Agenda item - Fees and Charges

Agenda item

Fees and Charges

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the Council’s proposed fees and charges for 2021/22.

 

During consideration of this item reference was made to the debate that had been held about the fees and charges at a recent meeting of the Finance and Budget Working Group.  Members were advised that the group was largely supportive of the proposed fees and charges for 2021/22.  However, there had been a number of areas that the group had wanted to highlight for the Cabinet’s consideration:

 

·                Concerns that the increase of the bulky waste charge by 50 pence might result in an increase in fly tipping.  Members had been advised by Officers that it was not anticipated that this increased fee would have that impact.

·                The group had supported the proposal that Garden Waste collection services should operate over a full 12-month period and had agreed that the impact of this should be monitored.

·                Questions had been raised about Planning Enforcement charges and concerns raised that the increase was based on salary costs and not overheads.  The Head of Planning, Regeneration and Leisure Services had responded to these questions during the meeting.

·                Pre-application charges had also been raised and the Head of Planning, Regeneration and Leisure Services had answered Members’ queries on this subject.

 

Cabinet discussed the points raised by the Finance and Budget Working Group and in so doing noted that the 50 pence increase on fees for the bulky waste collection service was being proposed at a time of high demand for the service.  The Head of Environmental and Housing Property Services explained that the fees for bulky waste collection services had not been increased for a number of years.  The Environmental Services team had suggested the 50 pence increase which was not considered to be a significant rise on the existing fee.  Customers had the opportunity to make a payment based on the size of the bulky waste that they were disposing of and the fee was considered to be good value for money.  Members questioned whether a 50 pence increase on the fee would impact on a person’s decision about whether to fly tip and potentially risk having to pay a substantial fine for doing so.

 

Reference was also made during the meeting to some additional fees and charges which had been proposed for Leisure Services.  This involved the introduction of an extra charge for electricity at the BirdBox.

 

RECOMMENDED that

 

a)    all fees and charges included in appendix 1 to the report be approved;

b)    an additional charge for the electric supply at the Birdbox be approved; and

c)    all fees and charges included in appendix 1 are charged commencing 1st February 2021.

 

(During consideration of this item there was a brief pause of the meeting which lasted for 10 minutes.)

 

 

 

Supporting documents:

 

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