Issue - meetings

That the Committee notes the Council’s response to the WAO proposal for improvement of the Council’s arrangements for financial savings planning.

The Chief Executive introduced a report to receive and endorse the findings of the Wales Audit Office (WAO) review on financial resilience carried out in 2016.  In line with the agreed protocol, comments from this Committee and the Audit Committee would be reported to Cabinet.

The WAO report concluded that ‘the Council has a sound financial planning framework and it continues to strengthen its financial planning to better support future financial resilience’.  There was one proposal for improvement to which the Council had responded.  The findings for all 22 Welsh councils would be captured in a national summary report by WAO.

The Chief Executive spoke about the benefits of the phased budget process at an earlier stage and the intention to recommend a target of achieving a minimum of 95% of efficiency targets in year for 2017/18.  The Council’s rigorous approach to monitoring the achievement of efficiencies had been recognised by WAO.

Councillor Aaron Shotton spoke about the importance of the new Council continuing to make the case for financial support from Welsh Government.  He welcomed recognition by WAO of the real-term reduction of 10.1% funding per head in Flintshire since 2013-14.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee notes the Council’s response to the WAO proposal for improvement of the Council’s arrangements for financial savings planning.