Issue - meetings

Report No: CAB/FH/17/061

Portfolio Holder: Stephen Edwards            Lead Officer: Rachael Mann

RESOLVED:

That:-

1.           The budget assumptions (outlined in Appendix A to Report No: PAS/FH/17/038) and timetable (at paragraph 6.1), along with the progress made to date on delivering a balanced budget for 2018-2019 and sustainable budget in the medium term, be noted.

2.           The proposals, as detailed in Section 5 and Table 2 at paragraph 5.1 of Report No: PAS/FH/17/038, be included in securing a balanced budget for 2018-2019.

(Report No: CAB/FH/17/061)

Councillor Stephen Edwards, Portfolio Holder for Resources and Performance, presented this report which sought approval for proposals for securing a balanced budget for 2018/2019 and a sustainable budget in the medium term.

Councillor Edwards drew relevant issues to the attention of the Cabinet and also wished to express his thanks to the Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee for their input with the budget process.

The budget gap for years 2018/2019 to 2020/2021 were projected in Table 1 of the report, along with the current budget assumptions and for the period of the Medium Term Financial Strategy, detailed in Appendix A.  In order to address this and progress securing a balanced budget for 2018/2019 and a sustainable budget in the medium term, a number of budget proposals had been scrutinised by the Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, as contained in Table 2 of paragraph 5.1 of Report No: PAS/FH/17/038, which were now presented to Cabinet for inclusion in the budget setting process.

In addition, the impact of the potential implementation of 100% business rates retention was acknowledged, which presently created significant uncertainty to the Council’s medium term financial planning assumptions.  The situation would be monitored and reviewed as information became available, including ensuring the Council continued to lobby and respond to consultations of the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in order to make its position clear.

It was proposed, duly seconded and with the vote being unanimous, it was

RESOLVED:

That:-

1.           The budget assumptions (outlined in Appendix A to Report No: PAS/FH/17/038) and timetable (at paragraph 6.1), along with the progress made to date on delivering a balanced budget for 2018-2019 and sustainable budget in the medium term, be noted.

2.           The proposals, as detailed in Section 5 and Table 2 at paragraph 5.1 of Report No: PAS/FH/17/038, be included in securing a balanced budget for 2018-2019.