Issue - meetings
Budget and Council Tax 2020/21 - 2021/22
Meeting: 19/02/2020 - Council (Item 7)
7 Budget and Council Tax 2020/21 PDF 243 KB
The purpose of this report is to set out the Council’s budget proposals for 2020/21 and business plans for 2021/22 and 2022/23. The report also sets out the results of the consultation, scrutiny and equalities processes. Alongside the overall financial position facing the Council for the medium term and highlights the significant risks and issues.
Members are asked to note that the recommendations in the report were approved by Cabinet on 10 February 2020 for reference on to Council.
Additional documents:
- Appendices List, item 7 PDF 34 KB
- 06a. Appendix A - Overall Revenue budget 2020-21, item 7 PDF 304 KB
- 06b. Appendix B - Service Cost Pressures 2020-21, item 7 PDF 119 KB
- 06c(i). Appendix C (i) - Summary of 2020-21 budget proposals, item 7 PDF 308 KB
- 06c(ii). Appendix C (ii) - Summary of 2021-22 & 2022-23 budget proposals, item 7 PDF 29 KB
- 06c(iii). Appendix C (iii) - Detailed budget templates for 2021-22 & 2022-23 proposals, item 7 PDF 1004 KB
- Appendix C(iv) - Cover Sheet, item 7 PDF 23 KB
- 06c(iv). Appendix C (iv) - Cumulative Equalities Impact Assessment of Budget Proposals, item 7 PDF 646 KB
- Appendix C(v) - Cover Sheet, item 7 PDF 15 KB
- 06c(v). Appendix C (v) - Individual Equalities Analyses of Budget Proposals, item 7 PDF 2 MB
- 06d. Appendix D - Budget Scrutiny Task Group, item 7 PDF 727 KB
- 06e. Appendix E - Detailed Capital Programme 2020-21 - 2024-25, item 7 PDF 86 KB
- 06f. Appendix F - Pipeline Schemes Summary, item 7 PDF 139 KB
- 06g. Appendix G - Capital Strategy 2020-21, item 7 PDF 122 KB
- 06h. Appendix H - Investment Strategy 2020-21, item 7 PDF 99 KB
- 06i. Appendix I - Treasury Management Strategy 2020-21, item 7 PDF 261 KB
- 06j. Appendix J - Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement 2020-21, item 7 PDF 44 KB
- 06k. Appendix K - Legal Advice, item 7 PDF 142 KB
- 06l(i). Appendix L (i) - Fees and Charges Explanatory Note, item 7 PDF 102 KB
- Appendix L(ii) - Cover Sheet, item 7 PDF 15 KB
- 06l(ii). Appendix L (ii) - Fees and Charges Schedule, item 7 PDF 521 KB
- 06l(iii). Appendix L (iii) - Brent Council Fees and Charges Policy, item 7 PDF 288 KB
- 06m. Appendix M - Budget Consultation, item 7 PDF 85 KB
- 06n. Appendix N - Pay Policy Statement 2020-21, item 7 PDF 194 KB
- 06o. Appendix O - Council Tax Setting Committee, item 7 PDF 179 KB
- Conservative Group Amendments to Budget Proposals 2020-21, item 7 PDF 63 KB
- Webcast for Budget and Council Tax 2020/21
Decision:
AGREED
(1) To note the decisions made by Cabinet on 10 February 2020 in relation to the budget and Council Tax 2020/2021
(2) An overall 3.99% increase in the Council’s element of council tax for 2020/21, with 2% as a precept for Adult Social Care and a 1.99% general increase
(3) The General Fund revenue budget for 2020/21, as summarised in Appendix A of the report.
(4) The cost pressures and technical adjustments set out in Appendix B of the report.
(5) The budget savings proposals set out in Appendix C of the report.
(6) To note the report from the Budget Scrutiny Panel in Appendix D of the report and approve the recommendation from Cabinet that any overall underspend across the General Fund at the end of March 2020 is ring fenced and that proposals are brought forward for spending on the climate change emergency
(7) The HRA budget for 2020/21, as set out in section seven of the report.
(8) The dedicated schools’ grant, as set out in section eight of the report
(9) The Capital Programme as set out in section nine and Appendix E of the report and that the Chief Officers be authorised to take all the necessary actions for implementation of the programmes
(10) The changes to the existing Capital Programme in relation to additions of new projects, as set out in Appendix E of the report.
(11) The Director of Finance be authorised to make the necessary adjustments to the Capital Programme to account for the final 2019/20 outturn position and any associated programme slippage
(12) The Capital Strategy, Investment Strategy, Treasury Management Strategy and Minimum Revenue Provision Policy in Appendices G, H, I and J of the report and to note the pipeline schemes in Appendix F of the report.
(13) To note he advice of the Director of Legal, HR, Audit and Investigations, as set out in Appendix K of the report.
(14) The schedule of fees and charges, as set out in Appendix L of the report.
(15) To note the results of the budget consultation, as set out in section six and detailed in Appendix M of the report.
(16) The Pay Policy Statement for 2020/21, as set out in Appendix N of the report.
Council Tax recommendations
These recommendations only include a provisional council tax level for the GLA as its final budget was not agreed when the report was despatched. This means that the statutory calculation of the total amount of council tax under Section 30(2) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 cannot be carried out until the final GLA precept has been received.
(17) In relation to the council tax for 2020/21 to resolve:
That the following amounts be now calculated as the Council’s element by the Council for the year 2020/21 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended:
(a) £1,029,121,285 being the aggregate of the amount that the Council estimates for the items set out ... view the full decision text for item 7
Minutes:
The Council received a report from the Director of Finance setting out the Council’s budget proposals for 2020/21 and business plans for 2021/22 and 2022/23. Included within the report were the results of the budget consultation, scrutiny and equalities processes along with a summary of the overall financial position, risks, issues and uncertainties facing the Council over the medium term.
In accordance with the procedural motion agreed at the start of the meeting, the Mayor invited Councillor Muhammed Butt (as Leader of the Council) to introduce and move the report setting out the budget and Council Tax proposals for 2020/21 – 2021/22.
Councillor Muhammed Butt began by welcoming the newly elected councillors to their debut Council meeting for one of most strategically important meetings of the year, given the difficult financial position faced by Council and need to consider setting yet another austerity constrained budget. This was, he felt it important to highlight, despite the Conservative Government claiming the period of austerity was over.
Outlining what he felt had been the damage to public services inflicted over the last decade as a result of the current Conservative and previous coalition Government’s policies in respect of Welfare Reform, ending of the Decent Homes and Building Schools for the Future Programmes and introduction of tuition fees, he felt now more than ever there was a need to ensure councilors (whatever their political allegiance) continued to stand up for the local communities they represented. Residents, he felt, had the right to expect maximum effort and the highest professional standards from their elected representatives and officers at all levels across the Council.
Whilst recognising the difficult choices faced, Councillor Muhammed Butt began by focusing on the positives, with Brent being London’s official Borough of Culture for 2020. This would provide a real opportunity for the Council to reacquaint itself with the true wealth and real value that existed within its borders. He pointed out that whilst Brent might not be the most affluent of boroughs in which to live, it was blessed with an unrivaled abundance of diversity, with this cumulative cultural wealth far exceeding the already considerable sum of the boroughs many and varied parts contributing to Brent truly being the Borough of Cultures.
Whilst the previous years had been draining, Councillor Muhammed Butt felt there was a need now more than ever, for everyone as residents, citizens and representatives, to continue playing their part as advocates and remain active as opposed to indifferent in terms of championing, defending and protecting public services and in standing up for a fair and just society.
Turning to the budget proposals, Councillor Butt highlighted the ongoing pressures faced by the Council and efforts required to be able to recommend yet another balanced budget. This had, however, been achieved under increasingly difficult circumstances, with the aim being to minimise the negative impact on residents across the borough and to those more vulnerable members of society relying on public services for support. In these cases, he felt a ... view the full minutes text for item 7