Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Finance and Assets

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    The budget setting timetable at Appendix 2 be approved;

2.    The outline budget strategy outlined in section 4 be approved;

3.    The pressures in addition to the £1.044m overspend reported in the August 2021 budget monitor and the large amount of work which will be required to close this gap be noted;

4.    The intention for this Council to remain in the Gloucestershire Business Rates Pool in 2022/23 as outlined in section 5 be noted;

5.    Suggestions from the Budget Scrutiny Working Group be considered by the Section 151 Officer, Deputy Section 151 Officer and the Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets in preparing the interim budget proposals for 2022/23.

The Cabinet Member Finance and Assets presented the report, noting that it was an urgent item due to administrative error, having not been on the forward plan for requisite 28 days.

At the last Council meeting, he had presented the budget forecast for the next year, which predicted a significant overspend. Changes in working environments post-pandemic meant that the council needed to rethink how it funded its priorities, and the 2022 budget offered an opportunity to reset and refocus.

He noted that the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget had allocated an additional £1.5bn for local government, although there was no indication of a Fair Funding Review for local authorities and no changes to business rates. They could expect specific details of how this would impact the council in December, but in the meantime the budget would be supported by commercial revenue. He noted that the council faced ongoing pressures which were primarily pandemic-related, and thanked the finance team for their hard work behind the scenes.

The Cabinet Member Climate Emergency reflected on the difficulties caused by the late announcement of government funding, which diminished their ability to plan properly for the future. The Cabinet Member Finance and Assets agreed that this had got worse over the years and put significant pressure on officers. The Leader echoed this.

The Cabinet Member Waste, Recycling and Street Services noted a possible error in paragraphs 7.1 and 7.2 relating to the financial years listed. The Head of Finance was happy to correct this and circulate an updated report.

The Cabinet Member Housing noted the importance of the Housing Revenue Account, and emphasised his willingness to do what he could to help with this.

The Leader moved to the vote, where it was unanimously:

RESOLVED THAT:

1.    The budget setting timetable at Appendix 2 be approved;

2.    The outline budget strategy outlined in section 4 be approved;

3.    The pressures in addition to the £1.044m overspend reported in the August 2021 budget monitor and the large amount of work which will be required to close this gap be noted;

4.    The intention for this Council to remain in the Gloucestershire Business Rates Pool in 2022/23 as outlined in section 5 be noted;

5.    Suggestions from the Budget Scrutiny Working Group be considered by the Section 151 Officer, Deputy Section 151 Officer and the Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets in preparing the interim budget proposals for 2022/23.