Agenda item

[To approve the fees and charges to take effect from 1 November 2016 (or as soon as possible thereafter).]

Councillor Andrew Johnson presented the report recommending tariffs for the majority of fees and charges receivable by the Council, to take effect from 1 November 2016 (or as soon as possible thereafter).

Resolved:

1.     That the fees and charges [as set out in Appendices A to D within the report] be approved to take effect from 1 November 2016 (or as soon as possible thereafter).

2.     That in the following instances, authority be delegated to the responsible Strategic Director in consultation with the Director of Finance, be approved to vary fees and charges during the financial year:

a.     Where the cost of food (including frozen food) and drink procured for resale or onward supply changes, fees and charges may be set taking the new costs into account.

b.     Where short-term change in fees and charges to ensure that a business opportunity can be pursued or secured; if the change is for a period of more than two months then the change should be referred to Cabinet (Resources) Panel for decision during the two month period.

c.     Where an opportunity arises to secure a sale by matching the price to that of an organisation the Council is in competition with, ensuring that satisfactory ‘price match’ documentation is maintained to evidence the one-off fee amendment.

d.     Where market conditions dictate, leisure membership fees may be varied providing that satisfactory market information is maintained.

e.     Leisure centre activity prices may be varied in line with market conditions providing that satisfactory market information is maintained.

f.      Charges to partner organisations for support services may be varied.

g.     Court summons costs charged to council tax and business rates payers may be varied following default on payments.

h.     Where the cost of poison procured for the purpose of pest control changes, pest control fees and charges may be varied in proportion with the change in costs.

i.       Where market conditions dictate, charges for commercial waste collection may be varied providing that satisfactory market information is maintained.

j.       Library charges may be varied to fall in line with Black Country Libraries in Partnership (BCLiP) participating authorities (Dudley, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Sandwell).

k.     Adult Education Service charges may be varied in response to Skills Funding Agency and Education Funding Agency funding allocations for the applicable academic year.   

l.       Charges to schools/academies for services delivered under Service Level Agreements (SLAs) may be varied. 

m.   Where bespoke professional services are provided to external organisations.

3.     That in the following instances, authority be delegated to the responsible Cabinet Member for the service and Cabinet Member for Resources, in consultation with the relevant Strategic Director or the Director of Finance as appropriate, be approved to vary existing fees and charges during the financial year:

a.     Where the Council wishes to subsidise a charitable event that may not break even financially for the authority.

b.     Where the Council wishes to generate income from advertising upon Council property.

c.     Where the Council wishes to vary charges for bars and catering.

d.     Where it is beneficial to the Council to generate additional income that will reduce the net budget.

4.     That where there is an opportunity to secure an act or event or utilise available rooms or halls for hire within Visitor Economy services and the projected net cost of the act, event or room hire generates a commercial return (including taking account of secondary spend from catering and sales), authority shall be delegated to the Head of Service - Visitor Economy to vary the fees and charges be approved. Any such variations will be recorded, along with the reason, as part of the normal evidencing process for audit purposes. Details of any variations should to be reported to Strategic Finance in a format agreed by the Director of Finance.

5.     That, should any amendment be made to the VAT treatment of specific fees and charges, authority to vary those fees and charges be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources, together with the responsible Cabinet Member, in consultation with the Director of Finance and the responsible Strategic Director be approved.

6.     That approval be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People in consultation with the Strategic Director of People to approve new fees and charges for venue hire across the Strengthening Families Hubs within Children and Young People Services.

7.     That any variations to fees and charges made under sections 2 to 6 above must be properly documented and appropriate records retained to ensure that there are robust records for the purpose of independent audit be approved.

8.     That it be noted that the fees and charges for the following items, which were discussed in more detail at section 4.1 within the report, were not reviewed as part of this report as they would be subject to separate arrangements for their approval.

a.     Adult social care contributions to care packages.

b.     Street trading, Hackney Carriage and private hire licensing and general licensing charges.

c.     Food and drink (for onward supply or resale) prices (see recommendation 2.a.).

d.     Fees for special waste collections.

9.     That it be noted that in accordance with delegated authority, as approved by Cabinet (Resources) Panel on 20 October 2015, a policy for charging parents for the placement costs of Looked After Children who are subject to a Full Care Order or a S20 Voluntary arrangement, was approved by the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People in consultation with the Strategic Director of People for implementation and application from 1 October 2016.