Agenda item

Charter Trustees considered a report of the Treasurer that provided information to enable Charter Trustees to determine the appropriate budget requirement for the Charter Trust for 2022/23; basic level of council tax required for 2022/23 and consider the council tax levels for the period up to 2026/27 (for copy of report, see file of minutes).

The Treasurer was in attendance to present the report and advised Trustees of the budget options and the deadline for the 2022/23 precept was 26 January 2022.

In response to a question, the Treasurer indicated that he would recommend a minimum of around £20,000 for reserves. The Trust currently had £73,000 in reserves which was significantly healthy.

Trustees discussed postponing the decision on the council tax base until the next meeting of the Trust.

It was indicated that in previous years a working group had been set up to look at the council tax base, but this would be difficult before the January 2022 meeting.

It was suggested that the council tax precept remain at £1.90 for 2022/23 and a working group be established to look at the precept for future years and report back to the Charter Trustees for the City of Durham.

Resolved: (i) That the forecast of outturn position for 2021/22 be noted.

(ii) That the Band D equivalent Council Tax at £1.90 for 2022/23 continue and a working group be established to look at the precept for future years and report back to the Charter Trustees for the City of Durham.