Agenda item

Report of the Director of Finance. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Finance and Local Investment and the Assistant Director for Finance.

The Council's income policy requires an annual review of the level of the fees and charges levied upon service users .This report considers the relevant factors affecting the review of fees and charges, identifies those services where an increase is being proposed and seeks: Approval to increase the fee or charge rate to those services where an increase is proposed in line with inflation or Members agreement where an alternative approach is being proposed.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Local Investment introduced the report which sought agreement to increase in the Fees and Charges proposed from the start of the financial year 2024/25, in line with inflation to offset the costs increases associated with those service, or to agree alternatives where circumstances indicated this is more appropriate.

The Cabinet Member highlighted the following:

-       The income generated by many Councils’ fees and charges represented an increasingly significant proportion of their income, and therefore decisions on future charges had an increasingly greater effect on the sustainability of their services covered by those charges.

-       That in order to protect the Council’s ability to provide the services needed or enjoyed by many, there was a need to ensure that the Council can continue to cover the costs of their provision.

-       Recognised the pressure that the cost-of-living crisis was putting on households, however little choice other than to look to ensure that the Council maintain income in real terms.

-       Continue with policy of annual increases linked to CPI inflation rates. Increases in fees and charges outlined in the report were both necessary and appropriate.

In response to questions from Cllr Cawley – Harrison, the following was noted:

-       In relation to highways and parking operations fees and charges outlined on appendix II of the report, the Council was in line with other neighbouring London Boroughs and charged lower than many. Although there were concerns around the impact of deciphering between the lower and higher emitting vehicles when it came to charges, lower emitting vehicles still had a part in pollution within the borough.

-       The Council had one of the lowest charges for garden waste collection in comparison with other London Boroughs. There was no intention to lower garden waste charges through subsiding the costs from the Council.

-       A review was underway around garden waste charges and early findings suggested that many residents did not use the garden waste bins every week, this review will be part of the co-produced work with residents.

RESOLVED

1. To agree the proposed non-statutory fees and charges to be levied by the Council with effect from 1 April 2024, unless otherwise stated, and as detailed in Section 8 and Appendices I, and III – XIII taking into account the findings of any equalities assessments as set out in section 11 of the report.

2. To note the statutory fees and charges to be levied by the Council with

effect from 1 April 2024.

3. To note that the Council’s draft 2024/25 Budget and Medium-Term

Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2024/25-2028/29 assumes that the changes to Fees and Charges set out in this report are agreed.

4. To authorise officers to proceed to statutory notification and / or

consultation of increases to existing parking fees and charges as set out in Appendix II and to note that the proposed charges may only be

implemented subject to the outcome of any required notification and or consultation procedures as may be prescribed in legislation.

Reasons for Decision

Under the Council’s Income Policy, it is a requirement to review fees and

charges as a minimum annually. Given the ongoing challenges facing the

Council, this is even more appropriate.

Alternative options considered

This report summarises the conclusions after consideration of a range of

alternative approaches dependent on particular services and relevant factors.

As such a range of alternative options ranging from no increase to

differentiated rates of increases or decreases have been considered and

reflected in this report.