Decision details

A presentation was provided by Councillor Simon Hall for this agenda item, which is available on the meeting webcast.

Councillor Alisa Flemming announced that £250,000 would be available for grants for projects that focussed on helping young people avoid knife crime and gangs. Councillor Hamida Ali announced that 20 additional enforcement officers would be recruited to enable the council to continue to tackle anti-social behaviour. It was further announced by Councillor Collins that residents would be able to have one white goods item and bulky waste collected from their homes to further reduce flytipping.

The Leader of the Council has delegated to the Cabinet the power to make the decisions set out below

RESOLVED

1.1       The Cabinet recommend to full Council:

i.       A 2.99% increase in the Council Tax for Croydon Services (a level of increase Central Government has assumed in all Councils’ spending power calculation).

ii.      A 2.0% increase in the Adult Social Care precept (a charge Central Government has assumed all councils’ will levy in its spending power calculations).

iii.    Welcomes the GLA increase of 5.07%, where over 81% of which is being used for the Police and 16% being used for the Fire service.

With reference to the principles for 2018/19 determined by the Secretary of State under Section52ZC (1) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended) confirm that in accordance with s.52ZB (1) the Council Tax and GLA precept referred to above are not excessive in terms of the most recently issued principles and as such to note that no referendum is required. This is detailed further in section 7.12 of this report.

iv.    The calculation of budget requirement and council tax as set out in Appendix D and E. Including the GLA increase this will result in a total increase of 5.01% in the overall council tax bill for Croydon.

v.      The two year revenue budget assumptions as detailed in this report and the associated appendices :-

·           The programme of revenue savings and growth by department for 2018/20 (Appendix A).

·           The Council’s detailed budget book for 2018/19 (Appendix B).

vi.    The Capital Programme as set out in section 13, table 18 and 19 of this report.

vii.   That it note there are no proposed amendments to the Council’s existing Council Tax Support Scheme for the financial year 2018/19.

viii.  The adoption of the Pay Policy statement at Appendix H;

1.2       That Cabinet agree:-

1. A rent decrease for all Council tenants for 2018/19, in line with the Government’s social rent policy which has legislated to reduce social rents by 1%.
2. No increase to Garage and Parking space rents.
3. No increase to the service charges for caretaking, grounds maintenance and bulk refuse collection as detailed in section 14.
4. The Discretionary Council tax relief scheme pursuant to S13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 which sets out the Council’s approach for reducing the council tax liability for Care Leavers as detailed in paragraph 12 of the report.

1.3       That Cabinet note:-

     i.        That in respect of the Council’s public sector equalities duties where the setting of the capital, revenue and HRA budget result in new policies or policy change the relevant service department will carry out an equality impact assessment to secure delivery of that duty including such consultation as may be required.

    ii.        The progress being made towards balancing the Council’s financial position for 2017/18 as at Quarter 3 and the current projected outturn forecast of £5.861m as set out in the report at item 3.b on this agenda.

   iii.        The response to the draft local government settlement which is attached at Appendix F.

   iv.        That pre-decision scrutiny of the proposed budget 2018/20 took place at the Scrutiny and Overview Committee on the 12th December 2017 with no recommendations being made by the Scrutiny and Overview Committee.

    v.        The statement on reserves and balances and robustness of estimates from the statutory Section 151 Officer.