Agenda item

Full Council at the first budget meeting held on 20 February 2024 voted against the amended budget, resolving to refer proposals back to the Mayor.

Under the Policy and Budget Framework procedure rules, the Monitoring Officer shall as soon as practicably possible summons a Second Council meeting to consider the Mayors proposals following this referral.

The Mayor will have 5 working days beginning on the day after the date of the Council decision, within which the Mayor may: (i) accept the budget as now amended; or (ii) submit alternative proposals to the Council; or (iii) resubmit his/her proposals and provide written reason why.

The Full Council considered a report setting out the Mayor’s 2024-2025 altered budget recommendations.

The Lord Mayor drew Members attention to the budget procedure to be followed. At this point, on the motion of the Lord Mayor, it was:

RESOLVED That the relevant standing orders be suspended, noting that the procedure to be followed at this meeting is at variance with the Council’s standing orders.

The Mayor introduced the altered budget report.

Councillor Cheney, Deputy Mayor for Finance, Governance and Performance seconded the altered budget report.

The leaders of each party group, Councillors Edwards, Renhard, Weston, Clark and Hopkins each responded to the budget proposals.

There was a round of debate and it was:

RESOLVED that Full Council NOTED

a) The report from Overview and Scrutiny Management Board (OSMB) and/or the Resources Scrutiny Commission that will be published separately.

b) The budget consultation process that was followed and feedback as outlined in Section 18 and Appendix 6.

c) The categorisation of earmarked reserves and provisions set out in Section 15.

d) That the budget consultation feedback and equality impact assessments have been taken into consideration and have informed the final budget proposals.

e) The feedback provided by Bristol Schools Forum for Cabinet and Council, for consideration in making final decisions on the Dedicated Schools Budget for 2024/25 as set out in Appendix 14.

f) The Section 25 Statement of the Chief Finance Officer (s151 Officer) on the robustness of the budget and adequacy of reserves as set out in Section 17.

RESOLVED that Full Council APPROVED recommendations G to O (32 For, 19 Against, 10 Abstentions)

g) Subject to (h) below, the Bristol City Council levels of Council Tax increase of 4.99%; which includes 2% precept to support Adult Social Care, noting the precepts of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset and the Avon Fire Authority.

h) In relation to determination of Council Tax, in the event that  Avon Fire Authority has not set its precept by 20 February, Full Council agrees to constitute  a subcommittee of the  Council, with membership to be agreed, and to delegate authority to the committee to note the precept subsequently set by Avon Fire Authority and approve the calculations for determining the Council Tax requirement for the year 2024/25 (the levels of council tax as set out in recommendation g) to be outlined in an updated Appendix 11 and in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

i) The Council’s General Fund net revenue budget for the year 2024/25 as £530.1 million and expenditure allocations as set out in Appendix 1; subject to any budget amendments properly notified to and approved by the council in line with the Constitution.

j) That supplementary estimates be approved as part of the Budget 2024/25 Report in the case that they are required to meet Q3/P8 2023/24 full year forecast spending requirements (see Appendix 15)

k) The council’s capital budget and programme for the years 2024/25 – 2033/34, totalling £2.7 billion for the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account.

l) The strategic Community Infrastructure Levy allocations in section 13 (Table 28) are approved.

m) The proposed Treasury Management Strategy for 2024/25 in Appendix 4, incorporating the Minimum Revenue Provision policy and the prudential indicators and limits.

n) To approve the Strategy for the Flexible use of Capital Receipts as set out in Appendix 5.

o) To approve the changes to Council Tax for empty homes (long term empty dwellings that are substantially unfurnished) and for second homes (dwellings that are occupied only periodically and are substantially furnished) in Appendix 12 be applied from 1 April 2024, or as soon as possible thereafter, subject to the required legislation being in place.

RESOLVED that Full Council APPROVED recommendation P (60 For, 1 Against, 0 Abstentions)

p) The distribution of the 2024/25 Dedicated Schools Grant of £491.7 million as recommended by Cabinet and the Schools Forum, summarised below, and set out in Section 9.

i. The Schools Block budget set at £342.6 million, after transferring £1.7 million of the overall Schools Block to the High Needs Block as a contribution to the accumulated High Needs deficit.

ii. The Growth Fund for established schools expanding in September 2024 be set at £2.0 million (a component of the total Schools Block budget).

iii. The basis for distributing the funding to mainstream schools as set out and agreed by Schools Forum

iv. The High Needs Block budget be set at £91.3 million, after receiving transfers of £1.7 million from Schools Block. 

v. The Early Years Block budget be set at £55.2 million and distributed in line with the arrangements agreed with the Schools’ Forum, noting that spend and income will fluctuate, according to participation levels in each of the three school terms. 

RESOLVED that Full Council APPROVED recommendation Q (60 For, 1 Against, 0 Abstentions)

q) With regards to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA)

i. The HRA Revenue budget of £151.0 million for 2024/25 as set out in Section 11.

ii. A rent increase of 7.7% with effect from April 2024, applicable to HRA dwelling and non-dwelling rent.

iii. Note the refreshed HRA 30-year outline business plan and finance model established within the affordability principles in the capital strategy, and that this will be subject to annual review and in-depth review on a rolling 5-year basis, summarised in Section 11.

RESOLVED that Full Council APPROVED recommendation R to U

r) To the Director of Finance after consultation with Designated Deputy Mayor with responsibility for Finance, Governance and Performance and the Mayor, to make any necessary technical adjustments that may be required to the budget with transfers to and or from reserves as appropriate.

s) To the Corporate Leadership Board to align the transformation funding of £6.1 million to the agreed transformation programmes across the council to enable the delivery of agreed benefits and improved outcomes.

t) To the Executive Director of Growth and Regeneration, in consultation with the Designated Deputy Mayor with responsibility for Finance, Governance and Performance, to set HRA service charges in line with the anticipated and actual cost of running each service.

u) To Cabinet to approve (subject to consultation where required) any further DSG mitigation proposals for commencement in 2024/25.