Purpose

The Cabinet will be asked to consider the
proposals for the 2024 to 2025
budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy 2024 to 2028 for West
Suffolk Council, prior to its approval by Council.  This report includes the Minimum Revenues
Provision (MRP) Policy and Prudential Indicators, and also the
outcomes of the Council’s review of its fees and
charges.
 
The fees and charges
have been reviewed in accordance with the Council’s Fees and
Charges Policy, which has resulted in proposed increases to some.
Where the proposed increase is greater than five percent, this
constitutes a Key Decision. The Cabinet will consider the proposals
as part of its consideration of this report. 
 
26 January 2024
Issue of Special Urgency Notice (Inclusion of Exempt
Appendices)
The Cabinet will be
asked to consider the proposals for the 2024 to 2025 budget and
Medium Term Financial Strategy 2024 to 2028 for West Suffolk
Council, prior to its approval by Council.
 
The inclusion of
exempt Appendices are the business cases for new projects under the
Capital Programme and are required to be included
to enable the
Council to have access to all relevant information.  It
has not been possible to provide 28 days’ notice for the
reporting of these Appendices being considered in private session,
as it was not known that exempt
Appendices would be attached to the consideration of this
report.
 
Under the Access to Information Procedure
Rules of the Council’s Constitution, paragraphs 16.1 and
17.2, which requires that where the normal procedure cannot be
followed in respect of the consideration of matters in private,
agreement is to be sought from the Chair of the Overview and
Scrutiny Committee as to why the matter cannot be reasonably
deferred.  This has been undertaken
accordingly.
 
 
 

Decision

(Note: This item constituted a
Key Decision in part where proposed increases in fees and charges
contained in the report were greater than five percent (Attachment
D, Appendix 6a).  Other decisions
emanating from the report would require final approval by Council
on 20 February 2024.  This was reflected
in the Decisions Notice accordingly).
 
Recommended to Council (as part
of the budget setting process)
(20 February 2024):
 
That:
1.          
The revenue and capital budget for 2024 to 2028,
plus 2023 to 2024 capital projects that subsequently require to be
carried forward at the year end, attached at Attachment A and as
detailed in Attachment D (Appendices 1-6), Attachment E, and
Attachment F to Report number CAB/WS/24/010, be
approved.
 
2.          
Having taken into account the conclusions of the
Director’s (Resources and Property) report on the adequacy of
reserves and the robustness of budget estimates (Attachment C) and
the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) (Attachment D),
particularly the Scenario Planning and Sensitivity Analysis
(Attachment D, Appendix 5) and all other information contained in
Report number CAB/WS/24/010, the Cabinet recommends the level of
council tax for 2024 to 2025 be established at £197.82 for an
average band D property (the level of council tax beyond April 2025
will be set in accordance with the annual budget process for the
relevant financial year).
 
3.          
The Director (Resources and Property), in
consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Resources, be authorised
to vire funds between existing
Earmarked Reserves (as set out at Attachment D, Appendix 3) as
deemed appropriate throughout the medium
term financial planning period.
 
4.          
The Director (Resources and Property) in
consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Resources, be given
delegated authority to formulate and implement in full, Government
grant, discount or relief schemes
(examples include but not limited to those set out in paragraphs
3.14-3.16 and 4.7-4.10 of Report number CAB/WS/24/010), so long as
they are as a minimum, revenue cost neutral to the
Council.
 
5.          
The change to the Second Home Premium, set out in
paragraphs 4.7 to 4.10 of Report number CAB/WS/24/010, be
approved.
 
Resolved:
That:
6.          
The fees and charges price increases (as set out in
Attachment D, Appendix 6a of Report number CAB/WS/24/010) be
approved.
 
Recommended to Council (as part
of the budget setting process) (20 February 2024):
7.          
The Flexible Use of Capital Receipts Strategy (as
set out in Attachment F of Report number CAB/WS/24/010), be
approved.