The Head of Finance, Andrew Brooker, informed Members that the report would be going before Cabinet on the 11 February 2016 and then onto Council on the 23 February 2016. 

Members were informed that there had been an increase in demand from Adult Social Care and that the Council would lose about 45% of the grant over the next four years.  It was noted that the Council was able to raise funds elsewhere locally possibly by raising Council Tax by 4% if it so wished. 

It was noted that nationally, areas such as Wokingham were being hit harder than the Royal Borough with regard to the reduction of the grant.

The Head of Finance went onto explain that there was a new homes bonus scheme 2017/18 which meant that no new homes bonus would be received on homes built after an appeal.  Members were informed that there were therefore significant changes proposed to the way the new homes bonus scheme currently worked.

In the ensuing discussion the following points were noted:

• The Head of Finance explained that an injection of £3.8million had been made for the increase in demand from Adult Social Care and £5.7million needed to be made in efficiency savings. 
• Members were referred to the capital programme specifically on pages 70 & 71 of the supplementary agenda and asked if there were any schemes the Panel wanted to promote.
• Confirmation was provided by the Strategic Director Corporate & Community Services, Russell O’Keefe that provision had been set aside in the budget for additional interim officers and the Panel were referred to page 166 of the supplementary agenda. 

The Planning & Housing Overview & Scrutiny Panel unanimously agreed that they would like to promote the following Capital Bid schemes:

• Item 19 = CIL/S106 Monitoring Software - Purchase and Maintenance of software to monitor and produce all statutory letters and notifications to collect CIL funds from developers. CIL legislation allows for set up cost of CIL to be refunded out of future CIL receipts. The software is produced by a Exacom and is sold as an add on module to the Idox Uniform product.

• Item 25 = Neighbourhood plan - The Royal Borough is a vanguard authority in neighbourhood planning and committed to supporting local groups who wish to produce neighbourhood plans to shape development in their areas, along with the strategic policies in the Borough Local Plan.

The Planning & Housing Overview & Scrutiny Panel suggested that going forward it would be useful to be provided with an index / listing of all services (with groupings broken down) included in the budget.  It was noted that it had been difficult to find reference to the Tree team – the Strategic Director Corporate & Community Services, Russell O’Keefe agreed to produce a note to show Members exactly which directorate (Leisure Services) the Tree team now came under. 

The Planning & Housing Overview & Scrutiny Panel unanimously agreed to recommend to Cabinet the following:

i.     That the detailed recommendations contained in Appendix A, which includes a Council Tax at band D of £906.95, be approved.

ii.    That an Adult Social Care Levy of £1.191m be included in the Council’s budget proposals, this levy being equivalent to £18.14 at band D.

iii.   That Fees and Charges as contained in Appendix B be approved.

iv.   That the Capital Programme shown in Appendices C and D be adopted by the Council for the year commencing April 2016.

v.    That responsibility is delegated to the Cabinet Prioritisation Sub Committee to identify specific scheme budgets for the Highway Maintenance programmes as soon as project specifications have been completed.

vi.   That authority is delegated to the Head of Finance in consultation with the Lead Members for Finance and for Adult Services and Health to add up to a further £300k to the budget for Disabled Facilities Grant once demand for those grants has been established.

vii.  That the prudential Borrowing limits set out in Appendix L are approved.

viii. That Council is asked to note the Business Rate tax base calculation detailed in Appendix P and its use in the calculation of the Council Tax Requirement in Appendix A.

ix.   That the Head of Finance in consultation with Lead Members for Finance and Education, is authorised to amend the Total Schools Budget, to reflect actual Dedicated Schools Grant levels.

x.    That the Head of Finance in consultation with Lead Members for Finance and Education, the Managing Director and Strategic Director for Adult, Children and Health Services and the School Forum is authorised to approve subsequent allocation of the Schools Budget in accordance with the 2016/17 funding formula  and the Schools Finance and Early Years Regulations 2015.

xi.   That responsibility to include the precept from the Berkshire Fire and Rescue Authority in the overall Council Tax charges is delegated to the Lead Member for Finance and Head of Finance as soon as the precept is announced. (should be 17 February 2016)

xii.  That the revision to the Council’s Minimum Revenue Policy set out in paragraph 3.43 be approved.