Issue - meetings

Purpose:       To advise council of the details of the Welsh Local Government Provisional Settlement and the impact on the 2017/18 budget.  

(a)       That the Provisional Settlement be noted;

(b)       That the impact on the budget for 201718, as set out in the agenda item on the Council Fund Budget 2017/18 - Stage 1 and 2, be noted;  and

(c)        That the comments raised by Members be included in the Council response to the WG on the Provisional Settlement consultation.

The Chief Executive introduced the report to provide a summary of the Provisional Welsh Local Government Financial Settlement announced as part of the Welsh Government budget for 2017/18.   He advised that the figures were provisional at this stage and the Final Settlement was expected on 21 December 2016. Consultation on the provisional settlement was open until 30 November 2016.  The Chief Executive explained that he and the Leader would produce a formal  response to the Welsh Government (WG) on the Provisional Settlement  consultation.

The Chief Executive provided background information and context and commented on the slight increase in funding which had been made to the Welsh Government budget and the significant  priority and investment which had been given to the NHS in Wales which included funding for winter pressures and additional funding to support the Health Boards in deficit. He also commented on the Council’s  campaign for an improved settlement than that forecasted and had pressed for a ‘flat line’ or ‘cash flat’ settlement for 2017/18 with no reduction in core grant, and the collective local government case on cost pressures with specific emphasis on social services. He reported that Welsh Government Ministers had listened to the cases put forward and there had been some positive improvement to the Settlement, however, the pressures continued in social care and workforce costs.  

            The Chief Executive gave a presentation which covered the following areas:

·         Welsh Government Budget

·         State of the Nation

·         Local Impacts of the Settlement

·         The Flintshire Case

·         Responding to the Consultation

Councillor Aaron Shotton thanked the Chief Executive for his presentation and the information on the impacts of the draft provisional local government settlement.  He said the purpose was to keep Members fully informed of the impact of the Settlement and to formulate the Council’s consultation response to Welsh Government (WG).  He took the opportunity to thank all Members, Council employees, and members of the community who had given their assistance and support to the lobbying case for funding to the WG.   He spoke of the Council’s consistent and resolute stance in not accepting austerity and passport cuts year on year  to front line services.  He advised that service business plans were now  ‘maxed out’ in terms of the efficiencies that could be found and therefore the broadly ‘flat lined’ Settlement which had brought some improvement to Flintshire’s forecasted position was welcomed and to be acknowledged in the consultation response. Councillor Shotton  emphasised the need for the Council to continue to be consistent in its ‘asks’ to the WG for assistance specifically social care.

Councillor Shotton thanked Members for their attendance at the recent public engagement events which had been held across Flintshire and spoke of the public responses which had indicated support for the Council’s lobbying case to both  the National and Welsh Government for some relief to protect front line services and a change in the national fiscal policy.  He commented on the need for a fair funding formula and said  that whilst Flintshire had the 6^th largest  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64