Agenda item

To review the Council’s Fees and Charges for 2022/23, in line with the Budget Strategy considered by Cabinet on 8 December 2021.

Members considered the Review of Fees and Charges 2022/23 presented by Councillor Boden:

Members asked questions, made comments and received responses as follows:

• Councillor Yeulett welcomed the zero percent increase on the fees and charges for market stalls stating that there had been good performance at March market place. He questioned whether administering some of the fees incurred more in admin costs than they brought in. Councillor Boden noted that in some cases fees are required simply to regulate something even if it does incur more in administration than in profit. Mark Saunders explained that all the fees that are set by the Council are designed to include the cost of the admin as well. He noted that in situations where the fee is regulated by other parties it can be harder to incorporate the cost of administration.
• Councillor Cornwell asked regarding the Council’s physical expenditure such as with burials, how often they look at the true cost and compare the rate to what they are providing to check the validity of the fees. Mark Saunders explained that the fees are reviewed every year. He noted that some areas, such as burials, are more difficult to recover the full cost on due to the sensitivities of the subject and that this area had been increased at the same rate of inflation over the past few years in order to keep up with the costs of the service to Fenland District Council.
• Councillor Cornwell asked for clarification that the fee charges are actually meeting the costs incurred in the vast majority of cases. Mark Saunders confirmed that this was the Council’s aim and that in certain areas they actively attempt to increase the market share however, in sensitive areas they take the opposite approach.
• Councillor Booth asked why the stall fees were left at a zero percent increase as it was previously found that the income was not covering the price of running them. He noted that there had been a struggle to increase the number of stalls at the markets and asked how viable they were going forward. Councillor Boden noted that he would take all comments on board and asked for clarification on whether Councillor Booth was suggesting an increase in fees to recover more money, decrease to attract more stalls, or to keep it at zero percent. Councillor Booth suggested that the fee should be kept at a zero percent increase but that the Council should renew their attempts to attract more market stalls.  
• Councillor Booth questioned the thinking behind holding the fees for the fairs at a zero percent increase stating that attendance had begun to return to normal following the Covid-19 pandemic. Mark Saunders explained that the feeling was that the fairs had experienced a difficult 18 months and had not received any business support as other business had during the pandemic. Due to this, and wanting to keep the fairs coming to Fenland, it was decided that a zero percent increase was rational. 
• Councillor Booth asked why the Council had decided to go above the 5.1 percent for the Hackney and Carriage taxi fees and suggested capping these at a 5.1 percent increase due to the increases in fuel prices. Mark Saunders explained that the slightly higher increases were needed to cover the costs of the new IT system that had been implemented. He explained that this would provide a financial boost in the long term and reduce the level of increase in future years but in the short term the costs needed to be recovered and there was no other way to recover these costs. Councillor Booth noted that the Council set both income and charges for the Hackney Carriages and that they were shrinking the profit that could be made by the drivers.
• Councillor Miscandlon agreed with Mark Saunders point about keeping the fairs fees at zero percent increase. He noted that the markets in the market towns were dying due to the lack of stalls and supported keeping the fees at a zero percent increase to encourage more stallholders to set up at the marketplaces across Fenland.
• Councillor Mason noted that the committee advises the consideration of possible rises in the future.

The Overview and Scrutiny Panel agreed to recommend to Cabinet that the Fees and Charges be included in the final budget proposals for 2022/23.