Content

RESOLVED
that County Council be recommended to:-
 

1.            
Note that the figures contained within the Budget
2024-25 within Appendix 1 are based on the provisional Local
Government Finance Settlement of 18 December 2023.

2.           
Approve:

a.             
the Revenue Budget for 2024-25 including the
efficiencies totalling £10.834 million for 2024-25 contained
within Appendix 1 (detailed in Appendix 10), which includes
the deletion of the
proposal in  Environment and Transport
to increase the charge for a pay and display and display parking
permit (2024-25 £0.012m; 2025-26 £0.011m; 2026-27
£0.015m); and,

a)        
the Schedule of Efficiencies totalling £14.939 million for
2025-26 contained within Appendix 1 (detailed in Appendix 10)
noting that the efficiencies identified may be progressed during
2024-25 in order to realise the efficiencies early.

3.            
Note the Revenue MTFP covering the period 2024-28
detailed within Appendix 1 and the requirement to deliver budget
balancing measures of £20.248 million in 2026-27 and
£14.238 million in 2027-28.

4.            
Note the estimated receipt of Revenue Support Grant
of £14.020 million for 2024-25 contained within Appendix
1.

5.            
Note the estimated retained Business Rates and the
Top-Up Grant funding to be received by the Council for 2024-25 of
£103.696 million and £324.303 million over the
remaining period of the MTFP contained within Appendix
1.

6.            
Note the estimated surplus from prior years on
Collection Fund Business Rates balance of £3.471 million in
2024-25 contained within Appendix 1.

7.            
Note the estimated receipt of Rural Services
Delivery Grant of £2.745 million for 2024-25 contained within
Appendix 1.

8.            
Note the estimated receipt of the New Homes Bonus of
£1.682 million (excluding service element of £0.028
million) for 2024-25 contained within Appendix 1.

9.            
Note the estimated receipt of Improved Better Care
Funding Grant of £12.496 million for 2024-25 contained within
Appendix 1.

10.         
Note the estimated receipt of Social Care Grant
funding of £25.821 million for 2024-25 contained within
Appendix 1.

11.         
Note the estimated receipt of Adult Social Care
Discharge Grant funding of £2.920 million in 2024-25
contained within Appendix 1.

12.         
Note the estimated receipt of Adult Social Care
Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund Grant of £6.656
million in 2024-25 contained within Appendix 1.

13.         
Note the estimated receipt of the Services Grant of
£0.439 million in 2024-25 contained within Appendix
1.

14.         
Approve a 2.99% increase in Council Tax for 2024-25,
noting that this is in line with the Government’s assumptions
regarding the Council’s Core Spending Power; and, within the
Government’s referendum limit of 3.00%.

15.         
Note that the MTFP 2024-28 includes a 2.99% annual
increase in Council Tax for 2025-26 and then 1.99% thereafter for
the remaining years of the MTFP and, that an estimate of annual tax
base growth has been included.

16.         
Note the non-collection rate for Council Tax
purposes remains at 1.00% for 2024-25 (1.00% in
2023-24).

17.         
Note the estimated surplus of £4.149 million
from prior years on the Collection Fund Council Tax balance for
2024-25 contained within Appendix 1.

18.         
Approve the Council Tax Support Hardship Scheme
2024-25; a reduction of up to £100.00 to council tax bills
for all working age Council Tax Support claimants; and those
pensionable age Council Tax Support claimants that do not receive
100.00% Council Tax Support, once all other discounts have been
applied.

19.         
Approve a 2.00% increase in Council Tax for 2024-25
for use on Adult Social Care services; raising an additional
£4.993 million to support the Budget 2024-25 and note that
the assumed increase included in the MTFP is 2.00% for 2025-26 and
zero thereafter.

20.         
Approve the Reserves Policy 2024-25 detailed in
Appendix 2.

21.         
Note the Schedule of Reserves and Provisions
contained within Appendix 3.

22.         
Approve:

The net contributions from the Strategic Management
Reserve of £20.885 million in 2024-25 and note the proposed
net contributions from reserves of £10.831 million in 2025-26
and £0.027 million in 2026-27, and the proposed net
contribution to the reserves of £0.997 million in 2027-28,
contained within Appendix 1, comprising:

a)        
non-recurrent pressures of £7.147 million for
2024-25, and note the non-recurrent pressures totalling
£2.084 million in 2025-26, £0.027 million in 2026-27,
and £0.028 million in 2027-28, (as detailed within Appendix
9; excluding the Adult Social Care Discharge Fund, Locality
Coordinators, Hirst Welfare Centre – transitional support,
Council Tax Support Hardship Scheme, and BEST
Initiative);

b)        
delayed investment interest due from the airport as
a result of Covid-19 will be repaid to the Strategic Management
Reserve. It is anticipated that the airport will start to repay the
delayed interest over a three-year period, commencing in April 2027
at £1.025 million per annum;

c)         
revenue contribution to capital (RCCO) of
£13.171 million in 2024-25; comprising of £8.171
million for investment in the Schools’ Development Programme,
and £5.000 million for investment in the enabling works at
strategic employment sites within Northumberland; and £6.591
million in 2025-26 for investment in the Schools’ Development
Programme; and,

d)        
contribution from the reserve of £0.567
million in 2024-25 and note the subsequent proposed use of up to
£2.156 million in 2025-26 in order to balance the
Budget.

23.         
Approve the use of the Public Health Revenue Grant
Reserve of £0.428 million in 2024-25, and note the proposed
contribution from this reserve of £0.180 million in 2025-26
and £0.100 million in 2026-27 contained within Appendix 1,
comprising:

a)        
four fixed term Locality Coordinators totalling
£0.178 million in 2024-25; and,

b)        
Hirst Welfare Centre – transitional support at
£0.250 million in 2024-25, £0.180 million in 2025-26,
and £0.100 million in 2026-27.

24.         
Approve the use of the Council Transformation Fund
Reserve of £3.000 million to fund BEST programme delivery
costs in 2024-25 contained within Appendix 1.

25.         
Approve the use of the Council Tax Hardship and
Discount Scheme Fund Reserve of £1.726 million in 2024-25
contained within Appendix 1 to fund the Council Tax Support
Hardship Scheme for 2024-25.

26.         
Note the Schedule of Service Specific Grants of
£263.663 million contained within Appendix 4, and that some
are still indicative pending final confirmation.

27.         
Note the Schedule of Fees and Charges 2024-25
contained within Appendix 5.

28.         
Approve the Inflation Schedule for 2024-25 totalling
£28.559 million detailed in Appendix 6.

29.         
Approve the Recurrent Growth and Pressures Schedules
of £14.823 million and the additional revenue costs
associated with the Capital Programme of £19.100 million for
2024-25; and note the Growth and Pressures of £2.265 million
in 2025-26; £3.130 million in 2026-27; and, £0.875
million in 2027-28 and the additional
revenue costs associated with the Capital Programme of
£12.609 million in 2025-26; £6.000 million in 2026-27;
and £6.000 million in 2027-28 included within
Appendices 1, 7 and 8.

30.         
Approve the Non-Recurrent Pressures of £15.221
million for 2024-25 and note the Non-Recurrent Pressures of
£2.264 million for 2025-26, £0.127 million for 2026-27,
and £0.028 million in 2027-28 included within Appendix
9.

31.         
Approve the Non-Recurrent Income of £5.475
million for 2024-25 and note the Non-Recurrent Income of
£0.314 million for 2025-26; £0.283 million for 2026-27,
and £0.269 million for 2027-28 included within Appendix
9.

32.         
Approve the identified budget balancing measures
contained within Appendix 10 of £10.846 million for 2024-25
and £14.950 million for 2025-26; and note those budget
balancing measures totalling £6.017 million already
identified for 2026-27 to 2027-28.

33.         
Note the Corporate Equality Impact Assessment at
Appendix 11.

34.         
Note the Budget by Service Area 2024-25 detailed in
Appendix 12.

35.         
Note the receipt of Dedicated Schools Grant of
£175.086 million in 2024-25; and note the revised allocation
of £158.046 million for 2023-24. This is following the
conversion of four schools to academy status during
2023-24.

36.         
Approve the Capital Strategy 2024-25 to
2027-28 contained within Appendix 13.

37.         
Approve the revised Capital Programme as detailed
within Appendix 14 and note the increase
in the Capital Programme 2024-28 of £277.560 million detailed
in Appendix 15.

38.         
Approve the delegation of the detail of the final
Local Transport Programme and any subsequent in-year amendments to
the Executive Director Place and Regeneration in consultation with
the Cabinet Member responsible for improving our roads and
highways.

39.         
Approve the delegation of the detail of the capital
allocation for Highways Maintenance Investment in U and C Roads and
Footpaths, and the Highway Maintenance and Pothole Repair Fund to
the Executive Director Place and Regeneration in consultation with
the Cabinet Member responsible for improving our roads and
highways.

40.         
Approve the Capital Prudential Indicators 2024-25 to
2027-28 based on the proposed Capital Programme detailed within
Appendix 16.

41.         
Approve the Annual Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP)
Policy detailed in Appendix 17.

42.         
Approve the Treasury Management Strategy Statement
2024-25 detailed in Appendix 18.

43.         
Approve a delegation to the Executive Director for
Transformation and Resources (the Council’s
Section 151 Officer) to draw down a total of
£2.000 million from the Council’s Transformation Fund
Reserve and £0.800 million from the Estates Rationalisation
Reserve in order to expedite work required with regard to the BEST
initiative. Also, to note that Cabinet will receive updates of any
drawdowns in the quarterly financial monitoring reports.

44.         
Approve a delegation to amend the Budget
2024-25 and MTFP in light of any changes as a result of the final
Local Government Finance Settlement to the Executive Director for
Transformation and Resources (the Council’s Section 151
Officer) in consultation with the Cabinet
Member for Corporate Services if the final Settlement is received
after the 21 February 2024 Council meeting. If the final Local
Government Settlement is received prior to the Cabinet or 21
February 2024 Council meeting, then a supplementary report will be
provided to Members advising of any changes necessary.