Decision details

That:

a) the budget proposals should be based on a Council Tax increase of £5, contract inflation up to 4%, no inflation in other goods and services budgets and that the provision for the national pay award will be up to 4%;

b) the assumption that the current local government finance system will continue for a further year and the windfall New Homes Bonus payment will be used to set aside £400k in reserves to meet part of the estimated cost of the refresh of the District Plan with the remainder being used to support the budget through the exceptional circumstances of the current economic and political climate as detailed in Appendix B to the report be endorsed;

c) the savings requirements that the Transforming East Herts Programme will need to deliver in order to balance the budget in the Medium Term be noted;

d) officers re-phase the capital programme and revenue impacts of capital financing and make recommendations about schemes that could be delayed or cancelled to reduce the savings requirements; and

e) the revised savings requirements of £0.812 million in 2023/24, £2.050 million in 2024/25, £2.114 million in 2025/26, £0.792 million in 2026/27 and £0.268 million in 2027/28 be noted.