Decision details

11.1

The Executive Director, Resources, submitted a report containing proposals with regard to the Council’s Revenue Budget for 2020-21 and the Capital Strategy 2020-2025.

The purpose of the Revenue Budget report is to:-

·         approve the City Council’s revenue budget for 2020/21, including the position on reserves and balances;

·         approve a 2020/21 Council Tax for the City Council; and

·         note the levies and precepts made on the City Council by other authorities.

The purpose of the Capital Programme Report is to:-

·         set out the Council’s key priority areas for capital investment;

·         provide an overview of specific projects included in the years 2020 to 2025;

·         set out the overall shape of the current Capital Programme for the 5 years to 2025 (at Appendix 2);

·         set out the Council’s principles for how it invests in non-cash assets; and

·         provide background to the Council’s Corporate Investment Fund Policy (at Appendix 1).

11.2

RESOLVED: That Cabinet recommends to the meeting of the City Council on 4^th March 2020:-

(a) to approve a net Revenue Budget for 2020/21 amounting to £420.171m;

(b) to approve a Band D equivalent Council Tax of £1,621.40 for City Council services, i.e. an increase of 3.99% (1.99% City Council increase and 2% national arrangement for the social care precept);

(c) to approve the proposed amendments to the Long Term Empty premium which applies to Council Tax charges in respect of Long Term Empty Dwellings, as set out in paragraph 48 of the Revenue Budget report, with effect from 1 April 2020;

(d) to note that the Section 151 Officer has reviewed the robustness of the estimates and the adequacy of the proposed financial reserves, in accordance with Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003; and that further details can be found in Appendix 4 and within the Section 25 Statutory Statement on Sustainability of Budget and Level of Reserves from paragraph 15 of the Revenue Budget report;

(e) to approve the savings as set out in Appendix 2 of the Revenue Budget report;

(f) to approve the revenue budget allocations for each of the services, as set out in Appendices 3a to 3d of the Revenue Budget report;

(g) to note that, based on the estimated expenditure level set out in Appendix 3 to the Revenue Budget report, the amounts shown in part B of Appendix 6 of the report would be calculated by the City Council for the year 2020/21, in accordance with sections 30 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992;

(h) to note the information on the precepts issued by the South Yorkshire Police & Crime Commissioner and of South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Authority, together with the impact of these on the overall amount of Council Tax to be charged in the City Council’s area;

(i) to approve the proposed amount of compensation to Parish Councils for the loss of Council Tax income in 2020/21 at the levels shown in the table below paragraph 85 of the Revenue Budget report;

(j) to approve the Treasury Management and Annual Investment Strategies set out in Appendix 7 of the Revenue Budget report and the recommendations contained therein;

(k) to approve the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Policy set out in Appendix 7 of the Revenue Budget report; which takes into account the revisions proposed for 2019/20 onwards;

(l) to agree that authority be delegated to the Executive Director, Resources, to undertake Treasury Management activity, to create and amend appropriate Treasury Management Practice Statements and to report on the operation of Treasury Management activity on the terms set out in these documents;

(m) to approve a Pay Policy for 2020/21 as set out in Appendix 8 of the Revenue Budget report;

(n) to agree that the Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2017/18 and onwards, approved on 3 March 2017, and implemented for 2018/19 and 2019/20, be also implemented for 2020/21;

(o) to approve the contents of the Capital Strategy & Budget Book and the specific projects included in the years 2020/21 to 2024/25; that block allocations are included within the programme for noting at this stage and detailed proposals will be brought back for separate Member approval as part of the monthly monitoring procedures; and

(p) to approve the proposed Capital Programme for the 5 years to 2024/25, as per appendix 2 of the Capital report.

11.3

Reasons for Decision

11.3.1

The City Council on 4 March 2020 meets to consider the Revenue Budget for 2020/21 and to determine the Council Tax for that year.  The report provides information to enable the Council to set a budget and determine the Council Tax.  The proposals set out in this report provide for a balanced budget to be recommended to Council.

11.3.2

The proposed projects within the Capital Programme will improve the services to the people of Sheffield.

11.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

11.4.1

A number of alternative courses of action are considered as part of the process undertaken by Officers before decisions are recommended to Members.  The recommendations made to Members represent what Officers believe to be the best options available to the Council, in line with Council priorities, given the constraints on funding and the use to which funding is put within the Revenue Budget and the Capital Programme.

11.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

None

11.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

None

11.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

Eugene Walker, Executive Director, Resources

11.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

(Note: This is a matter reserved for approval at Full Council at its meeting to be held on 4^th March 2020, and is not, therefore, subject to call-in).