Agenda item

The Finance Officer provided an overview of the proposed budgets for the year 2025/26 received and contained within the circulated reports pack.

Members discussed and debated the budget setting for the year 2025/26.

During the discussion of this item Councillor Miller left the meeting briefly and rejoined the meeting.

It was proposed by Councillor Bickford, seconded by Councillor Stoyel and resolved to RECOMMEND the Services Committee budgets for the year 2025/26 as attached, including the following amendments subject to the Property Maintenance Sub Committee setting the five-year plan recommending the outcome to the Policy and Finance meeting to be held 12 November 2024 to form part of the Services Committee budget statements:

Guildhall Operating Expenditure

1.     Delete budget code 6411 Entertainment Licenses for the year 2025/26 as no longer required;

2.     To vire unspent funds from budget code 6411 GH Entertainment Licenses to budget code 6470 EMF Guildhall Maintenance, subject to there being an unspent balance available at the end of the year;

Maurice Huggins Operating Income

3.     Create a new budget code 4208 Income - Maurice Huggins Refreshments;

Maurice Huggins Operating Expenditure

4.     To vire unspent funds from budget code7018 Professional Costs to 6472 EMF Maurice Huggins Maintenance subject to there being an unspent balance at the end of the year;

5.     Create a new budget code 7019 Refreshment Cost;

Service Delivery Operating Income

6.     Budget code 4521 Waterfront Income - Annual Mooring Fees be decreased by 5% to account for potential fluctuations in annual mooring capacity;

Service Delivery Operating Expenditure

7.     To vire unspent funds from budget code 6229 CCTV Town Annual Maintenance to 6270 EMF Crime Reduction (CCTV) subject to there being an unspent balance available at the end of the year;

8.     To vire any unspent funds from budget code 6500 Tree Survey and Tree Maintenance to 6591 EMF Open Spaces and Trees, subject to there being an unspent balance available at the end of the year;

9.     Rename budget code 6503 Allotments to Allotments – Churchtown;

10.  Create a new budget code 6532 Allotments – Grenfell;

11.  Create a new budget code 6533 Allotments – Fairmead;

12.  To rename budget code 6517 Cross (Maintenance) to Cornish Cross (Maintenance);

13.  To vire unspent funds from budget code 6517 Cornish Cross (Maintenance) to 6593 EMF Cornish Cross (Maintenance), subject to there being an unspent balance available at the end of the year;

Longstone Expenditure

14.  Delete budget code 7100 Rates – Longstone as no longer required;

Town and Waterfront Expenditure

15.  To reduce the budget code 6511 Tourism and Signage from £30,000 to £15,000 for the year 2025/26;

Grounds and Premises EMF Expenditure

16.  No increase required for budget code 6589 EMF Community Tree Planting Initiatives for the year 2025/26;

17.  Create a new budget code 6593 EMF Cornish Cross (Maintenance);

18.  To approve the recommendation received from P&F to transfer budget code 6270 EMF Crime Reduction (CCTV) and the available funds of £58,360;

Town and Waterfront EMF Expenditure

19.  No increase required for budget code 6573 EMF Public Art and Maintenance for the year 2025/26;

20.  No increase required for budget code 6575 EMF Street Furniture (New & Replace) for the year 2025/26.