Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Finance

RESOLVED that

1. the budget setting timetable at Appendix 2 be approved.
2. the estimated funding gap for 2013/14 of £0.95m- £1.2m and the steps taken to close it at Appendix 3 be noted.
3. the budget strategy outlined in section 5 below be approved.
4. Authority be delegated to the Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, to consider the suggestions from the Budget Scrutiny Working Group in preparing the interim budget proposals for 2013/14 as outlined in section 5.

The Cabinet Member Finance explained that the budget process had started back in February 2012 and a £735k funding gap had been identified at that point between what the Council would need to spend to maintain service and what it could spend assuming an illustrative council tax increase of 2.5 %. Since 2010 the government grant had been cut by 23 % and a further cut was expected in December. A 5 % cut in government grant was assumed next year and it was hoped that the Council tax increase would be as low as possible. The Bridging the Gap group continued to meet on a regular basis and a 5 year strategy was being developed with intelligent targets based on work which was already being undertaken, such as the Leisure and Culture review and various restructures.

The Cabinet member Finance wished to put on record his thanks to the Bridging the Gap group and officers across the council for identifying savings. There was still however more to do.

The Leader of the Council also paid tribute to the work being done.

RESOLVED that

1. the budget setting timetable at Appendix 2 be approved.
2. the estimated funding gap for 2013/14 of £0.95m- £1.2m and the steps taken to close it at Appendix 3 be noted.
3. the budget strategy outlined in section 5 below be approved.
4. Authority be delegated to the Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, to consider the suggestions from the Budget Scrutiny Working Group in preparing the interim budget proposals for 2013/14 as outlined in section 5.