Issue - meetings

(a)       That the Committee support the overall budget strategy;

(b)       That the Committee re-affirm the Council’s position on local taxation policy;

(c)        That the Committee support the Council’s expectations of Governments, as outlined within the presentation provided; and

(d)       That no further cost efficiency areas be proposed by the Committee to be explored further.

The Chief Executive and Corporate Finance Manager introduced the first budget stage report which detailed the forecast and the cost pressures which would make-up the total budget requirement.

A report to Cabinet in October had 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 pressure which needed to be funded.  The review had taken into account the ongoing impacts of the emergency situation including the speed of recovery of income against set targets.

This report set out the limited solutions available to fund the cost pressures with the funding strategy highly dependent on sufficient national funding for local government.  The details of the cost pressures for Education and Youth were included in the report.

The Chief Executive and Corporate Finance Manager gave a detailed presentation which covered the following areas:-

• Financial Forecast for 2021/22;
• The Future – What we advised back in February;
• Summary Totals of Cost Pressures;
• Three Part Solutions and Risk-Taking;
• National Position and Funding;
• Potential Funding Scenarios;
• Budget Timetable;
• Support and Challenge Today

Additional details around specific Education and Youth cost pressures were provided by the Chief Officer (Education & Youth) and Strategic Finance Manager (Schools Accounting and Finance) as part of the presentation.

Councillor Dave Mackie spoke in support of the cost pressures shown for Free School Meals and the introduction of a Primary Advisor.  He commented on the cost pressures shown for Plas Derwen PRU and asked if these should be capital funding as opposed to revenue as this related to a new build.  The Strategic Finance Manager (Schools Accounting and Finance) explained that the cost pressure shown for increased capacity related to additional staffing costs and the revenue costs related to National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR) charges which were significantly higher for a new build and also additional ground maintenance costs.

The Committee were asked to consider the recommendations detailed within the report and outlined within the presentation, which were all supported.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Committee support the overall budget strategy;

(b)       That the Committee re-affirm the Council’s position on local taxation policy;

(c)        That the Committee support the Council’s expectations of Governments, as outlined within the presentation provided; and

(d)       That no further cost efficiency areas be proposed by the Committee to be explored further.