Agenda item

The Charter Trustees are required to set the budget for 2024/25 and any subsequet precept for submission to BCP Council by 31 January 2024.

The Responsible Financial Officer presented a Budget and Precept report, highlighting:

-       An allocation of £20,000 for grant funding;

-       An allocation of £400 for work commissioned from the BCPC Council’s Communication team;

-       Increased costs for staffing, including a charge for the honorary clerk;

-       An allocation for supporting the freedom of the Borough for HMS CATTISTOCK;

-       An allocation for the Poole Cherbourg Twinning Association (PCTA);

-       An allocation for support for D-day anniversary events;

-       An increased budget for Mayor-Making.

Reserves at 31 March 2025 were forecasted to be £54,591, following a proposed draw-down of £67,269 in 2024/25. It was confirmed that as reserves were used, the council tax precept would likely require an increase in future years.

The Council Tax base was confirmed to have increased by 741 Band D properties. The Band D council tax charge was proposed to be frozen at the 2023/24 figure of £2.14 per annum.

Trustees highlighted the need to retain sufficient reserves to cover unanticipated costs and raised concerns over the premises costs outlined. The Responsible Financial Officer advised that premises charges for the Charter Trustees of Poole totalled £15,790, made up of two parts:

1.    Storage at Upton House for the Regalia - £3.5k a quarter – Total per annum £14k;

2.    The use of the Guildhall for an assumed 5 events, c. £358 per event.

Use of Upton House for storage was confirmed to have replaced an income generating meeting room.

Trustees agreed that the Civic Working Group be delegated authority to review the Upton House storage room venue and associated costs.

Some Trustees raised concerns over the use of The Guildhall as a Mayor’s reception venue and drew comparisons to the Charter Trustees of Bournemouth’s access to dedicated Mayor’s Parlours. It was suggested that use of the Old Bridge House premises should be considered as an alternative. The Honorary Clerk advised that a viewing of the Old Bridge House venue could be arranged upon request.

Some Trustees raised concerns over staffing costs and suggested that monies should be withheld until a suitable Mayor’s reception venue, which was felt to be a statutory requirement, was provided.

Trustees referred to the ‘vertical slice’ at Poole Civic Centre previously proposed as a venue for the Mayoralty. The Honorary Clerk confirmed that while such a proposal had been economically viable at the time, an alternative proposal had been tabled by BCP FuturePlaces which had not been taken forward and since then, no viable proposal had been made to BCP Council. It was confirmed that any such proposal to bring the building back into use would likely take circa 5 years.

Other Trustees felt a wider review of the governance arrangements of the Charter Trustees was required. The Honorary Clerk reminded Trustees that the Charter Trustees had been set up to maintain the Mayoralty as a temporary measure when BCP Council was formed, pending a more permanent decision. It was suggested that some of the frustrations outlined could be solved by having a more powerful Parish/Town Council, though such an entity would not have support of council and would therefore need to source independent staffing, etc. Further dialogue around such a review would need to undertaken outside of the meeting.

Trustees requested that future budget reports be expanded to provide a greater level of detail.

The recommendations were put to a vote, and it was:

RESOLVED: that

(a)  The proposed budget for 2024/25 as set out in Appendix A be approved;

(b)  The council tax requirement and precept of £127,684 be approved.

(c)  the Civic Working Group be delegated authority to review the Upton House storage room venue and associated costs.

Voting: Unanimous.

(Cllr Hadley left the meeting at 19:09)

(Cllr Aitkenhead left the meeting at 19:12)