Councillor Hebb started the report off by announcing that fees and charges formed a critical part of council income. The administration had taken significant steps to ensure market parity in charges for more discretional services to make it as close to cost recovery as possible. It was important to keep recognised services requiring a fee, competitive and that sustainable services could only be consistent if the economics were right in the Council.

Some key points to note in the Fees and Charges plan for 2018/19 were:

• Thurrock’s Conservative Party were proud to abolish charges on personal alarms as part of the Careline service. The Cabinet did not consider assistive technology to be a luxury item but instead something much needed.

• Residential car permit fees would continue to be free for the first two years within a dwelling which would support the parking management needed within Thurrock’s denser areas such as Grays and Stanford-Le-Hope.

• The Cabinet will be abolishing the admin internment fee for all children under 16 years of age instead of the current age of five. This was a small gesture that the Council could provide to bereaved parents and guardians in the tragic loss of a child.

The Leader said that it was good that the Council recognised those terrible situations a parent could be in. He agreed with the abolishment of the fee and congratulated Councillor Hebb and Officers on putting this forward.

RESOLVED:

1)    That Cabinet agreed the proposed fees and charges, including those no longer applicable as per Appendices 1 and 2.

2)    That Cabinet approved delegated authority to allow Fees & Charges to be varied within a financial year in response to legal or regulatory requirements, in consultation with the relevant portfolio holder.

3)    That Cabinet noted the feedback from all Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings as per Appendix 1.

Reason for decision - as stated in the report.

This decision is subject to call in.