DECISION

1.    Approve the proposed discretionary fees and charges as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report.

2.    Approve the revised statutory fees and charges as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report.

3.    Approve the continued delegation for amendments to fees and charges, including those to take account of the result of any Equality Impact Assessment that may be identified, to the relevant Corporate Director following consultation with the Lead Member and the Mayor.

4.    Agree that all increases and new fees are implemented from 1^st February 2024 where possible or as soon as practical thereafter and the strategy be endorsed and incorporated in the MTFS with a review of the strategy to be undertaken in 3 years’ time.

Action by:

CORPORATE DIRECTOR RESOURCES (J. LORRAINE)

Interim Director of Finance, Procurement and Audit (J. Harrison)

Councillor Saied Ahmed (Cabinet Member for Resources and the Cost of Living) introduced the report that presented details proposed changes to fees and charges for the financial year 2024-25, all those detailed in the report fall into one of two categories:  discretionary or statutory.

Julie Lorraine, Corporate Director provided further detail. Julie explained that the charges presented all related to existing services. Benchmarking with other local authorities had been exhaustive and the Council had been mindful of the impact on cost of living for the users of the charged for services. The changes protected areas of priority interest to residents, in particular waste services (that had also benefited from new investment – see Minutes 6.2 below) and elements considered important to the character of the borough, such as market trading.

The Mayor welcomed the report. 

RESOLVED that the Mayor in Cabinet:

1.    Approves the proposed discretionary fees and charges as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report.

2.    Approves the revised statutory fees and charges as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report.

3.    Approves the continued delegation for amendments to fees and charges, including those to take account of the result of any Equality Impact Assessment that may be identified, to the relevant Corporate Director following consultation with the Lead Member and the Mayor.

4.    Agrees that all increases and new fees are implemented from 1^st February 2024 where possible or as soon as practical thereafter and the strategy be endorsed and incorporated in the MTFS with a review of the strategy to be undertaken in 3 years’ time.