Issue - meetings

Report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services

A supplementary note on the final charges set by levying bodies and the final demands set by all precepting authorities (including parishes) in addition to a copy of the draft Council Tax resolution for 2023/24, will be published prior to the Council meeting.

Further to Minute No. 128 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 9 February 2023, the Council considered the report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services that provided:

·       An assessment of the Council’s current financial position and approach to the 2023/24 Budget Plan and preparation for the additional two-year budget period 2024/25 to 2025/26;

·       An update on the Government’s announcement of resources that are available to the Council for 2023/24 and 2024/25;

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

·       The proposed Budget for 2023/24; and,

·       The proposed Capital Programme for 2023/24.

The report also sets out the financial strategy of the Council and the national and local financial context within which it is operating, and it indicated that the Council has a statutory requirement to remain financially sustainable and to balance its budget every year.

The Council also considered supplementary note on the final charges set by levying bodies and the final demands set by all precepting authorities (including parishes) and a copy of the draft Council Tax resolution for 2023/24, which had been published prior to the Council meeting.

It was moved by Councillor Ian Maher, seconded by Councillor Fairclough:

That:

Budget 2023/24 and Medium-Term Financial Plan from 2024/25 to 2025/26

(1)      the update of the Medium-Term Financial Plan for the period 2023/24 to 2025/26 be noted;

(2)      the Revenue Budget for 2023/24 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)      approval be given to the commencement of all appropriate activity required to implement the budget savings proposals as detailed in the report, including for example, consultation with employees and engagement with partners and contractual changes as the programme develops;

(4)      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;

(5)      the Schools’ Forum decisions on the Dedicated Schools Grant and Individual School Budgets (Section 12 of the report) be noted;

(6)      the allocation of specific grants as detailed in the report (Section 13) be approved;

(7)      Subject to the recommendations above, approval be given to the overall Council Tax resolution for 2023/24 including Police, Fire, Mayoral and Parish Precepts;

Capital Programme 2023/24 to 2025/26

(8)      approval be given to the inclusion within the Capital Programme of the full list of projects detailed in Appendix D of the report;

Business Rates – Removing Schools Discretionary Top Up Relief

(9)      approval be given to the removal of the discretionary business rates relief awards currently given to voluntary aided / church schools with effect from 1 April 2023 (Section 18 of the report).

Councillors Pugh, Prendergast, McKinley and Ian Maher each gave a statement expressing the views of their political groups on the content of the report and the budget proposals.

Following debate on the report, an amendment  ...  view the full minutes text for item 108

Report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services

Further to Minute No. 44 of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee – Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services held on 7 February 2023, the Cabinet considered the report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services that provided:

·          An assessment of the Council’s current financial position and approach to the 2023/24 Budget Plan and preparation for the additional two-year budget period 2024/25 to 2025/26;

·          An update on the Government’s announcement of resources that are available to the Council for 2023/24 and 2024/25;

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

·          The proposed Budget for 2023/24; and,

·          The proposed Capital Programme for 2023/24.

The report also sets out the financial strategy of the Council and the national and local financial context within which it is operating, and it indicated that the Council has a statutory requirement to remain financially sustainable and to balance its budget every year.

Members of the Cabinet expressed concern that neither the Autumn Statement or the Local Government Finance Settlement 2023/24 had mentioned the Public Health Grant and therefore no information was available on the national totals or individual allocations.

The Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services reported that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee – Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services had not made any proposed amendments to the proposals set out in the report.

Decision Made:

The Council be recommended to:

(1)      note the update of the Medium-Term Financial Plan for the period 2023/24 to 2025/26;

(2)      approve the Budget Plan for 2023/24, including the Revenue Budget, allocation of specific grants (Section 13), and Capital Programme (Appendix D), and authorise officers to undertake the necessary actions to implement the recommendation; and

(3)      Note the Schools’ Forum decisions on the Dedicated Schools Grant and Individual School Budgets (Section 12).

Reasons for the Decision:

The recommendations in the report provide the basis on which the Budget Plan will be balanced for the financial year 2023/24 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 this report has taken due consideration of all financial issues in its development.

No additional options are available for inclusion.

Report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services

The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services on the Revenue and Capital Budget Plan 2023/24 – 2025/26 and Council Tax 2023/24.

The report provided:

·       an assessment of the Council’s current financial position and approach to the 2023/24 Budget Plan and preparation for the additional two-year budget period 2024/25 to 2025/26

·       an update on the Government’s announcement of resources that were available to the Council for 2023/24 and 2024/25

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

·       the proposed Budget for 2023/24; and

·       the proposed Capital Programme for 2023/24 

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

Attached as appendices to the report were the  individual school budgets 2023/24; budget saving proposals; draft Council budget summary 2023/24; and the Capital Programme 2023/24 – 2025/26

This report would also be considered by Cabinet and Council at their meetings to be held on 9 February and 2 March 2023 respectively. The Council would be recommended:

The Committee was requested to consider the proposals within the report and to provide any comments to Cabinet which could be considered as part of the formal approval of the Budget Plan for 2023/24 – 2025/26 and the Council Tax for 2023/24.

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44