BRIGHTON & HOVE CITY COUNCIL

 

Strategy, Finance & City Regeneration Committee

 

4.00pm 8 February 2024

 

Council Chamber, Hove Town Hall

 

 

decision list

 

Part One

 

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101

 

General Fund Revenue Budget, Capital & Treasury Management Strategy 2024-25

 

 

Contact Officer:

Nigel Manvell

Tel: 01273 293104

 

Ward Affected:

All Wards

 

 

 

RESOLVED:

 

That Strategy, Finance & City Regeneration Committee recommends to Council:

 

2.1      The Administration’s proposed budget and Council Tax increase on the Brighton and Hove element of the council tax, comprising:

i) A general Council Tax increase of 2.99%;

ii) An Adult Social Care Precept increase of 2.00%;

iii) The council’s net General Fund budget requirement for 2024/25 of £246.353m;

iv) The 2024/25 budget allocations to services as set out in Appendix 1;

v) The Budget Strategies and proposed savings as set out in Appendix 1;

vi) The one-off resource allocations as set out in the table at paragraph 5.8.

vii) A recommended working balance of £9.000m (approximately 3.7% of the net budget) to be maintained or replenished over the period of the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

 

2.2      That Council notes the updated 4-Year Medium Term Financial Strategy included at paragraph 10.3 including predicted budget shortfalls of £73m over the 4-year period.

 

2.3      That Council approves the Capital Strategy for 2024/25 at Appendix 2 comprising:

i) The strategy for funding the investment in change, including the flexible use of capital receipts as set out in section 8;

ii) The capital resources and proposed borrowing included at Annex A of the Capital Strategy;

iii) The Capital Investment Programme for 2024/25 of £211.470m included at Appendix 1 and incorporating allocations to strategic funds.

 

2.4      That Council notes the Equalities Impact Assessments to cover all relevant budget options as set out in Appendix 6.

 

2.5      That Council further notes that approval of the budget is an indicative resourcing decision to be taken in the context of the explanation given in the Legal Implications at paragraph 18.2.

 

2.6      That Council approves the Treasury Management Strategy Statement as set out in Appendix 3 comprising:

i) The Annual Investment Strategy;

ii) The Prudential and Treasury Indicators;

iii) The Minimum Revenue Provision policy;

iv) The authorised borrowing limit for the year commencing 1 April 2024.

 

2.7      That Council notes that supplementary information needed to set the overall council tax, including a detailed Budget Book, will be provided for the Budget Council meeting as listed in paragraph 12.3.

 

That Strategy, Finance & City Regeneration Committee:

 

2.8      Agrees that the council’s Chief Finance Officer be authorised to make any necessary technical, presentational or consequential amendments to this report before submission to Budget Council.

 

 

 

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102

 

Housing Revenue Account Budget & Capital Investment  Programme 2024/25 and Medium-Term Financial Strategy

 

 

Contact Officer:

Martin Reid

Tel: 01273 293321

 

Ward Affected:

All Wards

 

 

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Housing & New Homes Committee:

 

2.1      Approves a rent increase of up to 7.7% in line with government legislation as detailed in paragraph 3.14 of the report.

 

2.2      Approves the service charges and fees as detailed in Appendix 2 to the

report.

 

2.3      Notes the Medium-Term Financial Strategy and 30-year financial projections shown in Appendix 4 to the report.

 

2.4      Approves the Travellers fees and Charges set out in Appendix 5 to the

report.

 

That the Housing & New Homes Committee approves and recommends

to Strategy, Finance & City Regeneration Committee:

 

2.5      The updated HRA Revenue Budget for 2024/25 as shown in Table 1 of the main report and Appendix 1 to the report be agreed and recommended to Full Council for approval.

 

2.6      That the un-ringfencing of reserves is approved as set out in paragraphs 3.20 to 3.23 of the main report and Appendix 1 to the report.

 

2.7      That the new Capital Programme Budget of £57.955m for 2024/25 be agreed as part of the revised capital budget of £87.623m (which includes reprofiles of £29.668m from 2023/24), and recommended to Full Council for approval; and

 

2.8      That the 5-year capital programme as set out in Appendix 3 to the report is noted and recommended to Full Council for approval.

 

That Full Council:

 

2.9      Approves the updated HRA Revenue Budget for 2024/25 as shown in Table 1 of the main report and Appendix 1 to the report.

 

2.10    Approves the new Capital Programme Budget of £57.955m for 2024/25 as part of the revised capital budget of £87.623m (which includes reprofiles of £29.668m from 2023/24); and

 

2.11    Notes the 5-year capital programme as set out in Appendix 3 to the report.

 

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103

 

Targeted Budget Management (TBM) 2023/24: Month 9 (December)

 

 

Contact Officer:

Nigel Manvell

Tel: 01273 293104

 

Ward Affected:

All Wards

 

 

 

RESOLVED:

 

2.1      That the Committee note the forecast risk position for the General Fund, which indicates a near break-even position of a £0.021m overspend. This includes an underspend of £0.159m on the council’s share of the NHS managed Section 75 services.

 

2.2      That the Committee note the forecast for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), which is currently also a break-even position.

 

2.3      That the Committee note the forecast position for the Dedicated Schools Grant which is currently an overspend of £0.098m.

 

2.4      That the Committee note the forecast outturn position on the capital programme which is a forecast underspend of £2.151m and approve the variations and slippage in Appendix 6 and new schemes as set out in Appendix 7.

 

2.5      That the Committee note the Treasury Management Update as set out in Appendix 8.

 

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104

 

Libraries Fees and Charges 2024-25

 

 

Contact Officer:

Monica Brooks

Tel: 01273 292279

 

Ward Affected:

All Wards

 

 

 

RESOLVED:

 

2.1      That Committee agrees to the Library Service not raising fees and charges in April 2024.

 

2.2      That Committee notes that additional income is forecast for 2024-25 from the Booklover retail offer at Jubilee Library, which would achieve the 3.5% increase in income expected without raising fees and charges for customer use of core library offers.

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