East Cambridgeshire District Council

Business Ratepayers Consultation Meeting

1 February 2010

Agenda• Introduction – Fred Brown, Leader of the Council• 2011/12 Budget – Linda Grinnell, Head of

Finance & Darren Hill, Team Leader Business

Development• Business Rates in East Cambridgeshire – Mark

Catley & Duncan McLaren, Valuation Office• Business Rates 2011/12 - Rod Urquhart, Anglia

Revenues Partnership• Q&A Session• Close

2011/12 Budget Prospects

Linda GrinnellHead of Finance31 January 2011

The Context 2011/12 2010/11

£000 £000Net Budget 9,694 10,762

Projected Overspend 970 1,640

Reserves as at 1/04/10 1,447

Estimated funding gap 2011/12 – 2014/15 £2.679m

How have we got here?

• Coalition Government Grant Cuts- 2011/12 17.79% reduction (£1.2m)- 2012/13 11% reduction (£0.611m) • Investment Interest• Planning, building control & land

Charges income streams• Waste Contract & Revs & Bens

contracts

2011/12 Savings

Potential Savings• Non- Staffing £1.095m• Staffing £0.294m Total £1.389m

• Front loaded savings £0.400m• Utilise in future years

2011/12 Budget – Key Facts

• 2011/12 Gross Exp Budget £33.7m• Income and Direct Grants £24.05m• Net Budget £9.65m• Revenue Support Grant /

Redistributed Non-Domestic Rates £5.6m (58% of net budget)

• Balance from Council Tax £4.05m

Council Tax 2011/12

• Growth in Council tax base to 29,600 band D equivalent properties• Council Tax freeze approved for

2011/12• Central Govt funding – 2.5% average

band D across the country• 2011/12 Band D Council tax £135.36

Place Marketing Strategy

• Digital Marketing approach• 360° East Cambridgeshire website

and interactive brochure• Targeted html e-mail campaign • 47,000 emails across target

markets (London, Cambridge, Peterborough, Bedford

• Commercial Agents briefings• Business Exhibitions including Retail

Branding

Results - Business Development

• 66 start-up companies assisted via the Ely Business Hub

• £500,000 levered in via the Fens Adventurer Scheme

• £700,000 housing growth funds for growth delivery since June 2008

• 13 companies have expanded significantly from e-space

• Over 100 companies helped directly with commercial property enquiries/advice

Growth Delivery• Ely and Soham Masterplans already approved• Littleport Masterplan to be finalised in May 2011• Masterplan Visions to be incorporated into local

planning documents (LDF)• Detailed study to look at potential Ely station

interchange improvements• Development Briefs for North Ely and City

Centre Opportunity Sites• Engineering Feasibility Study for Soham Station

and development brief for new Eastern Gateway

Questions / Issues on what you’ve heard so far?