Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Finance and Assets

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    The interim budget proposals be approved for consultation, including a proposed council tax for the services provided by Cheltenham Borough Council of £219.08 for the year 2021/22 based on a band D property (an increase of 2.34% or £5.00 a year for a Band D property);

2.    The detailed schedule of target savings at Appendix 3 be noted;

3.    The growth proposals at Appendix 4 and outlined in section 4, be approved for consultation;

4.    The proposed capital programme at Appendix 6, as outlined in Section 7, be approved;

5.    Authority be delegated to the Executive Director Finance and Assets, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets, to determine and approve any additional material that may be needed to support the presentation of the interim budget proposals for public consultation which will include any changes arising from the provisional settlement;

6.    Consultation responses be sought by by 27^th January 2021.

The Cabinet Member Finance and Assets presented the report, thanking the Leader for her work on the topic as the previous Cabinet Member Finance, and for the Executive Director Finance and Assets for drawing the proposals together. He added that consultation would begin immediately after the meeting and run until 27^th January.

He outlined the key points of the proposals, particularly the theme of recovery, which included endorsing the previously agreed £1.5m boost for Golden Valley in order to support jobs and affordable housing. Carbon neutral goals were also being supported with an extra £75,000 in the base budget and a bid for the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. The result of the bid will be clear in January, but could bring in up to £4m funding for decarbonisation. He also noted that it was supporting apprenticeships with an allocation of £75,000 for four apprenticeships starting next September aimed at 18-24 year olds. Finally, he clarified that it was a one-year settlement, in order to account various uncertain factors and moving targets, such as business rates and overall local government funding

The Cabinet Member Cyber and Safety praised it as a positive budget with a long-term commitment to the future of the town, including commitments to 4,000 homes and 7,000 jobs.

The Cabinet Member Healthy Lifestyles endorsed the focus on apprenticeships, suggesting that it was more important than ever to offer opportunities to young people.

The Cabinet Member Climate and Communities emphasised the importance of building resources for climate change and carbon neutral projects into the budget. He suggested that people would look back on this time and see that the council continued to seek ambitious, positive projects rather than taking the easy option of cuts.

The Leader of the Council noted that it was all about priorities, and while the November budget made the necessary difficult choices, there were no cuts to services at all in these proposals.

The Leader moved to a vote, where it was unanimously:

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    The interim budget proposals be approved for consultation, including a proposed council tax for the services provided by Cheltenham Borough Council of £219.08 for the year 2021/22 based on a band D property (an increase of 2.34% or £5.00 a year for a Band D property);

2.    The detailed schedule of target savings at Appendix 3 be noted;

3.    The growth proposals at Appendix 4 and outlined in section 4, be approved for consultation;

4.    The proposed capital programme at Appendix 6, as outlined in Section 7, be approved;

5.    Authority be delegated to the Executive Director Finance and Assets, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets, to determine and approve any additional material that may be needed to support the presentation of the interim budget proposals for public consultation which will include any changes arising from the provisional settlement;

6.    Consultation responses be sought by by 27^th January 2021.