Issue - meetings

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Finance.

1.    To note the current levels of budgeted fees and charges and the issues specific to these;

2.    To approve an uplift in the Strawberry Fields service charge of £1 per square foot to better reflect the current costs incurred at the site, as detailed at point 21.

3.    To approve an uplift in the rents of all Council owned housing (including Extra Care) of 7%. (This is lower than the agreed approach of increasing them by CPI plus 1% [based on CPI at September each year] as agreed at Cabinet in July 2022, which would result in an increase of 9.8%, but is consistent with the recent government consultation on rents as detailed at points 18 and 19).

4.    To approve the increase to the gas charges at Primrose Gardens to £21 per week and set a new charge for Tatton at £32 per week for electricity as detailed at point 20.

5.    To approve a general increase of 5% in the fees (limited to the services listed in Table 3 of Appendix 1) for 2023/24. Given that the rate of CPI is currently running at 9.6%, and RPI at 14.2%, the recommended uplift is less than inflation.

6.    To approve the full list of fees and charges for upload onto the Council website

Councillor Peter Wilson, Executive Member (Resources) presented the report of the Director of Finance which sets out the current position around fees and charges and proposals for 2023/24.

Members noted the appendix which details the key fees and charges budgets across a number of different categories. Although not exhaustive, the list gives an indication of the core fees involved.

Members recognised those charges over which the Council has no control in setting the amount that can be charged, including planning application fees. It was also recognised that the fees and charges that have been increased by the council are reflective of actual charges incurred through increasing costs and include no element of uplift for the council.

Decision:

1.    To note the current levels of budgeted fees and charges and the issues specific to these;

2.    To approve an uplift in the Strawberry Fields service charge of £1 per square foot to better reflect the current costs incurred at the site, as detailed at point 21.

3.    To approve an uplift in the rents of all Council owned housing (including Extra Care) of 7%. (This is lower than the agreed approach of increasing them by CPI plus 1% [based on CPI at September each year] as agreed at Cabinet in July 2022, which would result in an increase of 9.8%, but is consistent with the recent government consultation on rents as detailed at points 18 and 19).

4.    To approve the increase to the gas charges at Primrose Gardens to £21 per week and set a new charge for Tatton at £32 per week for electricity as detailed at point 20.

5.    To approve a general increase of 5% in the fees (limited to the services listed in Table 3 of Appendix 1) for 2023/24. Given that the rate of CPI is currently running at 9.6%, and RPI at 14.2%, the recommended uplift is less than inflation.

6.    To approve the full list of fees and charges for upload onto the Council website.

Reasons for recommendations

To ensure that fees and charges are set at appropriate levels and are publicly available.

Other options considered and rejected

No other options considered as we are required to review fees and charges each year.