Issue - meetings

To consider and decide on the recommendations as set out in the associated report. 

RESOLVED –

1. That Officers shall continue to work towards reducing the projected budget deficit in line with the Budget Strategy and report back in December with draft proposals prior to public consultation.
2. That £100,000 from the car park income budget be transferred to the Community Support Fund be approved.

REASON FOR DECISION:To enable Directors and Heads of Service to continue the service planning process and to help develop proposals with their respective Cabinet Member(s) for savings, changes to service delivery and optimise income

Councillor Christopher Hall Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance introduced Lee Colyer, Director of Finance, Policy and Development who presented the report set out in the agenda.

Discussion and questions from Members included the following:

-       There had been a gradual improvement on the Council’s finances.

-       Although the Quarter one report had forecast car parking revenue at £293k above its original budget, the position was still an overall deficit forecast of £944k.

-       Quarter two reports would be published shortly which will show a gradual improvement, particularly around the Council’s income streams.  Car parking income would further improve when the new car parking charges were introduced. This would also help reduce the deficit.

-       At the in-year budget review (20 July 2022), Cabinet agreed the principle of an allocation to the  Community Support Fund.  In light of the improving financial position, it was recommended that an additional recommendation be made, that Cabinet agreed to the virement of £100k from the car park income budget to the Community Support Fund.  This would allow the commencement of the fund, with terms of reference to be agreed.  Expressions of interest from Community Groups could then be sought. 

-       The focus of the distribution of the Community Support Fund would be on initiatives that provided practical assistance to the Borough’s most vulnerable residents. 

-       It was within the gift of Cabinet to make an additional recommendation but the risk must be recognised that the in-year budget deficit would not be reduced as quickly as previously agreed.  Any remaining deficit at year end would have to be met from Reserves.

RESOLVED –

1. That Officers shall continue to work towards reducing the projected budget deficit in line with the Budget Strategy and report back in December with draft proposals prior to public consultation.
2. That £100,000 from the car park income budget be transferred to the Community Support Fund be approved.

REASON FOR DECISION:To enable Directors and Heads of Service to continue the service planning process and to help develop proposals with their respective Cabinet Member(s) for savings, changes to service delivery and optimise income

To consider and provide a recommendation ot Cabinet on the proposals set out in the attached report.

Lee Colyer, Director of Finance, Policy and Development introduced the report set out in the agenda.

Discussion and questions from Members included the following:

-       As part of the budget process, a budget survey was undertaken annually.   The last comprehensive residents’ survey was undertaken in 2015.

-       Establishment costs for the Council were just over £18m. A 3% increase had been factored, plus an additional £300k to recognise wage pressures that other Councils had been experiencing.

-       Transport costs remain fixed and were not expected to increase.

-        Current premises costs were £3.9m.  An assumption had been included that these would go up by 1%, plus an additional £600k for 2023/24 only, to recognise the doubling of the Council’s energy costs.  The Government had already announced one package of support and it was hoped that further support would be forthcoming.

-       The Council currently spent £3.7m on its main contracts.  They would normally be indexed at 4% but because inflation was high, additional amounts of £350k had been factored in for the waste contract and £200k for the parks contract.  Again this had only been done for 2023/24 with the assumption that the Bank of England would make changes to the market so that inflation was brought back to their target of 2%.

-       The funding for the acquisition of the Lodge in Calverley Grounds (approximately £500k) was done through internal borrowing.  Where the Council acquired an asset through internal borrowing, it was required to pay down the loan.  The figures included recognised the funding of the acquisition of the Lodge being met by the Council’s own resources.

RESOLVED -  That the recommendations to Cabinet as set out in the report

be supported.