Agenda item

Councillor S. Buttar

To consider the detailed Revenue Budget for 2021/22 and make recommendations to Council.

Cabinet considered the Revenue Budget for 2021/22.

Cabinet noted that the budget had considered the impact of COVID-19, but through sound financial management, the Council  were able to propose a 0.0% increase in the Spelthorne Borough Council element of the Council Tax for 2021/22, to assist its residents during these challenging times.

Cabinet also noted that the Chief Finance Officer had taken on board the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and made an additional £150,000 available for green initiatives enabling the Council to provide a total of £250,000 which would be in addition to the unused £900,000 Green Belt initiative which had been put into an earmarked reserve to be available to be called upon if required in the future, rather than returning the funds to the General Fund.

Resolved to recommend Council to agree

1.    To approve a 0.00% increase on Band D for the Spelthorne Borough Council element of the Council Tax for 2021/22 and also that:

a)    The revenue estimates as set out in Appendix 1 be approved

b)    No money, as set out in the report will be appropriated from General Reserves in support of Spelthorne’s local Council Tax for 2021/22

c)    The Council Tax base for the year 2021/22 is 39,016 Band D equivalent dwellings calculated in accordance with Regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992, as amended, made under Section 35(5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992

2.    To continue the Council’s Local Council Tax Support Scheme with the current rules and regulations.

3.    To continue the complete disregard of war pension/armed forces pension income from benefit calculations.

4.    To approve the growth and savings items as set out in the report’s appendices.

5.    To note the Chief Finance Officer’s commentary in Section 4 of the report on the robustness of budget estimates and levels of reserves under Section 25 and 26 of the Local Government Act 2003.

6.    To note that the Council Tax Base for the whole Council area for 2021/22 (Item T in the formula in Section 31b (3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the ‘act’) should be 39,016 Band D equivalent dwellings and calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purpose for 2021/22 is £205.05 per Band D equivalent dwelling.

That the following sums now be calculated by the Council for the year 2020/21 in accordance with Section 31 to 36 of the Local Government Act 1992:

That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2021/22 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act as amended by the Localism Act 2011:

Being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at (F) above by the number which in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the sum which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation band ‘D’, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different band.

That it be noted that for the year 2021/22 Surrey County Council and Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner have stated the following amounts (subject to ratification on 2 & 7 February) in precepts issued to Spelthorne Borough Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:

That, having calculated the aggregate in each case above the Council in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Localism Act 2011, hereby sets the amounts as the amounts of Council tax for the year 2021/22.

The Council has determined that its relevant basic amount of Council Tax for 2021/22 is not excessive in accordance with the principles approved under Section 52ZB Local Government Finance Act 1992.

As the billing authority, the council has not been notified by a major precepting authority that its relevant basic amount of Council Tax for 2021/22 is excessive and that the billing authority is not required to hold a referendum in accordance with Section 52ZK Local Government Finance Act 1992.

Reason for decision:

The Authority is required to set a balanced budget and a Council tax rate for the financial year 2021/22.