Issue - meetings

Revenue and Capital Budget Plan 2020/21 – 2022/23 and Council Tax 2020/21

 

 

Meeting: 27/02/2020 - Council (Item 98)

98 Revenue and Capital Budget Plan 2020/21 – 2022/23 and Council Tax 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 338 KB

Report of the Chief Executive and the Head of Corporate Resources

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Further to Minute No. 115 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 13 February 2020 the Council considered the report of the Chief Executive and the Head of Corporate Resources that provided:

 

·       an assessment of the Council’s current financial position and approach to the 2020/21 Budget Plan and preparation for the two-year budget period 2021/22 to 2022/23;

·       an update on the Government’s announcement of resources that were available to the Council for 2020/21;

·       the Council’s current financial position and the assumptions built into the Medium-Term Financial Plan;

·       the proposed Budget for 2020/21; and

·       the proposed Capital Programme for 2020/21.

 

The report set out the financial strategy of the Council and the national and local financial context within which it was operating and indicated that the Council had a statutory requirement to remain financially sustainable and to balance its budget every year.

 

The report also indicated that the Council’s Framework for Change Programme was a comprehensive and ambitious programme that sought to support the delivery of the Council’s core purpose; and that as would be expected with a programme of this size and complexity that spanned a number of financial years, the detailed proposals had been and would continue to be the subject of change as they were developed and ultimately implemented. 

 

The Council also considered a copy of an update note prepared by the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services which provided details of the Police, Fire, Mayoral and Parish Precepts and the draft Council Tax resolution which had been circulated to Members of the Council and published in a supplementary agenda prior to the start of the meeting.

 

It was moved by Councillor Maher, seconded by Councillor Fairclough

 

That:

 

(1)

the update of the Medium-Term Financial Plan for the period 2020/21 to 2022/23 be noted;

 

(2)

the Revenue Budget for 2020/21 be approved and officers be authorised to undertake all of the necessary actions to implement the budget changes and proposals as detailed within the report;

 

(3)

the Framework for Change 2020 Programme (as described in Section 3) be approved and the commencement of all appropriate activity as detailed, including for example, consultation with employees and engagement with partners and contractual changes as the programme develops be agreed;

(4)

the current levels of trade union facility time and associated arrangements for the whole period of the budget plan for 2020/21 – 2022/23 be approved;

 

(5)

it be noted that officers will comply with agreed HR policies and procedures including relevant consultation with Trade Unions and reports to the Cabinet Member - Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services as required;

 

(6)

the creation and funding of the Cost of Change budget, with a value of £3.0m (paragraph 3.49), and the increase in the Redundancy Reserve of £2.0m and the associated funding (paragraph 3.51) be approved;

 

(7)

access to funding from the Cost of Change budget be delegated to the Chief Executive and s151 officer as per current arrangements;

 

(8)

the Council making an upfront payment to the Merseyside  ...  view the full minutes text for item 98

Meeting: 13/02/2020 - Cabinet (Item 115)

115 Revenue and Capital Budget Plan 2020/21 – 2022/23 and Council Tax 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 338 KB

Report of the Chief Executive and Head of Corporate Resources

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet considered the report of the Chief Executive and the Head of Corporate Resources that provided:

 

·       an assessment of the Council’s current financial position and approach to the 2020/21 Budget Plan and preparation for the two-year budget period 2021/22 to 2022/23;

·       an update on the Government’s announcement of resources that were available to the Council for 2020/21;

·       the Council’s current financial position and the assumptions built into the Medium-Term Financial Plan;

·       the proposed Budget for 2020/21; and

·       the proposed Capital Programme for 2020/21.

 

The report set out the financial strategy of the Council and the national and local financial context within which it was operating and indicated that the Council had a statutory requirement to remain financially sustainable and to balance its budget every year.

 

The report also indicated that the Council’s Framework for Change Programme was a comprehensive and ambitious programme that sought to support the delivery of the Council’s core purpose; and that as would be expected with a programme of this size and complexity that spanned a number of financial years, the detailed proposals had been and would continue to be the subject of change as they were developed and ultimately implemented. 

 

Decision Made:

 

That the Council be recommended to:

 

(1)

note the update of the Medium-Term Financial Plan for the period 2020/21 to 2022/23;

 

(2)

approve the Budget Plan for 2020/21, including the Revenue Budget, allocation of specific grants (section 11), Fees and Charges (Appendix C) and Capital Programme (Appendix D), and authorise officers to undertake the necessary actions to implement the recommendations;

 

(3)

approve the temporary use of the Transforming Sefton Earmarked Reserve (up to £0.700m) to fund the initial borrowing costs in 2020/21 associated with making an upfront payment to the Merseyside Pension Fund; and note that the Reserve will be repaid from savings made in 2021/22 and 2022/23 as a result of the upfront payment; and

 

(4)

approve the commencement of all appropriate activity within Framework for Change 2020, as detailed in the report, including, for example, consultation with employees and engagement with partners and contractual and policy changes; and

 

(5)

the Head of Corporate Resources and his staff be thanked for the production of the detailed reports for consideration at this meeting and their overall efforts in formulating the Council’s budget for consideration by Council.

 

Reasons for Decision:

 

The recommendations in the report provide the basis on which the Budget Plan will be balanced for the financial year 2020/21 and will ensure that the Council’s statutory obligations are met. In addition, it begins the planning for the financial strategy for the following two years to give the Council sufficient time to identify specific proposals to deliver financial sustainability over that period.

 

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

 

The Council is legally required to set a balanced budget each year and the report has taken due consideration of all financial issues in its development.  No additional options are available for inclusion.