(1) That the following guidelines for the Council’s General Fund Budget in 2017/18 be recommended to the Council for adoption:
(a) the revised revenue estimates for 2016/17, which were anticipated to decrease the General Fund balance by £0.78m, including a transfer of £0.2m to the Invest to Save Reserve;
(b) confirmation of the target for the 2017/18 Continuing Services Budget (CSB) of £13.11m (including growth items);
(c) an increase in the target for the 2017/18 District Development Fund (DDF) net spend from £0.26m to £1.89m;
(d) no change in the District Council Tax for a Band ‘D’ property to keep the charge at £148.77;
(e) the estimated reduction in General Fund balances of £100,000 in 2017/18;
(f) the five year Capital Programme for the period 2016/17 – 2020/21;
(g) the Medium Term Financial Strategy for the period 2016/17 – 2020/21; and
(h) the Council’s policy on General Fund Revenue Balances to remain that they be allowed to fall no lower than 25% of the Net Budget Requirement;
(2) That the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget for 2017/18, including the revised revenue estimates for 2016/17, be recommended to the Council for approval;
(3) That the Council be requested to note that the rent reductions proposed for 2017/18 will give an average overall fall of 1%; and
(4) That the Chief Financial Officer’s report to the Council on the robustness of the estimates for the purposes of the Council’s 2017/18 budgets and the adequacy of the reserves be noted.