Decision Details

That Full Council:

1. Consider the Chief Financial Officer’s report attached at Appendix G.

2. Approve the Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2024/25 to 2027/28, including the proposed General Fund Revenue Budget for 2024/25; and forecast budgets for 2025/26 to 2027/28 as set out in Appendix A5; 

3. Approve the movements to and from Earmarked Reserves and the General Fund Balance for 2024/25 to 2027/28 as set out in Appendix A6;

4. Approve the items to be treated as special items in 2024/25 – the precepts by Town/Parish Councils and parish meetings;

5. Approve a Band D Council Tax for East Suffolk Council of £186.57 for 2024/25, an increase of £5.40 or 2.98%;

6. Approve that no further changes are made to Council Tax Discounts and Premiums for 2024/25, with the exception of the introduction of the following two premiums, following the enactment of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill on 26 October 2023:

• 100% premium for properties which have been empty and unfurnished for a period of between 1 and 2 years from 1 April 2024, and 
• 100% premium for second homes from 1 April 2025; 

7. Grant the Chief Finance Officer and Section 151 Officer delegated authority to implement the introduction of the additional Council Tax premiums as per Recommendation 6;

8. Grant the Chief Finance Officer and Section 151 Officer delegated authority to award any further Council Tax Reliefs in 2024/25 arising from Government announcements under these powers;

9. Approve the Pay Policy Statement set out in Appendix D;

10. Approve the Council Tax Resolutions in Appendix E;

11. Approve the Flexible Use of Capital Receipts Strategy attached as Appendix F;

12. Approve the award of 75% relief on rates bills up to £110,000 per business to eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties using its discretionary relief powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 as amended;

13. Approve the award of rate reliefs under the Supporting Small Business (SSB) scheme using its discretionary relief powers under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 as amended;

14. Approve that for 2024/25, awards of Discretionary Rate Relief to Charities, Non-Profit Making Organisations, (NPMOs) and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CAS) continues to disregard the value of Covid-19 Grant funding from the value of unrestricted reserves and operating surpluses for one further year; and

15. Grant the Chief Finance Officer and Section 151 Officer delegated authority to award any further rate reliefs in 2024/25 arising from Government announcements under these powers.