Agenda item

To consider the report of the Strategic Director (Finance and Housing).

Recorded Vote

A recorded vote will be required in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 18.6 (Voting on Budget Decisions).

The Head of Finance and Investment presented the Council Budget 2024/25, Medium-Term Financial Plan 2024/25–2027/28 and 2024/25 Council Tax Setting.

It was moved by Councillor S H Beer, and duly seconded by Councillor J P Loffman

(a)  That the General Fund Revenue Budget, the Capital and Special Projects Programmes, the Housing Revenue Account Budget, the Council Tax Resolution and the content of the MTFP be approved.

(b)  That the Strategic Director (Finance and Housing), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Governance, Climate Change and Environment, be authorised to draw on the Earmarked Smoothing Reserve to meet in-year variations in the budget.

(c)   That a Council Tax increase of 2.98% for DDC purposes be approved, resulting in an increase on Band D properties of £6.21 per year and an annual DDC Council Tax of £214.38.

(d)  To note that it was the opinion of the Section 151 Officer that the Council’s budget had been prepared on a rigorous and robust basis and the Council’s reserves were sufficient for its immediate needs. However, it was also the opinion of the Section 151 Officer that there were two significant factors that could undermine the budget over the next year or two because of the actions of the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). Members were referred to the Section 25 Report included separately on the agenda for further information.

(e)  That the various Council recommendations at the end of the sections within the attached budget and MTFP, and summarised in Annex 10 to Appendix 1, be approved.

Councillor C A Vinson, duly seconded by Councillor M Bates, moved an AMENDMENT as followed:

“The first bullet point in the recommendation from Cabinet to Council, beginning “That the General Fund Revenue Budget….”, be amended with the addition of the following text to the end of the sentence ‘…subject to the removal of the £2.8m transfer from DDC earmarked reserves to the Port Health service in 2024/25 indicated in Annex 1, replacing it with a £2.8m transfer to the Tides Replacement project in Annex 6A, and a corresponding reduction in the 24/25 Port Health Authority budget in Annex 3B.”

On being put to the meeting the AMENDMENT was LOST.

A recorded vote was held in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 18.6 (Voting on Budget Decisions).

In the absence of any further AMENDMENT, the original Motion was put to the meeting and

RESOLVED:  (a)     That the General Fund Revenue Budget, the Capital and Special Projects Programmes, the Housing Revenue Account Budget, the Council Tax Resolution and the content of the MTFP be approved.

                        (b)     That the Strategic Director (Finance and Housing), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Governance, Climate Change and Environment, be authorised to draw on the Earmarked Smoothing Reserve to meet in-year variations in the budget.

                        (c)     That a Council Tax increase of 2.98% for DDC purposes be approved, resulting in an increase on Band D properties of £6.21 per year and an annual DDC Council Tax of £214.38.

                        (d)     To note that it was the opinion of the Section 151 Officer that the Council’s budget had been prepared on a rigorous and robust basis and the Council’s reserves were sufficient for its immediate needs. However, it was also the opinion of the Section 151 Officer that there were two significant factors that could undermine the budget over the next year or two because of the actions of the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). Members were referred to the Section 25 Report included separately on the agenda for further information.

                        (e)     That the various Council recommendations at the end of the sections within the attached budget and MTFP, and summarised in Annex 10 to Appendix 1, be approved.

A recorded vote was held in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 18.6 (Voting on Budget Decisions).