Issue - meetings

To consider a report (to follow) of the Executive Member for Finance.

Council considered a report recommending the calculation of the National Non Domestic Rates Budget 2014/15.  The Leader advised Members that Officers were still receiving guidance from the Government and explained that this could impact on the calculations now detailed.  He advised that the paragraph number quoted in recommendation (C) should be amended to read 2.21 and not 2.22.

The Leader further suggested that, given the late Government advice still being received, Officers be delegated authority to make any last minute amendments to form NNDR1 that might prove necessary.  This was agreed by Council.

The Leader also referred to the highly technical nature of the report and suggested that this matter might best be delegated to Officers to deal with in future years.

Council approved the calculation as now detailed.

RESOLVED – that (A) in accordance with the Non-Domestic Rating (Rates Retention) Regulations 2013,the amountcalculated by East Herts Council for the year2014/15 shallbe £43,031,531 (Non domestic rating income from rates retention scheme) (part 1b line 14 Column 5);

(B)      the Section 31 grant in relation to the Business Rates proposals within the ‘Autumn Statement’ shall be £1,690,873;

(C)     the estimated Collection Fund Surplus for 2013/14 of £780,442 be allocated to the constituent bodies as detailed at paragraph 2.21 of the report submitted;

(D)     the Council’s share of the estimated 2013/14 NDR Collection Fund Surplus be transferred to a new reserve to be called ‘Government Funding Risk Reserve’; and

(E)      authority be delegated to the Director of Finance and Support Services, in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance, to make any necessary changes to form NNDR1 for submission to the DCLG by 31 January 2014, should further information or revised forms be sent to the Authority.