To set revised Council Tax amounts for each category of dwelling in Herefordshire for 2004/05 and to calculate the Council's budget requirement for 2004/05 in accordance with the Council Tax Limitation (England)(Maximum Amount) Order 2004 and the substitute precept made by the Combined Fire Authority.

Following the resolution at Minute 27(b) above it was unanimously RESOLVED:

That:   (1)            In respect of the Council’s 2004/05 Budget:

(a)a council tax of £955.73 be levied (at Band D);

(b)programme areas contain expenditure within “cash limits” i.e. outturn budgets with no further allowance for pay or price inflation beyond that already provided;

(2)in respect of council tax for 2004/05 that the following amounts be approved by the Council for the year 2004/05 in accordance with Sections 32 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992:

(a)     £255,853,372 being the estimated aggregate expenditure of the Council in accordance with Section 32(2)(a) to (e) of the Act;

(b)     £78,682,000 being the estimated aggregate income of the Council for the items set out in Section 32(3)(a) to (c) of the Act;

(c)     £177,171,372 being the amount by which the aggregate at (a) above exceeds the aggregate at (b) calculated by the Council in accordance with Section 32(4) of the Act, as its total net budget requirement for the year;

(d)     £111,707,795 being the aggregate of the sums which the Council estimated will be payable for the year into its general fund in respect of redistributed non-domestic rates, revenue support grant, additional grant or relevant special grant, increased by the transfer from the Collection Fund;

(e)     £983.55 being the amount at (c) above less the amount at (d) above all divided by the amount of the Council Tax base calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 33(1) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year;

(f)     £1,851,372 being the aggregate amount of all special items referred to in Section 34(1) of the Act;

 (g)     £955.73 being the amount at (e) above less the result given by dividing the amount at (f) above by the amount of the Council Tax base calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section 34(2) of the Act, as the basic amount of its Council Tax for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which no special item relates;

(h)that the precepting authority details incorporated in Annex 1 (i-v), relating to Special Items, West Mercia Police and Hereford and Worcester Combined Fire Authority be approved in accordance with Sections 30(2), 34(3), 36(1) and Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

(3)Pursuant to the requirements of the Local Government (Functions and Responsibility) (England) Regulations 2000, any decisions on the application of reserves and balances as required from time to time during the financial year be taken by Cabinet.