Issue - meetings

The Council had before it the reports and recommendations for the Medium Term Financial Strategy, General Fund, Service Plans, Budgets and Prudential Indicators 2023-24, the Housing Revenue Account Budgets 2023-24, the Investment Programme 2022-23 to 2026-27, the Capital, Investment and Treasury Management Strategies and the ThamesWey Business Plans.  A report on the 2023-24 Council Tax proposals was also before the Council.

The Mayor set out the procedure to be adopted in determining the Council Tax for the coming year.  The Mayor would first take the reports on the Medium Term Financial Strategy, General Fund, Service Plans, Budgets and Prudential Indicators, Housing Revenue Account Budgets, the Investment Programme, the Capital, Investment and Treasury Management Strategies, and the ThamesWey Business Plans.  The Mayor would then invite the Council to consider the recommendation in the report on the 2023/24 Council Tax.

A procedure note had been prepared which clearly set out all the recommendations before the Council.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Barker, made a statement on the Budget for 2023-24.  Councillor Davis, on behalf of the Conservative Group, and Councillor T Aziz, Leader of the Labour Group, responded to the budget statement. 

Following the responses, the Mayor advised the Council that the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Councillor Roberts, would introduce the reports for Agenda Items 6A to 6D together; an opportunity to debate each of the items would be given following the introduction.  The Leader of the Council would introduce agenda item 6e, ThamesWey Business Plans 2023.

Councillor Roberts set out the basis on which the proposals for Council Tax for the coming year had been drawn up, outlining the financial position faced by the Authority and the objectives going forward.  A 3% increase in Council Tax was proposed for Woking Borough Council, from £255.46 in 2022/23 to £263.12 in 2023/24; it was noted that Surrey County Council had agreed an increase of 2.99% in their precept and that the precept set by the Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner had increased by £15, the maximum allowed for 2023/24.

The total of the precepts from Surrey County Council, Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner, and the budget required for the Borough’s purposes resulted in a Band D Council Tax of £2,248.77 in 2023/24, an overall increase of £71 on the previous year.  The sum comprised of elements directed to the County Council (£1,675.08), the Police and Crime Commissioner (£310.57) and Woking Borough Council (£263.12).

Following the introduction, the Council was directed to the first of the reports, the Medium Term Financial Strategy, General Fund, Service Plans, Budgets and Prudential Indicators.