Agenda and minutes

The meeting was adjourned between 11.03am and 11.06am.

The decisions from the meeting held on 13th November were agreed as a correct record.

None disclosed.

Report HOF261 by the Head of Finance.

(Enclosure)

Decision:

Cabinet approves the following:

1.       That the adjusted Council Tax Base for 2014/15 is set at 43,522.4 Band D equivalent properties.

2.       That the adjusted Council Tax Base for each parish is as set out in Appendix A to report HOF261.

3.       That the distribution of the Local Council Tax Support grant for 2014/15 is established to ensure no parish or town council is better or worse off than the Council Tax Base position as set out in Appendix A to report HOF261.

Considerations/reasons for decision:

1)       Report HOF261 from the Head of Finance.

2)       The requirements of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 amended by s84 of the local Government Act 2003 allow each local authority to make its own arrangements for adopting the Council Tax base.  The Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012 provides amended statutory guidance to incorporate changes as a result of the introduction of the Local Council Tax Support Scheme.

3)       The setting of a realistic and prudent collection rate for Council Tax is an essential component of the overall budget strategy.

4)       The calculation of the tax base for parish purposes is based on the number of properties at 10th September 2013 and the discounts applicable on 1st October 2013 as prescribed by legislation.

5)       Adjustments for assumed reductions in the tax base as a result of the move to the Local Council Tax Support Scheme.

6)       Comments made by Members about the level of government support.

7)       Comments made by Members about the need for communications with Parishes to be very clear about understanding how reductions in government grant will impact Parishes in the future.

8)       Comments made thanking the Finance Team for their hard work.

Report HOF258 by the Head of Finance.

(Enclosure)

Decision:

Cabinet approves the following fees and charges for their inclusion into the budget framework proposals for 2014/15:

·       Car Parking – maintain current parking tariffs

·       Bus stations – inflationary increase only

·       Grantham cycle centre – inflationary increase only

·       Building Control – increase in hourly to achieve service breakeven

·       Markets – inflationary increase to Stamford and Bourne market charges

·       Arts centres – inflationary increase only

·       Corn Exchange – maintain current charges

·       Green waste collection – maintain current charges

·       Bulky waste collection – increase by £1 for first item collected

·       Licensing – increase in line with achieving service breakeven

·       Outdoor recreation – inflationary increase only

·       Grantham cemetery – inflationary increase only

·       Land Charges – inflationary increase

·       Pre-planning advice – inflationary increase but maintain current charge for householder advice 

All to be effective from 1^st April 2014.

Considerations/reasons for decision:

1)    Report HOF258 from the Head of Finance.

2)    The work undertaken by the Resources PDG on fees and charges proposals for 2014/15 utilising the fees and charges benchmarking report compiled by Deloittes.

3)    The corporate fees and charges framework which was approved by Cabinet in October 2012.

4)    The use of the benchmarking toolkit by Service Managers who undertook a fundamental review of the current published fees.

5)    The Council has the power to charge for the delivery of discretionary services in accordance with s.93 of the Local Government Act 2003.

6)    Comments made by the Head of Finance on reasons why some fees had remained at the same level.

7)    Comments made by Members about Grantham market, the Corn Exchange and tennis hard courts.

Report PD011 by the Head of Property Development.

(Enclosure)

This item was withdrawn from the agenda due to the need to better understand as a whole the inter relationships between on street and off street parking in light of comments made recently by the MP for Grantham and Stamford.

Decisions CO28 and CO29 as made on 2nd December 2013 can be implemented on Wednesday 11th December 2013, unless subject to call-in by the Scrutiny Committee Chairman or any five members of the Council from any political group.