Agenda item

To provide the Committee with the current financial forecast position for 2018/19 and consult on the Stage 1 Council Fund Revenue budget proposals for 2018/19.

(a)       That the Committee’s comments on the portfolio budget options and the portfolio financial pressures be noted; and

(b)       That the Committee was satisfied with the approach being taken to Stage One of the Council Fund Revenue budget 2018/19 for the Streetscene and Transportation and Planning and Environment portfolios.

The Finance Manager introduced a report to provide the current financial forecast position for 2018/19 and consult on the Stage 1 Council Fund Revenue budget proposals for 2018/19.  He provided background information and referred to the financial forecast which had been reported to Cabinet in July 2017 and was detailed in the report.  He advised that the reported “gap” was £11.7m due to national, local, and workforce pressures, and the latest projections for inflation.

The Finance Manager gave a brief update on the Provisional Local Government Settlement for Wales for 2018/19 which was announced last week.  He emphasised that the Settlement was provisional at this stage and that  specific grant confirmations were due to be received on 24 October.  He advised that the provisional Settlement indicated a 0.9% reduction in funding to the Authority which would increase the “gap” by £1.6 - £1.9m due to the new responsibility for homelessness and unresolved pressures.    The Finance Manager explained that a statement on the provisional Settlement and Stage 2 of the budget process would be made at the meetings of the Corporate Resources Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 19 October, and Cabinet on 24 October, and analysis of the Settlement would follow to all Members. 

Councillor Aaron Shotton spoke of the negative impact of the provisional Settlement and the implications of   a further reduction in funding.  He advised that the Authority and the Welsh Local Government Association would continue to enforce its lobbying case robustly for “betterment” before the Final Settlement was announced in December.  Councillor Shotton commented that much rested on the Chancellor’s UK budget statement in November and the possibility of some improvement in the austerity measures imposed to date.

The Finance Manager reported on the main considerations as detailed in the report concerning emerging pressures, specific portfolio pressures, inflation and risks.  

The Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) and the Chief Officer (Planning and Environment) reported on the specific portfolio pressures and operating model efficiencies for their respective portfolios.  The Chief Officers also reported on the current resilience position for their portfolios which was appended to the report and which set out the context for the savings and efficiencies proposed for 2018/19.  Further details on the portfolio options for savings and efficiencies were included in the Operating Models appended to the report.

During discussion the Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) responded to the comments and questions raised around streetlighting and the introduction of a no side waste policy which would coincide with the introduction of a charge to discourage people from leaving garden waste as side waste.

  The Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) agreed to meet with Councillor Chris Dolphin to discuss the specific concerns expressed around repair and maintenance of roads and streetlighting in his Ward.

The Chief Officer (Planning and Environment) responded to the questions around planning fee income.  He advised that many services within the Planning portfolio were mandatory and that collaboration may be considered as an option for some of the services, however, he explained that whilst this may provide resilience it would not necessarily save costs.

RESOLVED:

 (a)      That the Committee’s comments on the portfolio budget options and the portfolio financial pressures be noted; and

(b)       That the Committee was satisfied with the approach being taken to Stage One of the Council Fund Revenue budget 2018/19 for the Streetscene and Transportation and Planning and Environment portfolios.