Decisions made at SHBC Executive meeting on 15 March 2022 included:
Annual Plan 2022/23
The Council’s Annual Plan for 2022/23 was agreed which sets out the key projects and targets for the coming year to deliver the priorities and goals in our Five Year Strategy.
Over the summer of 2021, the Council ran a large consultation exercise with residents, partners and businesses to find out what they loved about Surrey Heath, what needed improving and their aspirations for the future of the borough.
The thousands of comments received led to the key priorities in the Five Year Strategy:
- Environment
- Health and Quality of Life
- Economy
- Effective and Responsive Council
Progress in achieving the ambitious targets in the Annual Plan and Five Year Strategy will be regularly monitored and reported.
Household Support Fund Update
A further £21,650.39 had been allocated to the Council from the Government’s Household Support Grant for providing financial support for vulnerable households. This was in addition to the £176,820.17 received at the end of 2021.
The Council has been working in partnership with Citizens Advice Surrey Heath to administer this fund since its launch in November last year. So far (as of 30 March) £153,200 has been granted to vulnerable people in the Borough through the scheme.
A revised action plan was agreed to ensure that all the money was allocated before the deadline of 31 March 2022. This included the potential to set up a Community Larder project, and funding awards to local food banks.
Camberley CCTV Review
The Executive considered a report about a review of CCTV in Camberley Town Centre undertaken over the previous six months.
It was resolved that a CCTV Management Group be established to oversee the operation and governance compliance of all systems within the Council.
Scheme of Delegation of Functions to Officers – Executive Functions
The Executive considered a report setting out proposed revisions to the Scheme of Delegation of Functions to Officers in respect of executive functions. Members were advised that, at is meeting on 23 February 2022, the Council had reviewed the Scheme in respect of non-executive functions and agreed the changes proposed.
It was resolved that the Scheme of Delegation of Functions to Officers in respect of executive functions be updated, as set out at Annex A to the agenda report.
Revenue 2021/22 Monitoring Report - Quarter 3
The Executive considered a report containing a high-level view of the financial performance for the third quarter of 2021/22.
It was reported that, at the end of that quarter, an overspend of £893,000 was being projected, a decrease from the projection of £1.6m at the end of the second quarter. The major variances against the budget were noted, and it was resolved that the spend against the approved revenue budget for the period 1 April to 31 December 2021 and the end of year forecast be noted.
Capital Programme 2021/22 Monitoring Report - Quarter 3
The Executive resolved to note the expenditure on the capital programme for the period 1 April to 31 December 2021 and the end of year forecast.
The report set out the expenditure on the approved capital programme for the 2021/22 financial year as at the end of the third quarter, along with the end of year forecast.
It was reported that the year-end forecast outturn was £5.034 million, 35.90% of the programme.
Councillors were advised that the Property Investment Working Group had asked for a number of capital projects to be delayed in order to conduct a thorough review of these projects’ viability.
Write off of Irrecoverable Bad Debts
The Executive considered a report seeking approval to write off bad debts incurred through the non-payment of Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rates.
For 2020/21, in year collection by SHBC for Business Rates was 99.8% of the total debt, and first nationally. For Council Tax in year collection was 98.7% of the debt, and 6th nationally.
For Council Tax the amount being written off represents 0.05% of the total collectable debt, and for Business Rates represents 0.2% of the total collectable debt.
All of the debts had been subject to the relevant recovery action and tracing enquiries, and the debt was now considered irrecoverable.
Bad debts totalling £49,153.55 in respect of Council Tax and £93,045.17 in respect of Non-Domestic Rates were approved for write off.
You can read more about the decisions taken at the meeting on the Agenda page.