Purpose

To consider the revenue budget for 2024/25 and, if agreed,
recommend approval to full Council.  In
addition to the revenue budget, Council Tax resolutions and Medium
Term Financial Plan, the report is expected to also include Council
Tax premiums, Council Tax Reduction Scheme, Slough Children First
contract sum and approval to write-off individual debts greater
than £15,000.

Decision

That Cabinet agreed to recommend to
Council that it:
 

1. 
Notes the section 25
Report of the Executive Director of Finance and Commercial at
Appendix A that confirms in particular the robustness of the
estimates and the adequacy of the proposed financial
reserves.

 

2. 
Approve the 2024/25
budget on the basis of an increase in the general element of
Council Tax of 7.99% and an increase in the Adult Social Care
Precept element of 0.51%.

 

3. 
Approves the Council
Tax Resolution 2024/25 as set out in Appendix B on the basis that
it is not excessive in accordance with the principles approved
under section 52ZB and 52ZC of the Local Government Finance Act
1992 and as permitted by the proposed The Referendums Relating to
Council Tax Increases (Principles) (England) Report
2024/25.

 

4. 
Delegate authority to
the Executive Director of Finance and Commercial, to place a notice
in the local press of the amounts set under recommendation 3 within
a period of 21 days following the Council's decision.

 

5. 
Approve the
Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) as set out in Appendix C,
based on the estimated financial deficit in the Capitalisation
Direction and to be funded by capitalisation of:
 
a. £23.078m for 2024/25
b. NOTE that the remaining years of the
MTFS imply an estimated financial deficit totalling £27.460m,
approval of which will be subject to annual approval to
DLUHC
 
6. 
Approve the overall
General Fund revenue budget for 2024/25, as set out in Appendix D1
of £162.1m to include:
 
a. Growth for pressures of
£13.855m
b. Inflationary pressures of
£4.472m including pay and contract inflation
c. Proposed savings by Directorates of
£12.206m in 2024/25, with further savings of £6.836m in
2025/26 and £1.796m in 2026/27
 

7. 
Approve measures to
control spending and improve the finances of the Council at
Appendix F.

 

8. 
Note the impact of a
change in legislation to implement a 100% premium on Council Tax
for properties left unoccupied for 1 year as opposed to 2 years as
set out in Appendix G1, such change to take effect on 1 April
2024.

 

9. 
Determine that Council
Tax will be increased for furnished properties periodically
occupied from 1 April 2025 in accordance with the Scheme for
Properties Occupied Periodically at Appendix G2 and s.11C of the
Local Government Finance Act 1992.

 

10.Agree that the Council Tax Support Scheme approved on March
9th 2023 should remain in place, with the exception of minor
amendments for clarification purposes as set out in Appendix
B1.

 

11.Delegates to Cabinet the authority to approve an increase
in funding for the new Transformation project on receipt of a
report and robust Business Plan.
 
The following was agreed by
Cabinet:
 

1. 
The write-off of
individual debts over £15,000, with a total value of
£646,000, as set out in Appendix H.

 

2. 
Approve the proposed
fees and charges for 2024/25 as set out in Appendix J (where these
relate to executive functions);

 

3. 
Approve the Contract
Sum for Slough Children First Limited for 2024/25 as
£39,044,000