Decisions

that the Council enters into a Service Level Agreement with Derbyshire County Council for the Household Support Fund.

that the Council moves to a standard 52 week rent collection cycle from April 2022.

that (1) the commencement of a public consultation on the revised Council Housing Tenancy Agreement be approved,

(2) the Assistant Director of Housing Management and Enforcement be given delegated powers to adopt the Tenancy Agreement, in consultation with the Leader, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Housing, subject to any changes following a public consultation.

RECOMMENDED that Council approve;

that (1) in the view of the Chief Financial Officer, the estimates included in the Medium Term Financial Plan 2022/23 to 2025/26 are robust and that the level of financial reserves whilst at minimum levels are adequate, be accepted,

(2) officers report back to Executive and to the Audit and Corporate Overview Scrutiny Committee on a quarterly basis regarding the overall position in respect of the Council’s budgets.  These reports to include updates on achieving savings and efficiencies for 2022/23 and future years.

GENERAL FUND

1.  A Council Tax increase of £5.00 is levied in respect of a notional Band D property (2.68%),

2.  The Medium Term Financial Plan in respect of the General Fund as set out in Appendix 1 to this report be approved as the Revised Budget 2021/22, as the Original Budget in respect of 2022/23, and the financial projection in respect of 2023/24 to 2025/26,

3.  That any further under spend in respect of 2021/22 is transferred to the Council’s General Fund Reserves,

4. On the basis that income from Planning Fees may exceed £0.500m in 2021/22, the Head of Paid Service in consultation with the Leader be granted delegated powers to authorise such additional resources as are necessary to effectively manage the resultant increase in workload.

HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT

5. That Council sets its rent levels in line with government policy, increasing rent levels by CPI (3.1%) plus 1% to apply from 1^st April 2022,

6. That the increases in respect of other charges as outlined in Appendix 3 Table 1 to this report be implemented with effect from, 1^st April 2022,

7. The Medium Term Financial Plan in respect of the Housing Revenue Account as set out in Appendix 3 to this report be approved as the Revised Budget in respect of 2021/22, as the Original Budget in respect of 2022/23, and the financial projection in respect of 2023/24 to 2025/26,

8. That under spends in respect of 2021/22 to 2025/26 are transferred to the HRA Revenue Reserve.

CAPITAL PROGRAMME

9. That the Capital Programme as set out in Appendix 4 to this report be approved as the Revised Budget in respect of 2021/22, and as the Approved Programme for 2022/23 to 2025/26,

10. That the Assistant Director of Property Services and Housing Repairs be granted delegated powers in consultation with the Portfolio Member and the Asset Management group to approve the utilisation of the £260,000 of AMP Refurbishment Work allocation, with such approvals to be reported back to Executive through the Quarterly Budget Monitoring Report.

RESOLVED thatthe details of the forthcoming Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) be noted and the following proposals endorsed;

(i) a new scheme is open inviting businesses from across the District to apply through a new application process;

(ii) businesses who have been and continue to be affected by the Coronavirus pandemic, specifically the Omicron variant, be prioritised for the ARG including;

·        businesses from all sectors that may have been impacted, including but not limited to, hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care, the travel and tourism sector (group travel, travel agents, tour operators), wedding industries,

·        businesses who hold a business rates account,

·        businesses who do not hold a business rates account,

·         and businesses who have not received any previous ARG funding.

(iii) the following criteria be used to assess the level of grant funding to be awarded from the ARG scheme;

·        level of fixed costs faced by the business,

·        no. of FTE employees within the applicant business,

·        the impact of the Omicron variant on their business trading,

·        and, the value of previous grant/s award through ARG or other discretionary grant schemes.

(iv) the level of any award be set at a maximum of £5,000 for a single business with discretion to award a grant of £1,500 / £2,500 / £5,000 based on an officer assessment using the above criteria as set out in 1(ii) and 1(iii).

that the updated Tenant Alteration and Improvement Policy be approved.