Issue - meetings

RESOLVED – that (A) the comments made by the joint meeting of Scrutiny Committees of 14 January 2014 be received; and

(B)   the increases in fees and charges as detailed in Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ of the report submitted, be approved.

(see also Minute 550)

The Executive Member for Finance submitted a report setting out proposed fees and charges for 2014/15.  The joint meeting of Scrutiny Committees, at their meeting held on 14 January 2014, had supported the proposals now detailed.  The Executive Member advised Members that car parking charges would be the subject of a separate report at the next Executive meeting.

The Executive commended the proposals as now detailed.

RECOMMENDED – that (A) the comments made by the joint meeting of Scrutiny Committees of 14 January 2014 be received; and

(B)      the increases in fees and charges as detailed in Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ of the report submitted, be approved.

The Executive Member for Finance submitted a report detailing the additional income to the Council that could be generated by increasing discretionary fees and charges in 2014/15 for a variety of services.  Members were referred to Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ for the detailed suggested increases to discretionary fees and charges.

In response to a query from Councillor J Wing as to whether the fees and charges covered the costs of service delivery and whether any fees and charges created a surplus for any particular service, the Director of Finance and Support Services stated that statutory rules meant that some Council services could only cover the commercial costs of delivering a service.  Some services were able to make a surplus to be re-invested in other services.

Councillor P Moore sought and was given clarification regarding the fees and charges in respect of farmers’ markets in East Herts.  The Chief Executive and Director of Customer and Community Services confirmed that the markets usually experienced a downturn at this time of year.

Councillors M Pope, J Mayes and P Ballam asked a number of questions relating to the suggested increased in pest control concessionary charges from £10 to £15.  Members were advised that the existing £10 charge had been in place for a considerable length of time.

The joint meeting of Scrutiny Committees resolved to inform the Executive that the fees and charges should be approved as detailed in the report now submitted.

RESOLVED – that the Executive be informed that the joint meeting of Scrutiny Committees considered that the 2014/15 fees and charges, as detailed in Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ of the report now submitted, should be approved.