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WELCOME

TOWN & PARISH FORUM2 December 2015

Town and Parish Council Forum

December 2015Cllr Michael WassellLeader, Breckland Council

Budget

Local Plan progress

Better Broadbandfor Norfolk (BBfN)

Breckland is going digital

Broadband image: www.freepik.com

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Draft Budget & Medium Term Financial Strategy

2016/17 - 2019/20

Julie KennealyExecutive Director of Commercialisation

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• To be a “financially independent” Council – free of reliance on Government Funding to support on-going service delivery.

• And as already agreed as part of transformation programme:

• To generate additional revenue streams

- Commercial Activities (Breckland Bridge, ARPT, BTS)- Investment Assets (investment Fund)- Treasury Management (Security, Yield, Liquidity)

• To invest in service improvements to further improve Value For Money

- Digitalisation (online payments, enabling)- Partnership & Collaboration (Co-location, ARP, SHDC)- Organisational Design (10% efficiency improvement in 4 years)

Strategic Objectives

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Draft MTFP £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000

Description 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20

1) Budgeted MTFP Position (Where we were) 0 0 688 1,397

2) Current MTFP Position (Where we are - before reducing reliance on RSG) (93) 884 1,312 2,118

3) MTFP Position (Where we are after reducing reliance on RSG) 63 1,527 2,230 3,036

4) Where we are going from identified projects 0 432 564 806

5) Where we are going after all transformation 0 0 0 0

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Investing to Save

£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000

15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 Total

RSG Reduction actual 323 602 825 1,026

Accelerated RSG assumption (generates investment assets fund) - 499 1,218 1,757 1,808 5,282

Investment Asset fund - (499) (1,218) (1,757) (1,808) (5,282)

Growth Fund (NHB reserve) 461 43 685 847 551 2,587

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Savings & Income Opportunities £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000

16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20Projects Delivery in Progress Breckland Bridge (219) (366) (437) (437) DWP Co-location (41) (41) (41) (41)Identified Projects to be Delivered Organisational design (10% over 4 years) - (296) (591) (887) Commercialisation (including procurement) - (582) (673) (764) Return on investment fund (43) (148) (299) (454) Return on growth fund - (29) (63) (85) Aligning Public Services (20) (40) (40) (40)Required Projects Commercialisation - (432) (564) (806)Total Transformation Return (323) (1,934) (2,708) (3,514)

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Growth Requests to Date £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000

16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20Service & Member Requests Parish grant 216 148 74 - Norfolk Duty to Co-Operate (DtC) 10 - - - Enabling service 15 15 15 15 Electoral services 18 18 - - Legal services external support 18 18 18 18

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Other Band D 15-16 Levels

£0.10 £0.07

£0.16

£0.11

£0.02 £0.10 £0.02

£0.06

£0.12

£0.10

£0.04 £0.10 Council Tax RaisedRevenue Support GrantRetained Business RatesNew Homes BonusSpecial exs & collection fundRental incomeCommercialisationService specific grantsFees and ChargesPartner rechargesRecycling IncomeOther income

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Areas of Risk & Un-certaintyMajor Risk Areaso New Homes Bonus funding ongoingo NNDR Appeals or business moving/closing reducing retained income

reducing retained incomeo County Council/NNDR split & Budget pressures

Other Areas of Un-certaintyo Community Capital Investment Requiremento Devolution/Business Rate Retentiono Pension Fund Triennial re-valuationo Pay policy review

o Risk of Plan failing – Consequence = Time

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Current Capital Programme 15-16 to 19-20

Gross Spend £24,618kExternal Funding (£5,768k)Net Spend £18,851k (Requires £3,784k internal borrowing)

Major Capital Projects Gross Spend (before funding):o £7,784k Riversideo £4,160k Disabled Facilities Grantso £1,040k Assets Re-investment Strategyo £1,000k Affordable Housing

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• Balanced budget for 2016-17• Total savings/new income requirement across all years £3m• Total identified in plan to date = £2.2m• Current draft position for all future years = £806k required• New Growth and Investment funds created• 10% Efficiency Target Incorporated• No dependency on reserves to support revenue• Capital commitments maintained• Healthy balance of revenue reserves maintained• 2% council tax increase proposed• 1% pay award proposed• Reduced reliance on RSG to nil by 2019-20

In a nutshell

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Other Band D 15-16 Levels

Breckland

Broadland

King’s Lynn

S. Norfo

lk

N. Norfo

lk

G. Yarm

outh

Norwich

020406080

100120140160180200220240

69.03

111.15 111.97 130.68138.87 146.48

239.34Average Band D Council Tax by Authority - Norfolk Neighbours

TOWN & PARISH FORUM2 DECEMBER 2015

Helen Ollett-NashCounty Officer

PROVIDING ADVICE

• Generally to Clerk or Chair• Usually by telephone or email• Template documents/procedural

queries/legal issues• On anything that’s asked!

PROVIDING SUPPORT

• Helping you do what you already do so well

• Providing a sounding board, as well as advice

• Mediation• Sharing ideas and best practice• Raising the profile

IT SERVICES•Free website•Remote desktop assistance•Editing web pages•Publishing documents

Providing training:

• Norfolk Parishes Training Partnership

• Whole Council• Specific• New Councillor• IT

MEETINGS• Café Clusters• Area Meetings• Conferences

HOT TOPICS• Re-imagining Norfolk – Strategic and

Financial Planning 2016-17 • AGM• Transparency Code• Sector-Led Audit Body

CONTACTS

Helen Ollett-NashCounty Officercountyofficer@norfolkalc.gov.ukTel: 01603 638495

Helen CarrierIT Consultantit@norfolkalc.gov.uk

Luisa CanteraNorfolk Parishes Training Partnershiptraining@norfolkalc.gov.uk

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Breckland Local Plan

Preferred Directions Consultation

Neil Campbell Planning Policy Manager

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Breckland Local Plan Preferred Directions Consultation

• The Local Plan will set the vision for the development of Breckland to 2036 and provide Breckland’s framework for the delivery of sustainable development.

• Document in 2 sections: Part 1 Emerging Policies and Part 2 Sites.

• When adopted the Local Plan will: Help deliver Breckland’s growth agenda Replace the LDF when adopted Set the housing, employment and retail strategies for Breckland. Include development management policies for the determination of

planning applications Deliver a five year housing land supply Identify future land allocations

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Breckland Local Plan Preferred Directions Consultation

• Second consultation opportunity on the Local Plan. Issues and Options was consulted on November 2014 – January 2015

• Six week consultation period 11 January – 22 February 2016

• Further opportunities to comment later in the year – plus a public examination

• What's changed since the issues and options? New evidence base has been finalised and has helped to define

key areas alongside your views and opinions submitted previously.

Key options have now been defined Policy wording (not finalised – but getting closer)

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Strategic Policies 1: Locational Strategy

• Key Settlements: 68% of growth Attleborough and Thetford

• Market Towns: 18% of growth Dereham, Swaffham and Watton

• Local Service Centres: 14% of growth Banham, Beetley, Bawdeswell, Great Ellingham, Hockering,

Mattishall, Garboldisham, Harling, Hockham, Kenninghall, Litcham, Necton, North Elmham, Old Buckenham, Saham Toney, Shipdham, Sporle, Swanton Morley, Mundford, Narborough, Weeting and Yaxham

• Approach to rural areas and settlement boundaries

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Strategic Policies 2: Housing Strategy

• Housing numbers informed by the Central Norfolk Strategic Housing Market Assessment

• Between 2011 and 2036 14,925 new homes

• 597 new homes needed every year

• Strategic Urban Extensions still planned for Thetford (5,000) and Attleborough (4,000)

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Strategic Policies 3: Employment and Retail Strategy

Employment• Informed by Employment Growth Study 2013• 67 ha of employment land allocated• Attleborough (10ha), Thetford (22ha), Dereham (6ha), Swaffham (9ha),

Snetterton (20ha)

Retail• Informed by Retail and Town Centre Study 2014• Convenience, comparison and non-food floorspace allocated within 5

market towns• Retail and town centre strategy

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Strategic Policies 4: Social

Affordable Housing• 36% on all sites of 5 or more• Starter homes in line with national policy

Gypsy and Travellers• Appropriate development where there is an identified need• Preference for brownfield locations

Healthy Lifestyles• Health impact assessments for large and complex proposals• Healthy Urban Planning Checklist for sites over 5/1000m²

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Development Management Policies 1

Environment• Open Space and Green Infrastructure• Natural and Historic Environment• Flood risk

Economy• Approach to designated employment areas• Employment provision outside of designated sites• Tourism• Farm Diversification

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Development Management Policies 2

Transport• Delivering a sustainable transport network

Communities• Design• Protection of Amenity• Principle of New Housing• Community Facilities• Specialist Housing, Agricultural Workers and Conversion of Buildings

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Emerging Site Allocations

• Preferred Directions contains first look at sites across key settlements, market towns and local service centre villages

• Initial appraisal including sustainability appraisal and input from NCC highways

• Preferred development sites not yet chosen – we need your input!

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Local Plan and Neighbourhood Plans

• Council’s Local Plan is an opportunity for communities to achieve their aims, through collaborative working with Council, incl. Allocations.

• Neighbourhood Plans must conform to the strategic priorities of the District.

• Preferred Directions document provides policy framework for those preparing neighbourhood plans to work with.

• Neighbourhood Plans can add value to emerging strategic policies adding local detail.

• Where Neighbourhood Plans are best way forward, will work with you to ensure these are sound.

• Contact Council for advice on Neighbourhood Planning

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How to get involved

• Consultation 11th January – 22nd February

• Final details of public consultation events being finalised and will be confirmed when you receive your documentation in due course.

• Document will be available electronically, and comments can be sent in via the consultation portal, by email or in the post.