Agenda and decisions

Lead Member for Finance and Support Services Briefing - Thursday, 5 January 2023 2.00 pm

Venue: Salford Suite, Salford Civic Centre, Chorley Road, Swinton. View directions

Contact: Claire Edwards

Items
No.	Item
1.	Apologies for absence.
2.	Declarations of interest.
3.	Items for Decision (Part 1 - Open to the Public):
3a	Precept Payments 2023/24. PDF 135 KB Decision: Salford City Council - Record of Decision I, Councillor Jack Youd, Lead member for Finance and Support Services, in exercise of the powers contained within the City Council Constitution, do hereby approve that the payment of precepts in 2023/24, should be made in twelve equal instalments on the 20^th of each month (or on the first working day thereafter if the 20^th falls on a weekend or on a bank holiday) as follows: Thursday 20 April 2023 Monday 22 May 2023 Tuesday 20 June 2023 Thursday 20 July 2023 Monday 21 August 2023 Wednesday 20 September 2023 Friday 20 October 2023 Monday 20 November 2023 Wednesday 20 December 2023 Monday 22 January 2024 Tuesday 20 February 2024 Wednesday 20 March 2024 The Reasons are: the Council is required to agree with precepting authorities a schedule of instalments each year for payments from the Collection Fund to those authorities. Options considered and rejected were: n/a - the dates are in accordance with the general agreement across Greater Manchester Authorities. Assessment of Risk: Low The source of funding is: Council Tax and Business Rate income due to preceptors. Legal Advice obtained: Nicky Smith, Senior Solicitor Regulation 4 (1) of the Local Authorities (Funds) (England) Regulations 1992 ("the 1992 Regulations") requires billing authorities to determine a schedule of instalments in relation to each financial year beginning in or after 1993. In that regard, a billing authority must determine this schedule of instalments before 31st January in the financial year preceding that to which the schedule will relate. Regulation 5 of the 1992. Regulations states that a billing authority shall, before 31st December in the financial year preceding that to which the schedule of instalments will relate, inform each relevant precepting authority of the schedule of instalments which it proposes to determine under regulation 4. A billing authority shall, on or before 31st January in the financial year preceding that to which the schedule of instalments will relate, inform each relevant precepting authority of the schedule of instalments which it has determined under regulation 4. A billing authority shall not determine a schedule of instalments under regulation 4 within 21 days of informing each relevant precepting authority under paragraph 5(1) of the schedule of instalments which it proposes to determine. Financial Advice obtained:the report is produced by the corporate accountancy team. Procurement Advice obtained: n/a The following documents have been used to assist the decision process: Local Authority (Funds) (England) Regulations 1992 Contact Officer: David Eden Tel No 793 3228 This decision is not subject to consideration by another Lead Member. The appropriate scrutiny panel to call-in the decision is the Overview and Scrutiny Board. Signed: Councillor Jack Youd Dated: 5^th January 2023 Lead Member for Finance & Support Services FOR DEMOCRATIC SERVICES USE ONLY This decision was published on 5^th January 2023. This decision will come into force at 4.00 p.m. on 12^th January 2023, unless it is called-in in accordance with the decision-making process ... view the full decision text for item 3a
3b	Council Tax - Collection Fund Estimated Fund Balance Calculation 31 March 2023. PDF 155 KB Decision: Salford City Council - Record of Decision I, Councillor Jack Youd, Lead member for Finance and Support Services, in exercise of the powers contained within the City Council Constitution, do hereby Note the £2.854m third (and final) year allocation of the phased 2020/21 estimated deficit to preceptors’ general funds in 2023/24. Approve that a surplus of £5.519m be declared as the estimated Collection Fund balance as at 31^st March 2023 in respect of council tax. The reasons are: the Collection Fund regulations require a local authority to estimate the balance on its Collection Fund as at 31^st March each year by 15^th January and to notify each precepting authority. Any such balance is to be distributed to/borne by the council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA in relation to their police, fire and rescue and general mayoral functions) in proportion to the value of their respective demand and precept. Options considered and rejected were: other estimated balances based on a variety of collection rates modelled to assess the likely impacts on the Collection Fund balance. Assessment of Risk:Low – the Collection Fund is closely monitored during the year and will be reviewed at outturn 2022/23. Any actual surplus or deficit at that stage will be factored into future estimated balance calculations. The source of funding is: a £5.519m surplus declared as the fund balance means that distributions will be made to the council’s General Fund and GMCA in relation to their police, fire and rescue and general mayoral responsibilities in 2023/24. Legal Advice obtained:Nicky Smith, Senior Solicitor The Local Authorities (Funds) (England) Regulations 1992 make provision for the discharge by a billing authority of its liabilities to pay amounts in respect of precepts from its collection and general funds and to make transfers between those funds to meet its estimated expenses. Billing authorities are required by the regulations to estimate any surplus or deficit in January every year. As explained in the main body of the report, the Local Authorities (Collection Fund: Surplus and Deficits) (Coronavirus) (England) Regulations 2020 implemented an announcement by the Secretary of State in July 2020 that the repayment of collection fund deficits arising in 2020-21 would be spread over the next 3 years rather than the usual period of a year, giving councils breathing space in setting budgets. The Regulations therefore allow authorities to spread the estimated deficit on the 2020-21 collection fund over the 3 years 2021-22 to 2023-24. The regulations set out in detail how calculations are to be made in each of the 3 years. There is no provision in the regulations to allow authorities to opt out of the deficit phasing, or to adopt a different payment profile, so it is important that the Council complies with the requirements of the regulations. Financial Advice obtained: the report is produced by the corporate accountancy team. Procurement Advice obtained: n/a The following documents have been used to assist the decision process: Various reports and ... view the full decision text for item 3b
4.	Exclusion of the Public.
5.	Items for Decision (Part 2 - Closed to the Public): No items.