Agenda item

A report with a proposed revenue budget for 2021/22, together with recommendations regarding the capital programme and a District Council Tax precept were considered. The report reflected the recommendations of the Strategy & Resources Committee on the 2^nd February 2021 and was supplemented by proposed additional statutory resolutions regarding the Council Tax base, Council Tax principles, and aggregates of Council Tax requirements from household properties in the various valuation bands in each parish, reflecting the precepts levied by Surrey County Council, the Surrey Police & Crime Commissioner and the respective parish councils.

The recommendations within the report were proposed by Councillor Elias and seconded by Councillor M.Cooper.  

            R E S O L V E D – that:

            Revenue Budget Requirement:

1.      the net revenue budget requirement be set at £11,295,340 (net cost of services after service specific government grants) for 2021/22 (Appendix B), subject to confirmation of the Final Local Government Financial Settlement;

2.      the Final Budget Envelopes for Departments for 2021/22 at Appendix C be approved;

            Capital Budget Requirement:

3.      the total £39,582,100 proposed three-year Capital Programme at Appendix D (comprising £11,298,200 General Fund and £28,283,900 Housing Revenue Account) of which £25,067,500 is for 2021/22, be approved;

            Tandridge District Council Tax resolutions:

4.      the total Council Tax Requirement be set at £8,690,000 for 2021/22 (based on a Council Tax increase of £5 to cover core Council services) as attached at Appendix E;

5.      it be noted that, for the purpose of section 52ZB of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, the Council formally determines that the increase in Council Tax is not such as to trigger a referendum (i.e. not greater than £5);

6.      the Tandridge District Council precept for Band D Council Tax be set at £225.98, which represents a £5 uplift and a rise of £0.10 a week from the 2020/21 precept of £220.98 - a full list of bands is as follows:

     Band A            £150.65

     Band B            £175.76

     Band C            £200.87

     Band D            £225.98

     Band E            £276.20

     Band F            £326.42

     Band G            £376.63

     Band H            £451.96

7.      Parish Councils’ precept requirements for 2021/22 at Appendix F be noted;

8.      the current Local Council Tax Support Scheme (unchanged) be adopted for financial year 2021/22;

            Impact on Reserves:

9.      the impact of the financial strategy to build the General Fund Reserves via a £500,000 contribution per annum; the application of a general contingency of £100,000 per annum (£117,000 for 2021/22); and the creation of a Partnership & Transformation Reserve to support exploring partnership opportunities (£200,000 for 2021/22) be noted (this will bring the General Fund balance to £3,171,000 as at 31^st March 2022 as shown at Appendix G; and

10.   the resolution at Appendix H be passed which outlines the Council Tax base, principles, aggregate amounts, valuation bands (Tandridge and aggregate) and referendum assessment.

            The adoption of the above resolutions was the subject of the following recorded votes in accordance with Standing Order 13(5):

            Resolutions 1 and 2:

            For:                  Councillors Allen, Black, Bloore, Cooley, Cooper, Duck, Elias, Fitzgerald,                                      Jecks, Milton, Parker, Pursehouse, Ridge, Steeds and Vickers (15)

            Against:           None

            Abstentions:     Councillors Blackwell, Botten, Bourne, Caulcott, Davies, Dennis, Farr,                               Gray, Langton, Jones, Lee, Lockwood, Mansfield, Mills, Morrow, Rujbally,                         Sayer, Stamp, Swann, C.White, N.White and Wren (22). 

            Resolutions 4, 6 and 10:

            For:                  Councillors Allen, Black, Bloore, Botten, Caulcott, Cooley Cooper,                                     Dennis, Duck, Elias, Fitzgerald, Gray, Jecks, Jones, Lee, Mansfield,                                  Milton, Morrow, Rujbally, Parker, Pursehouse, Ridge, Steeds and Vickers                         (24)

Against:           Davies, Mills and Wren (3)

            Abstentions:     Councillors Blackwell, Bourne, Farr, Langton, Lockwood, Sayer, Stamp, Swann, C.White and N.White (10). 

            Resolutions 3, 5, 7, 8 and 9:

            For:                 Councillors Allen, Black, Blackwell, Bloore, Bourne, Botten, Caulcott, Cooley, Cooper, Davies, Dennis, Duck, Elias, Farr, Fitzgerald, Gray, Jecks, Jones,   Langton, Lee, Lockwood, Mansfield, Mills, Milton, Morrow, Rujbally, Parker, Pursehouse, Ridge, Sayer, Stamp, Steeds, Swann, Vickers, C.White, N.White and Wren (37).

            Against:           None

            Abstentions:    None