Agenda item

The report of the Director of Corporate Services, which outlined proposed Fees and Charges to take effect from 1 April 2024, was considered.

The Business Support Team Leader presented the report and detailed fees and charges to be implemented from the 1 April 2024, for services within the committee remit at Appendix A, as well as those recommended by Prosperous Communities Committee at Appendices B and C.

The sections which provided service specific detail around performance and demand were included within the report at appendices 1 to 19. Consideration had been given to total cost recovery, benchmarking data, and team manager knowledge of the market when proposing fees. The budget implications included in the report reflected both the impact of proposed amendments to fees, and the forecast demand. It was noted that 41% of the fees listed were statutory, with the remaining 59% being non statutory and determined locally.

Although the Retail Price Index stood at 8.9%, as of September 23, it was proposed to apply 6% where non-statutory fees were to be increased by inflation. This represented the average pay award increase for 2023/2024, with staff costs being the main cost driver for fees and charges. There were several non-statutory fees which had been increased above inflation to reflect cost recovery calculations and benchmarking data; these included, crematorium fees, and the garden waste collection service. Where the proposed fees were above inflation this was to reflect the forecast cost of providing the service

Where no increase was proposed this was to ensure that market share was maintained or increased whilst remaining comparable to benchmarking data – no increase was proposed at this time for car parking, land charges search fees and market stall fees.

The impact of proposed fees, alongside forecast demand meant a net increase in income for the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) of £10,000 in 2024/2025, rising to a benefit for the MTFP of £148,400 in 2028/2029.

In respect of statutory planning applications, increases were approved in the House of Lords during October, and confirmation of the implementation date and final version of the schedule was awaited and would be presented to committee once confirmed. This amendment was expected to increase planning fee income by £165,000 from 2024/25.

There was a recommendation from Prosperous Communities committee – that members approve a new fee within the Markets schedule of £7.50 where a trader utilises more than 25 stalls at the Gainsborough market on a Tuesday or Saturday. This discounted amount had been omitted from the schedule included within the report but had been added in for Council, if approved.

With no questions or debate, having been proposed and seconded, on being put to the vote it was: -

RESOLVED that:

(a)        the proposed Fees and Charges at Appendix A, as well as those recommended by Prosperous Communities Committee detailed at Appendices B and C* (*commercially sensitive) be RECOMMENDED to Council for approval; and

(b)        it be RECOMMENDED to Council that a new fee, within Markets, of £7.50 be introduced where a trader utilises more than 25 stalls at the Gainsborough Market on a Tuesday or Saturday.