Leader presented reports FIN/606 and FIN606Aof the Chief Executive and Chief Accountant (s151 officer). The Council had a statutory responsibility to set a Council Tax and Budget in advance of the commencement of the new financial year. It was noted that the report detailed each of the Revenue, Capital and Housing Revenue Accounts that combine together to formulate ‘The Budget’. In proposing the level of Council Tax for the Financial Year 2023/24, each of those accounts identified had been considered. The proposed Council Tax for 2023/24 was to be increased by 2.99%. In presenting the report the Leader highlighted the proposal to use £261,970 from the General Fund reserve, the proposal to increase the capital budget for Crawley Homes retrofit schemes by £900,000 to assist with water neutrality and the expenditure on capital projects.

The Leader also detailed the additional recommendations contained within the supplementary agenda which proposes to increase the capital programme for temporary accommodation by £1,150,000 to £9,548,258 and the budget for acquisitions of Land and Dwellings by £10,000,000. It was noted that the reasons for both additional proposals were to allow the Council to maximise any opportunities to help tackle the increasing pressures on the Council’s in respect of temporary accommodation and the need for affordable housing.

Councillor T Belben presented the Overview and Scrutiny Commission’s comments on the report OSC/308to the Cabinet following consideration of the matter at its meeting on 30 January 2023, which including acknowledging the serious impact of the cost of homelessness was and would be having on the Council finances in the next couple of years.

Councillors C Mullins, Jhans, and S Mullins spoke as part of the discussion on the report.