Cabinet were presented with a Corrigendum of amendments for the report and Appendices.  Cabinet agreed to accept these as follows:

Amendments to the Budget Cabinet Report

Corrigenda

(Amended items shaded)

Main Report page 84 of the Agenda pack

Paragraph 5.2 – Table amended

Appendix A page 102 of the Agenda Pack

Table amended

Appendix C

See Schedules next page – Pages 231, 232, 233 and 236 of the Agenda Pack

(Amended items shaded)

Cabinet:

1.     Agreed the Corporate Plan set out in Appendix G of the report.

2.     Agreed the Council’s General Fund Budget Requirement for 2019/20 to be set at £124.813m as set out in paragraph 5.3.2 and Appendix A of the report;

3.     Agreed The Delegated Schools’ draft budget set out in section 2.5 of the report;

4.     Agreed a 1.25% increase in Council Tax for 2019/20 as set out in paragraph 5.1 of the report;

5.     Agreed an additional 2% Adult Social Care Precept as in paragraph 5.1 of the report;

6.     Noted the Medium Term Financial Strategy position as set out in Section 4 and Appendix F of the report.

7.     Agreed the fees and charges schedule as set out in Section 6 and Appendix C of the report as amended.

8.     Noted the budget and risks as set out in Section 9 of the report.

9.     Approved the Council’s approach to general balances as set out in paragraph 7.3 of the report

10.Noted the requirements of  S106 of the LGA 1992 Act as set out in Section 1.

11.Agreed that if there are any changes to the GLA precept and/or levies, the Chief Financial (s151) Officer be authorised to amend the recommended resolutions accordingly and report these to the next Council meeting as required.

12.Agreed that to facilitate the usage of unringfenced resources, the Chief Financial Officer in consultation with Service Directors will review any such new funds allocated to Havering; make proposals for their use; and obtain approval by the Cabinet Member for Financial Management, ICT (Client) & Transformation.

13.Delegated to the Chief Financial Officer in consultation with Service Directors the authority to make any necessary changes to service and the associated budgets relating to any subsequent specific grant funding announcements, where delays may otherwise adversely impact on service delivery and/or budgetary control, subject to consultation with Cabinet Members as appropriate.

Cabinet will recommend to Council for consideration and approval:

·       The Council’s General Fund Budget Requirement for 2019/20 to be set at £124.813m as set out in paragraph 5.3.2 and Appendix A of the report;

·       The Delegated Schools’ draft budget set out in section 2.5 of this report;

·       A 1.25% increase in Council Tax for 2019/20 as set out in paragraph 5.1;

·       An additional 2% Adult Social Care Precept as in paragraph 5.1;

·       That it pass a resolution as set out in section 11 of this report to enable Council Tax discounts to be given at the 2018/19 level.

Councillor Damian White presented the report to Cabinet and detailed some amendments to be made.  Cabinet were presented with a Corrigendum of amendments for the report and Appendices.  Cabinet agreed to accept these as follows:

Amendments to the Budget Cabinet Report

Corrigenda

(Amended items shaded)

Main Report page 84 of the Agenda pack

Paragraph 5.2 – Table amended

Appendix A page 102 of the Agenda Pack

Table amended

Appendix C

See Schedules next page – Pages 231, 232, 233 and 236 of the Agenda Pack

(Amended items shaded)

Cllr White went on to outline that the report is the culmination of the 2019/20 Budget process making recommendations to balance the budget for 2019/20.  In addition the report recommends a Council tax increase of 3.25% comprising 2% specifically for Adult Social care and 1.25% for general purposes.  The new Council Tax band D level will be £1728.66 (£1408.15 Havering Charge, £320.51 GLA Precept).

At the November Cabinet meeting, Councillors agreed a set of savings proposals following consultation which closed the budget gap for 2019/20 to £6.5 million.  The report before Cabinet identified the final proposals to close the gap and balance the budget.  Included in the report is a schedule of fees and charges for 2019/20.

Included is the outcome of the 2019/20 Local Government Finance settlement which is the last year of the Government’s our year settlement and confirms a significant funding reduction for Havering  This has been expected and was fully accommodated in the planning process.

The latest projected medium term financial position is set out which shows a funding gap of £16.6 million for the years 20/21 to 20122/23.  It is anticipated that this gap will be closed by further transformation initiatives during 2019.

Detailed in the report is an analysis of the risks and uncertainties which is followed by the Chief Finance Officer’s statement regarding the robustness of the budget and MTFS.  This is a statutory statement which provides assurance that the budget process has been followed and account has been taken of all known pressures and issues in setting the 2019/20 budget.

Appendix A of the report sets out the Council Tax Requirement and resolution which will be presented to full Council at the meeting on 27^th February, 2019.

The report also takes into account the Corporate Plan which is detailed in Appendix G.

Following discussion,

Cabinet:

1.    Agreed the Corporate Plan set out in Appendix G of the report.

2.    Agreed the Council’s General Fund Budget Requirement for 2019/20 to be set at £124.813m as set out in paragraph 5.3.2 and Appendix A of the report;

3.    Agreed The Delegated Schools’ draft budget set out in section 2.5 of the report;

4.    Agreed a 1.25% increase in Council Tax for 2019/20 as set out in paragraph 5.1 of the report;

5.    Agreed an additional 2% Adult Social Care Precept as in paragraph 5.1 of the report;

6.    Noted the Medium Term Financial Strategy position as set out in Section 4 and Appendix F of the report.

7.    Agreed the fees and charges schedule as set out in Section 6 and Appendix C of the report as amended.

8.    Noted the budget and risks as set out in Section 9 of the report.

9.    Approved the Council’s approach to general balances as set out in paragraph 7.3 of the report

10.Noted the requirements of  S106 of the LGA 1992 Act as set out in Section 1.

11.Agreed that if there are any changes to the GLA precept and/or levies, the Chief Financial (s151) Officer be authorised to amend the recommended resolutions accordingly and report these to the next Council meeting as required.

12.Agreed that to facilitate the usage of unringfenced resources, the Chief Financial Officer in consultation with Service Directors will review any such new funds allocated to Havering; make proposals for their use; and obtain approval by the Cabinet Member for Financial Management, ICT (Client) & Transformation.

13.Delegated to the Chief Financial Officer in consultation with Service Directors the authority to make any necessary changes to service and the associated budgets relating to any subsequent specific grant funding announcements, where delays may otherwise adversely impact on service delivery and/or budgetary control, subject to consultation with Cabinet Members as appropriate.

Cabinet will recommend to Council for consideration and approval:

·         The Council’s General Fund Budget Requirement for 2019/20 to be set at £124.813m as set out in paragraph 5.3.2 and Appendix A of the report;

·         The Delegated Schools’ draft budget set out in section 2.5 of this report;

·         A 1.25% increase in Council Tax for 2019/20 as set out in paragraph 5.1;

·         An additional 2% Adult Social Care Precept as in paragraph 5.1;

·         That it pass a resolution as set out in section 11 of this report to enable Council Tax discounts to be given at the 2018/19 level.