Agenda item

The following recommendations were made by Cabinet to Full Council at the meeting on 6^th November 2023:

1.    Cabinet Agenda item 10 – Budget Monitoring P6 2023 – 2024

Cabinet resolved to recommend to Full Council that it:

1)    Approves an additional capital budget of £58k so that the work for the refurbishment of the Red Lion roof (Cromer), the Art Deco Block roof and handrails (Cromer) and the Chalet Block at Sheringham can be awarded as one contract. And that approval be given to fund the additional expenditure from the Asset Management Reserve.

2)    Approves an increase to the DFG capital budget of £118k and approves that it is funded by the additional grant received for this purpose from the Government.

3)    Approves the provision of a new play area at the Lees in Sheringham and approves a capital project budget for this of £65k and that funding for this should come from the Delivery Plan Reserve.

4)    Approves the capital spending of £11k on the Morris Street Car Park Boundary Wall and that it be funded from the Asset Management Reserve.

5)    Approves that the £85k of the Car Park refurbishment capital budget is reallocated to the Public Conveniences so that the outstanding works can be carried out and complete the scheme.

Please note that the Overview & Scrutiny Committee considered the recommendations at the meeting on 15^th November after the Full Council agenda was published. The Chairman of the Committee will provide a verbal update to Full Council on the outcomes of their discussion.

2.    Cabinet Agenda item 11: Treasury Management Mid Year Report 2023/2024

Cabinet resolved to recommend that Full Council approves the Treasury Management Mid Year Report 2023/2024

Please note that the Overview & Scrutiny Committee considered the recommendations at the meeting on 15^th November after the Full Council agenda was published. The Chairman of the Committee will provide a verbal update to Full Council on the outcomes of their discussion.

3. Cabinet Agenda Item 12: Council Tax Discounts & Premiums Determination 2024/2025

Cabinet resolved to recommend to Full Council:

That under Section 11A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Finance Act 2012 and other enabling powers that:

1)    The discounts for the year 2024-25 and beyond are set at the levels indicated in the table at paragraph 3.1.

2)    To continue to award a local discount of 100% in 2024-25 for eligible cases of hardship under Section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended). See the associated policy in Appendix B.

3)    That an exception to the levy charges may continue to be made by the Revenues Manager in the circumstances laid out in section 3.2 of this report.

4)    The premiums for the year 2024-25 and beyond are set at the levels indicated in the table at paragraph 4.2.

5)    To continue to award a local discount of 100% in 2024-25 for eligible cases of care leavers under Section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended).

6)    Those dwellings that are specifically identified under regulation 6 of the Council Tax (Prescribed Classes of Dwellings) (England) Regulations 2003 will retain the 50% discount as set out in paragraph 2.1 of this report.

7)    Those dwellings described or geographically defined at Appendix A which in the reasonable opinion of the Revenues Manager are judged not to be structurally capable of occupation all year round and were built before the restrictions of seasonal usage were introduced by the Town and Country Planning Act 1947, will be entitled to a 35% discount.

8)    The long-term empty-property premium of 100% is brought forward to increase from 12 months rather than 24 months from 1 April 2024.

9)    A new second homes premium of 100% as detailed in paragraph 4.3 is applied from 1 April 2025.

Please note that the Overview & Scrutiny Committee considered the recommendations at the meeting on 15^th November after the Full Council agenda was published. The Chairman of the Committee will provide a verbal update to Full Council on the outcomes of their discussion

1.    Cabinet Agenda Item 10: Budget Monitoring P6

The Chairman invited the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Cllr L Shires, to introduce this item.

Cllr Shires began by referring members to page 65, section 2.3 of the report which included additional wording (not included in previous reports) regarding the recent staff pay award.

Cllr Shires thanked officers for all their hard work in managing their budgets so carefully. She then outlined the recommendations in turn, before asking Cllr Fredericks to speak about the impact of the cost of homelessness and temporary accommodation provision on the Council’s budget.

Cllr Fredericks informed members that the Council’s temporary accommodation bill had risen sharply. The budget for the provision of temporary accommodation was usually spent on nightly accommodation for homeless households and this was generally between £350-450K a year. This year it was approaching £1.3m and whilst the Council did not begrudge spending money on families in need, it was struggling to afford such a steep rise in costs. She said that significant financial help was needed to help with these costs. North Norfolk did not have hotels and bed and breakfasts available to accommodate homeless families in. In conclusion, Cllr Fredericks said it was important to remember that although the Council was facing rising costs, there were homeless families behind these figures that were struggling and increasingly desperate. She concluded by thanking all of the housing officers involved in dealing with such a challenging situation.

The Chairman invited members to speak:

Cllr L Withington said that she welcomed the recommendation to provide a new play area at the Lees in Sheringham. It had suffered in the past due to its location but it was an important asset for the town and would be welcomed by residents and visitors alike. 

Cllr N Dixon then spoke on behalf of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and said that they had supported the recommendations at their meeting on 15 November.

It was proposed by Cllr L Shires, seconded by Cllr W Fredericks and

RESOLVED to

1)    Approve an additional capital budget of £58k so that the work for the refurbishment of the Red Lion roof (Cromer), the Art Deco Block roof and handrails (Cromer) and the Chalet Block at Sheringham can be awarded as one contract. And that approval be given to fund the additional expenditure from the Asset Management Reserve.

2)    Approve an increase to the DFG capital budget of £118k and approves that it is funded by the additional grant received for this purpose from the Government.

3)    Approve the provision of a new play area at the Lees in Sheringham and approves a capital project budget for this of £65k and that funding for this should come from the Delivery Plan Reserve.

4)    Approve the capital spending of £11k on the Morris Street Car Park Boundary Wall and that it be funded from the Asset Management Reserve.

5)    Approve that the £85k of the Car Park refurbishment capital budget is reallocated to the Public Conveniences so that the outstanding works can be carried out and complete the scheme.

2.     Cabinet Agenda Item 11: Treasury Management Mid-Year Report 2023-2024

Cllr Shires introduced this item. She referred members to page 107 which provided further information about the current economic situation and interest rates.

Cllr N Dixon then spoke on behalf of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and said that they had supported the recommendations at their meeting on 15 November.

It was proposed by Cllr L Shires, seconded by Cllr P Heinrich and

RESOLVED

To approve the Treasury Management Mid Year Report 2023/2024

3.     Cabinet Agenda Item 12: Council Tax Discounts and Premiums Determination 2024-2025

Cllr Shires introduced this item. She referred members to recommendation 4 and paragraph 4.4 of the report which explained that care leavers were eligible for a 100% discount on their council tax and this was fully compensated by Norfolk County Council. Cllr Shires then spoke about recommendation 9, which proposed the introduction of a new second homes premium of 100% form 1 April 2025. She said that this would see an additional £550k income to the Council and that there were ongoing discussion with the County Council about having a fairer share of council tax income.

Cllr N Dixon spoke on behalf of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and said that they had supported the recommendations at their meeting on 15 November.

Cllr L Withington commented on the second homes council tax issue and said she wanted to acknowledge the hard work of the North Norfolk Town and Parish Forum over several years in bringing this to a successful conclusion.

It was proposed by Cllr L Shires, seconded by Cllr T Adams and

RESOLVED

That under Section 11A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Finance Act 2012 and other enabling powers that:

1)    The discounts for the year 2024-25 and beyond are set at the levels indicated in the table at paragraph 3.1.

2)    To continue to award a local discount of 100% in 2024-25 for eligible cases of hardship under Section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended). See the associated policy in Appendix B.

3)    That an exception to the levy charges may continue to be made by the Revenues Manager in the circumstances laid out in section 3.2 of this report.

4)    The premiums for the year 2024-25 and beyond are set at the levels indicated in the table at paragraph 4.2.

5)    To continue to award a local discount of 100% in 2024-25 for eligible cases of care leavers under Section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended).

6)    Those dwellings that are specifically identified under regulation 6 of the Council Tax (Prescribed Classes of Dwellings) (England) Regulations 2003 will retain the 50% discount as set out in paragraph 2.1 of this report.

7)    Those dwellings described or geographically defined at Appendix A which in the reasonable opinion of the Revenues Manager are judged not to be structurally capable of occupation all year round and were built before the restrictions of seasonal usage were introduced by the Town and Country Planning Act 1947, will be entitled to a 35% discount.

8)    The long-term empty-property premium of 100% is brought forward to increase from 12 months rather than 24 months from 1 April 2024.

9)    A new second homes premium of 100% as detailed in paragraph 4.3 is applied from 1 April 2025.