(i)        that it be recommended to Council:

(a)        that the budget for 2012/13 set out in paragraph A2 to the submitted report and the associated fees and charges, be approved;

(b)       that the final notified Dedicated Schools Grant be used in accordance with the nationally laid down Schools Financial Regulations and that the Chief Finance Officer be authorised to make amendments as required when the final figures are confirmed;

(c)        that the Members’ Allowances Scheme will be implemented in 2012/2013 in accordance with the decision of the Council at its meeting on 1 February 2012;

(d)       that the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the Mayor and Executive Lead Member for Finance be authorised to approve expenditure from reserves and provisions in accordance with the terms of the respective reserve or provision;

(e)       that in accordance with the requirement of the Local Government Act 2003, the advice given by the Chief Finance Officer with respect to the robustness of the budget estimates and the adequacy of the Council’s reserves be noted;

(f)        that the Chief Finance Officer, in consultation with the Mayor and Executive Lead Member for Finance, be authorised to prepare a report on the financial issues in respect of 2013/14 and later years and issue any appropriate spending targets that may arise as a consequence;

(g)       that the Chief Finance Officer in consultation with the Mayor and Executive Lead Member for Finance be authorised to make adjustments to and introduce new fees and charges within the budget during 2012/13 if it is in the best interest of the Council;

(h)       that the Chief Finance Officer, in consultation with the Mayor, Executive Lead Member for Finance and appropriate officers, be authorised to determine the allocation and expenditure of any new grant monies or unallocated grants that may be received during the year;

(i)         that the Chief Finance Officer be authorised to make adjustments to the budgets for any technical changes;

(j)         that the Review of Reserves report and the transfer of the surplus on a number of individual reserves to a Building Dilapidation and Contingent Liability reserve be approved;

(k)        that the Chief Finance Officer prepare the appropriate documentation for the Council to permit the Council Tax setting at the meeting on 1 March 2012 and all other returns to be made by the appropriate date; and

(l)         that the impact assessments as shown in annex 4 to the submitted report be noted; and

(ii)        that the risks in preparing this budget package be accepted. These risks have been identified in detail in the submitted report and associated budget proposals prepared by officers for their respective Business Units.

The Council has a statutory obligation to set a budget each financial year and must take account of all factors when setting the budget.

The Mayor’s response to the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Board are set out in the submitted report which was circulated at the Council meeting on 1 February 2012.

Alternative options were set out in the submitted report and not discussed at the meeting.

The recommendations of the Mayor will be considered at the adjourned meeting of Council to be held on 8 February 2012.

Further to the meeting of Council held on 8 December 2011, the submitted report outlined the basis of the Mayor’s budget for 2012/13, provided a summary of the outcome of the Local Government Settlement for 2012/13 and explained its effect on the overall financial position of the Council. 

The report had been compiled in light of the findings and conclusions reached by the Overview and Scrutiny Board, who had taken into account the views expressed by members of the public and a wide range of stakeholder representatives as part of the budget consultation process.

None