Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendation.

Councillor Banks introduced the Medium Term Financial Strategy and Budget 2020/21 report which provided a summary of the forecast and changes to the position previously reported.

            The national position was highlighted, together with the Council’s high level strategy to meet the forecast gap.  The risks associated with that, in particular on the requirement to ensure that settlements from Welsh Government (WG) included additional allocations to the formula to meet the costs of increased pay and pensions, demand led services and legislative requirements.

            It was essential that adequate funding was provided by WG from the additional funding announced in the UK Spending Review. In the absence of the additional funding the Council would be at significant risk of not being able to set a safe and legal balanced budget.

            The Corporate Finance Manager highlighted the changes to the pressures from those reported in April, and details of new pressures and strategic solutions, all of which were detailed in the report.

            Councillor Roberts commented on the amount of work that had been undertaken with the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) during the year, with the Council supporting the position of the WLGA on the budget.  He expressed the importance of pay and pensions for Council and school-based employees being fully funded as part of the national agreement for pay awards.

RESOLVED:

That the changes to the forecast be noted.