Venue: By Zoom. View directions
Contact: Wyn Richards
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Apologies To receive apologies for absence. Minutes: An apology for absence was received from Council Councillor P Lewington. |
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Disclosures of interest To receive any disclosures of interest by Members relating to items to be considered at the meeting. Minutes: There were no declarations of interest from Members relating to items for consideration on the agenda. |
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Disclosure of Party Whips To receive disclosures of prohibited party whips which a Member has been given in relation to the meeting in accordance with Section 78(3) of the Local Government Measure 2011.
(NB: Members are reminded that, under Section 78, Members having been given a prohibited party whip cannot vote on a matter before the Committee.) Minutes: The Committee did not receive any disclosures of prohibited party whips which a Member had been given in relation to the meeting in accordance with Section 78(3) of the Local Government Measure 2011. |
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Draft 2023 - 2024 Budget PDF 58 KB To scrutinise the Draft 2023- 2024 Budget.
Attached, in relation to the Cabinet’s Budget proposals to Council are the following documents: Additional documents:
Minutes: Documents Considered: · Draft 2023 – 2024 Budget · Scrutiny Report – Budget Questions · Cabinet Report · Mid Term Financial Strategy · Finance Resource Model · Cost Reductions · Fees and Charges Register · Fees and Charges Report · Pressures · Reserves Policy · Capital and Treasury management Strategy · Impact Assessment – Council Tax and Overall Budget · Budget Survey 2022 Report · Individual Impact Assessments relating to the Cost Reduction Proposals
Issues Discussed: · The budget proposed was balanced for 2023-24. The budget had been developed at a time of significant uncertainty, with the continued cost of living crisis, the legacy of the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, inflation at a forty year high, and a lengthy period of austerity which had eroded the resilience of public services. · Should the future UK Governments maintain current spending plans future spending settlements were projected to decline. The budget plans were therefore developed within that context. · The Council was seeing significant financial pressures across all services from inflation and increased service demand, even with the increased funding provided within the settlement.
Section 151 Officer Comment: · There had been a better than expected settlement at 8.7% · That level of increase was however, lower than the current level of inflation. · The capital allocation was not as good by comparison to the revenue budget, with a slightly higher allocation but not a significant increase to support the capital programme. · The Panel had previously considered the development of the budget. · In terms of the net overall budget and allocations to services Table 5 in the report set out the proposed allocation to each service as well as the level of pressures seen by services, and the level of savings proposed of over £16m to bring the budget back into a balanced position. · With pressures of £25m, savings of £16m and a Council Tax increase of 5% this overall brought the budget into a balanced position for 2023-24. · The Medium Term Financial Strategy set out the ongoing position for the Council. Funding settlements were expected to be lower in future with significant budget gaps expected over the next 5 years. The Council in its current form was not sustainable and would need to be on a different footing with work already commenced on reimagining the Council with a lower level of resource. · The opinion of the S151 Officer in terms of the budget was set out in Section 4 of the report and gave the opinion that the budget was appropriate.
Questions:
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