To submit
the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance
(attached).
Minutes:
The Cabinet Member for
Finance submitted:
·
A report recommending a budget for the Council's approval for 2018/19
·
A medium term plan to cope with the financial deficit 2018/19 - 2020/21.
·
The draft decision on the Council Tax based on the Cabinet's
recommendation to the Council (based on an increase of 4.8%), along with tables
showing the Council Tax level and the increase per community.
He thanked all the staff of the Finance Department,
under the leadership of the Head of Finance Department, for their thorough work
throughout the year in preparing and leading the Council towards establishing a
balanced budget.
During the discussion the following matters were
raised:
·
Concern about the under-funding as a result of the Barnett Formula and
the need to increase the pressure being but on Welsh Government o have a better financial settlement for Gwynedd. It was noted that the current situation was
unsustainable and it was suggested that this Council should send a letter to
Welsh Government to call for a review of the tax system in its entirety. It was
also suggested that, in addition to the continuous lobbying by the Leader,
Cabinet Members, the Chief Executive and the Head of Finance Department, it
would be beneficial to send a delegation of councillors down to Cardiff to meet
the Minister. All members were also encouraged to apply pressure on their
Assembly Members.
·
The fact that an increase of only 0.6% in the Government Grant had been
received for 2018/19, although Welsh Government had received a 2.6% grant
increase by Westminster Government, and the need to make it clear to the
taxpayers that the Council would not have to increase the Council Tax if it had
received a sufficient grant from Welsh Government.
·
Concern about the Government's method of funding education by giving with
one hand and taking away with the other, and the lack of consistency between
the Minister's messages and what was happening on the ground.
·
The need to put all Gwynedd residents at the centre of every Council
service despite the difficult climate.
·
Concern that people
found it increasingly difficult to pay the Council Tax and reference was made
specifically to the people who were slightly above the threshold to claim
Council Tax Support.
·
Concern that more and more holiday home owners would transfer to business
rates in order to avoid the Council Tax Premium on their houses.
·
Concern about the impact of the Council Tax Premium on people who were
attempting to sell houses inherited by them as a result of a family member's
death.
·
A revenue bid to appoint two additional Council Tax inspectors - it was
confirmed that the Head of Finance Department would not receive any additional
funding for the responsibility of this new task, but that the taxation officer
who would be undertaking additional supervision duties would receive a very small
increase to reflect this.
·
The need for the Council to look at alternatives ways to increase income,
e.g. by charging a fee for services on caravan owners and offering mortgages
for local people who need houses. It was also noted that there was an overemphasis
on privatising services when the Council would be able to do the work itself
and make a profit from it.
·
Allegations of waste by the Council. The Chief Executive responded that
the Audit and Governance Committee was the place to raise such matters, rather
than making unfounded allegations in the Council.
·
A figure of £190,000 for affordable housing inspectors - it was confirmed
that no fees had gone to external companies.
·
Propriety of contributing £25,000 to respond to the Wylfa
Newydd Plan in the current financial climate.
Many members noted that although they were unhappy
with the situation, they were not of the opinion that the Council had any
choice but to accept the budget in the situation as it was.
RESOLVED
1.
Establish a budget of £242,862,930 for 2018/19, to be
funded by £175,127,330 of Government Grant and £67,735,600 Council Tax income,
with an increase of 4.8%.
2.
Establish a capital programme of £8.389m in 2018/19 to
be funded from the sources noted in clause 9.4 of the report.
3. That it be noted that the
Cabinet Member for Finance, in a decision notice dated 13 November 2017,
approved the calculation of the following amounts for 2018/2019 in accordance
with Regulations made under Section 33 (5) of the Local Government Finance Act
1992 (“The Act”):
(a) 52,083.07
being the amount calculated as Gwynedd's Tax Base in accordance with the Local
Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (Wales) Regulations 1995 as
amended, as its Council Tax base for the year.
(b) Part
of the Council’s Area - Community Tax Base -
Aberdaron |
558.08 |
Llanddeiniolen |
1,846.18 |
Aberdyfi |
1,004.77 |
Llandderfel |
513.32 |
Abergwyngregyn |
115.92 |
Llanegryn |
158.47 |
Abermaw (Barmouth) |
1,149.17 |
Llanelltyd |
289.10 |
Arthog |
633.10 |
Llanengan |
2,159.63 |
Bala |
774.81 |
Llanfair |
321.03 |
Bangor |
3,855.89 |
Llanfihangel y Pennant |
217.76 |
Beddgelert |
332.99 |
Llanfrothen |
225.29 |
Betws Garmon |
136.30 |
Llangelynnin |
408.83 |
Bethesda |
1,669.25 |
Llangywer |
144.05 |
Bontnewydd |
434.36 |
Llanllechid |
344.45 |
Botwnnog |
455.84 |
Llanllyfni |
1,418.05 |
Brithdir a Llanfachreth |
422.14 |
Llannor |
916.27 |
Bryncrug |
342.88 |
Llanrug |
1,138.32 |
Buan |
229.85 |
Llanuwchllyn |
317.47 |
Caernarfon |
3,522.60 |
Llanwnda |
782.81 |
Clynnog Fawr |
448.12 |
Llanycil |
196.34 |
Corris |
306.43 |
Llanystumdwy |
875.24 |
Cricieth |
937.64 |
Maentwrog |
284.74 |
Dolbenmaen |
618.87 |
Mawddwy |
344.88 |
Dolgellau |
1,237.33 |
Nefyn |
1,467.95 |
Dyffryn Ardudwy |
798.44 |
Pennal |
226.79 |
Y Felinheli |
1,152.14 |
Penrhyndeudraeth |
780.08 |
Ffestiniog |
1,742.49 |
Pentir |
1,138.01 |
Y Ganllwyd |
89.93 |
Pistyll |
253.87 |
Harlech |
787.85 |
Porthmadog |
2,054.96 |
Llanaelhaearn |
450.97 |
Pwllheli |
1,758.31 |
Llanbedr |
321.91 |
Talsarnau |
325.14 |
Llanbedrog |
714.05 |
Trawsfynydd |
506.72 |
Llanberis |
772.34 |
Tudweiliog |
469.37 |
Llandwrog |
1,017.19 |
Tywyn |
1,623.87 |
Llandygai |
968.30 |
Waunfawr |
573.82 |
namely the amounts calculated
as the Council Tax Base amounts for the year for dwellings in those parts of
its area to which one or more special items relate.
4. That
the following amounts now be calculated by the Council for the year 2018/2019
in accordance with Sections 32 to 36 of the Act:
(a)
£360,509,480 |
Being
the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set
out in Section 32(2)(a) to (e) of the Act (gross expenditure). |
(b)
£115,832,220 |
Being
the aggregate of the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set
out in Section 32 (3)(a) to (c) of the Act (income). |
(c)
£244,677,260 |
Being
the sum that corresponds with the difference between the above aggregate 3
(a) and the above aggregate 3 (b) calculated by the Council, in accordance
with Section 32(4) of the Act, as its budgetary requirements for the year
(net budget). |
(ch) £174,734,334 |
Being the aggregate of the sums which the Council
estimates will be payable for the year into its fund in respect of
redistributed Non-domestic Rates and Revenue Support Grant, less the
estimated cost to the Council of discretionary Non-domestic rate relief
granted. |
(d)
£1,342.91 |
Being the amount in 3(c) above, less the sum
in 3(ch) above, all divided by the sum noted in
2(a) above, that was calculated by the Council in accordance with 33(1) of
the Act, which is the basic amount of Council Tax for the year (Gwynedd
Council tax and the average community council tax). |
(dd) £2,207,330 |
Being
the aggregate amount of all special items referred to in Section 34 (1) of
the Act (community council precepts). |
(e)
£1,300.53 |
Being
the sum in 3 (d) above, less the result of dividing the amount in 3(dd) above divided by the amount in 2(a) above, that was
calculated by the Council in in accordance with Section 34 (2) of the Act, as
the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts
of its area to which no special item relates (Band D for Gwynedd Council Tax
only). |
(f) For parts of the
Council’s area -
Aberdaron |
1,327.41 |
Llanddeiniolen |
1,314.88 |
Aberdyfi |
1,335.32 |
Llandderfel |
1,318.06 |
Abergwyngregyn |
1,326.41 |
Llanegryn |
1,332.08 |
Abermaw (Barmouth) |
1,348.04 |
Llanelltyd |
1,326.47 |
Arthog |
1,319.48 |
Llanengan |
1,323.68 |
Bala |
1,331.51 |
Llanfair |
1,341.02 |
Bangor |
1,399.26 |
Llanfihangel y Pennant |
1,349.92 |
Beddgelert |
1,327.26 |
Llanfrothen |
1,328.49 |
Betws Garmon |
1,319.61 |
Llangelynnin |
1,324.50 |
Bethesda |
1,340.70 |
Llangywer |
1,328.30 |
Bontnewydd |
1,338.52 |
Llanllechid |
1,322.30 |
Botwnnog |
1,312.60 |
Llanllyfni |
1,328.99 |
Brithdir a Llanfachreth |
1,314.74 |
Llannor |
1,318.71 |
Bryncrug |
1,335.53 |
Llanrug |
1,337.43 |
Buan |
1,316.85 |
Llanuwchllyn |
1,332.03 |
Caernarfon |
1,356.88 |
Llanwnda |
1,332.47 |
Clynnog Fawr |
1,327.31 |
Llanycil |
1,320.90 |
Corris |
1,324.79 |
Llanystumdwy |
1,317.67 |
Cricieth |
1,338.92 |
Maentwrog |
1,321.78 |
Dolbenmaen |
1,319.92 |
Mawddwy |
1,324.89 |
Dolgellau |
1,344.17 |
Nefyn |
1,341.78 |
Dyffryn Ardudwy |
1,337.78 |
Pennal |
1,326.99 |
Y Felinheli |
1,330.91 |
Penrhyndeudraeth |
1,346.68 |
Ffestiniog |
1,415.31 |
Pentir |
1,344.47 |
Y Ganllwyd |
1,333.89 |
Pistyll |
1,334.01 |
Harlech |
1,389.38 |
Porthmadog |
1,328.42 |
Llanaelhaearn |
1,355.97 |
Pwllheli |
1,342.05 |
Llanbedr |
1,344.62 |
Talsarnau |
1,362.04 |
Llanbedrog |
1,325.46 |
Trawsfynydd |
1,336.05 |
Llanberis |
1,331.60 |
Tudweiliog |
1,313.31 |
Llandwrog |
1,347.72 |
Tywyn |
1,355.03 |
Llandygai |
1,322.64 |
Waunfawr |
1,321.44 |
being the amounts given by adding the amounts of
the item or special items relating to dwellings in those parts of the Council’s
area mentioned above, to the sum given in 3(e) above, divided in each case by
the amount of 2(b) above, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section
34(3) of the Act, as the basic amounts of its Council Tax for the year for
dwellings in those parts of its area to which one or more special items relate.
(ff) For parts of the Council’s area, the
figures noted in Appendix 1, being the amounts given by
multiplying the sums specified in 3(f) above by the number which, in the
proportions set out in Section 5 (1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings
listed in a particular valuation band divided by the number which in that
proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation band D, calculated by
the Council, in accordance with Section 36 (1) of the Act, as the amounts to be
taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in
different valuation bands.
5. That
it be noted that for the year 2018/2019 the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner
has stated the following amounts in a precept issued to the Council, in
accordance with Section 40 of the Act, for each of the categories of dwellings
shown below:
Band
A |
Band
B |
Band
C |
Band
D |
Band
E |
Band
F |
Band
G |
Band
H |
Band I |
172.08 |
200.76 |
229.44 |
258.12 |
315.48 |
372.84 |
430.20 |
516.24 |
602.28 |
6. Having calculated the
aggregate in each case of the amounts at 3 (ff) and 4
above, the Council, in accordance with Section 30 (2) of the Act, hereby sets
the amounts noted in Appendix 2 as the amounts of Council Tax for the year
2018/2019 for each of the categories of dwellings shown in the Appendix.
Supporting documents: