Decisions

RESOLVED: To approve the Housing Revenue Account revenue and capital budgets set out in appendices A to C to the report.

Reason for the decision: It ensures that the council can continue to provide services to vulnerable tenants and meet its legal responsibilities as a landlord. This budget is based on the most robust data currently available to the council.

RESOLVED:

i)                 that the Committee endorses the budget assumptions and strategy set out in the report;

ii)                that the public consultation be used to seek views on the significant proposals in Appendices 1 to 7 (as amended to reflect decisions taken at this meeting);

iii)              that the car park charges and order proposals set out be advertised; [see minute 467]

iv)              that it be noted that officers will use delegated powers to implement operational savings contained in the proposals;

v)               that for the cost recovery fees and charges (highlighted in amber in Appendix 7), officers are able to increase or decrease charges during the year by up to 5% if costs vary, in consultation with the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee;

RECOMMENDED to Full Council:

vi) that officers be given authority to put into effect the measures required to achieve the service savings and reductions contained within the 2020/21 proposals, in order that the savings begin to accrue from as early as possible in 2020/21, subject to implementation of the measures only becoming effective if the measures are approved in the budget in February 2020.

Reason for the decision: The consultation period would be used to obtain views on the options for achieving a balanced budget.

RESOLVED:

a)     To note the external consultant’s (Steer) Parking Strategy review and its key findings and recommendations;

b)     The Committee to consider any future disposal of city centre car parks identified in the current Local Plan on a case by case basis following specific public consultation and provided there is evidence of overall spare capacity;

c)     To undertake public consultation on the closure of Northgate Car Park;

d)     To consider any additional city centre car park disposals through the review of the next Local Plan;

e)     That the Off Street Parking Places Order (OSPPO) changes contained in Appendix 7 are taken to public consultation;

f)      That the car park improvements identified in paragraph 2.6 are included in the council’s capital Budget; and

g)     That a decision on whether to provide zero emission buses in the next Park & Ride contract will be made when tenders are evaluated in April 2020.

Reason for the decision: The proposals would help to meet the existing objectives of the parking strategy, many of the proposals would have a positive impact of climate change and the additional revenue raised would be used to fund other transport/parking improvements that council may wish to deliver as well helping to close the council’s overall funding gap and maintain essential services.