Agenda item

This item presents the Council’s 2024/25 Revenue Budget and Council Tax Levels for approval.

7.43pm – The report and recommendations were moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan.

In accordance with Council convention, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan, and the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler, were given unlimited time to speak on the Budget report.

Speeches on the report were also made by Councillors Alex Sanderson, Bora Kwon, and Rowan Ree (for the Administration) – and Councillors Adronie Alford, Adrian Pascu-Tulbure, and Amanda Lloyd-Harris (for the Opposition).

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan, then made a speech winding up the debate.

The report and recommendations were put to the vote and a roll call was undertaken, in accordance with Council convention when voting on the budget:

FOR                        36

AGAINST                10

NOT VOTING         1

The recommendations were declared CARRIED.

9.39pm – RESOLVED:

That Full Council agree for the reasons set out in the report and appendices:

1.    To increase the Hammersmith & Fulham element of Council Tax by 2.99% as modelled by the government in its spending power calculations for local government.

2.    To apply the Adult Social Care precept levy of 2% as modelled bythe government in its spending power calculations for local government.

3.    To approve a balanced budget for 2024/25 as set out in the report, including the underlying principles and assumptions.

4.    To approve £10.7m of new investment on key services for residents.

5.    To approve fees and charges, as set out in Appendix E, including freezing charges in adult social care, children’s services, and General Fund housing.

6.    To approve the Medium-Term Financial Strategy and to note the budget projections to 2027/28 made by the Strategic Director of Finance in consultation with the Strategic Leadership Team (Appendix B).

7.    To note the statement of the Strategic Director of Finance, under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003, regarding the adequacy of reserves and robustness of estimates (paragraph 56).

8.    To approve the reserves strategy and forecast as set out in Appendix H.

9.    To require all Directors to report on their projected financial position compared to their revenue estimates in accordance with the Corporate Revenue Monitoring Report timetable.

10.To authorise Directors to implement their service spending plans for 2024/25 in accordance with the recommendations within this report, the council’s Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, relevant Schemes of Delegation and undertake any further consultation required regarding the Equalities Impact Assessment.

11.Set the council’s element of Council Tax for 2024/25 for each category of dwelling, as outlined in the table below and in full in Appendix A and calculated in accordance with Sections 31A to 49B of the Localism Act 2011.

12.   To note, based on the Mayor of London’s draft consolidated budget, the element of Council Tax to be charged by the Greater London Authority in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each of the categories of dwellings as shown in the table below.

13.          That the overall Council Tax to be set at £1,386.77 per Band D property as follows:

14.          To authorise the Strategic Director of Finance to collect and recover National Non-Domestic Rate and Council Tax in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (as amended), the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and the Council’s Scheme of Delegation.

15.          To note the Council’s estimated position on the Collection Fund (as set out in paragraph 51 of the report).

16.          To note the performance on the management of arrears across the Council on all debts due (as set out from paragraph 60 of the report).