Purpose

The Council has a statutory responsibility to
set a council tax and budget in advance of the commencement of the
new financial year (1 April to 31 March). During the year, the
Council will review its spending plans, consider options to amend
spending to meet new priorities and consider comments received as
part of the consultation process. This report will set the budget
and level of council tax for the year taking into account the above
factors.

Content

RESOLVED

That the Full Council be
recommended to approve the following items regarding the 2024/25
Budget:

a)     
approve the proposed 2024/25 General Fund Budget which includes
using £1,202,470 of general fund reserve as set out in
Section 6 of report
FIN/642,

b)     
approve the proposed 2024/25 Housing Revenue Account Budget as set
out in Appendix 5 of report
FIN/642
which includes the savings and growth items as set
out in Section 9 pf report
FIN/642,

c)       approve the 2024/25 and
future years Capital Programme and funding as set out in Section 10
of the report

FIN/642,

d)     
agree the transfers between reserves as outlined in Section 11
of report

FIN/642.

e)     
agree that the Council’s share of Council Tax for 2024/25 be
increased by 2.99% an increase of £6.76 from £225.34 to
£232.10 for a Band D property as set out in paragraph 5.11
of report

FIN/642,

f)       approve the Pay Policy
Statement for 2024/2025 as outlined in paragraph 12.4 and Appendix
8 of the report

FIN/642noting that the pay award has yet to be agreed,

g)     
approve the Capital Strategy as outlined in paragraph 10.1 and
Appendix 9 of the report
FIN/642

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.