Issue - meetings

Report of the Chief Executive and Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services

Further to Minute No. 133 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 8 February 2024, the Council considered the report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services that set out:

·       An assessment of the Council’s current financial position and approach to the 2024/25 Budget Plan and preparation for the additional two-year budget period 2025/26 to 2026/27.

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

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

·       The proposed Budget for 2024/25; and,

·       The proposed Capital Programme for 2024/25 to 2026/27.

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

The following appendices were attached to the report:

·       Individual School Budgets 2024/25

·       Budget Saving Proposals

·       Draft Council Budget Summary 2024/25

·       Capital Programme 2024/25 – 2026/27

The Council also considered supplementary notes 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 2024/25, which had been published prior to the Council meeting.

It was moved by Councillor Atkinson, seconded by Councillor Fairclough:

That:

Budget 2024/25 and Medium-Term Financial Plan from 2025/26 to 2026/27

(1)      the update of the Medium-Term Financial Plan for the period 2024/25 to 2026/27 be noted;

(2)      the Revenue Budget for 2024/25 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 release of the Environmental Warranty Earmarked Reserve and the transfer of the amount released to General Balances, as set out at Section 9 of the report, be approved;

(4)      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, 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 & Corporate Services) as required.

(6)      the Schools’ Forum decisions on the Dedicated Schools Grant and Individual School Budgets, as set out at Section 12 of the report, be noted;

(7)      the allocation of specific grants as detailed in the report, as set out at Section 13, be approved;

(8)      subject to the recommendations above, the overall Council Tax resolution for 2024/25 including Police, Fire, Mayoral and Parish Precepts, be approved;

Capital Programme 2024/25 to 2026/27

(9)      the full list of projects in Appendix D to the report be approved for inclusion within the Capital Programme;

(10)    a supplementary capital estimate for £7.387m for the Corporate Essential Maintenance Programme Phase 2 funded by capital receipts, as set out at Section 17 of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 104

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 6 February 2024, the Cabinet considered the report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services that set out:

·       An assessment of the Council’s current financial position and approach to the 2024/25 Budget Plan and preparation for the additional two-year budget period 2025/26 to 2026/27.

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

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

·       The proposed Budget for 2024/25; and,

·       The proposed Capital Programme for 2024/25 to 2026/27.

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

The following appendices were attached to the report:

·       Individual School Budgets 2024/25

·       Budget Saving Proposals

·       Draft Council Budget Summary 2024/25

·       Capital Programme 2024/25 – 2026/27

Members of the Cabinet thanked Finance Officers for their on-going work on the Council’s budget.

Decisions Made:

That the Council be recommended to:

(1)      note the update of the Medium-Term Financial Plan for the period 2024/25 to 2026/27;

(2)      approve the Budget Plan for 2024/25, including the Revenue Budget, allocation of specific grants, as set out at section 13 of the report, and the Capital Programme, as set out at Appendix D to the report, and authorise officers to undertake the necessary actions to implement the recommendations.

(3)      note the Schools’ Forum decisions on the Dedicated Schools Grant and Individual School Budgets, as set out at section 12 of the report;

(4)      approve a supplementary capital estimate for £7.387m for the Corporate Essential Maintenance Programme Phase 2 funded by capital receipts, as set out at section 17 of the report; and

(5)      approve a supplementary capital estimate for £1.865m for Green Sefton Equipment and Machinery funded by prudential borrowing, as set out at section 17 of the report.

Reasons for the Decisions:

The recommendations in the report provided the basis on which the Budget Plan would be balanced for the financial year 2024/25 and would ensure that the Council’s statutory obligations were met. In addition, it began 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 was legally required to set a balanced budget each year and the report had taken due consideration of all financial issues in its development. No additional options were 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 2025/26 – 2026/27 and Council Tax 2024/25.

The report provided:

·       an assessment of the Council’s current financial position and approach to the 2024/25 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 2024/25

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

·       the proposed Budget for 2024/25; and

·       the proposed Capital Programme for 2024/25 to 2026/27 

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 2024/25; budget saving proposals; draft Council budget summary 2024/25; and the Capital Programme 2024/25 – 2026/27.

This report would also be considered by Cabinet and Council at their meetings to be held on 8 and 29 February 2024 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 2024/25 – 2026/27 and the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44