O&S
18
A report was considered that sought to
recommend to the Hub Committee five options (as set out below) in
order to produce an Amended Revenue Budget for 2020-21:
-
To use the 3rd tranche of COVID-19
funding that had been received from Central Government
(£89,000);
-
To use the New Burdens Government Grant funding
received for the administration of the Business Rates Grants
(£130,000);
-
To utilise the 2019/20 Statement of Accounts
underspend (£133,000);
-
To allocate the uncommitted New Homes Bonus from
2020/21 to further fund the Revenue Base Budget (£69,000);
and
-
To reduce the Capital Budget for the remedial works
to the Tavistock Viaduct from £100,000 to £20,000
(£80,000).
In discussion, particular
reference was made to:-
(a)
the effectiveness of the recent Member Budget Setting
Workshop. A number of Members thanked
officers for arranging the recent Workshop and felt that it had
been an excellent session;
(b)
the remedial works to the Tavistock Viaduct. When questioned, the Section 151 Officer confirmed
that, following a Condition Survey being undertaken on the Viaduct,
the initially proposed extensive repair works would not now be
required during 2020/21 and the capital budget can be limited to
further vegetation clearance and some drainage
improvements;
(c)
the Town Centre support initiative. With
regard to the initiative, the meeting acknowledged that there was a
need to consult with all of the town councils (including
Chagford) that were located within the
Borough.
It was then:
RECOMMENDED
That the Committee RECOMMEND that the Hub Committee RECOMMEND
to Council that:
1.
the five options totalling £501,000 (as
summarised in the detailed minutes above) be approved in order to
produce an Amended Revenue Budget for 2020-21;
2.
it be noted that the future capacity of Reserves (as
set out in Sections 5.8 and 5.9 of the presented agenda report) may
have to be called upon to meet any future financial challenges
and/or additional requirements; and
3.
£70,000 be used from the Business Rates
Retention Earmarked Reserve to fund the Town Centre Support
Initiative that is set out in Section 6 of the presented agenda
report.