Agenda item

(Director of Resources) Report to follow.

Mr Maddock introduced the report on the proposed fees and charges that the Council should levy in 2017/18 and what scope there was to increase particular charges. It was noted that a saving of £250,000 in the Council’s budgetwould be required in 2017/18, but the scope for increasing income as a result of increasing fees and charges was relatively limited as regards the General Fund though less so with the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

The use of labour rate inflation as a guide was adopted last year on the basis that the most significant element of the cost involved in generating fees was staff salaries. The latest figure was 2.1% so adopting a figure of 2.0% was proposed.

It was noted that The Limes Centre makes a number of charges and that it was being proposed that around 5% be added to each of the charges for this facility. Based on recent, sample testing of other similar facilities in the area, it had been identified that the current pricing scale for the Limes Centre was significantly lower than several others and that there had also been an issue of people from outside the district, booking the facilities under the name of EFDC tenants and therefore taking advantage of the 50% tenant discount on hall hire fees.

Councillor Mohindra asked what were the current figures for the Limes Centre and was it well used and, if so, we did not want to increase the fees too much. The Director of Communities, Mr Hall, said that the Centre was well used and that officers would be looking next year to consider if it was appropriate to continue having a two tier charging system for tenants and non-tenants.

Councillor Patel asked if it was being proposed to have one set price throughout the district and was told that it was not, since all the halls were of different sizes and had different facilities.

It was noted that the two charges for Council tenants and non-Council tenants were substantially different, and the Committee considered whether the charge could be set at a one level between the two. It was also suggested that it may be useful to compare the charges with private sector hall charges. Councillor Bedford suggested that the charging structure should remain as currently and to look at making changes next year, with some supporting evidence, fact and figures to base a decision on.

The Committee agreed to recommend that the charges for the Limes Centre be kept as set out in the report for this year, but asked for when the Committee considered fees and charges next year:

·         Some background evidence for the costs of other halls in the district;

·         What types of groups use the hall;

·         How much it costs to run these halls compared to the income received (i.e. our charges);

·         If the facility does not break even, how much the Council would need to charge to cover its costs.

The Committee felt that this would enable them to make an informed decision next year on whether or not to have only one or two scales of charges for the following year, and what those charges should be.

Councillor Whitehouse asked when was the last time the council considered which of its charges made a commercial return or if they were set for social or other reasons. Mr Maddock replied that on some charges we could only recoup our costs,  such as on Licensing, Building Control and Development Control. Some fees are set based on cost recovery and there was a balance between making a surplus and setting fees too low that we didn’t cover costs.

It was noted that waste management charges on bulky household waste were going up by 1.5% to 2%. Councillor Bedford asked if there were any concessions made for the unemployed or those on benefits. He was told that this was not done at present and if it were, then some checks would be needed to be put in.

Councillor Lion noted that there were potential fly-tipping issues with the new tip closures that were coming in. He then asked why the second drivers licensing test was half the cost of the first one. Mr Maddock said he would find out.

RESOLVED:

(1)  That the proposals for the level of fees and charges for 2017/18 be agreed; and

(2)  That in agreeing to the two tiered increase of the charges for the Limes Farm Halls and facilities, the committee, in the next year, would like some background evidence on the costs of other venues in the district, what types of groups used them, how much did it cost the council to run these halls and how much it would take to cover these costs. This would enable them to make an informed decision next year on whether to have only one or two scales of charges for the coming year.