Venue: By Zoom. View directions
Contact: Kath Flanagan-Jones
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Apologies To receive apologies for absence. Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from County Councillor Glyn Preston.
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Declarations of Interest To receive any disclosures of interests by Members relating to items to be considered at the meeting. Minutes: There were no Declarations of Interest from Members relating to items to be considered on the agenda.
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Minutes and Actions PDF 195 KB To receive the minutes of meeting held on the 15th September and authorise Chair to approve as true reflection of the meeting.
To receive and update the outstanding actions from previous meetings. Minutes: The minutes of the 15th September 2023 were agreed by Panel members present, as a true and accurate reflection of the meeting and ratified accordingly by the Chair.
The Finance Panel Actions tracker was referred to and outstanding actions noted as follows:
From meeting of the 30th June 2023 1. Grant Funding returns. No return noted by Head of Service – awaiting further information from Member concerned. 2. PTHB Contract Uplifts – awaiting further information from Member concerned. 3. TOR – To be updated by Head of Service and reviewed by Panel prior to submission via the Monitoring Officer and the Democratic Services Committee.
From meeting of the 15th September 2023 1. Secondary School approved budgets under the scheme – Reports to include clear narrative on the impact of financial surgeries and the number of schools setting balanced budgets within a 3-year cycle. 2. Capital Programme Timelines in reports – to assist Members with the scheduling of expenditure. Ongoing.
With regard to the action on Capital Receipts from 15th September meeting, information has been provided by Property Services, Chair proposed this to be raised later under the Q2 Capital Report agenda item.
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Panel Recommendations to Cabinet Update PDF 100 KB To receive and consider the Panel Recommendations made to and any responses received from the Cabinet. Minutes:
Actions Implementation of a 10-year Capital Programme. Panel Recommendation to and response from Cabinet, Panel requested further clarity on the implementation a 10-year Capital Programme.
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Forward Work Programme PDF 107 KB To note that the schedule of meetings is as follows: Minutes: Noted. |
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Council Tax Base 2024-25 Report PDF 819 KB To receive and consider the Council Tax Base 2024-25 report. Minutes: Background · The Council Tax Base is the adjusted number of chargeable dwellings in the Council's area belonging to each valuation band modified to take account of several assumptions and factors including the proportion applying to dwellings in each Council Tax Band together with the number of discounts, exemptions, disablement reductions and premiums. An estimate for losses on collection is also made. · To arrive at a figure the assumed collection rate is embedded, currently 2024/25 this is 98.5%. · The figure is used to set the Council’s Council Tax level (at band D) in accordance with specified formulae. The net Council Tax Base is used by the Police & Crime Commissioner and Town/Community Council’s to set their Council Tax precepts for 2024-25. · Welsh Government use the calculation to form part of the RSG calculation around the Local Authority Settlement for the next financial year.
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Quarter 2 Financial Revenue Report as at 30th September 2023 PDF 367 KB To receive and consider the Quarter 2 Financial Revenue Report as at 30th September 2023. Minutes: Background The Portfolio Holder gave highlights of the Q2 Revenue report as follows:
· The current projected position reports a £2.85m surplus which is a deterioration of approximately £900k from Q1. · Surplus position was associated with spend against Corporate budgets i.e., Capital financing budget and the Risk budget. To date only £234k has been drawn down in the first 2 Quarters of this year. · Risk budget will be released to service as the year progresses and demand increases. · 7% pay award for National Employees for Local Government Services staff has been agreed which is in excess of the budget set in March 2023 resulting in a funding gap. · Inflation and the increase in demand has led to the WLGA to warn that the options for local services may be unpalatable. · Childrens Services have reported an overspend position of £853k after receipt of £234k from the risk budget, due to increase in placements for children with complex needs compounded by the national shortage of provision, and an increase in the number of Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC). · The delayed capital schemes and the reduced need to borrow has resulted in slippage on this budget. This provides an opportunity to release budget to support the additional pay award pressure. · Realigning pay budgets now would remove pressure from the budget in 2024/25 and reduces the budget gap. · 62% or £10.8m of cost reductions have been achieved, a further 33% or £5.7m was assured by services, with 5% or 900K unachieved. · Schools set budgets with an expected call on reserves of £5.1m, on updated forecasts this figure has worsened by £1.4m, resulting in a likely deficit reserve balance at year end. The Section 151 Officer reported the position as reasonable, with the ability to manage the position through the establishment of the risk budget. Concern remained for the significant pressure expected in the coming years with inflation continuing to impact and costs rising.
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Quarter 2 Capital Programme Report as at 30th September 2023 PDF 174 KB To receive and consider the Quarter 2 Capital Programme Report as at 30th September 2023. Minutes: Background · Following the successful award of additional grants and the re-profiling of budgets between financial years, the revised programme for 23/24 is budgeted at £96.32m. · Actual spend equates to £22.85m representing 24% of the total budget, an increase of £15.42m from Q1, £40.59m (42%) of the capital expenditure supported through borrowing. · The capital receipts position is £1.24m, so far for 23/24 with further sales agreed to the value of £0.78m. · Expected sales totalling £8.01m could be achieved this financial year.
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Exempt Item
To consider passing the following Resolution:
RESOLVED to exclude the public for the following item of business on the grounds that there would be disclosure to them of exempt information under category 3 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007).
The Monitoring Officer has determined that category 3 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules applies to the following item. His view on the public interest test (having taken account of the provisions of Rule 14.8 of the Council's Access to Information Rules) was that to make this information public would disclose information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).
These factors in his view outweigh the public interest in disclosing this information. Members are asked to consider these factors when determining the public interest test, which they must decide when considering excluding the public from this part of the meeting. Minutes: RESOLVED to exclude the public for the following item of business on the grounds that there would be disclosure to them of exempt information under category 3 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007).
The Monitoring Officer has determined that category 3 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules applies to the following item. His view on the public interest test (having taken account of the provisions of Rule 14.8 of the Council's Access to Information Rules) was that to make this information public would disclose information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).
These factors in his view outweigh the public interest in disclosing this information. Members are asked to consider these factors when determining the public interest test, which they must decide when considering excluding the public from this part of the meeting.
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Financial Planning Update
To receive a confidential briefing from the S151 Officer. Minutes:
The Panel received and considered a confidential briefing from the S151 Officer.
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Sustainable Powys Update
To receive and consider an update on Sustainable Powys. Minutes: The Panel received and considered an update on Sustainable Powys from the Portfolio Holder and Head of Service for Finance.
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