Decision - General Fund Revenue Budget, Capital & Treasury Management Strategy 2020/21

RESOLVED: That the Committee recommends to Council:

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

i)             A general Council Tax increase of 1.99%;

ii)            An Adult Social Care Precept increase of 2%;

iii)           The council’s net General Fund budget requirement for 2020/21 of £215.606m;

iv)           The 2020/21 budget allocations to services as set out in the Budget book at Appendix 1 incorporating 2020/21 savings proposals;

v)         The reserves allocations as set out in paragraph 3.16 and table 3;

(2)  That Council notes the updated Medium Term Financial Strategy included in the Budget Book at Appendix 1.

(3)  That Council approves the Capital Strategy for 2020/21 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 6;

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

iii)        The Capital Investment Programme for 2020/21 of £163.169m included within the Budget book at Appendix 1 and incorporating allocations to strategic funds.

(4)  That Council notes the Equalities Impact Assessments to cover all relevant budget options and their cumulative effect as set out in Appendices 6 and 7.

(5)  That Council further notes the budget decision is an indicative resourcing decision to be taken in the context of the explanation in the Legal Implications paragraph 14.3.

(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 2020 of £465m.

(7)     That Council notes that supplementary information needed to set the overall council tax will be provided for the budget setting Council meeting as listed in paragraph 9.3.

(8)     That Policy & Resources Committee agrees that the Acting Chief Finance Officer be authorised to make any necessary technical, presentational or consequential amendments to this report before submission to full Council.