Agenda item

To receive a report from the Cabinet (copy attached – Annex 3) which recommends the approval of the Revenue Budget, Capital Programme, Medium Term Financial Strategy and Council Tax Level, including a recommendation on the Capital Tax Support Scheme for 2024/25. Cllr G.B. Lyon, Leader of the Council will introduce this item.

Cllr P.G. Taylor introduced the Report of the Cabinet meeting held on 6th February, 2024, which recommended the approval of the Revenue Budget, Capital Programme, Medium Term Financial Strategy and Council Tax requirement for 2024/25 and the Council Tax Support Scheme 2024/25. 

It was MOVED by Cllr P.G. Taylor; SECONDED by Cllr G.B. Lyon – That

(i)        approval be given to the following recommendations as detailed in report FIN2406:

(a)   the Executive Head of Finance’s report under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003, as set out in Appendix 7;

(b)   the Medium-Term Financial Strategy and the strategy set out to resolve the Medium Term Financial Strategy, as set out in the Report;

(c)   the Draft General Fund Revenue Budget Estimates Summary 2024-25, as set out in Appendix 4;

(d)   the Council Tax Requirement of £7,683,131 for this Council;

(e)   the Council Tax level for Rushmoor Borough Council’s purposes of £232.74 for a Band D property in 2024/25 (an increase of £6.76);

(f)     the UK Shared Prosperity Fund project list, as set out in Appendix 6 of the Report;

(g)   the Capital Programme, set out in paragraph 8.5 of the Council Report; and

(h)   the Strategy for the Flexible Use of Capital Receipts, as set out in paragraph 9.2 of the Council Report;

Following debate, the Recommendations at (i) (a)-(h) above were put to the meeting. In a recorded vote, there voted FOR: Cllrs A. Adeola, Jessica Auton, Mrs. D.B. Bedford, Jib Belbase, J.B. Canty, Sue Carter, P.J. Cullum, Peace Essien Igodifo, A. Gani, Michael Hope, G.B. Lyon, S.J. Masterson, Marina Munro, M.L. Sheehan, C.J. Stewart, P.G. Taylor, M.J. Tennant, Nem Thapa, S. Trussler Jacqui Vosper (20); AGAINST: Cllrs Abe Allen, Gaynor Austin, Jules Crossley, K. Dibble, Christine Guinness, Halleh Koohestani, Nadia Martin, Sophie Porter, M.J. Roberts, Dhan Sarki, Sarah Spall, Becky Williams, Gareth Williams (13); and ABSTAINED: Cllrs C.W. Card, T.W. Mitchell, the Deputy Mayor (Cllr  Mara Makunura) and the Mayor (Cllr C.P. Grattan) (4) and the Recommendations were DECLARED CARRIED; and

It was MOVED by Cllr P.G. Taylor; SECONDED by Cllr G.B. Lyon – That

(ii)     approval be given to the following recommendations, as set out in the Report No. FIN2405:

(a)   the Council Tax Support Scheme for working age customers being adjusted to increase the maximum Council Tax liability used to calculate Council Tax Support from 88% to 100%, effective from 1st April 2024 and to apply to all calculations made within the Council Tax Support Scheme relating to liabilities occurring on or after 1st April, 2024; and

(b)   that, in all other respects, the current Council Tax Support Scheme for working age customers should continue unchanged, with the addition of the annual uplift to rates used within the calculation mirroring that applied to national Housing Benefits rates, as advised by the Department for work and Pensions.

The Recommendations at (ii) were put to the meeting. There voted FOR: 35; AGAINST: 0; ABSTAINED: 2 and the Recommendations were DECLARED CARRIED.

NOTE: There were some lines in the budget proposals that referred to Rushmoor Homes Limited (RHL) and there were three Councillors who had been appointed as Directors of RHL: Cllrs P.G. Taylor, S. Trussler and Gareth Williams. On 27th May, 2021, the Council’s Corporate Governance, Audit and Standards Committee granted dispensations to Members appointed by the Council to the Board of the Rushmoor Development Partnership and as Directors of Rushmoor Homes Limited.  The named Councillors’ interests were noted and it was acknowledged that this would not affect their ability to participate in the debate and vote at the meeting.