Issue - meetings

Report No:   CAB/FH/16/056

Portfolio Holder: Stephen Edwards            Lead Officer: Rachael Mann

Chairman of the Committee: Louis Busuttil

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: (21 December 2016)

That:-

1.           The proposals, as detailed in Section 5 and Table 2 at paragraph 5.1 of Report No: PAS/FH/16/032, be included, in securing a balanced budget for 2017-2018.

2.           The items as detailed in paragraph 5.3 of Report No: PAS/FH/16/032 are treated as pending budgets that will require the necessary approvals before they can be committed.

3.           The items as detailed in paragraph 5.5 and Table 3 of Report No: PAS/FH/16/032 be removed from the capital programme.

4.           The reserve transfers as detailed in paragraph 5.7 and Table 4 of Report No: PAS/FH/16/032, be approved.

(Report No: CAB/FH/16/056)

Councillor Stephen Edwards, Portfolio Holder for Resources and Performance, presented this report which explained that the Committee had been provided with an update on progress made towards delivering a balanced budget for 2017-2018, along with proposals for securing a balanced budget in the medium term.

Councillor Edwards explained that the Council continued to face considerable financial challenges as a result of increased cost and demand pressures and constraints on public sector spending.  In order to address this and progress securing a balanced budget for 2017/2018 and a sustainable budget in the medium term, a number of budget proposals had been scrutinised by the Committee, as contained in Table 2 of paragraph 5.1 of Report No: PAS/FH/16/032, which were now presented to Cabinet for recommending approval to Council for inclusion in the budget setting process.

In addition, it was acknowledged that a number of projects were currently in the pipeline and full business cases were yet to be approved in the 2016/2017 financial year.  Following approval of these business cases, the capital and revenue returns would be included in the budgets going forward and the current budget gap figure would be revised.

Members also noted the items which had been suggested to be removed from the Capital Programme and the proposed transfers of earmarked reserves, as set out in paragraphs 5.5 (Table 3) and 5.7 (Table 4) of Report No: PAS/FH/16/032.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: (21 December 2016)

That:-

1.           The proposals, as detailed in Section 5 and Table 2 at paragraph 5.1 of Report No: PAS/FH/16/032, be included, in securing a balanced budget for 2017-2018.

2.           The items as detailed in paragraph 5.3 of Report No: PAS/FH/16/032 are treated as pending budgets that will require the necessary approvals before they can be committed.

3.           The items as detailed in paragraph 5.5 and Table 3 of Report No: PAS/FH/16/032 be removed from the capital programme.

4.           The reserve transfers as detailed in paragraph 5.7 and Table 4 of Report No: PAS/FH/16/032, be approved.