Purpose

To approve: 1) The General Fund
and Housing Revenue Account budgets for 2024/25 including the use
of reserves, Medium Term Financial Strategy, Capital Programme and
Strategy, and Fees and Charges for 2024/25; 2) Approval of Council
Tax for recommendation to Full Council; and 3) the Annual Delivery
Plan

Decision

DECISION:
 
a)   
That the minutes of the Joint Performance Monitoring
Panel and Policy Development Panel held on 25 January 2024
(Appendix 8) be noted.
 
RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL:
 
b)   
That Cabinet approve the following recommendations
for onward referral to Full Council on 29 February
2024:

 
1)   
That the Revenue Estimates for the General Fund, HRA
and Spalding Special for 2024/25 (Appendices 1, 1a, 1b and 1c) be
approved.
2)   
That the Council Tax for a Band D property in
2024/25 be set at £201.42 (£6.03 per annum increase on
2023/24 levels).
3)   
That the Spalding Special Expenses for a Band D
property be set at £25.83 for 2024/25, (previously
£25.47 in 2023/24).
4)   
The additions to and use of reserves (as detailed at
Appendix 1) be approved.
5)   
The Medium Term Financial Strategy (at Appendix 1)
be approved.
6)   
The Draft Capital Programme and Capital Strategy
(Appendices 1 and 2) be approved.
7)   
The Fees and Charges Schedule 2024/25 (Appendix 4)
be approved.
8)   
That the uplift to the Real Living Wage (Appendix 1)
be approved.
9)   
That Cabinet re-affirms its previous decision in
respect of long-term empty properties, detailed in Appendix 1, and
makes a determination for the introduction of the premium for
substantially furnished with no resident (second homes), to be
introduced at the earliest point, 1 April 2025.
10) The Annual
Delivery Plan for 2024/25 (Appendix 5) be approved.
11) That Cabinet
notes the results of the Budget Consultation process at Appendix
6.
12)That the
alignment of constitutional financial limits across the partnership
(Appendix 7) be approved.