Agenda item

The Board was given an opportunity to consider and comment upon the draft Revenue Budget for 2018/19. The Leader of the Council, Deputy Leader, the Chief Executive, and the Chief Financial Officer answered members’ questions in connection with the report.

The following key points were raised during the course of the discussion:

1.               the proposal included an increase on Council Tax Rate (2.99%);

2.               an increase of 2.8% would be applied to non- statutory charges for 2018/19; charges constrained by statute could be raised above 2.8%

3.               Cabinet Leads had been instructed to review non-statutory charges (including Beach hut fees) within their portfolio and to increase these charges in line with the market rate. A decision to increase these charges above the 2.8% would be made by the Cabinet Lead and would be subject to the call-in procedures;

4.               Appendix G did not reflect changes made to Beach Huts fees by the Cabinet on 29 November 2017;

5.               details on the cost of the replacement of the Emsworth wall referred to in Appendix C of the report be sent to all members of the Board; and

6            details of the business rate yield would be checked before the next meeting of the Cabinet.

During questions on the financial situation of the five Councils’ contracts the Board RESOLVED to exclude the press and public from the meeting  because it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be discussed, that if members of the public were present during this item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information of the descriptions specified in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972; and in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED that the recommendations set out in Agenda Item 7 of the Cabinet Agenda for 7 February 2018 (Revenue and Capital Budget 2018/19 and Medium Term Financial Strategy to 2022/23) be endorsed.