Agenda item

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance & Parking

RESOLVED

(ii)      To approve the transfer of £106,499 from the General Fund reserve to the earmarked transformation reserve.

(iii)     To delegate to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Parking, the authority to use the transformation fund as appropriate.

(iv)    To approve the transfer of £1m of the surplus into an earmarked inflation fund, for use in 2022/23 should current price and salary increases cause an overspend. 

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCL

(i)      That £0.3m of the 2021/22 surplus is used to further fund existing discretionary schemes in 2022/23 as set out in Appendix A of the Cabinet report.

(v)     To approve an increase in the revenue budget in Leisure services for the Drill Hall of £17,000 income and £37,000 expenditure, which is a net cost increase of £20,000 in the 2022/23 budget.

(vi)    To approve a £300,000 increase in the revenue income and expenditure budgets in Community Development in 2022/23.

(vii)    To add an additional £20,000 to the £0.25m already in the 2022/23 capital programme to help deliver a better skate park in Horsham Park.

(viii)   That £50,000 of income from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and corresponding expenditure is added to the Economic Development. 2022/23 revenue budget.

(ix)    That £120,000 is added to the 2022/23 capital programme which will be fully funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

REASON

(i)      Additional funding will help those on low incomes and / or are vulnerable as well as supporting Young People.

(ii) & (iii)   To top up of the earmarked transformation reserve for projects that will help transform the Council in the future; effectively funded from the 2021/22 budget surplus.

(iv)    Inflation is over 6% and is causing significant price rises, and this, coupled with high salary pressures, is likely to cause a deficit in the 2022/23 outturn.

(v)     The budget will enable the Council to continue to operate the Drill Hall through to the end of the calendar year whilst discussions with the Royal British Legion are finalised.

(vi)    To help the resettlement and community support of Ukrainian families across the Horsham District.

(vii)    Feedback from the consultation with users at the Horsham Park skate park requested higher ramps and an improved plaza area that would be more accessible to more users.

(viii)   To develop and then help deliver a local investment plan for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

(ix)    To enable capital investment spending under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to support local businesses, Communities and Place and people and skills.

Councillor Tony Hogben, Cabinet Member for Finance & Parking, introduced the report, which explained the background to a £2.1m operational surplus in 2021/22 and recommended how this surplus could be used.  He outlined the additional payments proposed to support residents, including younger people and those on lower incomes, measures to address the cost of inflation, and further investment in the transformation fund to support a number of projects, as set out in the report. 

The report also set out details of other proposed changes to budgets in 2022/23 including: an increase in budget for the Drill Hall to enable it to remain open while the Royal British Legion finalise the new arrangements; an increase in Community Development budgets; an increase in the budget for the Horsham Park skate park to help deliver a better facility; and recommendations on the use of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

RESOLVED

(ii)     To approve the transfer of £106,499 from the General Fund reserve to the earmarked transformation reserve.

(iii)    To delegate to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Parking, the authority to use the transformation fund as appropriate.

(iv)    To approve the transfer of £1m of the surplus into an earmarked inflation fund, for use in 2022/23 should current price and salary increases cause an overspend. 

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCL

(i)      That £0.3m of the 2021/22 surplus is used to further fund existing discretionary schemes in 2022/23 as set out in Appendix A of the Cabinet report.

(v)     To approve an increase in the revenue budget in Leisure services for the Drill Hall of £17,000 income and £37,000 expenditure, which is a net cost increase of £20,000 in the 2022/23 budget.

(vi)    To approve a £300,000 increase in the revenue income and expenditure budgets in Community Development in 2022/23.

(vii)    To add an additional £20,000 to the £0.25m already in the 2022/23 capital programme to help deliver a better skate park in Horsham Park.

(viii)   That £50,000 of income from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and corresponding expenditure is added to the Economic Development. 2022/23 revenue budget.

(ix)    That £120,000 is added to the 2022/23 capital programme which will be fully funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

REASON

(i)      Additional funding will help those on low incomes and / or are vulnerable as well as supporting Young People.

(ii) & (iii)   To top up of the earmarked transformation reserve for projects that will help transform the Council in the future; effectively funded from the 2021/22 budget surplus.

(iv)    Inflation is over 6% and is causing significant price rises, and this, coupled with high salary pressures, is likely to cause a deficit in the 2022/23 outturn.

(v)     The budget will enable the Council to continue to operate the Drill Hall through to the end of the calendar year whilst discussions with the Royal British Legion are finalised.

(vi)    To help the resettlement and community support of Ukrainian families across the Horsham District.

(vii)    Feedback from the consultation with users at the Horsham Park skate park requested higher ramps and an improved plaza area that would be more accessible to more users.

(viii)   To develop and then help deliver a local investment plan for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

(ix)    To enable capital investment spending under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to support local businesses, Communities and Place and people and skills.