Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations.

Councillor Banks introduced the report which provided an update on the financial forecast for 2021/22 and the following two financial years.

            A full review of the forecast had been undertaken to build an accurate and robust baseline of cost pressures that would need to be funded.  The review had taken into full account the ongoing impacts of the emergency situation including the speed of recovery of key income targets.

            The main purpose of the report was to set out in detail the forecast cost pressures for 2021/22 prior to referral for review and challenge to Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  The report also set out the solutions available to fund those cost pressures.  The funding strategy was highly dependent on sufficient national funding for local government and was unchanged since the budget for 2020/21 was set.

            A PowerPoint presentation was delivered by the Chief Executive and Corporate Finance Manager and covered the following areas:

·         Financial Forecast 2021/22;

·         The Future – What we advised in February;

·         Cost Pressures 2021/22;

·         Summary Total of Cost Pressures;

·         Strategic Solutions;

·         Four Part Solutions;

·         National and Funding;

·         Potential Funding Scenarios;

·         Budget Timetable; and

·         Next Steps.

Councillor Banks welcomed the working relationship the Council had with Welsh Government and supported the information being submitted to Overview and Scrutiny Committees in November.

Councillor Thomas asked if it was an expectation that Corporate Joint Committees would be funded by existing Council budgets.  She commented that strategic transport would form part of that and commented on the many transport schemes delivered by the Council.  The Chief Executive said that a lot of the work required could be undertaken by the North Wales Economic Ambition Board and in workshops.  On transport, it was the Council’s intention to retain the capacity to deliver local transport services.  Discussions would need to be undertaken with Transport for Wales on their intentions.

In response to a question from Councillor Thomas, the Corporate Finance Manager explained that Council Tax funded between 27 and 29% of services.  The Chief Executive explained this could be shown as a sliding scale against the Revenue Support Grant.

Councillor Bithell asked if there had been any response from WG on the car parking income loss.  The Chief Executive explained that following submission of a letter to WG, they confirmed their position as previously reported, that the authority could not reclaim for loss of income other than for the first quarter.  However, if the Council could demonstrate that the use of car parks was lower than before the pandemic, an element of quarters 2 and 3 could be claimed for.  Estimates were that 75% could be claimed for quarter 2 and 50% for quarter 3.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the overall forecast for the period 2021/22 – 2023/24 be noted, and the list of cost pressures for 2021/22 be referred to Overview and Scrutiny Committees in November for review and challenge; and

(b)       That the solutions available to meet those cost pressures be noted and the funding strategy for 2021/22 be re-set.