Solihull Council

That the changes to the budget as detailed in the table under section 3.3 of the report giving an updated budget of £213.833m for 2004/05 be confirmed;

That the Step Change Improvement bids detailed at Appendices B and C be approved in full;

That the one-off bids totalling £0.630m be approved of which £0.350m be funded from working balances with the Leisure bid of £0.280m being funded £0.040m from an earmarked revenue reserve; £0.120m from the Single Capital pot allocation; and £ 0.120m from within the Leisure Step Change Improvement bid for 2005/06;

That the Council adopts a phased use of working balances down to the minimum prudent level of £2.5m resulting in an additional £150,000 being taken from working balances for 2004/05 producing a recommended budget of £213.638m. This gives a consequential Band D Council Tax (excluding Police and Fire) of £912.65, which represents an increase of 2.6%. In recommending this budget it reflects consideration of the comments from Community Consultation, Overview and Scrutiny Management Board and the Employee Consultative Committee;

That prudential borrowing indicators be approved based on a recommended budget of £213.683m incorporating the use of £0.658m to fund prudential borrowing;

That any prudential borrowing be conditional upon it being within the limits approved by Council and subject to the detailed business case being formally considered and approved by the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Resources in consultation with Opposition Spokespersons;

Cabinet noted the Police and Fire precepts had been set at £80.08 (+12.5%) and £39.32 (+7.8%) respectively giving an overall Band D level for Solihull Council taxpayers of £1032.05 an overall increase of £35.07 (+3.5%); and

Cabinet noted in those areas with Parish Council’s an additional precept would be charged as determined by the Parish Council.

Received and noted the views of both the Asset Management Group and the Corporate Management Teams;

Approved the project scores presented at Appendix A and allocated up to £0.880m accordingly for the following projects:

Youth and Community Buildings update

 SAR 7

Disability Discrimination Act

Mell Square Car Park

Asbestos Surveys

Flower Terrace at Robin Hood Cemetery

Portable Boiler Purchase be totally funded

 (The balance available of £73,000 be allocated to the extension of Woodlands and Widney Manor Cemeteries)

Noted the progress of the capital schemes approved in 2002/03 and 2003/04;

Approved the proposed review of project outcomes; and

Approved the re-phasing of £11.406M capital programme for 2003/04 to 2004/05.