Issue - meetings

To advise of the latest position on the 2019/20 budget  and to approve the stage 1 and stage 2 budget proposals.

(a)       That the Stage 1 and Stage 2 budget proposals be approved; and

(b)       That the proposed campaign be supported and that Council makes a formal response to the Welsh Government on the Provisional Welsh Local Government Settlement.

The Chief Executive introduced the report to advise on the latest position on the 2019/20 budget.  Council was invited to approve the Stage 1 and Stage  2 budget proposals and to make a formal response to the Welsh Government (WG) on the Provisional Welsh Local Government Settlement which was out for consultation.  Members were also being asked individually and collectively to support the #BacktheAsk campaign for fairer funding for local government and for Flintshire.

The Chief Executive advised that Stage 1 of the budget addressed Corporate Finance and Stage 2 addressed Service Portfolios.  Stage 3, which was to follow, would address national solutions and balancing the overall budget.

The Chief Executive and Corporate Finance Manager gave a joint presentation which covered the following key points:

·         Local budget forecast and our funding position

o   update on national budget position

o   Chancellor’s UK Budget Statement

o   budget forecast 2019/20

o   updated budget forecast 2019/20

o   funding gap make-up pre-settlement

o   MTFS budget setting approach

o   the context for local decision making

o   the position we are in

·         Stage 1 – Corporate Finance 

o   Stage 1 – corporate budget solutions

·         Stage 2 – Service Portfolios

o   Stage 2 summary of portfolio business plan proposals

·         National budget position and Stage 3 of  budget-setting

o   summary of the Welsh budget position

o   National funding versus Council Tax

o   Council Tax analysis

o   balance of RSG and Council Tax income

o   workforce sessions feedback

o   #BacktheAsk - campaigning position

o   #BacktheAsk - messages of support

o   #BacktheAsk - Council Tax

o   #BacktheAsk - public debate

o   #Our Day - 20 November 2018

o   next steps and timelines 

Councillor Aaron Shotton, thanked the Chief Executive, Corporate Finance Manager, and Chief Officers, for their hard work on the 2019/20 Council budget.  He commented on the need to agree Stages 1 and  2 of the budget and said he hoped there would be unanimous support from  Members for the proposals which had been consulted on through the Overview and Scrutiny process.  He  referred to the efficiencies proposed, as detailed in Stages 1 and 2 of the budget report, to contribute to closing the ‘gap’,  and commented there had been a further call on the Council’s reserves in its strategy to defend services during austerity. Although this  budget included an illustrative 4.5% increase in Council Tax, and a further £250K reduction in senior management costs, there was still a significant gap to make-up. 

Councillor Shotton commented on the move from national funding to Council Tax funding  to support local government services and,  whether  intended or not as a policy this  was a reality in England and Wales.  He said this was a cause of significant concern and commented that the possibility of increases in Council Tax up to around 15% was not what the Authority wanted and was what we must campaign against with improved national funding.

Councillor Shotton moved the recommendation in the report that Council approve Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the budget .proposals.   He also referred  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63