Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were none.

There were no items to be held in private.

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Report of Chief Exectuive and Chief Financial Officer (LGSS)

(Copy herewith)

1.    Cabinet approved, for public consultation, the General Fund draft budget proposals for 2014/15, and indicative budgets for 2015/16 to 2018/19, as summarised in Appendices A, B and C of the report, including changes to car parking charges, additional Neighbourhood Warden support and additional Park Ranger hours.

2.    Cabinet approved the proposed Council Tax freeze for 2014/15 for public consultation.

3.    Cabinet’s draft General fund Capital Programme, including Greyfriars Bus Station demolition, Abington Street and Guildhall Road Improvements, as detailed in Appendix D of the report, was approved for public consultation.

4.    Cabinet approved the draft Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget including charges and rents, as detailed in Appendices E and F of the report for public consultation.

5.    Cabinet’s draft HRA Capital Programme and financing, including bringing the housing stock up to the Northampton Standard, as detailed in Appendix G of the report, was approved for public consultation.

6.    Cabinet’s draft Treasury Management Strategy 2014/15 was approved for consultation.

7.    Cabinet agreed that the Chief Executive and Management Board, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet members, undertake the preparatory work in relation to the savings and efficiencies built into the draft budget proposals, subject to any actions being rescinded should any budget options not be approved at Council on 24 February 2014. 

Councillor Bottwood, as the relevant Cabinet Member, submitted a report and commented on the extensive details contained within it. It was noted that the Council were facing numerous challenges and there was a need to make savings.

The Leader of the Council commented that he was pleased with the proposals and noted that there a decrease in senior managements had resulted in significant savings and further noted that this was the third consecutive year of freezing Council Tax.

Councillor Hadland expressed thanks to the officers for their work on the report.

RESOLVED:

1.            That Cabinet’s General Fund draft budget proposals for 2014/15, and indicative budgets for 2015/16 to 2018/19, as summarised in Appendices A, B and C of the report, including changes to car parking charges, additional Neighbourhood Warden support and additional Park Ranger hours, was approved for public consultation.

2.            That the proposed Council Tax freeze for 2014/15 was approved for public consultation.

3.            That Cabinet’s draft General fund Capital Programme, including Greyfriars Bus Station demolition, Abington Street and Guildhall Road Improvements, as detailed in Appendix D of the report, was approved for public consultation.

4.            That Cabinet approved the draft Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget including charges and rents, as detailed in Appendices E and F of the report for public consultation.

5.            That Cabinet’s draft HRA Capital Programme and financing, including bringing the housing stock up to the Northampton Standard, as detailed in Appendix G of the report, was approved for public consultation.

6.            That Cabinet’s draft Treasury Management Strategy 2014/15 was approved for consultation.

7.            That the Chief Executive and Management Board, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet members, undertake the preparatory work in relation to the savings and efficiencies built into the draft budget proposals, subject to any actions being rescinded should any budget options not be approved at Council on 24 February 2014. 

Report of the Chief Executive and the Chief Finance Officer (LGGS)

(Copy herewith)

1.         Cabinet approved the proposed amendment to the scheme from an 8.5% reduction in Council Tax Support (CTS) in 2013/14 to a 15% reduction in 2014/15.

2.         Cabinet recommended the CTS scheme amendment for approval at Council on the 20^th January 2014.

Councillor Bottwood, as the relevant Cabinet Member submitted a report and commented that the report followed a period of consultation. He noted that central Government’s funding arrangements for 2013/14 were at a lower rate than previous years for the scheme, but commented that the scheme allowed people to be better off in employment than claiming benefits.

RESOLVED:

1.    That Cabinet approved the proposed amendment to the scheme from an 8.5% reduction in Council Tax Support (CTS) in 2013/14 to a 15% reduction in 2014/15.

2.     That Cabinet recommended the CTS scheme amendment for approval at Council on the 20^th January 2014.