THAT:

(a)            the following be recommended to Council:

                                 i.            approval of a 1.9% increase in council tax in 2016-17;

                               ii.            subject to meeting the eligibility criteria for levying the adult care precept, approval of  an additional 2.0% increase in council tax in 2016-17.  This will result in a total council tax increase of 3.9% increasing a total band D charge from £1,275.10 to £1,324.83 for Herefordshire Council in 2016/17;

                             iii.            approval of the draft 2016-17 revenue budget (at appendix 1 to this report);

                             iv.            approval of the draft medium term financial strategy (MTFS) which incorporates the capital programme approved by Council on 18 December (at appendix 2 to this report);

                               v.            approval of the draft treasury management strategy (TMS) (at appendix 3 to this report); and

                           vi.               in the event of final central government funding allocations being above or below the provisional settlement level and/or the adult care precept eligibility criteria not being met that variation be managed by an adjustment to general reserves.