Lead Member – Mr Mike Owen, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Resources and Support.

Report of the Head of Finance, Governance and Assurance (Section 151 Officer) is attached, marked 15.

Contact – James Walton (01743 255011)

(a)  That the breakdown of the total income for 2014/15 be noted and in particular that the charges for discretionary services represented only £15.570m of the £57.522m of income derived from Fees and Charges.

(b)  That Council be recommended to accept the charges for 2015/16 as detailed in Appendix 3 to be implemented 1 April 2015, recognising that managers had proposed varying policies for 2015/16 fees and charges ranging from a freeze in certain areas to above inflation level increases in others, based on the nature of the service, market forces, customer reaction and competition from other providers as well as the state of the economy.  Any changes required further to ongoing reviews would be approved in line with the Council’s charging policy, officer delegations and the financial rules.

(c)  That it be noted that as previously agreed, any changes to fees and charges proposed by Shropshire Community Leisure Trust Ltd. in relation to the outsourced leisure facilities would only be referred to Cabinet and Council for approval if the proposed increases exceeded Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the preceding November.

(d)  That it be noted that monitoring reports would identify adjustments required to income budgets in the financial strategy which might or might not be offset by corresponding adjustments to expenditure budgets.

(e)  That it be noted that the impact of the Council’s policy decisions on income should be clearly identified and adjustments made as required to the Business Plan and Financial Strategy.

(f)   That Council be recommended to accept that Social Housing Rents for 2015/16 should increase by September 2014 CPI plus 1% plus a final incremental step to achieve target rent.

(g)  That Council be recommended to accept that Affordable Rents for 2015/16 should increase by September 2014 CPI plus 1% (2.2%) in line with Government revised guidance.

(h)  That Council be recommended to accept that where individual rents did not reach their target by April 2015 the rent would switch directly to Target on re-let in accordance with Government revised guidance.

96.1    The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Resources and Support presented a report by the Head of Finance, Governance and Assurance – copy attached to the signed minutes – on the recommended level of fees and charges to be applied in 2015/2016.  The report also recommended the approach to be followed to calculate rent levels for the Council’s retained housing stock for the 2015/2016 financial year.

96.2    RESOLVED:

(a)  That the breakdown of the total income for 2014/15 be noted and in particular that the charges for discretionary services represented only £15.570m of the £57.522m of income derived from Fees and Charges.

(b)  That Council be recommended to accept the charges for 2015/16 as detailed in Appendix 3 to be implemented 1 April 2015, recognising that managers had proposed varying policies for 2015/16 fees and charges ranging from a freeze in certain areas to above inflation level increases in others, based on the nature of the service, market forces, customer reaction and competition from other providers as well as the state of the economy.  Any changes required further to ongoing reviews would be approved in line with the Council’s charging policy, officer delegations and the financial rules.

(c)  That it be noted that as previously agreed, any changes to fees and charges proposed by Shropshire Community Leisure Trust Ltd. in relation to the outsourced leisure facilities would only be referred to Cabinet and Council for approval if the proposed increases exceeded Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the preceding November.

(d)  That it be noted that monitoring reports would identify adjustments required to income budgets in the financial strategy which might or might not be offset by corresponding adjustments to expenditure budgets.

(e)  That it be noted that the impact of the Council’s policy decisions on income should be clearly identified and adjustments made as required to the Business Plan and Financial Strategy.

(f)   That Council be recommended to accept that Social Housing Rents for 2015/16 should increase by September 2014 CPI plus 1% plus a final incremental step to achieve target rent.

(g)  That Council be recommended to accept that Affordable Rents for 2015/16 should increase by September 2014 CPI plus 1% (2.2%) in line with Government revised guidance.

(h)  That Council be recommended to accept that where individual rents did not reach their target by April 2015 the rent would switch directly to Target on re-let in accordance with Government revised guidance.