Issue - meetings

Report of Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets, Councillor Alisha Lewis

RESOLVED THAT:

-       the contents of this report are noted, including the key projected variances to the general fund and Housing Revenue Account (“HRA”) 2024/25 revenue and capital budgets approved by Council on 23 February 2024, and the actions to ensure overspends are reduced as far as possible by the end of the financial year. 

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets began her introduction by saying that CBC goes far beyond its statutory requirements in many ways, but despite the substantial cost of this, manages its finances wisely and remains in a good position, driven by officers across the council who want to do the best they can for the people of Cheltenham.  They chart a difficult course between what people what deserve and what the council’s means allow for, having to look constantly at the services the council provides and how to deliver them. Innovation, prudence, and careful financial planning ensure targets are met and vital services are maintained. In addition, the Communities team does extra work with grant applications, making the most of all opportunities.

She said that the shortfalls early in the report are down to timing, particularly around planning, with some major applications coming in too late to be included in the report and other exciting projects still to pay off.  She thanked Gemma Bell and the finance team for their excellent work to make it all possible.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Customer Services was happy to note how officers have raised money to enable the council to help the poorest families in Cheltenham, helping 7000 children over the last couple of years.  She thanked the Communities team for the work they do, and hopes it will continues.  She also thanked the finance team for recognising the need to change the future for many people.

She noted a typo in Paragraph 4.9 of the report:

The current Government policy is that supported accommodation managed by an organisation that is not a Registered Provider does that not qualify to receive full Housing Benefit Subsidy

The Leader said the Mid-Term Treasury Report and Budget Monitoring Report demonstrate how well the council is doing since the pandemic.  Before 2020, the trajectory was to be financially sustainable by 2025, without government support. The resilience of Members and officers shows in that the council is well on that road again, although it will of course take longer, and some services have had to be reduced or done differently in order to keep delivering  what the council wants to do for the people of Cheltenham. 

RESOLVED THAT:

-       the contents of this report are noted, including the key projected variances to the general fund and Housing Revenue Account (“HRA”) 2024/25 revenue and capital budgets approved by Council on 23 February 2024, and the actions to ensure overspends are reduced as far as possible by the end of the financial year.