Decisions and Recommendations

RESOLVED:

1.    That Executive approve a Council Tax Base for 2021/22 for the purpose of setting the Collection Fund budget of 61,354.3 Band D equivalents, this being a net increase in the Tax Base on 2020/21 of 0.37% after allowing for growth of 1.56% and an increase in local concessionary tax support as a result of COVID 19.

2.    That Executive delegate authority to the Chief Financial Officer in consultation with the Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance to make further adjustments to the final tax base where necessary to reflect any changes in the underlying assumptions and report the outcome to Executive in January.

RESOLVED:

To note the Treasury Management Performance for the year to date and note the updated prudential indicators.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the national and local policy context (Annex 1 to the report) be noted.

2.    That the service proposals set out in the report which seek to respond to this context and deliver our corporate priorities, be endorsed.

3.    That the draft business plans for 2021/22 to 2023/24 be approved, and that Heads of Service be authorised to finalise the plans for their service areas, in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holders.

4.    That the following be approved for consultation under the Council’s budget and policy framework:

a.    Medium Term Financial Plan Summary (Annex 2 to the report)

b.    Revenue Budget Savings and Additional Income proposals totalling (£2.094) million (Annex 3 to the report)

c.    Revenue Budget Growth proposals totalling £0.812 million (Annex 3 to the report)

d.    Forecast ongoing income budget pressures in 2021/22 as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic totalling £1.610 million (Annex 2 to the report)

e.    Capital Programme Growth and Reprofiling proposals resulting in a net reduction in the five-year Capital Programme of (£0.286) million (Annex 4 to the report)

f.     Revenue Reserve Balances at 1 April 2020 of £35.391 million (Annex 6.1 to the report)

5.    That the Fees & Charges Policy (Annex 5 to the report) be approved.

6.    That the Reserves Policy (Annex 6.2 to the report) be approved.

7.    That the Medium Term Financial Plan forecast for 2022/23 onwards (Annex 2 to the report) and proposed actions to address the forecast revenue budget gap be noted.

8.    That the modified housing benefit schemes, whereby prescribed war disablement pensions and war widow’s pensions are disregarded, be continued.

9.    That the Executive recommends to the Council the adoption of a new council tax policy to apply a 300% council premium for properties that have been empty for more than 10 years with effect from 1 April 2021.

RESOLVED:

1.    To appoint the following Members as representatives to serve on outside bodies:

·         Councillor Kelly, Age Concern (Merstham, Redhill and Reigate)

·         Councillor Sinden (as Deputy/Substitute), Age Concern (Merstham, Redhill and Reigate)

·         Councillor Horwood, Borough of Reigate and Banstead Arts Council

·         Councillor Horwood, Gatwick Airport Consultative Committee (GATCOM) & GATCOM Steering Group

·         Councillor Absalom, Surrey Hills Board

·         Councillor McKenna (as Deputy/Substitute), Surrey Hills Board

for the periods listed in Annexe 1 of the report.

2.    To note the vacancies, set out in Annexe 1 of the report, for the Discretionary Relief Panel, Horley Town Management Group, YMCA East Surrey Children and Young People’s Advisory Group, and YMCA East Surrey Health and Wellbeing Advisory Group.

Summary of the Report Considered by the Leader of the Council

The Secretary of State has made a number of sets of Regulations in exercise of powers under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984, in response to the current public health risk posed by the situation with regards to coronavirus. These regulations place restrictions and requirements on business and individuals, along with restrictions on gatherings and access to public places, as identified in the legislation. These pieces of legislation will be referred to collectively as the ‘Coronavirus Regulations’.

The Secretary of State has powers to designate enforcement bodies to deal with any non-compliance.  Given local authority environmental health and trading standards’ existing relationships and expertise in dealing with these business sectors, local authorities have been designated as enforcers of related elements of these regulations. 

To use these powers effectively, the Council will need to delegate them to appropriate officers. As they are not a matter reserved to Council or otherwise restricted, they fall within the Executive powers of the Council, which the Leader of the Council has the authority to delegate. In keeping with the Council’s Officer Scheme of Delegation, it is therefore recommended that the powers be delegated to the Head of Service with responsibility for Environmental Health, who can then delegate them to other officers as appropriate.

That the Head of Service with responsibility for Environmental Health be authorised to exercise the Council’s powers, duties and functions with regard to all of the legislation identified collectively as the Coronavirus Regulations, including any subsequent and future provisions.